International Quilt Market-Spring 2011

At market with my sisters. Mary's sporting the temp tatt on her boob, artwork of Aneela Hoey, fabric designer, quilter, tattoo artist to the stars. 

My sisters, have attended for years, but it was my cherry on the line this time. And it was freaking amazing. First thing you have to know, I don’t quilt. I sew. Curtains, tablecloths, napkins. Square things. I’ve made a few skirts and dresses, some baby clothes, but they were years back. My mother taught all of us to sew. She’s an amazing seamstress. Made her wedding dress, most of our Easter and Christmas and prom dresses. And we wore them because we liked them. Also because it was either that or nothing, but we like them first. But my sisters took after my mother. They can grab a piece of fabric, cut it, fold it, origami it, run thread through it at speeds that would have made Mario Andretti weep, and voila, loveliness. 

Anyway, I swing into Salt Lake the day after those two and my younger sister wants to meet me at the hotel and walk me over to the convention. Said I might get lost. Found her demeanor kinda condescending. I mean, she is the little sister. I’m supposed to be holding her hand. Besides, I’ve been around. I’ve been to BEA, for cripes sake. But I humor her. It’s her arena. I smile. I thank her. Compliment her choice in footwear, snarkily (she’s wearing comfort flats) and off we go. 

And then we round the bend, and holy Moda what a party. Before we are even on the floor, I assaulted in waves and waves of color. There are quilts and purses, dresses and aprons, pillows and pinwheels, floral fabrics are paired with stripes and bordered with paisley and then trimmed in gingham and toile and dots. And they are gorgeous. I mean really beautiful. 

Not only are they works of art, but they are meticulously sewn. Some of the patterns are so complicated, they must have been an engineering nightmare to piece together. More than a few of the quilters, are in fact, engineers.


And six hours later, after walking through miles and miles of eye candy, my feet are killing me, and I’m begging my sister to switch shoes with me. By the next day, I’ve designed a quilting product and am pitching it to a major notions supplier. By my final day, I have a suitcase full of fabric, patterns and notions, and am sketching out my first quilt. All squares.

Some of my favorites...  

anna maria horner

 

sarah jane

zen chic

thula pink

unknown artist, lovely sentiment