Originally Posted by
Anniedeb
Just saw Melodyr's pictures of the Paducah show. Is that a "typical" show? My dear friend has asked my to come down the Houston Quilt show in November. Until I started reading this board I didn't even know what quilt shows were!! Are they expensive? I'd have airfare from Minnesota, but besides that, what kind of "budget" am I looking at? I really want to go, but the $$ would be the deciding factor. I'd be staying with her, so no motel charges or car rental would be involved. What have you experienced?
I just came back from Paducah and was in Houston two years ago. If I had to pick between the two, I choose Houston. Here is why:
1. More entries at Paducah based off commercial patterns than Houston. I'm sure this varies year to year.
2. Only one venue in Houston while Paducah has activities all over town.
3. I think Houston has a better class selection.
4. When I was at Houston, there were more commercial venders, pattern designers. Paducah had more local quilt shops who rented a booth for the week. So in Houston I knew I could find my preferred needles at the manufacturer/distributor booth verses hunting in every vendor and still not finding them.
5. Houston divides the convention center in half. Quilts on one side, shopping on the other. Paducah co- mingles venders and exhibits. It's great marketing, but sometimes I do not want to dodge shoppers to study the entries.
6. Houston is open for extended hours. Paducah is 9-6.
7. Either one is a great experience and I hope to eventually produce a quilt that can be exhibited at both venues.
As far as budget, passes to both places are comparable, food, and spending money. It could be done for $100 plus airfare, or you could be a high roller and purchase a long arm for several $$$$.
(As always, these are my opinions, and yours may be different.)