Look what I saw at Market!

Just got back from spring Quilt Market in Minneapolis and thought I'd share a few of the sights. I had the pleasure of attending with Codi Josephson, one of the proprietors of Home Ec. Workshop. It was Codi's first Market and an eye-opener for us both.

In the very first aisle Codi was really excited to find side-by-side vendors offering organic cotton prints: Birch Fabrics (left) and Cloud 9 Fabrics (right). Both offered fabric lines with a fresh, serene feel. (Love that bunting pillow in Cloud 9's booth? Check out the tutorial on designer Michelle Bencsko's blog.) Cloud 9 was unveiling a sweet and cozy flannel line.

This was my third Market, but the first spring Market. It was a treat to see some of my favorites (both booths and people), along with meeting new people and seeing new fabrics, patterns, and products. It was also a treat to walk the aisles with a shop owner, to see her perspective on what items would fulfill her customers requests and interests. It was a great glimpse into the hard work and intense thought that a shop owner puts into her business. It's what makes those of us who shop there so happy!

Next up was a fun surprise for me. Back in 2007, I interviewed Linda Hohag of Brandywine Designs for American Patchwork and Quilting. In the course of the interview we had one of those six-degrees-of-seperation moments when we realized that our daughters not only attended the same college (St. Olaf College), but lived in the same hall and knew one another. So it was especially fun to meet Linda in person, as well as to learn that her daughter will soon bestow the titles of Grandma and Grandpa on Linda and her husband. Linda's sweet designs left Codi smitten...I believe a pattern or two of hers may be showing up at Home Ec.

In the next aisle or so—the booth of Sandi Henderson of PortobelloPixie. New fabric, new patterns, a new book (Sewing Bits and Pieces)—it's been a good year for Sandi. Her booth was gorgeous and springy. I was especially taken with the straight-back chairs, upholstered with fabric pieced with creams sashing and squares from her new Meadowsweet collection.





One of the more amazing big booths was Michael Miller Fabrics. They created a fairyland of glittered, frosty-white trees. I couldn't imagine how they hauled those to Minneapolis and the work that went into setting up that booth!

I'm going to call it quits for my first post. Many more photos to come!