a maiden hair fern: market spree and GIVE AWAY

Saturday, October 26, 2013

market spree and GIVE AWAY

I must be doing something right in life, because once again, I got invited back to help at a booth at the Houston International Fall Quilt Market.

This next week is the International Quilt Festival, also in Houston, which is open to the public.

Last night I was invited to attend the Sample Spree Sale, which is a pre-market sale. If you've ever gone, you'll know how crazy it is. Store owners begin lining up at the doors hours before it starts to get the best pickings. Have you ever wondered how the quilting stores have quilts to showcase a particular line of fabric that has just come out? It's because they've purchased the fabric at a pre-market sale.

Here are my finds:

This was the bag that Moda gave out to hold all your purchases in. Soooooo darling and useful!

These baskets were being sold next to the booth where I'm helping.

Fig Tree's new line coming out, Mirabelle.

Zen Chick's new line called "Sphere", it's designed and very similar to "Architextures" by Carolyn Friedlander.

In the middle is Sweetwater's new line, "Wishes". This post on their blog showcases this new darling line coming out soon.

Today I get to go help at market. I'll share some pictures with you. It's just amazing to me all the different aspects of the quilting industry. There's the ladies who have ideas rolling around in their heads of pattern designs, fabric designs, quilting designs . . . there are all the angles coming from the manufacture's side, the marketing, the sales promotions of the newest gadgets and rulers. The list goes on and on . . . so much talent!

"Gone are the days when quilting was only a cottage industry, when quilts were only made out of necessity. Today, it is a $3.58 billion industry in the US with 21.3 million quilters, nationwide. Fourteen percent of U.S. households are home to at least one active quilter. But quilting is also popular all over the world, and Quilt Market attendees came from Germany, Belguim, Austalia, Japan and other countries." (Deseret News, May 2011)

It's just mind boggling!

Willow Leaf Studio is the booth I'm helping with. They sell Pantograph designs for long-armer quilters. This website has lots of fun designs you can purchase from.