Sorry to blog so late, but free wifi hasn’t really come to downtown Houston. I found one coffee shop but their server has been down so service was sketchy, but the oatmeal is superb. It’s a wee bit different than Silicon Valley. I'm suffering from lack of connection with my friends via Facebook, the blog and Twitter.
I’m signing books at the mother of all quilt shows. International Quilt Association, IQA, has been putting on this show for nearly thirty years, and it is the biggest and the best show in the world. Fifty to sixty thousand quilters come through the doors and the exhibitors are from everywhere. It is a big deal to get your quilt accepted at Houston.
And it shows. The work here is exquisite. Walking through the quilts, it’s hard to remember where they started: with homespun fabrics and one patches. Anything goes now. Embellishments, fancy threads, silks, machine quilting, longarm quilting, handquilting. Everything and anything. Impressive.
It’s still a woman’s world. The men are peripheral. One guy introduced himself to me as his wife’s CEO – Carry Everything Out. I liked him because he insisted she buy both Wild Goose Chase and Old Maid’s Puzzle.
The booth demos are the most fun. I’ve watched the Stewart Gill girls with their lovely burrs and tartans on , stamp, paint and stencil with their textile paints. I watch the yoyo maker channel her inner grandmother as she scooped her needle around to make the tiniest yoyo hole ever. It’s fun talking to the gals from the bendable light telling them how much I love their product. They were telling me how many audio books a year they listen to. A lot! I need an audio book. Stat.
It's fun to be in a strange city with so many people who speak my language: Quilt.
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7 comments:
It sounds as though the quilters are technologically ahead of the rest of the city, Terri!
What a treat to be among people who share a passion -- pictures next please!
Lucky Huston, but we miss you out here.
Hope your hand doesn't get tired from signing all the books!!
Enjoy...
I've been the the Houston show and wore myself out just walking to the booth, The Craftsman's Touch, where I was to sign that day. Huge, huge. Also deeply intimidated by the magnificent patterns wrought by the quilters. Astonishing that some scraps of cloth and a sewing machine can create such dazzling works of art.
Monica, your name comes up time and time again. The quilters remember you being here. I'm afraid with my unadorned head, I'm a sorry substitute.
Emilie Richards and Sandra Dallas are here somewhere too but I haven't seen them.
I'm in Booth 1324, the Quilting Books Unlimited booth with Rob and Betty Boyink.
Dear Ms. Thayer,
I was at your booth on Saturday and bought your book and this man passed himself off as you and "autographed" my book with your name. I feel very offended. If you were not available then why didn't he say to come back or even tell me that you had stepped away rather than pass himself off as you. I'm not at all happy about this. As I had never seen you or even a picture of you I didn't know this was done to me til I got on your website and saw your picture. I am enjoying the book but I feel cheated!!!
Terri, Emilie is one of my dearest friends, and the godmother of Paper, Scissors, Death. Please tell her I said, "Hi," and give her a big hug!
Dear Psalms,
I'm sorry you had that experience. If it was at the Quilting Books Unlimited booth, perhaps Rob was just teasing you. I had signed books for them to sell when I was not there, so maybe you got one of those. I hope so!
There were books at other booths, too.
I'd be glad to replace it if you'd like. Just email me at terri@territhayer.com.
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