jcaroline

Fabric 2.0

Kathy Miller of Michael Miller fame and myself threw a party in Portland Thursday night.  I named it Fabric 2.0 (like Web 2.0) and that chick, Jessica, even did a logo for me.  The idea was to get the bloggers, new fabric designers, and anybody else that is doing something cool in the fabric industry together.  It worked.  We had a great turnout and I met a ton of people whose blogs I read or had read about that I would never have found on the exhibit show floor.

On the left is myself and Joel Dewberry.  I met him at last Quilt Market and he is incredibly nice (and talented).  My goal for next Quilt Market is to weigh less than he does.  The picture on the right, from l to r, is Heather Bailey, Beth of Elinor Peace Bailey dolls, Myrinda of Fabric Hound, and Patty Young of ModKidBoutique.  Patty has a collection coming for Michael Miller next fall.

From l to r, Kathy Miller, Paula Prass of Mimi Collection and her husband, Tim.  Paula is doing a collection for Michael Miller Fabrics coming out this summer.   Carolyn Spencer and Valori Wells are on the right.  They have  co-authored a book, Life Style: 20 Projects to Make Your Home Your Own.  I'm ordering a copy-- perused it at the show and it has some fun projects.

The group on the left is from Sew Mama Sew, from l to r, Beth, Kristin and Lauren.  I'm glad Kristin stopped by because she is very pregnant and didn't know if she could make it or not.  She held up well!  With Joel Dewberry is Amelia and Daria from Boutique Cafe.  They will be adding several podcasts from Quilt Market to their site, so check back in the coming weeks.

There's Joel again!  Either he was everywhere or everyone wanted their picture taken with him!  He's with Sandi Henderson, designer of Ginger Blossom fabric and the soon to be available Farmers Market fabric.  I'll show you her booth in another post-- it was gorgeous!  Charlotte Barnard, deputy editor of Country Living magazine is sitting with Jona of Fabritopia (on the right).  (I know, I was impressed with the Country Living connection too-- Kathy invited her.)  Jona sewed some of the samples shown at market, including Heather Bailey's new line, Pop Garden.

I failed to get pictures of lots of people that were there.  Melissa Averinos of Yummy Goods, for example.  She has a line coming out for Free Spirit next fall.  Donna Wilder, of the original Free Spirit, now of Fabric Traditions and Luana from EQuilter.com were there.  Rob Appell was there with his new book "Making Waves... The Adventures of a Surf Quilter".  As you might guess, he is fun.  And I apologize if I didn't mention you-- if you came after I started concentrating on the food, I probably missed you!

Back from Portland

I said I would blog from the road, but I didn't.  I didn't have time.  At the end of each day, I would run back to my hotel room to practice my new quilting techniques.

Really, I was out eating, drinking and carrying on all the time.   Portland is fun, I met up with fun people I already knew, and met many new ones that are fun.  Fun, fun, fun.  All that from Quilt Market.  A friend emailed me while I was gone wanting to know why I had gone to a Quilting Bee!  When, oh when, will they change the name of this show!!!!  Anyway, I digress.

Modern Flora was the star of the show (in my mind anyway).  Despite my concerns, it did very well at the show.  Observe the very interested buyer studying the fabric and taking notes in the pictures above.  (That was not a setup-- actually she thought I wanted a picture of the display so she moved out of the picture!)  And that exact display is on its way to Fabric Depot in Portland, Oregon (about the largest fabric store in the world) to shine for a few more weeks.  Jessica Jones rocks!

I did take more pictures and have more to share, but I'll do it in multiple posts because I don't want to bore you to tears.  I had a great time, but it is nice to be home and a certain little girl is very clingy today!

To Portland I go

Photo by Eric Baetscher.  Reused under Creative Commons License 2.5.

Off I go to Portland, OR this afternoon for Quilt Market.  I have never even gone to Spring Quilt Market (I normally just go to the Fall one in Houston), so this is a big deal.  I'm usually not very excited about it (thus why I haven't gone), but this year a lot of things are happening.  I'll post from the road!

Belated Happy Mother's Day!

If nothing else, Mother's Day gives me an excuse to dig into the picture archives.  Here is my mother in 1960/61 holding my sister, Elizabeth.  I already raved about my mother's talent last year,  so this year, let's just enjoy a new mother who bothers to put on a dress and pearls and have a formal photo taken.

Happy Mother's Day!
 

Cool New Print & New Fabrics

Check out this cool print I ordered and got last week.  I ordered it from Paula Prass's shop.  This print is the Audrey Lovebird and they customize it with any name you want.  I got the 16" x 16" canvas print that is gallery stretched (wrapped around the edges).  There was something about that girl's silhouette that caught my eye.  Paula's shop specializes in frames and wall art for children's rooms and she has some gorgeous things. And, she just announced that she is the newest fabric designer for Michael Miller Fabrics.  She is finalizing the line right now and so no sneak peek has been seen yet.  I expect to see that line mid to late summer.

Speaking of sneak peeks, Sandi Henderson over at Portabello Pixie,  (no longer the "newest" fabric designer for Michael Miller), is teasing us with teeny peeks of her new line "Farmers Market".  It debuts at Quilt Market in Portland next week.  I expect it to be as good as, if not better, than Ginger Blossom.  She is also debuting her line of patterns next week.  I wonder what she does in her spare time?

I have also been busy preparing for Quilt Market next week.  It seems that Michael Miller Fabrics has taken a liking to Modern Flora and are showing it in Portland next week.  (Michael Miller Fabrics is now the wholesale distributor for Modern Flora.)  That means that the famous photo shoot pictures are going, along with the floor pillows, curtains and the totes.   I'll be interested to see what the response to the fabric is.  It is certainly not traditional "Quilt Market" fabric, so that could be good or bad.  But, based on the last Quilt Market in Houston, the market is becoming less traditional, so maybe the timing is great.  I just hope Michael Miller is still smitten with the fabric AFTER the show.

Anyway, I'm going to Portland and hope to meet lots of the people from Blogland, so I'll keep you posted.