Sunday, May 15, 2011

Meet the Neighbors

Cotton, silk, wool, hand dyes, fleece, flannel, and bucket loads of inspiration fill just about every square inch of Quilt Market! And there’s something for every taste and style.  I used to wonder why some people would walk right past my booth as though I were invisible, but now I realize that when I escape the booth for a brief exploration of the “neighborhood”, I, too, tend to use my peripheral vision to eliminate from my itinerary those vendors who are selling things I happen not to need or vendors with a style that doesn’t suit me. This saves precious time in an exhibit hall that covers a few square miles.




My “neighbors” to one side this Market were “Izzy & Ivy Designs” http://www.izzyandivydesigns.com/who were selling patterns for some of the cutest little girls clothes I’ve ever seen.  On the other side were the “Oh My Bloomin’ Threads” ladies http://ohmybloominthreads.com/ with dozens of delightful samples of embroidered sentiments found in their patterns.  Sue Spargo http://www.suespargo.com/ wasn’t technically a neighbor, but I just had to share the fabulous sense of color, whimsy, and style exhibited in her quilts. Multiply these three inspired and inspiring pattern companies by about 200 (a guess), throw in numerous fabric companies showing products to come, and you have a glimpse of the wonder of the International Quilt Market. The good news is that, although attendance is restricted to qualified wholesalers, all these wonderful products are bound for the shelves of local quilt shops and online retailers, where you can enjoy them, too!

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