I didn’t realize the Husqvarna Awards would be such a big thing until getting to the IQA Festival in Houston. We had a private dinner with a bunch of Husqvarna and Quilt Festival VIPs on Wednesday, and then an awards luncheon the next day. It was fun getting to know the other winners — Helen Godden from Australia (on the left), Ita Ziv from Isreal (right), and Annette Hedricks (not pictured). Look at Helen’s cool Aussie coat and leather pants she wore to the ceremony!

As we each walked up to the podium to accept flowers, a plaque, a crystal trophy, someone read our artistic statements! Most people at the lunch however came to the lunch to hear Libby Lehman’s entertaining lecture. And each one of the five hundred people in attendance got a huge spool of thread as a party favor.

As first place winner, Annette got a huge crystal trophy that I’d like to see her taking through airport security. The rest of us got these cute ones that look like little boats with floating triangles inside. However the sewing machines in the ceremony were just for show – we will get certificates to pick them up at the dealer. There’s also this great catalog that Viking published with photos of all the quilts in the exhibit.