If you have never been to Houston to the International Quilt Festival, you are really missing out on a wonderful experience! It is time to make plans to go to the next show. It is my favorite show, and I will tell you why....

Besides being the largest convention in the city of Houston and using the entire George Brown Convention Center, having the most classes offered at any show, having the most vendors under one roof, having over 50,000 people from all over the world to attend, there are over 1500 quilts, cloth dolls and wearable art to view in one convenient location in the convention hall.

TheQuilterCommunity.com Booth at International Quilt Festival in Houston

Another wonderful thing about the Houston International Quilt Festival is that the aisles where the quilts are displayed are wide enough to comfortably view the quilts. Even with many people around you, the quilts can easily be seen. And if that is not enough to convince you to visit the show, in the fall of 2004, the convention center expansion will be finished, so there will be even more classes and more quilts to see. The Hilton Hotel has completed a new complex that is now connected to the convention center by an enclosed walk way.

The best thing about the show is that the quilts that are hanging are absolutely fabulous! It amazes me each year how talented the quilters are, and how they just get better and better. There is over $70,000 in prize money awarded by the International Quilt Association and their corporate sponsors in the judged show, "Quilts A World Of Beauty." The awards are not purchase awards; rather the quilters keep their quilts along with their prize money.

View a selection of quilts from this year's show!

For a full list of winners visit the International Quilt Festival official site: www.quilts.com. You will also find information about their other shows in Chicago and Europe.

©2004 Dori Hawks

www.theQuilterCommunity.com