Quilt Market recap

Sorry to be tardy with my recap. The cold medicine haze is still in full effect so I'm having even more trouble than usual remembering what I got up to do. You know?

So: Quilt Market! Yay!!

The very first thing I did when I arrived on Thursday (after dropping my bags and running a brush through my wild hair) was head over to the Salt Palace to catch up to Pat Sloan. She was having a marathon Schoolhouse session with one of ours sandwiched in the middle. I had handouts. I needed to get there. And I had fretted over it for about 8 solid hours at that point, thanks to the whole "nope, no American flights through Dallas, instead Continental but only if you can wrangle a boarding pass" situation. I made it and managed to grab a bite before our schoolhouse started at 3:10.

Pat talked about how all of her books can be used to support classes and fabric sales in quilt shops. And I learned a very good lesson about how well PowerPoint translates to the screen (which is to say, not like you'd planned sometimes). We had a good time, gave away books (note to self: you still need to put those in the mail).

And then I ate the entire Olive Garden. I was hungry. I don't feel the least bit bad about it either (although I did have a moment coming face to face with a homeless man outside the Olive Garden. My food-induced stupor helped).

Saturday: I zoomed. Literally. I started with a meeting as soon as the door opened and walked out 15 minutes before the doors closed. In between, I talked with people we already work with, people I'd like to work with, and anyone who waylaid me in the aisles. I like those people. The ones who sit back and don't address you, even when you walk in the booth...not so much.

I paused long enough to visit the Moda booth where Barb and Mary from Me & My Sister Designs were having a book signing for Three Times the Charm. It's always a party when these ladies are around.

I only took a few pictures, intending to take more on Saturday when I had a little more time. And then there was THE INCIDENT wherein my iPhone fell out of my pocket and bounced on the tile floor of the bathroom in the Shilo Inn, never to be seen or heard from again (except it did make random phone calls as I tried to fix it all night long. And yeah, that's so NOT embarrassing, right?)

Saturday I started with a meeting first thing and then did my best to cover the rest of the show floor. I did not take pictures because of the aforementioned Incident. I did my best to ignore the low level anxiety produced by being unconnected and plotted ways to get a replacement phone ASAP. And the flights home were like magic, smooth and quiet and uneventful.

I was sick as a dog on Sunday but I had my priorities in line: 1. Get Jack and bring him home. 2. Get new phone. 3. Don't die from mucus explosion (I have a way with words, don't I?)

For a more restrained version of events, check out the Leisure Arts blog. We're like family here. I probably will be less inclined to mention my phlegm attack over there. I guess you can take that as a compliment? I'll have to think about that.

Flying to Quilt Market

I meant to post an angry post last Thursday which would have contained the line "I wanted to tweet this but 140 characters couldn't contain my rage." It sounds so dramatic. Thursday felt dramatic, but now it's Sunday and I've been medicated into a fuzzy stupor by cold medicine. I feel more mellow now.

Here's what happened:
Thursday, 4:30 a.m.: leave the house.

5:00 a.m.: arrive at the American Airlines counter to get boarding passes because I couldn't print them out at home because I couldn't get a seat assignment for the second flight. As I march to the counter, I am feeling pretty good because I have battled my compulsion to arrive at least 2 hours early for the flight. If you know me, you know flying gets me. Not the possibility of fiery crashes but the stinkin' security lines make me cra-zay.

5:05 a.m.: find out that my flight is cancelled and I've been bumped to Continental. Instead of a 6:20 flight through Dallas that ultimately gets me to SLC at 12:01, I'm on a 6:40 flight through Houston to arrive in SLC at 12:10. Not bad.

And then I saw the mass of people at the Continental counter. It was like it was the day after Thanksgiving and Wal-Mart was giving away free money to the first 10,000 people in line. There were a lot of people there. Many were bumped like me, because flights to Dallas and Chicago were cancelled, others were just unlucky.

5:07 a.m. through 7:05 a.m.-standing in the sea of people at Continental. Their ticketing system was down so they couldn't print boarding passes. There was one, single, solitary, individual overworked kiosk printing passes for All These People. Also, listened to one woman complain loudly on her cell phone about our progress and how nothing in Arkansas is worth anything but her. I wanted someone (but not me because I'm not that kind of person but if someone else did it that would be very different) to trip her in her 4 inch heels but was afraid that might cause a wardrobe malfunction involving her tube top. Yes, seriously.
7:17 a.m.-I sit down in my seat on the plane which has been held. I answer an angry inquiry about why we were so late from the seat in front on me. And I begin to pray about my connection in Houston which was originally something like an hour and a half, but this flight was leaving at least 45 minutes late. I had a 3:10 schoolhouse to get to. I am very important (but I was only a helper to Mrs. Pat Sloan. She could have lived without me. I am mainly important in my own mind).

The rest is a blur:
Make the connection in Houston. Barely (with something like 20 minutes to spare. In my mind that's cutting it close. I can't help it. It's a real problem that I have with airports).

Take a taxi from airport to hotel because I've exhausted all my good travel mojo standing around in Little Rock.

Head for the convention center, just to say, "Hi, I'm here, Pat" before she goes into her Schoolhouse marathon (was it 5 or 6 sessions?).

Then I eat. Original plan had been breakfast in Dallas. As it was, it was around 3:30 that I ate the first time that day. You can tell by looking at me that this is completely unacceptable. I did the schoolhouses, went back to the hotel, spotted the Olive Garden across the street and promptly ate the entire thing.

Friday:
I saw designers we already work with and love. Some designers I'd love to work with.
I also dropped my phone and broke it beyond redemption. Gah. For the rest of the time there was a steady stream of "ohmyphoneineedmyphonehowwillilivewithoutmyphonewhattimeisitwhatamimissingineedmyphone" in my head and I was plotting how to get a new phone.

Saturday:
Woke up with a killer sore throat which would become the cold from Hades, complete with uncontrollable sneezing. I had a couple more meetings, did my best to see the rest of the booths. I did not see any of the quilts. I think this is the first show I've been to that I missed the quilts completely.

I did ride the shuttle back to the airport where I heard a lot about the dangers of Mormons and ex-husbands. As I have no experience much with either, I made sympathetic noises and urged the van to go faster with my mind. The taxi ride out was much easier. I don't believe he spoke English so I have no idea his opinion on anything.

And then my American flights home were smooth like buttah, arriving 10:00 p.m. as planned.

I really, really, really, really, really hate airports. I'll be staying right here, on the ground, forever or until June, whichever comes first.

Once the cold medicine wears off, I'll check the few photos I took. Promise.

A tale of two cities

 Quilt Market time...I like to include a little extra stress by waiting until the last minute to pack anything. Then I check the weather.

There's a big difference in a high of 83 degrees and a high of 70 for Thursday. And then the temps are exactly the same on Friday...what? And then...get this, y'all...it's going to be warmer in SLC than in Little Rock, Arkansas. What. The. Heck.

The last time I was there, I walked around in the snow. In May. Snow in May, people!

I was wracking my brain, trying to think of things that were both cool and cool (I don't want a repeat of the Minneapolis melt down). Hm...thinking...

Quilts for babies=fun!

I got this in my inbox and thought you might like to see an actual quilt on this blog. I'm so happy to have it!

This is what Vicki said:
Used your hop, skip, jump pattern on page 20. I made this for my brother and his wife's first child. They live in a 200 year old house and like old fashioned looking things, though I did throw in one contemporary fabric!




Are you lucky enough to have a baby on the way? Check out Wee Wonder Quilts!

Blog Hoppin

In case you haven't seen it...there's a hop goin' on! Pat's new book, What a Novel Idea! is making the rounds...you can find out more about it from Pat herself. What you must do is head over to Carrie Nelson's post today. Except for the fact that she makes bee-u-ti-ful quilts, I think we might actually be the same person separated at birth. Wait, that's not how it goes, right? Anyway, I like her answers and might have given them as my own (if I were as clever as she is!) My person might not match her person, but I think I would definitely quilt more if I used all the money in the world to hire someone to press my seams. The most difficult part would be picking just one...

You gotta go...they're giving away books, people! And if you'd like to make sure you get your own copy of What a Novel Idea!, it's ON SALE at LeisureArts.com.

Plus, there you can click the Google Preview button and SEE INSIDE THE BOOK. Go. You know you want to.

Spring Quilt Market, Day 2

The second day of Quilt Market was much better. I still felt not right so I skipped breakfast which appeared to be the best decision based on the crowds at the coffee place. Sometimes I make the right decision accidentally. Yay, me!

As soon as the doors opened, I charged right down the middle of the floor. This market is a little different from Houston because the quilts are front and center so I took some quilt photos first. I always spend the last minute of the last day running through the quilts at Houston so it was nice to take a look first. And I surrendered to my impulse and took a picture of this quilt, Run Run Run by Hiroko Miyama because I was by myself, I missed my dog and I could totally do that.

And then I took a picture of this called Shh! She's Sleeping by Barbara McKie because I was so very impressed by the texture that she created, I was by myself and I could do that. What can I say? I like the animals. I like the flowers too and I have several of those, but this time I'm going with animals.

Then I decided to get seriouser about why I was actually there and I worked my way steadily to the right wall. On the way I ran into Pat Sloan demoing her new ruler and rotary cutter in the Sullivan's booth and I found Miss Rosie's Carrie Nelson and chatted with her about all the new stuff she's got going on. And also I talked to some new designers who might one day work with us but we'll have to see how that goes, right?

Once I made it to the wall, I took a break for the largest Diet Coke I could find. Then I went back in. I believe it was right about here that I ran into Lazy Girl Joan Hawley in the Checker booth. I saw the demo of her new zipper technique as well as my first up-close exposure to the iPad (and its excellent LOST application). And now I need one. A lot.

On my way to the left wall, I ran into Barb and Mary at Me and My Sister over in Modaland and they were as fun as ever. They have become true magazine star types with photos of their homes making the big time. I was totally impressed and then I had to ponder how much time it would take to clean up my house if ever I had a magazine spread. It boggles the mind.

Along the way I found Kati Cupcake's Amy Hamberlin and The Quilted Fish's Amanda Herring, new designers for us with upcoming books. And so...I forgot to take pictures. Oh, yeah, and also I forgot to take a picture of Kristine Poor's (of Poorhouse Quilt Designs) first booth and of Delores Storm (devoted dog mom and designer for Lakadaisies). I did manage to take a picture or two of Pat Sloan's booksigning in the Checker booth. I was glad to see a crowd around her. It went with the theme of the trip.

And I tried to be sure I caught everyone so I paused outside the convention center. Apparently, there was not enough Diet Coke in my system because I missed one or two (that for some reason I can only see when I look at the list NOW). And then I limped away. One day, the whole show floor. It can be done if you keep on moving.

And I could tell you how much fun the trip home was. I've already mentioned my experience in security at Minneapolis. I'd also decided to check my bag instead of trying to run through the Dallas airport to make a short connection hauling myself and my luggage. After all, I was headed home. It could take its own sweet time catching up to me. What I forgot to do was take my baby laptop out of my bag before I launched it through the security checkpoint. I waited for at least six months for my bag to come out at the Little Rock baggage claim (why does it take so long for bags to come out in Little Rock? Is one guy down there running each individual bag up to the counter? It doesn't matter. I'm home!) My laptop appears to be just fine. And this is probably why I don't need an iPad. I should save that money and hire a keeper!

Spring Quilt Market, Day 1

Traveling fills me with...anxiety. Yes, I think that is the correct word. It's a feeling that everyone always answers with "You'll have fun when you get there." And that is also true. I do have fun when I get there, particularly to Quilt Market because the enthusiasm is completely contagious. Who doesn't love to be around people who are excited to be there? It was nice to actually make it there, to Minneapolis, to the convention center in Minneapolis specifically, to find my people, the quilters. Here's how the day went:

I woke up at the unbelievably rude hour of 3:45. Yes, it really exists! I woke up to the sounds of thunder and lightning and I'm not sure if the queasy stomach was there before the first loud boom or after, but I felt it would not be a good travel day. I rushed around, packed the car, and backed out into frog-stranglin' rain (translation: very heavy). The interstate was dark, just me and the bread trucks out at that time of morning. I maneuvered Little Rock and my first security check of the trip. (And here's the deal: if the pieces of metal that I put on daily are enough to bring down a plane, we're all wasting our time here and maybe we should make the planes better. And I don't know if it's TSA training that makes agents speak to you slowly and loudly as though you are disabled but I don't appreciate it, 'mKay? And I experienced it in 2 security searches in the span of 3 days.) I skipped my normal Burger King breakfast and queased (is that a word?) in the waiting area.

I made it to Chicago with a little bounce and then a lurch and then a drop and then a bounce, bounce and maybe a twist and then a lurch...what I'm telling you is that my queasing was aided by a roller coaster ride. And then I landed in Chicago and nearly gave myself a cardiac event because I was trying to be frugal and take a carry-on. I'm done with that. Frugality is against my very nature anyway.

I landed in Minneapolis and all I had to do was find the SuperShuttle.

If you've ever been to the Minneapolis airport, you know what this entails. And I was lugging my luggage the entire miles-long trek up and down and around and through the airport. But I made it. I made it without expiring on the escalator or the people mover. I felt good about that. Oh, yeah, and I was hot from the minute I woke up until the minute I made it back to my car in the parking deck and turned on the AC full blast. I "glowed" every day of my trip. And I hate that.

I made it to the Hyatt and was able to check in, even though it was early. Very early. Still queasing but figuring the hotel food would be better than the convention center food, I ordered a hamburger via room service and went to unpack my stuff.

The conversation went like this:
Operator: "And how is your day today?"
Me: "Eh."
Operator: "What can we do to make it better?"
Me: "Oh, nothing. I'd like a hamburger. And do you have Pepsi products?" I knew the answer but I was registering my displeasure in a way guaranteed to make no difference.
Operator: "Yes."
Me: "Fine. I'll take iced tea then."
Operator: "No Pepsi or Mountain Dew for you?"
Me: "No. I'm a Coke girl."
Operator: "Let me see what I can do. I might be able to find a Coke for you or would you rather a Diet Coke?"

And this is when I knew I'd survive:

I made it over to the convention center, via skywalk, around session 5 of the Schoolhouse. I was wandering around following the terrible directions of the registration desk when I ran into Kristine Poor and Jean Johnson of Poorhouse Quilt Designs on their way to check out the booth situation. I was glad to see a friendly face (even though I remembered my intention to send her models back to her into for the show while I was standing there at the show. And that is, needless to say, very unhelpful. Thankfully, her booth was fine without them.) Then I pitched myself into the Schoolhouse fray: a new fabric line here, a new technique there, Carrie Nelson's large room standing-room-only session about all her new stuff (books, contest, fabric line) where Jellystone of the television commercial and Miss Rosie's Spice of Life quilts made an appearance. It's all a blur, but I took a sitting break in the middle and then made it to Pat Sloan's standing-room-only and spill out into the hallway (where the people grumble and shove a little and touch me...really, it was a measure of my friendship for Pat that I managed to stick it out) session for her new rotary cutting system with Sullivans. The edge has a blade sharpener on it! What a cool idea!

And that was pretty much all of Day 1...insult at security, roller coaster ride, lots of walking, sweaty brow, general feeling of unwellness, and the excitement of new quilting stuff.

I'm an excellent traveler, right? On the bumpy ride to Chicago, I was really, really sorry I'd already booked my plane ticket to Orlando for July. This trip would be enough to convince me to stay home. Always. To always stay home. But only the flying part.

Sneak Peek: Spice of Life, Tried and True Renewed

I was thinking of calling this post something deep like "The Circle of Life" because the quilts come in a box and then the books leave in a box, but I'm not really that philosophical and it shows. So, instead we're going to call this a sneak peek. And because they look so pretty together, I took a highly skilled shot with my iPhone. Also, you can see that I have the books in my hot little hands even though they aren't available for another month. I have to let that sink in for a moment.

The first one is Miss Rosie's Spice of Life Quilts by Carrie L. Nelson. It includes 13 quilts for the fabulous price of $24.95. Full color photography (with some canine friends again) and diagrams included in 112 pages.

The second book is Tried and True, Renew, a collection 14 quilts from Leisure Arts' Quick Method Quilts collection. We show you the original photo, usually taken in the early 90s, and then show you how the same quilt. often an antique, works in your home today. And all for $21.95. They're both supposed to available May 1.

Carrie will be signing copies of her book for those lucky enough to make it to Spring Market in Minneapolis. And we have another one coming up from her in October called A Touch of Rosie so be on the lookout for that one.

2008 Quilt Market: Some Quilts

Of course, these are just a very few quilts. For more, go to
Quilts.com
And please, whatever you do, don't reproduce these excellent photos. I read the rules about photography on the show floor and am an offender because I don't have the names listed. Just don't reproduce these anywhere and I think I'll be OK.

2008 Quilt Market: Pat Sloan

Here's the one celebrity picture that I have, Pat Sloan signing her newest book. Pat's one of my favorite people so it's great to have a chance to see her in person, you know? She'll be there for Market and Festival...the woman has nerves of steel.

I do not. Market was just enough for me.

2008 Quilt Market: The city

This trip to Houston had bee-yoo-ti-ful weather. On the first day, I walked the mile from the hotel down to the convention center to help set up. And the park built across from the convention center it just fabulous and the people were really enjoying it. The fenced area is a dog run in the park. I am totally jealous. I want a park just like this here in Benton. I probably won't get one.

I posted the view from my window because we had some conversation about the state of the city after the hurricane and you can see the debris on the roof and the missing windows. On both Friday and Monday, there were guys outside those buildings replacing windows (another job to add to my list of things that I cannot do).

2008 Quilt Market: The LA booth

So I've managed to load some of my photos from Quilt Market already and this first post will show you what the LA booth looked like. The first one is kind of a "before" but really an "almost done". And the the second shows it as you'd see it if you were lucky enough to hit the quilt market looking for fabulous quilt books to buy for your shop.

I really should have done a much better job with my camera work because Susan and I were frequently in the presence of greatness, but I have no photos to show for our efforts. I did manage to snap a few photos of Pat Sloan's book signing (who is definitely greatness, but as I've ridden to lunch with her in a minivan, she's more like family than celebrity) and the quilts, but not a single celebrity or other designer shot. I was asleep on the job (and highly medicated but not always for the right things, but sniffling and sneezing doesn't really present a professional image, you know? Of course, neither do pink Nikes but that just had to be done.)

Susan and I were lucky enough to meet some exciting new designers and spent some time at an impromptu meeting withThe Crochet Dude in the middle of an aisle. Linda Lum DeBono and I conducted most of our business crammed into the seats of a full SuperShuttle van on the way to the hotel from the airport, but we're sorta used to that by now. I'm hoping that those new designers will show up in some future posts...

Orange Peel update

I managed to sew a little more on the Orange Peel quilt. I'm really liking the blue blocks and blue "melons" best. I made 4 more of those this weekend. I probably ought to check out the instructions to see how many I actually need to make. On the bright side, if I manage to make too many, there are plenty of these completed blocks that could be lovingly discarded.

Thank goodness my quilts don't have to be perfect!

Look, I'm ready to sew just any time now...

I believe I'm committed to finishing the Orange Peel quilt now. I've cut all the pieces, so now all I have to do is sew them. I had big plans this weekend but, as usual, I ran out of time. Surely now that I'm ready to sew, it won't be any time at all to finish. Of course, there is my very low frustration threshold. I expect I'll be able to sew one block, maybe two if I've had a good day, at one episode.

Look for more updates...

How cool is this?

My friend Pat Sloan made this very coolio mockup using the 3 Orange Peel blocks that I've managed to finish. How cool is that? She's such a pro. I'm glad she's my friend. Now that she's done this and I can actually see the circles...I think this might work.

Now...all I have to do is sew. Should be done just any day now.

The newest audition

So I changed out a few fabrics and moved things around a little. I think I like this a little better.
This is going to be a slow-and-steady project. One or two blocks is my limit at each episode...I went a little too far trying to get the blue one finished...

The Fabrics

So I'm not sure that I love these fabrics any more. Well, for this project anyway. I can't quite figure out a good combo to get 2 blocks with a light and a dark, so I'm not sure I'll get the effect that I want. I cut out pieces of what I have to audition my choices.


Maybe I'll try a little more mixing and matching...

The (next) new project: Orange Peel quilt

Here's what my version looks like.





Pat's original (and finished version) is from the online class at icantbelieveim.com. This is the Curved Piecing class and the pattern is an Orange Peel.

So far I've managed to make a template, trace and cut some centers. I still have more tracing and cutting...then the real test: the sewing. I've watched the videos so many times that I've convinced myself that, with Pat, even I can do some curved piecing. We'll see how it goes...

I have to get through this one because I really, really want to make the bag that Pat teaches in the upcoming I Can't Believe I'm Sewing online class.

Charity Quilts? We'll see.

I don't know how many of you have ever been to Paducah for the AQS quilt show, but it's kind of a tradition around here that we take a road trip around the end of April. Said road trip takes us through the backroads of Arkansas before we wind around through a couple of states and find our way to the show. A road trip with the girls...fun! I didn't go last year because of the Ireland trip, but I'm on for this year. And then I think about how much fabric I've bought...and how litttle I've used. And I dream a little of Hancocks of Paducah. And I start to think. So here's the new plan...must...use...fabric...quickly. I did a little search for charity quilts last night and it looks like we don't have a local Project Linus chapter but there's one not too far away. So baby quilts it is. Or maybe dog blankets for the Humane Society, a cause near and dear to my heart. I'm still thinking over that. Here's how far I made it. Those are actually strips cut on the left.

In the "Better Late than Never" category...

We have podcasts for the Ireland book! They've been edited by unbiased parties to show you only the best of the many minutes that Pat and I recorded. Believe me, there are more stories, better stories. And I'll tell them to you the very first chance I get!