Quilting fesitvals?

[roxybadoxy]

I saw on a taxi today that there was a quilt festival in my town. I was wondering if any of you knew what went on there. i am interested to go and see what goes on but then again i don't want to be bored...

[MsQuilter71]

ohhhh.....I love quilt festivals!!!!!  At the one I go to in Houston, they have quilts from all over the world that have been sent in for different contests.  They also have classes and a massive amount of vendors!!!!!!  The vendors range from anything having to do w/quilting to other crafts such as beading and so on.  They also have new product reviews.  I would suggest you go and see what you think.  You can always leave if you're bored, but then again, you may wind up finding a new festival to attend year after year!!!!!!!

[superstitch]

i'm going to the one in houston nov 2-6th i believe, its like the biggest one in the country, i'm very excited. I'm going to the austin quilt show this weekend, a much smaller affair, but i'm still excited, i cant get enough quilts!

[roxybadoxy]

sounds really interesting! i think i'll go. i'm just hoping the jem show isn't the same day my aunt is taking me!! lol thanks for sharing with me what happens. i'm excited now!

[A_Patchwork_Orange]

I'm going to Houston, too!  Only I will be there the previous week for the Quilt Market.  I went for the first time last year....wow...what a big place!  It was a lot of fun.

[superstitch]

do you have to be a buyer or something special to go to the first week?

[A_Patchwork_Orange]

Yeah, the first week, which is the Houston Internation Quilt Market is for people in the industry.  The vendors are all wholesale there, and there is very little buying off the floor- which kind of stinks, because there are always a ton of things I would love to buy, but just for me, not my store.
The same displays are up for both the market and the Festival, though, and I thoroughly enjoy seeing all of the amazing quilts that folks have made.  I hope that some day my skills are half as good as some of theirs!  I can't wait to see them this year. 

[superstitch]

do they sell the new fabric lines by the yard to us "normal" quilt lovers or only wholesale? there is a fabric line debuting there that i must have

[A_Patchwork_Orange]

Fabrics that debut at quilt market can still be months away from being available to the general population.  Often, they have the first bits of a print shipped over for the designer, and all of the sales reps for a fabric company.  That way they have their sample cards to show to shop owners, who then place the orders, and can still wait up to 4 months for the fabrics to come in on the slow boat.  
I don't know if the fabric companies are still there for the quilt Festival, or if it is quilt shops that set up as vendors (which is what happens at Lancaster Heritage Quilt Festival - the only other I am really familliar with).  So, I don't know if you will even get to see fabrics that are debuting at quilt market at quilt festival....I am not sure how that works.

[superstitch]

damn, i was really looking forward to seeing all of the new fabrics, i actually work at a fabric store so i have no problem seeing alot of new lines as we get them, but we dont carry freespirit and i wanted to see their new lines