International Quilt Festival

Visiting the Houston International Quilt Festival is like visiting an art museum. Each year, quilters from around the world display their quilts and the final products are both unique and beautiful.

Now in its 35th year, this year's festival was held the weekend of October 15th through the 18th. This festival is the largest in the world of its type and attracts thousands of visitors to Houston. Exotic quilts from around the globe are on display with this year's featured exhibits from Russia and China.

The different patterns shown are extremely creative. When I think of quilts, I think of the traditional patterns associated with early settlers, but many modern patterns are on display. Some of the quilts tell a story, while others are like paintings. Unusual materials are also used as there was an exhibit where a few quilts were made out of recycled wedding dresses to benefit cancer research.

The festival is held yearly in the fall--usually in October or November. While parking in downtown Houston can be a little expensive, entrance fees are reasonable at $10.00 per person (with free admission for children).

I go to the International Quilt Festival mainly to look at the incredible craftsmanship. This year's grand prize winner received $10,000 for her work. Some of the quilts take years to make and the end result is beautiful. These quilters are artists.