I'M BACK.

Quilt Market is over and now it is back to work.  Market is a lot of fun seeing friends you only see twice a year, but it is also a lot of work.  There were 34 rows of venders at this show.  The first day I walk the floor looking at all the booths.  Each one gives you a brochure. By the end of the day I have a suitcase full of papers to look at and  choose what I want to order. 

Day Two I walk around again and order products that I knew I needed.  This market I had a list of wool, wool felt, patterns, a few books on my list so I ordered them.  Day three is when I really get to work ordering most of my notions, books, and patterns that will start to arrive any day.  I did bring some patterns back with me. The fabric at the show will start arrive this fall.

McKenna Ryan has a new series of patterns that I brought back with me.  Each one is a small wall hanging.  Bears, Moose, Bears, and Eagles.  McKenna is also coming out with a new Christmas Block of the Month.

Day Two of Quilt Market

We are at the end of day Two of Quilt Market.  You know you are tired people when you start laughing and cant stop or when people start acting silly and put their guard down.  Well I think we are at that point. 

Barb and Mary from “Me and my Sister” Playing after the photo shoot.

Tonight when the convention had ended for the day, all the Moda designers took a group photo together in their booth.  It seamed to draw a crowd. So I started taking photos of all the photographers taking photos of the designers.  My friend Lissa then turned and took a photo of me taking a photo of her and the other people taking photos.  Confused yet?  After the real photos were taken.  Lissa handed out paper mustaches to all the designers for a funny photo.  

 

                 Lissa Turning here camera on me.

                        The Moda Design Team

 This Morning I took a really fun class by Bigfork Bay Cotton Company.  We made fun tote bags that you can change the appliqués for each season.  It will make a great class this fall.  I also booked some new trunk shows.  Yahoo.  The first one will be in the shop next week.

Quilt Market Opens

Day two of Quilt Market is about to start.  Each morning before the show opens, I have signed up for classes.  Yesterday my class was call  “Appliqué with Attitude” based on their new book of the same title by Piece O Cake Designs.  They thought their needle turn method but stitched the appliqués using pearl cotton.

   

After my class I walked the floor of the convention center.  I look at everything on the first day; ask question and take a lot of information make to my hotel room.   I found quite a few fun patterns and notions so far.  

These flowers are made with the Kanzashi flower makers.  We have them in the shop and plan on having a demo at our next Terrific Tuesday.

Hi everyone, day two in Kansas City. Although Spring Market does not Officially start till tomorrow, it was a busy day and night. Today’s event is called "School House." A day filled with demos and show and tells.  The purpose is to show off their new products and classes on running a business.  Each session lasting 30 minutes or less.  The catch is there are about 15 classes going on at the same time in rooms all round the convention center.  So you get a lot of exercise.  I attended some fun and interesting classes. After school I helped at the Moda tables at "Sample Spree."

The best way I can describe sample spree is similar to the day after Thanksgiving when people line up hours before the stores open and charge o the deals.  Tonight the first group of people was in line before 2 pm.  Sample spree started at 8 pm. Many vendors have specials or sell sets of patterns with their samples.  Most of the fabric companies sell pre-cuts.

At the Moda tables they sold fat quarter packs along with a few kits.  The tables were piled high before the start. By the time I left there were just a few packs left.  I bought a small pack and a kit.  It is hard to buy more and get it back because of the weight in my bags.  I can order them after I get back from the show.

I have a class in the morning so I better get some sleep since it is almost tomorrow.

SPRING MARKET SET UP

I am at the Kansas City Convention Center, for  spring International Quilt Market in Kansas City, Missouri. Yesterday I arrived and helped my friends set up there booths.  It is amazing  how this show gets put together so quickly. 

 The venders start setting up on Noon on Wednesday and have to be finished by end of the day on Thursday.  Basically it is a blank slate. The venders have to bring everything to for there booths.  There were big crates and boxes everywhere.

I helps my friends set up tables in the Moda booth and then spent the rest the of time helping Joanna Figueroa set up her booth.  Sorry no photo of her booth yet.  I can give you a sneek peak at one of her patterns.  

This is a block from one of the quilts I made for the Moda Booth.  The Pattern is called "Sparkle" by Fig Tree using her next line of fabric.  Check back tomorrow for more Market updates.

Alison

New Arrivals

 Happy Valentines Day,  It seems impossible to believe it  is already Valentines Day. 

Very good friends of mine Craig and his wife Jamie welcomed their first son  Quinn Patrick Walker to the world on February 2,  at 11:29 am.  He was 8 lbs  6 oz and almost 21 inches long. He is beautiful.  Craig and I worked together at the Denver Post.  We have been through a lot of up and downs together.  I am so happy for whole Walker family.

I had been thinking about what type of quilt I could make for Quinn, then on Friday during our Appliqué Club  meeting UPS delivered a new box.  I looked to see what was inside and it was four new books from The Kansas City Star Quilts.  While I was looking through them one just hit me,  “This is it”.  I sent Craig a text about the colors of the Quinn's room and starting planning.

Story Time: Picture Quilts to Stir a Child's Imagination

by Kim Gaddy

  The Book is full of really cute animal appliqué quilts.  I have selected most of the fabric with some adjustments once I found out the colors of Quinn's room.  Can't wait to get started.  I will show my progress as I get the blocks done.  Here is a photo of the quilt from the book.  I will have to change the name on the wagon to Quinn.

Hope to start working on it tomorrow after I get my chores done that I have been neglecting lately.  My house looks like a tornado has struck with papers and receipts everywhere.  Ah tax time. Here are the other cool books that arrived on Friday.

                      A Year of Cozy Comforts: Quilts and Projects for Every Season

                           by Dawn Heese

A Bountiful Life: An adaptation of the Bird of Paradise quilt top in the American Folk Art Museum

American Summer: Seaside-Inspired Rugs & Quilts

by Polly Minick

White Christmas

The first day of winter came in with a bang. Here in Colorado we will be having a White Christmas.  The weather on Christmas day is supposed to be nice but there is no way all the snow we are getting today will melt by Sunday.  I have about 15 inches so far.  I will need to shovel my driveway in order to get my car out, I can't just drive over it. It is to high.  My cat spent most of the day sitting in front of the space heater.

                                    This ruler is 18 inches long

Our Newsletter with all our new classes, events, and block of the Month Programs are now available online at: http://www.fabricexpressions.com. 

 Our Open House is the weekend of  Jan 13-15. Here are a few of our classes and Block of the Month samples.

                         Daisy Chain

Heart and Flowers

                   "Cabana" Block of the Month

                    Secret Garden

                      Professional Tote