Loved this at Quilt Market

If you are a sewer or quilter, then you have heard of Moda Fabrics. And, you probably also know about the Moda Bake Shop blog. But in case you don't know about it, or like me, don't always have time to check it regularly, I want to share this.
I saw the Princess and the Pea Blanket in the Moda Bake Shop booth at quilt market in Houston. It caught my eye, because the Princess and the Pea story is a favorite in my household. I was delighted to discover that the tutorial for the Princess and the Pea blanket is available online, and is printable if you want to save it for sewing sometime in the future!

Quilt Market 2009

Time flies when you are having fun! Fall quilt market time is here again! Liz and I headed off to Houston, Texas last week for our annual visit to fall quilt market.
Liz has the absolute worst luck flying of anyone that I know. Everytime she flies, something happens to make it an unpleasant experience. Every time. It has approached the level of comical. Well, comical to everyone except for her!
So, she leaves Tallahassee at the crack of dawn, to fly to Charlotte, and then to Houston. I leave San Diego at the crack of dawn, but am flying direct. She should arrive about 30 minutes or so before me. Houston is having a raging storm. Bad weather - so bad that they stop allowing planes to land. So, Liz's airplane goes into a holding pattern. They stay there until they are too low on fuel, and then divert to New Orleans. I also have to go into a holding pattern, but only briefly, and end up landing almost on time. Granted, it was not a pretty landing. It was one of those landings where the entire planeload of people burst into applause.
I hung out in the Houston airport for awhile waiting for Liz, but she was still stuck in New Orleans, so I went ahead and took the shuttle to our hotel.
We stayed at the lovely Hilton Americas, and will probably stay there again next year, as it is so convenient. Liz finally arrives, 5 hours late.
We headed off to fabric 2.0, hosted by the fabulous and witty, Caroline Devoy of JCaroline fame. There are few people who make me laugh as much as she does! She is such a fun person to be around. You must read her blog!
We met up with our roommate for the weekend, Anna Garner, of Sweet Dreams Designs and Grandmother's Joy, a children's boutique in Birmingham, Alabama. We also visited with Jona of fabritopia




and I met the adorable, Tracy of hipfabric. Tracy and I posed in our brassyapple scarves and she taught me a super easy way to post pictures to ubertwitter using my blackberry. Thanks again, Tracy!

After the cocktail party, we swung over to the convention center to visit Sample Spree. Sample spree is such a fun event, but it can be hazardous to your health! There were literally HUNDREDS of people in line for the event. So, Liz and I sat down and waited for the line to dissapate before going in. I mean, we love fabulous fabrics and goodies as much as the next person, but it isn't worth getting run over by a motorized scooter for!!



here is Liz, waiting for sample spree to start.

more tomorrow...

Quilt Market - October 2008

 

I know - totally sad that we are just now getting around to blogging about quilt market. But, well, no good excuse. Life just got away from us, I guess. But, better late than never, right?
So, here it goes - the last 3 months in super-quick form!

We arrived in Houston, got checked into our hotel and headed off to the Fabric 2.0 cocktail party, thrown by Michael Miller Fabrics and the uber-fabulous Caroline of J.Caroline.
We were able to visit with some great people, including those in the photo above - Paula Prass, and Bari Ackerman.

 

Liz got to meet Jona, a lady whose blog Liz stalks from time to time! Jona inspired Liz to paint a mirror the most fabulous turquoise color!

 

We met Project Runway winner, Jay McCarroll, who has designed a fabric collection for Westminster.

 

The gracious and warm Anna Maria Horner took time to visit with us and sign my copy of her new book, Seams to Me.

 

Amy Butler was incredibly nice - and incredibly TALL!

 

Our favorite booth - Paula's, of course! She and her fashionista daughter, Jennifer created a beautiful booth to display her fabulous first fabric collection. We were happy to help in our small way, by creating a few clothing samples to display in her booth. We are featuring several of her fabrics in our spring collection!

 

Another really beautiful booth was that of Patty Young, a new designer for Michael Miller Fabrics. Her first collection, Andalusia is really incredible, and we are using some of her fabrics in our new spring line as well.
I have to say, though, isn't that pineapple divine?! I really, really want it!

 

I couldn't post about Quilt Market and not include a picture of my "coffee cop"! I arrived at the convention center and bought an overpriced Starbucks to try to kick start my morning. As I tried to enter the convention floor, this police officer wouldn't let me in with my coffee. I saw other people entering with coffee, but he wouldn't let me in. He explained that they were exhibitors, and they were allowed to bring in coffee, but I was an attendee and I wasn't allowed. I couldn't bear to throw out my full mocha, and one of my fabric reps strolled by right about that time. I explained the situation and asked if he would carry my coffee in for me. He agreed, and we walked through the entrance. (I know... I know... what a rebel, right?) So, I went inside and was standing off to the side of the convention floor, in the linoleum covered area, waiting on Liz to beg a bandaid from the first aid center for her blisters. And, who should walk by, but the coffee cop! He looked at me, and asked me how I got in with the coffee. I told him that my fabric rep felt sorry for me and brought me the coffee. He insisted that I throw it away. I begged him to please let me finish my coffee and promised that I wouldn't move from that spot with it. He said okay, but I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't thrilled with the idea of contributing to my dilenquency. I kid you not, the convention floor was HUGE, and there were HUNDREDS of people there. And, I ran into the coffee cop no fewer than 6 more times that day! At the end of the day, I took this picture so I would remember my Houston "brush with the law"!