Quilting Fantasy Come TRUE!

I am all a-flutter!  My "CONTENTMENT" anniversary quilt was juried into the 2018 IQA Houston International Quilt Festival!

And even better, I found out at the pre-show, Tuesday night Winner's Circle Celebration what ribbon I had won in the "Applique, Small" category.  Now that I am home, I am still unsure that the week even happened!

I found out a couple of weeks before Market that I had "won a prize between $250-$1000."  I found out my fate through email...apparently you get a phone call if you are one of the 8 big winners ($5000-$12,500).  

Further details about "the color of my ribbon" would be revealed in the Winner's Circle.

Once the huge crowd was settled in the combined ballrooms, we were all welcomed by the Founder and Director Emeritus, Karey Bresenhan.  Next year will be the 45th year of her life's dream.

Then the fun began!  In addition to the eight major awards and the three judges' choices (which were presented first), there were 41 categories in which prize winners needed to be announced and presented awards by the particular category sponsors.  

A slide show revealed each category's winners, starting excitingly with Honorable Mention.  When first place for each group was revealed, a small curtain was raised revealing the winning quilt, momentarily illuminated by a spotlight (mine is on the far right in this picture.)

They start on the back walls of each side, working toward the front of the room as the excitement builds.  The ballrooms' tall walls were draped in black curtains.  I didn't even see the smaller hanging curtains covering the quilts until the process started.

All kinds of quilting royalty were on hand to pass out their awards.  Here are Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson for TheQuiltShow.com.

The winner of the Handi Quilter BEST OF SHOW got a big ol' check...actually on a big ol' check!  ("ETERNAL BEAUTY", Sherry Reynolds, Laramie, Wyoming)

Will that check be checked or a carry-on when she travels home?!?

Finally, they got to my category.  It is absolutely terrifying...and thrilling...to wait to hear your name as they start with Honorable Mention.

When I got back to my seat, I immediately took a picture, just in case they realized a mistake on their part and took it away.

After all the awards were presented, they turned up the spot lights on all 50+ winning quilts and everyone in attendance got to be the first ones to see them up close and personal...a fancy sneakie-peekie.

We all stood by our quilts to greet people and answer questions.  I stood by my quilt for quite a while, until the people thinned out.  There were so many people, it was hard to get pictures until most folks had gone home.

 I even found the ballroom carpeting inspirational...

 ...and some tile accents on a wall out in the concourse.

Inspiration is everywhere!

There were so many International quilts in this show.  A lot of International quilters and quilt lovers were at the show, which was so much fun!  

In addition to USA quilts, the following citizen quilters were represented: Australia, Spain, France, Finland, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany, Kenya, United Kingdom, China, Sweden, New Zealand, Mexico, Israel, and Brazil.

I have SOOOO many pictures to share with you!!!!!  LOTS of posts coming full of lovelies!

(I even kept the sign from my chair...)

In stitches,
Teresa   :o)