{Quilters Unite}

It is my pleasure to introduce my first guest blogger to Peacocks & Peridots… Susan Monsegur – a quilting aficionado.  Recently she ventured to the great state of Texas for a quilting affair to remember and has been kind enough to share her experiences with us.

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by Susan Monsegur

The International Quilt Festival is held every year at the beginning of November in Houston, Texas. This is the major quilt show for quilting consumers worldwide.  I was lucky enough to attend for the first time this year. The festival is held in the George Brown Convention Center in Houston and like everything done in Texas – it was huge! There were row upon row of vendors (at least 1000), as well as many, many quilts and exhibits.  The quilts displayed encompass traditional to modern, portraits to landscapes – all made with a variety of fabric, thread, and batting. Some are quilted by machine, while others were made by hand. 

A quilt with over 12,000 pieces, quilted by hand.

A portrait quilt.

A floral quilt.

A quilt made by an artist from the U.K., inspired by the Devonshire Tapestries in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

My favorite exhibit was Twelveby Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge, where 12 quilt artists take on the challenge, together, to produce quilted art works based on themes, such as a word or color, chosen by each member, every two months.  The result was 24 uniquely stylized mosaic quilts.  Below are a few examples of their interpretations…

Dandelion

Community

Blue

All in all it is an overwhelming feast for the eyes. Art lovers, especially fiber artists, should go to this show at least once in their lifetime!

{Row, Row, Row Your Boats… to the Thames River Festival}

With the end of summer comes the beginning of autumn and with that – the annual Thames River Festival, a weekend “block” party celebrating art, culture, food, and of course, the Thames.  Along the waterfront, from Westminster to Tower Bridge, pennant flags wave over the south bank.  Market vendors, pop-up theaters, and interactive art installations line the bank’s perimeter.  Swarms wander along the route, popping in and out booths, perusing the handmade crafts and homemade food.  Kids wearing brown paper hats fashioned à la Dr. Seuss, dart through the crowds, laughing, as they pull each other into designed “play” areas.  Friends relax at tables on Blackfriars Bridge, overlooking St. Paul’s Cathedral, while indulging in a cup of Pimm's and some paella.  A parade of boats ensues, capturing everyone’s attention.  Bagpipers on a barge sail by, filling the air with music, urging the merriment on, all weekend long…

Here are a few pics of my Saturday afternoon along the river, moving gently down the stream…

…merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.