Quilt Market 2011 Day 1

First I'm sorry it has taken so long to get this post up but holy wow was it a riot in Houston.
I had intended to do updates each night, but that was out the window when I wasn't getting into my room until 12-2am every night and then talking etc with the girls I was staying with.

I had an absolutely WONDERFUL time! I have no favorites, there was just so many awesome people, quilts, fabrics, notions and conversations!

My head is spinning trying to figure out where to start so I'll try to go chronologically.
I flew in on Thursday and was picked up from the airport by the gorgeous and fabulous Laine, of Just Plaine Laine, and we eventually hooked up with Jacqueline and Sha. Thursday was spent just getting settled and chatting with each other, and my first trip to a Joanne's which was fun.

This is the gorgeous stained glass, wall fountain in the lobby of the Hilton, which had a lot of gorgeous glass art.

Friday was Schoolhouse, which is mostly for shop owners, and focuses on improving their business, and designers etc telling them why and how utilize their products. It was really informative and I enjoyed sitting in on about 6 of these mini info sessions.
I got into Verna Mosquero, of The Vintage Spool who really is just the Queen of Applique! I adore her new pattern and was lucky enough to win a copy!

Next I got into Lynette Anderson's session, and she is just the sweetest, and funniest lady! It was awesome and I think a ton of people just sat and listened to her fun Aussie accent!
I loved her little stitcheries, the hadn painted button club she has for stores, and of course her new fabric line, which while duskier is not heavy or dark. You can read an interview with Lynette here from Sewn Europe.

During a break of the session I ran into the GORGEOUS and super sweet Vanessa Christenson, she really is such a sweet person.

Then it was off to more schoolhouses, this time with the designers of Lecien, Sarah Fielke, Lynette Anderson, Natalia Lymer from Cinderberry Stitches and Brenda Riddle from Acorn Quilt Company. You can see their fabrics by clicking in the link. We got to see all of their up coming lines, plus a few more and they really just span the entire range from sweet, to hip, cute to cool, and traditional to contemporary.

I spotted Katy of I'm a Ginger Monkey and Tacha the editor from FatQuarterly in that schoolhouse.

Next was Stash Books, and I absolutely adored this one! We got to see all sorts of new and coming next spring books! They all look so gorgeous and full of inspirational photography! I'm incredibly excited! Susanne Woods is the acquisitions editor there and she really is such a wonderful lady! Very sassy!

I took one schoolhouse with Pat Sloan and I have to say I was star struck! I don't think I took in much in that one except that I was in the same room as she was!

Then it was my personal hero and the person I blame fully for my quilting life, Joanna Figueroa from Fig Tree Quilts!! She designed the first line I ever fell in love with and my first foray into design was with her fabrics, and even my first Bake Shop quilt used Whimsy!
I've been begging her for more blues like those in Urban Indigo and Folklorique and did she ever deliver with California Girl, which is out in the spring!! I'm in love all over again!!
Joanna is also just a really funny person with lots of good things to say about Fresh Vintage and what those mean! She is brilliant!

My final schoolhouse was Jan from Daisy Janie, whose fabrics are all GOTS certified organic and she had a really interesting presentation on the making of fabric, its environmental impact, and what alternatives are out there.
Having felt and worked with her line Shades of Grey I can tell you that the feel of her fabrics is superb! Very silky and strong, with rich colour. You'd never guess it wasn't highest quality conventional fabric unless she told you! Tilly is her new line and has lots of colour to it. I don't have more pictures as I was helping out a bit.

This is her with Betz White who also has GOTS certified fabric. I'll be doing a post on it all soon.
There are also pictures of Betz's new line Stitches for Robert Kaufman.

If you can believe it Friday was not over! There was still Fabric 2.0 to go to which was a great party! I had such a great time there, and was able to chat up so many people! I really had an incredible time there. I don't think I could list everyone I spoke to even if I tried! It was truely amazing and I loved it, and will try to find some of the pictures to help  me remember who all I have to tell you about!
I did miss Sample Spree but really I wouldn't change that because of the great conversations nd connections I was able to make.

But I think I may have to put off the rest of this recap until another time as for some silly reason Little Bit wants some dinner!.