California quilt show or bust!

Colorful banners and palm trees

lead into the Long Beach Convention Center.

Welcome to the International Quilt Festival

at Long Beach, CA

Thousands of quilters from around the world attended last week.

Some of the stores across the street from the festival.

While the mother of all quilt shows (in my opinion) is the International Quilt Festival in Houston, which is held every fall, IQA added a smaller summer festival at Long Beach a few years ago. I made the trek last weekend, joining thousands upon thousands of quilters heading into the Convention Center to feast our eyes upon 23 separate exhibits plus the latest fabric, thread and gadgets at hundreds of vendor booths.The exhibits ranged from collections of beautiful antique quilts to the latest in contemporary art quilts. There also were dozens of classes, lectures and other special events.

 

I loved the pink and purple carpets.

My "Starfish Rising" quilt was in the West Coast Wonders exhibit.

I bought French dish towels from this vendor and he gamely agreed to pose for a photo. He's wearing an apron that his wife made from one of the towels. (Their business is called French Connections.)

These views from the airplane on my way home

may inspire a quilt someday.

Mt. Rainier out the window means I'm almost home.

You can visit the quilt festival online by going to www.quilts.com and clicking on the ruby slippers.

(Or click here.) 

Have a colorful day!