Houston Int’l Quilt Festival 2025: Market, classes and people

This is my last post on this year’s Houston Int’l Quilt Festival (and Market); previous posts are here, here, and here. I arrived 2 days early so that I could view the quilts and attend Market. Market is for industry professionals only, so shops, vendors, and buyers will be in attendance, as well as other industry professionals.

I spent much of the first day viewing the quilts. I juried the show with David Taylor and Sarah Ann Smith, and I wanted to see the show hung and also see what ribbons the judges awarded. I also wanted to take lots of photos. I am hoping to develop a lecture about entering shows, getting judged, and jurying into the show. I learned a LOT from viewing 608 entry photos!

I also wanted to see what new products at Market might catch my eye. Three in particular impressed me:

Terial Magic now comes in a handy concentrate! I am an enthusiastic user of Terial Magic and a small pouch of concentrate appeals to me for classes, retreats, etc. Also, I may begin to carry this in my traveling store since it’s compact and lighter weight. If you’re not familiar with TM, it is a spray on stabilizer that will make your fabric as stiff as paper. Spray on is much easier to work with in my view and I use it often.

A two-woman team paired up to create Patchwork Kicks, fabric shoe kits with everything you need, all in one! Their inclusive kit includes all the things except fabric: tools, notions, soles, etc. They pretty much debuted at Market and sold out. You’ll have to wait a bit for them to stock up if you are interested in their kits.

This is the slickest machine carrier I’ve come across. New-to-me Goat Notions Company has created a thoughtfully designed tote that will easily go where others will not. It has a separate rolling platform with a 5th wheel in the middle that makes it so maneuverable and also allows you to use the roller separately to move other things.

Just my opinion, but as a teacher, I tote my machine all over the place, stairs, rocks, pavement, etc. The Tutto bags are useless on stairs – they bottom out on each stair and jostle my machine on every step. Standard totes are good, but this one is great. I hope to begin to see it in local quilt shops. You kind of have to see it to understand how useful it is. There are so many thoughtful pouches, just the size and place you need them: like a pencil pouch right at the top of the tote flap.

This booth got the “Cutest Dog Gone Thing” award from me, Tilda, Something Blue. Just. Adorable.

Quilters know how to dress up:

If you know Jerry Granata, Brother machines rep, you know he’s always got cool shoes. This is his 2025 pair.

I always look forward to catching up with friends that I may only see at Market:

Alex Anderson in the Quilters Select booth; love both Alex and QS products! But then again, who doesn’t love Alex?

Sophie Scardaci with C&T Publishing, one of the most creative souls on the planet. I was delighted to just spend time catching up. Sophie is the creative force behind Creative Spark videos.

This is my 12th year at the Houston show. I always start out with a photo from the second floor, looking down at the first floor; in this case it’s Market.

Random shot on Monday early afternoon; Market was pretty tame this year.

Once Market was over, it was time to put my teacher hat on. The Education Department is almost all volunteer and they work hard to support the needs of the teachers. Each year, a fabric company donates fabric to Education and each volunteer makes a garment using some of that fabric. This year they had a display of representative garments over a 25 year period. It was pretty cool:

Now it’s time to teach!

My first class was Yes You CAN Free Motion Quilt! and a full class of enthusiastic beginners embraced the challenge. What a FUN class and they were open and ready to learn.

One of the cool things about Festival is students from all over the world including the UK and Sweden! I’m always grateful that students give me a full day of their Festival time to come to my class.

The group from Sweden had jackets to c0mmemorate the occasion. How cool is that?

And I had the privilege of having 4 sisters too! That warmed my heart; 4 sisters who can go to quilt shows together. What a blessing.

Time for Wednesday Sampler! I was grateful that Education brought back Sampler. Sampler is held in a Ballroom and each presenter has their own space. Attendees can flow freely from station-to-station as they wish. Presenters like me have a fairly short presentation that we do over and over as the audience rotates. You must be organized to do this! After the second time through, your brain says “You already said that” so you MUST refer to your notes to stay on script.

My setup before the chaos.

BEWARE: if you’re my friend, I may take a horrible photo and publish it! Sorry Lori, this is all I got. Lori helped me through Sampler and Machine Quilting Forum and I couldn’t have done it without her. I apologize for the bad photo!

We’re all getting set up  for Sampler including some friends:

Kim Brownell, from my area!

Good friend Barbara Black, ready for the masses!

If you know these two, you know they are trouble: good friends Cindy Lohbeck and Kyra Reps!

My first group of Sampler ladies!

I forgot to take any photos of Machine Quilters Forum, sigh. Six teachers each introduce themselves to the audience (150 attendees, sells out every year) and then we each go to our station and do a 15 minute presentation. Attendees rotate around the room from teacher to teacher. I love MQF and look forward to it each year.

I also presented my “My Journey Through the Artistic Muddle” lecture to an enthusiastic crowd; I didn’t think to take photos until the end. I do love to see people crowding around my quilts to get a better look!

My last class, a 3 hour fills class was a fast paced one, chock full of fills and tips. My students were creative, inspired and lots of fun!

My last gig was to do Open Studios, a forum where you are given 2 hours in a space on the show floor. You present on your subject in chunks that are repeated. Show attendees can come and go as they please. I got a tremendous response to my subject, “Top Tips 4 Joyful Free-Motion!”. It was a lot of fun! But, I didn’t think about the fact that I was going to need to blast to the airport right after this. I threw my stuff into my suitcase and blasted out the door to make my plane. Whew!

And lastly, a few friends and funny scenes including ingenious ways to tote stuff, because at Festival, you WILL buy stuff:

And there are friends you run into, maybe unexpectedly:

Margo and friend! Margo was in my local guild and moved last year, so it was a treat to see her!

Half decent photo of me in front of the show’s quilt; photo taken by a passerby. Thank you!

Kyra Reps and Cristina Arcenegui Bono!

It’s become an annual thing, Nina Clotfelter, Susan Cleveland and I go to dinner at Pappadeaux and have a grand time!

Another local friend, Ruth Anne, found at the Houston Festival!

I actually made my plane in plenty of time, but you never know until you are at that gate! I flew out of Hobby via Southwest and found this interesting display of garments made from old seats:

It was a pretty cool display; there is a lot of couture level sewing, fitting and design.

Airport food: overpriced and not so great, right? Ohhhhh, not this place! Killen’s is a legendary Texas bbq place and I was surprised to see them at the airport and downright shocked that it was stellar barbecue….at the airport! It was a nice touch to end my stay in Texas.

And I arrived home to this, luck me!

Forgot to take photo with Hubby, oops! It was a great trip with memories I will cherish.

I’ll be linking up:
Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday