The World Series of Baseball and the World Series of Quilting converge this week in downtown Houston.
Our quilting group at church, the "Ministers of the Cloth", have always referred to the annual International Quilt Show as the "High Holy Days of Quilting." It is being held all week at the George R. Brown Convention Center. This is the first convention there since it was used to house the Katrina evacuees. For more info on the Quilt Show click here.
The World Series comes to Houston tomorrow at Minute Maid Park, which is only a few blocks away from the Brown Convention Center. Hapless White Sox fans are having a hard time finding hotel rooms in the downtown area. They were booked long ago by quilters from all over the world. They are frustrated--this is the High Holy Days of baseball as well.
Downtown is now full of quilters and baseball fans seeking to express their devotion. Here's how to tell the difference:
Attire-
Baseball Fans: team t-shirts, jeans, team baseball caps, beer. Optional headgear for Astros fans--bee antennas.
Quilters: heavily appliqued vests or jackets, often with the logo of their quilt guild, quilt show pins, long crinkled skirts, sensible shoes, matching quilt show totes. For Portia and Babs, the ultimate put-down is : You look like you just came from the Quilt Show.
Food--
Baseball Fans: hot dogs, beer, nachos with jalapenos, chili, cheese and sour cream, beer, cracker jack, margaritas, and did I mention beer?
Quilters: sandwiches brought from home, salads, anything chocolate. Maybe some wine--but only AFTER classes are over. Don't want to be tipsy while using a sewing machine.
Hours of Devotion --
Baseball Fans: As soon as Minute Maid opens tomorrow afternoon, they will stream in. Until then sports-talk radio is the source of their inspiration and strength, an ever-present comfort in a time of trouble.
Quilters: All day long for a week, with occasional breaks for lunch, snacks and dinner. The Quilters have to visit more exhibits than a Catholic making the Stations of the Cross. And the shopping is divine--if you like fabric, quilting books and gadgets, sewing machines, etc. etc.
Pilgrimage Options--
Baseball Fans: Trip to the old Astrodome. Dreary, run-down, still being put back together after Katrina, but full of sentimental memories of the many times the Astros broke your heart in the past.
Quilters: Quilt Shop Hop across the greater Houston metro area by bus from Katy to the Woodlands to Galveston. The ultimate pilgrimage for die-hard enthusiasts.
One word of advice for rowdy White Sox fans--don't contest a parking space with a car full of quilters. They pack scissors.
Our quilting group at church, the "Ministers of the Cloth", have always referred to the annual International Quilt Show as the "High Holy Days of Quilting." It is being held all week at the George R. Brown Convention Center. This is the first convention there since it was used to house the Katrina evacuees. For more info on the Quilt Show click here.
The World Series comes to Houston tomorrow at Minute Maid Park, which is only a few blocks away from the Brown Convention Center. Hapless White Sox fans are having a hard time finding hotel rooms in the downtown area. They were booked long ago by quilters from all over the world. They are frustrated--this is the High Holy Days of baseball as well.
Downtown is now full of quilters and baseball fans seeking to express their devotion. Here's how to tell the difference:
Attire-
Baseball Fans: team t-shirts, jeans, team baseball caps, beer. Optional headgear for Astros fans--bee antennas.
Quilters: heavily appliqued vests or jackets, often with the logo of their quilt guild, quilt show pins, long crinkled skirts, sensible shoes, matching quilt show totes. For Portia and Babs, the ultimate put-down is : You look like you just came from the Quilt Show.
Food--
Baseball Fans: hot dogs, beer, nachos with jalapenos, chili, cheese and sour cream, beer, cracker jack, margaritas, and did I mention beer?
Quilters: sandwiches brought from home, salads, anything chocolate. Maybe some wine--but only AFTER classes are over. Don't want to be tipsy while using a sewing machine.
Hours of Devotion --
Baseball Fans: As soon as Minute Maid opens tomorrow afternoon, they will stream in. Until then sports-talk radio is the source of their inspiration and strength, an ever-present comfort in a time of trouble.
Quilters: All day long for a week, with occasional breaks for lunch, snacks and dinner. The Quilters have to visit more exhibits than a Catholic making the Stations of the Cross. And the shopping is divine--if you like fabric, quilting books and gadgets, sewing machines, etc. etc.
Pilgrimage Options--
Baseball Fans: Trip to the old Astrodome. Dreary, run-down, still being put back together after Katrina, but full of sentimental memories of the many times the Astros broke your heart in the past.
Quilters: Quilt Shop Hop across the greater Houston metro area by bus from Katy to the Woodlands to Galveston. The ultimate pilgrimage for die-hard enthusiasts.
One word of advice for rowdy White Sox fans--don't contest a parking space with a car full of quilters. They pack scissors.
8 comments:
There was a quilter's gathering at Zephyr Point while I was there last week. I came upon one of them reading the dining hall schedule and working out that the quilters would be sharing the dining room with the Pastor/Theologian Seminar. She must have mistaken me for a quilter because she said, "Oh dear, we girls are going to have to watch our language." Little SHE knows about Pastors on the loose for a few days . . .
yes, one should warn the baseball fans-don't get in the way of anyone wielding a rotary cutter.
Go astros!
This is a hoot!
I love the 'High Holy Days of Quilting'.
Our senior citizens center has a crochet club called the "Happy Hookers".
~sighs~ I wish that I knew how to quilt or sew.
Sigh, the heavily appliqued vest ... the envy of many a quilters eye. Of course the "muslin mistress" look is more to some people's taste....
hee, hee, hee!!
Oh, yes -- quilt show does make for quite a "show" of "couture" (en grande toilette" - pun intended here).
How fun!
My city just marked the 101st homocide of the year, the earliest we have ever cracked the 100 mark. (sad)
Your events are much,much, better.
Not only that, but the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church is meeting in Houston this week.
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