I’m just back from my first time going to the International Quilt Festival in Houston and, as my mind and body are still spinning from all I’ve seen, I think it’s only right and proper to begin writing now! I knew that this was the largest show in the states but this year was even bigger. As it was celebrating it’s 40^th year, there were even more quilts that usual – around 2,000.

After 5 days, I still don’t think I’d really seen them all. Every morning I’d get up ready to see a section I hadn’t seen before. Every morning while walking to that new section I just had to run by some favorites from the day before and revisit them. Every day I’d see some quilts in sections that I’d already walked through that I didn’t remember seeing before and that I loved. Hours later I might make it to the “new” section!

In addition to being my first time at the show, it was my first time of going to a show without the buffer of a friend. Sounds silly, but that meant I had decisions to make – I could be lonely or make new friends. Don’t get me wrong, I like my quiet time, but just not a week of quiet time! I connected with wonderful people from my hometown guild that were gracious enough to include me in some of their plans, met wonderful people that I’m hoping will grow into new friends, and had coffee with great people that I met in line while waiting for our daily fix of caffeine – those brief connections that won’t really go anywhere but just make you glad that there are people like that in the world.