I know, I know...

I know... I feel the guilt.  I went camping for Memorial Day weekend and didn't have enough blogs scheduled to keep the momentum going in our 30 day journey through market.  But, on the flip side, I did get some much needed rest and relaxation.  I kicked back and...

flew kites...

...explored caves and rock pits...

...hiked to a beautiful waterfall..

...and sewed 4 dresses. 

Yes, you read it right.  I sewed 4 dresses. 

What do you do when you are camping in the rain?

Fire up the generator and sew, what else?

So, while everyone made wise cracks about my lack of ability to kick back in a camping recliner for days on end, I tried to explain that sewing to me is like fishing is to Roland Martin.  There is simply nothing more theraputic and relaxing to me.  So, while it rained, and hailed, I sewed 4 adorable dresses for these 4 adorable girls.  Love the rainboots!   I was dying to try out this new Patty Young pattern "Naomi" that I found at Quilt Market.  I love her patterns because they are written so well and so fast to sew up.  Sewing with elastic thread was a first for me, and I have to say... it was easy, breezy, lemon squeezy!

Apology accepted?  I hope so, now back to 30 days of Market - I have some catching up to do!

More Scrumptious Fabric...

Another favorite fabric pick from Market is Sweetwater's Hometown.  The muted colors just made my heart SING!  I've chosen to decorate the Hen House, our new retreat center with this yummy fabric.  The Sweetwater girls are so bubbly and fun and their booth was ADORABLE..

The houses are my favorite!  Hop over to the Sweetwater BLOG and check out their top 10 market picks - you might be surprised to see...  Our BUSINESS CARDS!!!  We made the list at #8 - Wahoo!!!   

Civil War Eye Candy

I loved the schoolhouse class taught by Pickledish author, Tara Lynn Darr!  Her new book "Simply Charming - Small Scrap Quilts of Yesteryear" , is a definate must-have for anyone who loves civil war fabric and/or little, tiny, piecing. 

Tara gave us a trunk show of all the adorable little quilts in the book.  I fell in LOVE!  I guess I'm just a sucker for anything wth tiny little pieces.  I'm thinking we really need to do one each month at the Quilt Barn.  Stay tuned for those details.  Here are a few of my favorites...

Heather's Market Pick...

Picking one favorite quilt at Market is like choosing a favorite flavor of Jelly Belly jelly beans.  I mean how can you choose between buttered popcorn and rootbeer float?  As I perused booth after booth, I was drawn to this quilt again and again...

It is a quilt from The Modern Quilting Bee:  BLOCK PARTY  and it's modern wonky block style appealed to me.  Maybe even more than the style, the colors just sang to me.  I love them!  It could be that they are the perfect muted tone of my favorite college football team - GO BOISE STATE - but, even if blue and orange wasn't the color of champions, it would still be my favorite quilt. 

The whole Stash Books booth was loaded with fresh, modern pizazz!  Hop over to the Stash Books blog to see more!

Prince Charming by Tula Pink

We had so much fun meeting Tula!  Her booth was fantastic and won 2nd place for best single booth, not to mention her new Prince Charming fabric line - so tantalizing, that Amy just couldn't help herself...

From left to right:  Tula, Amy, Jenny, Me, & Lori admiring the LOVE quilt.  It is on Jenny's sewing machine the very second the UPS man arrives at the barn with that box of Prince Charming - did I mention that shipped out to us YESTERDAY!!!

 Hop over to Tula's blog to see all the photos of her incredible booth.  Here is a close up of the LOVE quilt...

We begged Westminster to pleeeze print this frog panel that Tula used on the back of her booth quilts.  I don't think they felt the same sense of urgency that we did.   :-(  So, maybe if everyone sent them a little note telling them how much we would enjoy it...  kimberly.porter@westminsterfibers.com  I'm so naughty!

 

Can't wait for Tula's patterns to arrive as well!  Her sweet Mom and brother were helping her out in her booth and we had so much fun making new friends!  Looking forward to seeing the Tula Pink crew next time!

Joel Dewberry's New Fabric is AMAZING!

I have to say, being surrounded in delicious fabric for 3 days is blissful.  One line in particular, took my breath away.  Joel Dewberry has nailed it for me with his new Heirloom collection.  To DIE for!!!  And the new line of clothing patterns...scrumptious!  We met him and his adorable wife Laurie in their GORGEOUS booth...  jump to Joel & Laurie's blog to see the clothing, booth, and fabrics.  You can even read about the Quilt Barn girls visiting the booth!  Apparently when Judy bought the Citrine Maxi Empire Dress off the mannequin, for her upcoming Paris trip, we made an impression... actually, I think we left some kind of impression everywhere we went.  But, more importantly, this delicious fabric will ship to the Quilt Barn sometime in June!

Yum, yum... I see bags, skirts, dresses, home decor, quilts, pillows.....

30 days of MARKET!!!!

Since market was so incredible this year, we are dying to share our stories, pictures (however incriminating they may be), and favorites.  We are so excited for the new fabric, patterns, and ideas we can hardly stand ourselves.  So...for the next 30 days, we are going to take you on a "Tag-A-Long" journey through our favorite things at market.  You will meet designers, see fantabulous booths, get a bajillion fun ideas, and even have several chances to win some bits of fabric that hasn't hit stores yet!  Buckle, up... we're going for a ride!

Some Kind of Wonderful

Ever since I laid eyes on Anni Downs "A Boy Story", I have followed her blog and salivated over the beautiful stitching and what I would call a vintage/whimsical style. I was estatic to find out that she was releasing a new book at Quilt Market! The book is called "Some Kind of Wonderful" and I can't even tell you what my favorite project is because it's just too hard to decide! I know this picture is super hard to see, but she has appliqued all of her "favorite things" into the sweetest quilt you've ever seen. I love that she also included many, many small projects that aren't quite so intimidating as well!

She has other books and stand alone patterns as well.  Check out the adorable pillow below, and this to DIE FOR scarf.  It ALMOST makes me excited for Little League baseball season, when I can sit on the bleachers and stitch, I mean cheer!

Quilt Market in SLC!

So, I thought I would share some of my favorite things about 2011 Quilt Market in SLC... so, I will try, and I say try with the very best of intentions, to blog my entire experience. :-) Thursday was what they call Schoolhouse - a series of miniclasses taught by designers, various vendors, and other quilt shop owners. One of my very favorite was the Moda Design team introducing their upcoming bloghop this fall. I can't wait! As you hop from blog to blog, you collect free patterns for the cutest projects ever! But, my favorite thing was when Moda Designer Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts showed us a bag she made with an extra orphan block. She told of how she would throw this cute little bag over her shoulder and tell her husband she was going shopping. He saw her little bag and didn't worry that she would spend too much. However...

The minute she walked out the door, she would reach in and pull the bottom out to magically transform the little bag into...

A gigantic shopping bag!!!!

She is so adorable, I just love to listen to her cute accent and her zest for life is contagious!

Stay tuned... the Author of "A Boy Story"...Anni Downs from Australia has a new book of stitchery, applique, and projects large and small...