Quilters make a splash with color this summer at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center LONG BEACH, Calif., June 26
LONG BEACH, Calif., June 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Summertime in California might
mean hitting the beach for some, but for many of the 27 million Americans who
claim quilting as a hobby, this summer's International Quilt Festival is
what's making waves. The Festival, which attracts 70,000 quilters in Houston
and Chicago annually, is making its West Coast debut at the Long Beach
Convention & Entertainment Center this July 25-27 to cater to quilters in all
corners of the country.
"Quilters are passionate about attending Festival, they plan for it for
months, often traveling with their hometown quilting groups, and this gives
quilters on the West Coast the chance to travel a little closer to home while
hopefully attracting new attendees as well," says Festival Director Karey
Bresenhan.
The Long Beach show, sale, and quiltmaking academy features more than
1,000 quilts, textiles, and wearable art on display; more than 90 hands-on
classes, lectures, and special events; and shopping in hundreds of
booths selling quilts, fabrics, books, notions, crafts, patterns, machines,
and sewing supplies.
Quilt and textile art education are integral parts of the show. Taught by
dozens of well-known instructors, scores of classes, lectures, and special
events will take place as part of Festival's Quiltmaking Academy. Covering
all quilting styles and skill levels, classes will also offer attendees the
opportunity to explore quilting with other art media.
"To keep up with new techniques constantly emerging, Festival classes are
a favorite among attendees because they cover everything from collage applique
to surface design with dyes and paint and image transfer, giving quilters the
educational tools to take home to their projects," says Bresenhan.
Within the Long Beach event is Make It University!(TM), a mixed-media
pavilion featuring the arts of scrapbooking, rubber stamping, paper crafts,
textile arts, and more. Developed in collaboration with Cloth Paper
Scissors(R) magazine, Make It University!(TM) includes teaching showcases,
workshop projects, vendors, artist studios, and special exhibits.
"We have seen an increase in the number of quilters who like to experiment
with other artistic genres, so the Make It University!(TM) area offers
quilters the chance to tap into new art forms. Quilters at all skill levels
can watch artists create and sample new projects and techniques," adds
Bresenhan.
Festival gives quilters the chance to not only exhibit their works and
participate in classes to learn new tricks of trade, but it also allows them
to share in the creativity and inspiration amongst friends, old and new. The
real draw, of course, are all the quilts on display, more than 1,000 in Long
Beach, luring quilters to stop in awe and chat with the artists. Festival
attracts quilters from all ages from more than 30 countries along with
visitors new to the industry. Four California-centric themed exhibits will
make their debut in Long Beach: "West Coast Wonders," "Surf's Up!" "The Silver
Screen," and "Everything Under the Sun."
"Festival attendees represent a variety of cultures, artistic tastes, and
ages. Their love of quilts is the common thread," says Bresenhan.
Once considered a lost art, quilting has bounced back dramatically and is
no longer considered a craft just for "grandmas" anymore. In fact, quilting
has grown in popularity among all age groups thanks to technological trends
and advancements, and according to the most recent Quilting in America(TM)
survey, 17 percent of all U.S. households report at least one family member
who quilts. For many of these quilters, International Quilt Festival is the
highlight of the year.
For more information about International Quilt Festival, visit
http://www.quilts.com. You can also e-mail shows@quilts.com or write Long
Beach Festival, c/o Quilts, Inc., 7660 Woodway, Suite 550, Houston, TX 77063
or call 713-781-6864.
To the media: For more information or interviews, please contact Maggie
Mae Armstrong, HMH, for Quilts Inc., (704) 323-4430 or
maggiemaea@thinkhmh.com. For high resolution images, visit
http://www.quilts.com/mediapage
SOURCE Quilts Inc.
