Quilt Market 2017 Highlights (including Tula Pink!!!!)

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I have spent a wonderful weekend at Quilt Market in Houston, Texas, and now I get to tell you all about it – just like I promised! But it’s going to be difficult, there is so much to share. I hope you have been following me on Instagram so you already saw some of it!

Quilt Market has 2 parts. There is a breathtaking hall full of the largest quilt show I have ever seen. Is it the largest quilt show in the world? ย I don’t know. I think Tokyo claims that. But it’s pretty darn amazing. The other part of Quilt Market is a trade show for quilt shop owners and other industry professionals who come to see, buy, and place orders for all the new stuff. The whole event is pure inspiration for me and I feel lucky that they let me in.

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Quilt Market starts with an all-day event on Friday called Schoolhouse. This is where manufacturers, designers, and all kinds of companies hold classes aimed at showing quilt shop owners what is new. I especially love the Schoolhouse classes taught by fabric designers – so that’s where I went.

The photo above shows some quilts sewn in the new Amy Butler fabric line called Night Music.

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I also got to see Anna Maria Horner introduce her new fabric line Sweet Dreams.

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But my prize for the most truly exciting show of the day goes to Tula Pink. Can I say ‘wow!’

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The room was packed with a tiny bit of standing room only.

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Tula’s dry humor kept us all in tears (from laughing) and her gorgeous new collection drew cheers and applause. What is it??? It’s called All Stars and it includes new and updated focal prints from 6 of her most popular previous fabrics, plus a sweet collection of new solids, polka dots (called pom poms), and stripes that coordinate.

Let me be the first to tell you – Tula’s frog is back! As well as the Owl, Bee, Racoon, Squirrel, and Lyrebird.

And we all got to see this!…ย The most beautiful rotary cutter in the world!

After that I think we all went back to our hotel rooms and dreamed of the Free Spirit pop-up shop in the morning where we might be lucky enough to get a bundle of Tula’s new fabric! (the rotary cutter will hopefully be in stores this December).

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The next morning there was a crowd waiting to get on the trade floor long before it opened at 10. And when they finally did let us in people were RUNNING (okay, me too) to the Free Spirit pop up shot to get that Tula Pink fabric. An excited mob ensued. Seriously. This was like a rock concert with fabric instead of music. They were probably about to call security!

But with the help of my friend Heather Kubiak,ย I was able to purchase a fat quarter bundle, woo hoo!

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After that, Quilt Market behavior was quite appropriate. Here is Heather discussing her Bernina so professionally. ๐Ÿ™‚

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I was very excited to see my new book Crafty Little Things to Sew in the Checker booth. They distribute books and notions to quilt shops around the world, so look for it where you shop! Oh, and I may have stood there long enough to convince at least one shop owner to carry it, he he.

Then I visited some of my friends who are fabric designers for Riley Blake. Like Amy Smart (above),

and Christopher Thompson (The Tatooed Quilter). People! I have to have some of his new line ‘Hello Baby.’ It has french fries!!! And the bib panel he is showing us, he he.

Plus Melissa Mortensen. Where did she go? I swear I took a picture of her!

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What else? Well, I took lots of pictures in the Cotton & Steel booth. I love everything they make, of course.

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Then I found the train case that I sewed a few months ago using Daydream fabrics by Josephine Kimberling. It’s on loan to Blend Fabrics for the show and I can’t wait to get it back!

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Then there was the International Quilt Show. Are you still with me? Seriously, ย I could go on and on – there was so much to see! The quilt above is called Peonies II by Danny Amazonas. This is PIECED!!! Unbelievable.

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I also fell in love with this clever quilt for obvious reasons. But I forgot to take a picture of the information card and now I can’t remember who the maker was. If you know, please tell me in the comments.

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This delicious quilt by Montserrat Forcadell Blasco is called Contraste de Sabores.

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Back on the show floor, I also saw fantastical quilts and uses for fabric like these…

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And these (from Ink & Arrow Fabrics)..

This is the ByAnnie booth. 

This is the ByAnnie booth.

And these…

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And this! Sorry, I can’t remember what booth he belonged to. So cute!

Now I’m so tired that I can hardly keep my eyes open! I hope you enjoyed my Quilt Market Highlights for Fall 2017. I’m full of ideas for future blog posts and can’t wait to get sewing… tomorrow,ย he he!

xoxo,

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Disclosure: some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting SewCanShe when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. ๐Ÿ™‚