Best of Show - Houston Quilt Festival 2013

Houston Quilt Festival opened this evening for a 5 hour VIP preview. I was able to view some of the winners and am in awe of the quilts seen.

Best of Show was awarded to Melissa Sobotka, 

Texas USA for her "Chihuly's Gondola".

For the original design, Melissa chose raw-edge applique and machine quilting.  Her comments were: "This is my interpretation of a photograph I took as the sun set on a reflecting pond at the Dallas Arboretum.  The gondola of glass balls is part of the installation, "Garden & Glass" by artist Dale Chihuly.

Melissa won the Handi Quilter award for Best of Show - $10,000   Congratulations!

At the front entrance of the massive quilt display, there were many magnificent quilts and winners as part of the "Founders Award".  I was delighted to see an Aussie proudly there explaining to the visitors her magnificent quilt and answering all their questions as one such winner.
Margo Hardie from Lake Haven NSW  won the Founders Award in Quilts: A World of Beauty, winning $7,500 for her prize!  Margo's quilt "Gorsuch Family Quilt Circa 1840 Revisited" uses needleturn applique some pen work, a few beads in the flower centres and is hand quilted.

Margo said she began drawing patterns in 2008, loving the diagonal set and beautiful applique, then drew her own patterns from a photograph.  The original quilt, possibly, a Mary Evans design, circa 1840 USA was made for two Gorsuch sisters who lived in Baltimore.  Margo said her quilt is not identical, but almost.

It's very late, so forgive me for not showing more this evening (this morning), shall do asap.  However, must show you two "by the ways".  As you know, it is Halloween and many stands have various display for this event.  One had a quirky fellow who danced to music and sang when turned on!  So cute.

The other that amused me was the display by Aurifil Thread depicting a mini golf course.

Can you see the reels of thread?

More later!