By Tessa St. Marie
Editorial Intern
Quilters will be back in town next weekend for the International Quilt Festival/Long Beach. From Thursday, July 23 to Sunday, July 26, quilters and quilting enthusiasts of all ages, shapes, and sizes are expected at the Long Beach Convention Center for “the world’s fair of quilts” to partake in activities ranging from exhibits and classes to shopping and tours.
Many special exhibits will be shown throughout the festival weekend. Attendees can enjoy exhibitions including California Guilds Award-Winning Traditional Quilts, the winners of the International Quilt Association’s 2008 “Quilts: A World of Beauty” judged show, the Bernina Fashion Show daily showcase of quilt clothing, and more than 1,200 quilts, textiles, and wearable art.
Any quilters who want to hone their skills or just learn something new can enroll in one of 114 hands-on classes and lectures taught by 37 experienced instructors. Class subjects include painting and dyeing, crazy quilts, beadwork, rotary cutting, jewelry making, crafting, and piecing. Classes begin on Wednesday, July 22 and run throughout the festival weekend. On-site enrollment for classes will begin on July 21.
Quilters who want something novel can browse through the wares of more than 450 vendors selling quilts, fabrics, books, notions, crafts, patterns, machines, and sewing supplies.
For shopping outside the festival, day tours of quilting and craft shops in and around Los Angeles will take place on July 21 and 22. The tour busses will stop at such notable shops as Luella’s Quilt Basket in Redondo Beach and Ginger’s Quilt Shoppe in Upland. For a longer excursion, participants can enjoy overnight tours through the central coast of California to Hearst Castle, stopping at various quilting shops on the way.
The International Quilt Festival/Long Beach is the second of three editions starting with Chicago in May and ending with Houston in October. The International Quilt Festival came to Long Beach for the first time last year and drew more than 20,000 attendees. “We anticipate an even bigger crowd this year,” says Bob Ruggiero, director of Publications and Public Information of Quilts Inc.
The International Quilt Festival/Long Beach will take place at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd. The festival begins with a special preview night on July 23 from 5pm to 9pm. Friday and Saturday hours are from 10am to 7pm, and Sunday hours are 10am to 3pm. General admission is $10, students and seniors are $8, and children age 10 and under are free with adult.
More Information
(713) 781-6864
www.quilts.com
