Houston...we have a problem....

Dawn greets the George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, TX, as seen from the ninth floor of the Hilton.

The trip to the Houston International Quilt Festival was a great success! ....except that I could not get my laptop to work and so I was unable to share it all with you.

Now we try to play catch-up.

Except I am on my way out again tomorrow for my guild's annual retreat. Not even enough time for a load of laundry!

But that's OK. After I get home from that, I have another 7 days before I go on the next retreat. This is why I am so far behind...I seem to be constantly retreating!

But before I go, here are a few quick views of the goings-on in Quiltland:

It's early morning on opening day, and the crowd is lined up all around the Convention Center. There are lots of buses coming and going...even some stretch limos and a bicycle "rickshaw! Quilters from all over the world truly make this an international experience.

Spirit of Mother Earth by Sharon Schamber

This what it's like trying to get a close up view of the Best of Show! Somewhere in there is the talented Sharon Schamber, talking about her quilt and answering what are probably the same questions over, and over, and over.
All the top award quilts are hung at the front of the hall, and many times the makers were right there with them. If I'd won an award, I'd be doing the same thing!
Of course, the trick is, you have to actually enter a quilt (and have it selected) to win!

Sorry for the big glare...I also failed at trying to turn off the flash!

Next to the Best of Show, I know you want to see the fabulous vendors' mall, where 1100 booths were going full blast (that number is not an exaggeration!) with all the latest fabrics, threads, notions and things you never even dreamed of.

I had a very good time...and worked very hard!...in the Hobbs Bonded Fibers booth, so I got a chance to be part of several different aspects of the Festival.
I guess I'll have to try harder about that entry thing! Or even having a booth at the Quilt Market for the shop owners, the week before the Festival.

There will be more on this later...and a post about the guild's retreat, too.
But for now, I also have to say HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to Patchwork Pie, which started one year ago "as a little Halloween treat for myself".
This is also my 100th post, and I'd like to thank everyone who has popped in from time to time to see what they might find.
You still have time to enter the wall hanging drawing by leaving a comment! I'll do that on November 8.
I am looking forward to another exciting year of quilting and stumbling my way into new technology on my need-to-know basis.
If there's something you'd like to see or read about, please let me know!

And now it's time to change my calendars to November, turn the clocks back an hour...which will end up being the same as the time I was on in Houston....then get to bed.