Back to Texas!

Ahhhh, what a sister can get you into!  She has attended the Ogallala Quilt Festival for years!  I promised to go with her and that day arrived -- yikes, so soon!  Dimmit, Texas was the festival location - population about 4,000.

One  preoccupation in this area of the Texas Panhandle is weather watching! Dimmitt is a 45 minute drive from Earleen's house. No traffic, of course, just flat---------------plains. (No I didn't really see a tornado!)

  

And what is Ogallala you might ask?  A huge underground water table for the high plains. A highly abused source of drinking water and irrigation for farmers and ranchers in about 8 states. 

The festival was absolutely wonderful!  Talented quilters, friendly people and qualified teachers.  I very nearly had to have an interpreter our teacher's Texas d-r-a-w-l but I worked though it. Thank goodness for visual clues.

Remember to click on a picture for a close look.

 Beautiful quilts!

We were impressed with a  display of re-engineered old quilts. Several ladies appliquéd flowers on slightly damaged antique quilts. Some took the blocks apart and re-set them. The original quilters would  be pleased.

Stunning quilts! Unbelievable work - this one was hand work. Quilts were submitted  from all over the plains area - TX, OK, NM.  Friday's night banquet and auction attendance was over 200. 

Take a close look at this fascinating quilt.  She scanned pictures of old clothing patterns and family photos.

 Melinda Bula was the featured speaker. Wow! Check out her quilts and blog. A truly charming, funny and talented lady. 

Melinda was in Phoenix back in Jan. I'm way too intimidated to attend Quilting In The Desert events.  (I'm rethinking that.)

 So which was my favorite quilt? 

This one sure steals my heart.