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A trip to the 2025 International Quilt Festival in Houston

A trip to the 2025 International Quilt Festival in Houston

If there’s one word that captures the 2025 International Quilt Festival in Houston, it’s magical. From the moment I stepped into the George R. Brown Convention Center, I was swept up in a sea of color, texture, and creativity that could only be described as pure quilter’s heaven.

This year’s festival, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the event, felt extra special.  In addition, this trip gave me the unique experience of not only attending this 50th anniversary show, but also having attended the 50th annual Sisters Oregon Outdoor Quilt Show in Mid July a few months earlier. What a great year to be out in the quilting community.

The Quilts on Display

The main show floor showcasing a wide range of quilt concepts and styles never disappoints or ceases to amaze.  The Best of Show quilt, Ricky Tims’ stunning piece called “The Visitation”, drew an almost reverent crowd all weekend long. Every inch of it glowed with color, technique, and heart—reminding everyone why quilting is truly an art form.  I had the pleasure of hearing him talk about his quilt and the motivation behind it.  Very inspiring.  If that wasn’t enough, Ricky Tims held a concert on Friday night and entertained the masses.  

Other favorites included the Naturescape category winner, Glimpse Into the Forest by Pat Durbin, which felt like stepping right into a watercolor dream. I also loved the modern and art quilt sections this year; so many pieces pushed boundaries with fabric selection and techniques that I could only dream of learning. 

One other quilt project on display in the main hall was from the Ukrainian Quilters Association and featured one of the largest and most complex quilts I have ever had the privilege of viewing in person.  It featured 65 total blocks, created by Ukranian quilters from different cities.  I will go into more detail on this quilt and their latest project in another blog post.

One thing that was consistent in the show halls was that every quilt had a story, and it felt like walking through a living gallery of human creativity and spirit.

The Vendor Floor - Plenty of Stuff You Could Buy

Here at The Fabric Hut, we typically would attend the Quilt Market for Buyers and Vendors, which happens the week before the festival.  But this year, I wanted to see the festival vendor show floor, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. 

If your idea of fun includes all things quilt related as far as the eye can see, you would’ve been in heaven. Hundreds of vendors filled the floor with everything from boutique hand-dyed fabrics to longarm machines that could probably quilt your dreams.  I have had my eye on a new machine for a little while and it was great to be able to see all the latest models on the show floor, along with the ability to sit down and give em a short test drive.  Of course I also had to get my hands on one of the large long-arm quilting machines with the computerized software and table kits.  Sadly space and budget are going to prevent one of those coming home with me this year.   I did come home with a few treasures that I found and plenty of inspiration that may make its way into our product offerings here at The Fabric Hut.  

The People: This is the Magic

As always, what truly makes the Houston Quilt Festival unforgettable are the people. You could feel the sense of connection everywhere as I made my way around the event over three days.  Witnessed old friends reuniting, teachers hugging students they’d only met online, guilds proudly wearing their custom shirts and donning their custom made name tags.  

One of my favorite parts of each day was sitting down in the food court at a shared table with other show attendees.  Most of the time, while enjoying a quick bite to eat, folks were visiting and sharing our experiences, where we were from, and what we found interesting on the show floor that day.  

There’s something about this festival that reminds you quilting isn’t just a craft, it’s a community.

Final Thoughts

Leaving the show floor on my last day, my feet were tired, my bags were a bit more full than when I arrived, and my creative spirit was soaring. This year’s  International Quilt Festival was a beautiful blend of tradition and innovation, honoring 50 years of quilting history while inspiring our quilting community to keep stitching forward.

If you’ve never been, put it on your bucket list for sometime in the near future. There’s nothing quite like standing in a giant convention hall filled with thousands of fellow quilters, nearly every quilt machine, gadget and tool on the market, and tons of great fabrics and patterns.  My largest piece of advice is to plan a few days and take your time.  It will be well worth it.

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