Notes from the Patch

Happy Halloween

 

 

                          

                                              Here's wishing you a day of sweet treats and Halloween Magic!

         

Market - Day 3

The last day of market is always the craziest with it's last minute appointments, check list of booths to go back to and the pressure of getting to the airport on time. We usually have to split up, each taking part of the list, in order to get it all done. But we did. We got everything done and made it to the airport in time for a quick late lunch before our flight. Whoohoo!

Unfortunately, with all of the crazy rushing there was little time for photos. But here are a few with some of the celebrity sitings we had.

Here's our favorite "apron lady", Cindy Taylor Oates with her new book, Any Season Robe. Did you know that we (the girls from Strawberry Patches) were the ones that suggested she do a book on robes? This book is just wonderful and for those of you that made aprons for Christmas last year, here's this years gift idea. Cindy's directions are easy to follow and her finishing techniques and photos make it all so easy and special. Annette plans to do a class on robes later so watch for that. I know it will be great!

 

        

Next we have Sandi Henderson in her booth celebrating the arrival of her much anticipated patterns. (I don't know why she looks so serious here, she's probably just exhausted from working on those patterns). lol They are beautifully written and we have them all, along with her fabric. I love Sandi and the young perspective that she brings to market.

   

Here is Michael Miller designer Paula Prass with her exciting new collection called Flights of Fancy (to the right  on the bed). Love the colors and the birds and butterflies scattered about in the main print.

 

Here's statuesque Amy Butler signing her new book Little Stitches for an adoring fan.

 

One of the things I wanted to look for at market was embroidery patterns and projects. As you probably know we are not a country looking store since we tend to go for brighter colors so the projects can't be too primitive or dark. I was excited to find several companies that had the perfect look for us and most of them happened to be from Australia!

Hatched and Patched was sooo cute and who did I meet in their booth, but my new friend who got me into stitchery again, Sharon from Red Geranium! Her blog is wacky  (you've just got to read it) and she does the cutest projects! She has even consented to do some models for us so I'm excited!! Here are the covers for two of the books that we ordered from Hatched and Patched.

  

 

We also bought fabulous new designs from Crabapple Hill and Bareroots. I just can't wait for them all to arrive so I can get stitch'n! Watch for our new up-coming hand embroidery classes too.

These darling little candle mats are from Bareroots and would make a quick inexpensive gift for an office worker or a teacher. Just add a battery votive candle, how cute is that?

To go with our stitchery we ordered 100% hand dyed wool from Weeks Dye Works in yummy colors and textures. So fun for hand applique projects.

Well, that pretty much catches you up on day three. Since we all took just  carry on luggage we were't able to bring much home with us. Most orders will be here anytime from next week to early next year. But you can be sure that I let you know as they arrive.

Now lets all get some rest I know I'm pooped!

Market, Day 2

Glad you all enjoyed day one of market. It was fun to come in from dinner tonight and read all of your comments. I just wish I had time and energy to show you more. So here's just some of what we found today on day two...

Our day started at 8:00am with a three hour appointment with Norbert, my Moda rep. Norbert and I are old friends and he always reserves an early appointment on day two of market for me. Moda always has beautiful fabrics and today was no exception. Here is the quilt from the new Three Sisters line, Aviary due out in March. We ordered most of the fabric from the collection and some complete kits to do this quilt. We also bought jelly rolls, layer cakes, sweet rolls (1 1 /2" rolls), and turnovers (6" triangles) and several simple patterns using the gorgeous precut fabric.

 

Here's a close-up so you can see the colors better and a bit of the large floral border that I managed to crop off. The lighting was challenging for my little camera. It was so beautifully quilted!

   

This next Moda group is from Fig Tree Quilts and is called Patisserie.

 

This quilt is called Jelly Girl and uses jelly rolls for the stars. You can bet we bought plenty of those along with all the fabric to make this yummy quilt. Again I apologize for the lighting and tweaked coloring (it's really more butter yellow than green). Fig Tree colors are so soft and subtle. I really have grown to love their look.

 

Chantilly is a two block quilt and is one I want to make just as soon as the fabric arrives in March. We bought six beautiful quilt patterns and all of the fabrics to kit them from the Patisserie collection.

Next from Moda is American Jane's new collection, Snippets.

 

This quilt, Peppermint Twirl uses  adorable paper doll fabric in the centers of the stars along with a jelly roll.

 

Rainy Day Play also uses the paper doll print along with a simple four patch. We bought it with a blue background - not the yellow as shown.

 

Can't remember the name of this one. Don't you love the snails trails and little pails? Here's a close-up.

 

This collection will also ship in March and works well with our current lines from American Jane.

We have ten large collections on order from Moda due in the first quarter of next year. Each has its own unique look and personality  so I think there will be something for every taste. Watch our "New Arrivals" section of our website or call the store and we'll be happy to let you know when something you're interested in arrives.

Loved this little group from Henry Glass

 

And this booth from Windom Fabrics and Anna Grifith

 

She had six chairs covered in fabrics from her different fabric lines.

 

An amazing booth which won first place for booth design. I just wanted to move in there! It was so gorgeous, elegant and creative.

  

Here's Anna Maria Horner.

What's she so happy about? 

Could it be because her new fabric line for Free Spirit is selling so well? Or maybe it's because her new book has just been published and it is so amazing. Or is it because she is expecting baby #6, is beautiful and petite, talented and nice all at the same time? 

  

Want to hate her, But LOVE her!

Speaking of talented women (not preggers though) we have two amazingly talented women from our own little town who have beautiful quilts hanging at the show.  Amanda and I nearly ran up and down the aisles (we only had ten minutes between apointments) of the quilt display section looking for Cindy Seitz-Krug's quilt. We knew she had one there, but didn't know which one, what it looked like or even the color. Didn't even know what category it had been entered in. We were just hoping we could spot something that looked like her or something we recognized of hers  among the 1,100 quilts that were hanging there. And guess what? We not only found Cindy's quilt but Nancy Rinks too!

 

This incredible quilt is called Bluer Than Blue and the quilting she did on it is amazing. Cindy quilts these huge quilts on her Bernina - not a long arm quilting machine.

Here's Nancy's gorgeous quilt. I know that it looks like a pre printed panel  because it is so perfect, but it's not. That's all pieced and machine appliqued. I don't know how Nancy can get everything so flip'n perfect. Just stunning!

 

Well it's after midnight here and I must get to bed cause day three is rapidly approaching.

Hope you're gettin your rest cause you'll need it too. Day three is always crazy trying to get it all done before hopping on that plane and heading for home.

See you then.

Thought for the week - Week #10

      

 

Market, Day 1

I want to start this post by telling you that I came really close to not coming to Houston at all for this market. The economy has seemingly gone from bad to worse and I questioned the wisdom of traveling half way across the country to buy for the store when everything seemed so uncertain.

After the first day (after the first half hour) I can honestly say I'M SO GLAD WE CAME!

The real reason I come to big shows like this is to get a feel for new trends and to find those little unusual "nuggets" that customers can't find just everywhere. Yeah, salesmen will always come to the store to show you  new fabric, but you'll never get to see the cute booths, with their awesome models and meet the designers and hear what their motivation was in designing their line when you stay at home. These trips are expensive, but I feel like they are necessary and often is what separates good stores from great ones.

So here we go, day one of three, here's market...

Everyone eagerly awaits the opening of the doors right at 9:30 and it's so crowded that you just can't move. I do think the attendance is down this year, but it's still crowded.

 

Here's what everyone is waiting to get in to see and shop...

  

Twenty three rows of booths - as far as your eye can see in all directions! We walked for almost nine hours today and didn't see half the rows!

Here is our first "nugget".

 

It's J Caroline - I 've been reading her blog for months now and she has these most amazing ribbons that you can sew onto colorful cotton webbing to make key chains and belts.

 

Hey, Karen and Susanne do you just love these Doxies? OMGosh, just too cute! Here's more. Cupcakes, flowers, ladybugs and pears.

          

Just the softest, most gorgeous stuff and ribbon by Patty Young too that matches her new line of fabric by Micheal Miller, Andalucia.

 

Here's Patty in her booth with her new line of kids patterns along with quilts and darling note cards.

The ribbon and webbing will all be in next week and we even ordered the findings so you can make fun, quick gifts without spending a ton. I'll tell you a little secret (don't tell Annette or Amanda that I told) but we may have a free make it and take it at Bernina Club next month on making these! How fun would that be? So act surprised please when you come and see all the free stuff, okay?

Okay, you may need to sit down for this next "nugget" (Cynthia Little especially you).

 

Japanese fabrics from Kokka all on natural linen with matching trims and coordinating fabrics!

That's the ribbon trim on the cotton webbed handles. These are tiny little prints and we got a bunch!

 

 

I seriously almost hyperventilated in this booth. Everything was just perfectly displayed and the trims were in these cute little wire baskets just sit'n there saying, "Buy me, Buy me"! So I did. LOL

   

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better we saw this

and this

 

 

That's all made of wool felt. Just unbelievable! Now Annette was hyperventilating and every time we turned around she was over there trying to figure out how they were made. We bought the felt and the book and hope to reproduce them. They too were in that Japanese booth.

Here's some of the inexpensive ribbon we ordered from May Arts. (Great for our Taggies and hair bows (or just sitting on a cake stand looking pretty).

  

These stuffed critters are from a company from Australia.

  

 

Such a cute little monkey in his boxers and an owl tote for a little guy.

 

           "Whoo, me?"

  I'm out of space and we have such a busy day tomorrow that I need go get my beauty rest. Boy do I need my beauty rest! We see Moda at 8, Marcus Brothers at 9, Timeless Treasures at 10, Andover at 1, Henry Glass, In the Beginning and Clothworks at 2, Westminister and Free Spirit at 3, Windom and Benartex at 4 and Hoffman at 5!  Between those appointments we will walk a few more isles looking for more wonderful quilt patterns to kit and more nuggets.

Now, I ask you. How would we ever have found what we found today if we'd stayed home?

Houston, we have landed

We arrived after a rather long and uneventful day of travel. Unpacked and headed right over to the convention center to get registered so we'd be ready to shop as soon as the doors open at 9:30am in the morning. I was excited to get my badge so I could wear my new Brighton badge holder/necklace that Jane gave me before we left.

 

I had complemented Jane on the one she was wearing at Bernina Club and she surprised me with one of my very own! Thanks Jane I just love it with all it's cute little charms. I'll be the most stylish attendee at market. So much better than those tacky elastic strapped holders that everyone else will be wearing!

We peeked in the windows at the set up going on in the convention center (boy those folks have a lot of work ahead of them in order to be ready by morning) then caught a taxi to our favorite Houston restaurant, Little Pappasitos for some ritas and fajitas.

They are famous for a margarita they call the "Wave". It's a frozen margarita with a ribbon of sangria and it's muy frio and muy bueno!

                 

Annette couldn't decide whether to have that or the Platinum Margarita 

so she had them both! Hey, a girls gotta stay hydrated after a long day in the air.

Dinner was sooo wonderful.

 

Hey, don't look at me that way, I ordered the chicken and shrimp fajitas!

 

We sat there and planned our shopping strategy while we drank ate. Then caught a taxi back to the hotel.

Those two are already asleep (it's 7:30 pacific time) so you can see what kind of party animals I'm traveling with!

Oh, just as well since they'll need their strength and energy for tomorrow. We'll walk the convention floor in the morning getting a feel for the new trends and talk with some of the designers then we have fabric appointments with Micheal Miller, RJR Fabrics and Robert Kaufman in the afternoon.

You betcha I be sharin' what we saw and bought so stay tuned. And if there is anything you've been wishing for and want us to look for, just let me know in the comments section right down there at the bottom of this post. I'll be happy to be your personal shopper!

Til then,

 

BTW: I just read Katy W's blog - she's preggers and today she found the perfect fabric for her babies nursery at (where else) Strawberry Patches! I am so excited that she loves the kit that we just put together yesterday and that she loves our fabric for her nursery. The problem is that I can't share this exciting news with my travel mates because THEY'RE ALL ASLEEP!

Goodnight.

And we're off...

   

 

1. Pack bags - check

2. Make shopping list - check

3. Pack computer - check

4. Charge camera - check

5. Lotion, shampoo etc in little plastic bag - check

6. Magazines for the plane ride - check

As you read this Amanda, Annette and I are tootling down I-5 on our way to the Burbank Airport and then on to Houston for the International Quilt Market. This is THE big one boys and girls, the granddaddy of all fabric trade shows...a reeaally big show!

This is where we go twice a year to hunt  for the newest, the latest and the greatest in fabric, books, patterns, gadgets, and trends.  This is where we get ideas for next years kits,clubs and blocks of the month. It's three full days of non stop shopping. It's exhausting, exhilarating and exciting all at the same time.

This year is really special for me because you're all coming with us to experience the sights and the feel (no sound on my blog yet) of market. Stay tuned each day as we show you market as we see it. You'll meet the celebrities of the fabric industry and see their newest lines of fabric, books and patterns as they debut their products to the world for the first time.

I may even show you what we do at night after hours when the show closes.

We'll see.

Bye for now. See you in Houston!

 

Boys will be...well, BOYS!

What do you make for an adolescent boy? They have to be the hardest age (to live with and to sew for).

When this fabric came in today from RJR Fabrics I knew I wanted to share it with you and to give you some gift ideas.

       

I love that these have a more grown up feel - not at all juvenile like sports fabric so often is.

Okay, so here are my ideas for guy gifts (and I'm sure you can add to the list so leave your additional ideas as a comment, okay?)

       1. Boxers 

       2. Pajama bottoms

       3. Pillowcases

       4. Minkee backed blankets (even the toughest guys are softies when it comes to Minkee blankets) 

Here's a fun packaging idea for teenagers using our movie fabric 

                                     

                     

                     

Fill a popcorn box with a pack of microwave popcorn, a movie or two, a big box of candy and a pillowcase.

Not all boys are hard to please though. This little guy came into Strawberry Patches today and insisted on wearing his fabric home!

"Would you like a bag for that fabric?"

"Oh, no thanks, I'll just wear it!" 

Too cute!

                     

Have I told you lately how much I love my job?

Gett'n all dressed up for Halloween

             

Jenny B Harris is such a talented children's illustrator and this drag-and-drop, Thirteen Days of Halloween is just too much fun not to share with ya all. Click here to dress Zoe in her costumes.

The kids in your life (or the kid in you) will love picking outfits and changing Zoe's costumes.

Check out Jenny's blog, Allsorts - she's simply the best!

Cake wrecks

I think I need a baking assistant as well as a sewing assistant.

Like my friend Deb says,"Why try?"

Some days I wonder why I do try. I'd like to think of myself as a creative person, but seriously when stuff like this happens I just want to chuck it all and stop by the bakery!

I made these German Chocolate cupcakes on Sunday and they all stuck to the muffin pan. Aurg. What a mess!

Fortunately frosting saved the day.

They were delicious and they looked so cute in my new pedestal cheese dome from Pottery Barn.

 

Now, I'm not totally alone in this. I mean stuff occasionally happens to everyone.  Just last week  my friend Genel sent me this photo of the BD cake she made for her husband. Hey, after all it IS the thought that counts, right?

 

The problem with this birthday cake is perfectly clear, she forgot the candles. Everyone knows that a little embellishment can solve almost any problem. Well, maybe not so much in this case. lol

I tried to console Genel with this blog. I promise it will make you feel better too cause these folks are "professionals".

Now,carry on.