Day 11 Quilts, more quilts and crowds

It was so humid and I was too hot when I woke at 6. I know that there was already lots of traffic going past, possibly all those trying to beat the crush for parking places for the big parade? But like other times it was an advantage. I managed to catch up on the last two really busy days in my diary and to post most photos. The streets were filling with the orange shirts of the Houston baseball team all heading in the same direction- away from the GBCC. 

Today I wanted to finish seeing all the quilts. I lasted two hours before I had to have a break. The floor in that place is incredibly hard on feet and backs. When I had enough stamina to finish the quilts I went back in and mission was accomplished. Time to sit and eat my sandwich with Deb.

After lunch it was the vendors. No more fabric for me, only some thread and small novelty buttons. I met Rob Appell from “Man sewing”. Actually I heard his voice first. He doesn’t look the same as his videos. Luckily he was wearing his distinctive T-shirt. Later I met Victoria Wolf Findlay, who was just a nice as Rob.

At 5 pm Deb and I were ready to go back to the hotel, via the shops for some food for dinner. Slight issue that Houston was now in a traffic and human gridlock from all the people who had been at the parade. It was organised chaos. We went to the shop dodging cars across pedestrian crossings. The queues for buses and light rail were enormous. I managed to photograph some young men in their distinctive T-shirts. Finally in the room and shoes off. Bliss.

The quilts on display were the best of the best. Incredible works of art from each artist. It was interesting to see more printed designs that had been quilted in this year’s quilts. The quilt show draws more than 60,000 people from over 35 countries for four and a half days. There are more than 1,600 quilts and fabric art on display. More than 1000 vendor booths and 500+ classes and lectures. “Slightly larger” than Jeff’s shed/ AQC. However Tokyo has 250,000 visitors and runs over seven days. 

When we were speaking with Victoria she told us that she was a judge this year. Because judging was a week after the floods, they were upstairs judging, while all the homeless were on the main ground floor. Two things she noticed were signs about a curfew to try to stop looting and signs warning of potential issues with human trafficking! People who looked as if they were doing you a good turn, but may be taking advantage of you.

Time for dinner……. Back again after another yummy meal to post. Fingers crossed bed at a reasonable time? Didn’t happen. Too many photos to download and sort. But this should be the last huge day of quilt photos.