Home again, home again...

dancing a jig.
Hehe... I truly sing this song in my head every time I go to Quilt Market.. before, after, during.. every time. 

(photo does not relate to post.. other than also having been cool and inspiring and at market...)

This time I truly am dancing a jig! I know somewhere inside I am exhausted after this 40hr non stop trip but I just can't sleep... I got home just before 12AM, laid down in-between my daughters (who were both lying in our big bed, having had a heck of a time getting to sleep for dad since I was supposed to be home by 9:30PM) kissed them, looked at them in their sleep.. in the dark.. thinking about them, about the future and about market. And I couldn't sleep. My mind dancing a jig. So happy to be home, so happy to have gone, inspired, refreshed, enlightened and filled with gratitude.

Last night (or two nights ago if you consider this Monday.. which I don't...it's still my Sunday night) I sat at a table with five amazing women and it was not until later that I realized how alike we all were. Each of us mothers, sewing crafters. Striving to make a living doing what we love while raising young kids and dealing with life as it is... ever changing and complicated, all the while creating and pushing ourselves to our limits. 

It was so refreshing to hear them share bits of themselves and thier families. We spoke of our children's favorite things to play and do and our strengths and weaknesses as mothers...what we wish we could do in regards to work... the delights and struggles of being in our industry, blogging... the others we admire and even idealize...how we view ourselves ...I could go on...It was amazing. 


Later we all attended a meet up arranged by the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild.. and what I originally had thought would be a casual "meet up" of some like minded sewers and fans.. turned out to be a huge ballroom rented to accommodate a pretty large crowd of fabric designers, bloggers, famous shop owners such as the ladies of Sew Mama Sew and Fancy Tiger, pattern makers, editors, publishers and more.

In the end I left with a sense of validation and purpose and most of all gratitude because I am living a dream! I have the best job in the world, two beautiful amazing children, an amazing mother (and boss) who made my being at the table (and in this buisness) possible and I love it!  All of it!

The fabrics, the sewing, the sharing, the gushing over what each-other is doing or making.. the supportive spirit that exists in the craft world. It's beautiful.

In ending let me say if this sparks any ounce of envy in you, know that I've felt that too... when reading other bloggers who seam to "have it all"... make more or cuter stuff then I do or go cooler places than I can... I've felt that way. But it's all perspective. If what you really dream of is to go to quilt market or meet fabric designers or craft bloggers, I believe you can. It is such a big, all encompassing world of craft, warm and welcoming. If what you dream of is something entirely different, awesome! You can do that too! There are an abundance of dreams to be dreamed and they ARE obtainable!


The amazing women at dinner...


Ellen Luckett Baker of The Long Thread and author of 1-2-3 Sew


Carrie Bloomston of SUCH Designs


Tia Curtis of Tia Curtis Quilts and Camp Follower Bags


Shea Henderson of Empty Bobbin 


and Betz White (who needs no further introduction)!


More market photo's to follow.


Amendment ----
I just want to add.. or perhaps correct my self if it seamed as if I were saying "look who I'm chums with" .. I had not in fact met any of these ladies before (other then Carrie who was my fabulous "in" to this dinner... and even her I'd only met once breifly at last market).

I simply wanted to share my astonishment and luck that I was able to meet and chat with them on such a casual level. Each of them exhibited such a great degree of humility while still wonderfully expessing enthusiasm for their work. It was simply a privilege to be in their presence!

FALL 2011 QUILT MARKET

Round 2
(New companies and the first arrivals!)

While in Houston this year we were pleased to pick up 4 new companies we've never ordered with before!  2 fantastic fabric cos, 1 new pattern designer, and one very unique notions supplier.

The first I'll share is Basic Grey...
an awesome notions company with a classic, collected and heirloom aesthetic. From them we ordered several styles and sizes of these beautiful "samplers." Designed to display your treasured buttons and those little pieces of fabric you can't help but hold onto. These special pieces would make great gifts for crafty friends.
The best part: the first shipment JUST ARRIVED!! So come and get 'em! We're sure their going to go fast!

also from Basic Grey we ordered these sweet little epoxy glazed buttons, for a finishing touch on any garment or accessory.

Then there was Dear Stella!

The yellow chevron dress was my absolute FAVORITE!!!

These ladies did it RIGHT...  

This was their Quilt Market debut and they had us (and many others) wowed! 

They rightfully won the Best New Exhibitor award... just look at those dresses!!! Each day all the girls in the booth wore fabulous dresses handmade in their own fabrics... LOVE!

Out of all the fabric at market, we ordered the most from Dear Stella. 10 bolts of the blues, greys and yellows are in mid transit and should arrive sometime NEXT WEEK, while other brighter, orange, yellow and pinky prints will be here in time for spring. 

FYI: They offer this "Eloise Elephant Pillow" as a free download on their site... a Holiday Softie perhaps??

Also making her market debut, Carrie Bloomston of SUCH Designs. 

Carrie was a joy to chat with! A wonderfuly personable artist and blogger, she has recently been featured in both Stitch and Studios magazines. Her unique patterns have a very whimsical quality... playful, storybook and somewhat scandinavian in style.. I adore her Wonky Little Houses and stick puppets. Plus SUCH offers something I haven't seen from any other indie pattern maker, patterns and kits especially geared toward the younger (preteen) sewer. Her up-cycled t-shirt kits teach girls to twist their old shirts into something new. If I'd seen these when I was 10 all the girls on my list would have gotten one.. in fact I might make some for my girlies this year ;)

We were fortunate (with enough suitcase room) to be able to bring many of these patterns home directly from the show! You can see them in the shoppe NOW and look for more of her designs to be ordered soon.

Finally, the fourth new company is one that many of you have been asking us for... 

Riley Blake.

We placed our first order with a super sweet sales rep and now we're very excited to add them to our list of distributors.  Not only do they carry cute quilting prints and laminated cottons but they also have some awesome buttons and trims. So you can be on the look out for these Riley Blake goodies... in they should be coming soon too!

Well that seems like a lot but there is still a whole bunch more where Market's concerned...
if I can I'll do a round 3...
it was definitely inspiring as always!