1974. The Watergate scandal erupted at full force, resulting in the resignation of Richard Nixon. Patty Hearst was kidnapped by the SLA. “The Troubles” continued in Ireland. Barbara Streisand’s “The Way We Were,” The Godfather Part II, and Carrie were on top in music, movies, and books.

It’s hard for me to believe that this year marks the 35th anniversary of International Quilt Festival here in Houston! If my 1974 self could timetravel from that first show to this one, I’m sure I wouldn’t believe the sheer size and enormity of it all— and that’s just the food court!

Many of you veterans may know the story of Festival’s beginnings, but we have a lot of newcomers each year, so bear with me if I tell it again.

In the mid-1970s, I made a run for political office to the Texas state legislature. But despite all my campaigning and hand shaking, the votes did not go my way—nor did the campaign debt I’d accrued! Seeking to pay that off, I opened an antique store in Houston—Great Expectations, named after my favorite Charles Dickens novel—with my mother-in-law.

We had quite a bit of inventory, but we also had a lot of blank space on the walls. To fill in the spots, we hung up a number of quilts made by various members of my family, including my mother and aunt. And when the quilts started getting more inquiries than the antiques, I knew I was onto something! I soon added fabric, books, and notions to my inventory. Suddenly, my antique shop had become a quilt shop.

That first year, I held a “thank you” party for my customers, which included a small amount of quilts on display and a handful of vendors. I expected perhaps a hundred people to show up. Imagine my shock and surprise when, by the end of the event, more than 2,500 people had come through the doors—with many ladies pushing baby strollers in very inclement weather, a famous Texas “blue norther!”

As the years passed, Festival was held in other locations— The River Oaks Garden Club, several church gymnasiums, the Shamrock Hilton Hotel, and once at the Albert Thomas Convention Center. And it outgrew each and every one of those venues as more and more quilters, vendors, and teachers took part in the show (though I have a particular fondness for the Shamrock days when quilters would take over the lobby into the wee hours of the morning, clad in their pajamas and stitching away!).

In 1987, we were the first public show held here at the George R. Brown Convention Center. And except for one year that we moved to the Astrohall, it’s been our home ever since, making Houston the Quilt Capital of the Country!

Festival has been home to so many historic exhibits and events that I don’t have the space to recount them all here. But you can find out more in the special magazine International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene. Produced in conjunction with Interweave Press and editor Pokey Bolton, it celebrates both Festival’s storied past and its bright future with articles, interviews, and projects. Get your copy at the commemorative item booth or the Quilting Arts booth.

And whether it’s your 35th time to attend Festival or your first, I want to thank all of you for being part of the show. If you haven’t already, you can join us on Facebook—the advent and prominence of which no one could have predicted in 1974!

See you on the show floor!

Karey Bresenhan President, Quilts, Inc. and
Founder, International Quilt Festival