Quilt show queen inspires enthusiasts
On festival’s last day, local three-time ‘best in show’ winner demonstrates her unusual technique
For hours Sunday, Cynthia England held court in front of her “Best in Show” quilt fielding questions from a constantly revolving audience of the faithful and curious on the final day of Houston’s International Quilt Festival.
It was her third time to take the top honor at the world’s largest quilting show, a feat only accomplished by one other person, and solidified the Dickinson woman’s status as rock star in the quilting world. It was the first time a Houston-area quilter had won since she did in 2000. Her first win was in 1993.
“I’m having a really good week,” the lively 56-year-old said as she took questions about the 6-foot by 6-foot depiction of three boats floating in a shimmering harbor. “I’m going to be smiling for awhile.”
A seemingly endless stream of quilt enthusiasts shuffled by taking pictures and marveling first at the image and then at the unusual technique she developed and has become internationally known for.
“It took a year to make, but I don’t know how many hours,” she said. “I travel a lot, so I kind of binge sew.”
Tirelessly, she answered the same questions about the process, from how she put it together without paper piecing or applique to the silvery metallic thread she used to make the water look real.
And every time she folded “Reflections of Cape Town” over to show the back, onto which she had quilted a school of fish, the wideeyed crowd erupted in “ooohs” and “ahhhhs.”
England was one of dozens of quilters talking about their work at the festival, which showcased more than 1,700 quilts and over 1,100 vendor booths selling sewing machines, patterns and material.
The festival, which began Wednesday at the George R. Brown Convention Center, is the largest consumer show in Houston. Officials said they believe the event drew between 55,000 and 60,000 people, although numbers were not available Sunday. It is estimated to generate more than $40 million in revenue.
On Sunday, the affable crowd seemed to be a lot of enthusiasts who brought family members to see the artistry for themselves.
“It’s just awesome,” said Jan Davidson, 59, who was there with her daughter and 7-year-old granddaughter. “It’s fun to see all the quilts and what people do with them, some of which I have no idea how they do it.”
Davidson, a cancer survivor, makes quilts for cancer patients. She said she appreciates the more
“It’s not a job you plan for, it’s a job you fall into . ... If you wait until you know how to do it, you’ll never do it. You just have to jump in there.”
Cynthia England, ‘Best in Show’ winner
traditional quilts over pictorial quilts.
“It kind of makes me sad that we see the art quilts get all the raves, and not the real down-home quilting.”
Others came to town to be around other devotees.
“My whole family quilts, even my son and daughter,” said Bill McConnell, 69, who came from Austin with his wife, Cathy. “She comes down looking for new stuff and to see what’s going on in the quilting world. I take pictures and get inspired.”
McConnell made a point to go to England’s vendor booth, where she and her co-workers demonstrate her quilting techniques and sell patterns and her self-published book.
She opened England Design Studios in Dickinson in 1993 after her first win for “Piece and Quiet,” a quilt depicting an outdoor scene with a creek running through it. In 2000, she won for “Open Season,” depicting a wintry, wooded landscape.
England, who’s been sewing since she was 13 and attended the Art Institute of Houston, is now a small business owner with six part-time employees.
“It’s not a job you plan for, it’s a job you fall into,” she said.
Most of England’s business model focuses on teaching the technique she created.
In fact, she was in South Africa to teach a quilting class when she visited Cape Town and took a picture of the red, turquoise and royal blue boats that sat in the harbor. From that photo, she created this year’s winner.
England spent most of Sunday encouraging fans who said they did not have the skill to create the work of art she made.
“If you wait until you know how to do it, you’ll never do it,” she said. “You just have to jump in there.”
She also took her quilting fame in stride.
“My brother came by and when he saw all these people, he said, ‘Wow! They’re all really listening to you,’” she laughed.