What a day!?!?!

Wow! What a day!

The day before market is dedicated to education and promotion. We have 15-30 minute segments from many vendors.

Each of the time slots offers over 10 unique sessions so there is absolutely no way to take in everything... but I try.

First Highlight: Black & White & Red All Over

Cindy Hershy hosted a trend session discussing the continuation of Black and White with a splash of color. We have seen black/white/red, black/white/yellow, and black/white/pink for several seasons now. This classic combination is still strong with new fabric offerings. I love the use of red ric rac on this sample of charm party totes. Remember you can make "charm" patterns with fabric you cut yourself!

Second Highlight: Fresh Ideas from Fig Tree & Co.

Joanna dazzles again. Fig & Plum debuted at the store last week for Moda University. Fig Tree has published a great new series of "Fig Tree Threads" patterns that focus on quick projects. I am absolutely in love with her slipper and duffle bag patterns. Her upcoming fabric line Patisserie, will be shipped in all the latest Pre-cut shapes (Honey Buns and Turnovers). She has a great vision for using precuts in a sophisticated way.

Third Highlight: The Kaffe Collective - Kaffe, Liza, Brandon & Philip

Kaffe's debuts his new concept book "Country Garden Quilts" and welcomes Brandon into the Kaffe Collective. Brandon had been a Kaffe understudy and now debuts his first line. For the first time Westminster Fibers is marketing the Kaffe, Brandon and Philip lines together. While textures are very different, the look and feel is very fluid between the groups. My favorite new fabric is "Fish Lips" by Brandon Mably (I think I just like it because of the name and he made a fish lip face when he shared how he conceived of the design.)

Kaffe also took a moment in this extended session to discuss his quilt design process. He uses a single shape (a diamond in this case), 300+ cuts of this shape from various fabrics, and a twin size sage flannel sheet. Playing with fabric placement he focuses on the aesthetics of fabric placement before a single seam is sewn.

Fourth Highlight: Edyta Sitar - Spectacular Fusible Applique

I have seen Edyta before and I am awe struck EVERY time. She can make fusible web dance! In this session she discussed her upcoming book as well as her upcoming fabric lines. In addition to pattern designing, she designs batiks for Moda under the label Laundry Basket Quilts. She is the designer of the fabulous "Let it Snow" collection. Her upcoming "Dreaming in Color" is so yummy as well.

Fifth Highlight: Quilt-O-Grams

A twist on quilted postcards - this new book by C&T focuses on playing with surface embellishments to create personalized cards to share while learning a new technique and playing with different mediums.

Just announced C&T is bringing back Timtex!

Sixth Highlight: A Chat with Mark Lipinski (Creator of Quilter's Home Magazine)

Mark is such a radical... he told stories which would make a truck driver blush. Humor and business savvy makes Mark a great addition to the quilting world. Love him or hate him, he is turning the quilt world upside down. Less of a consumer session, this shopowner meeting focused on how we need to keep up with the changing complexion of the "average" quilter. This "ain't" your great-grandmother's quilt world anymore.

Seventh Highlight: Best of Show Product Review

An Oprah style presentation, a top trade magazine reviewed their top 30 picks for market. At the end of the session, we all left with a goodie bag!!! More to come from this session...

The day ends with what is called Sample Spree. This is where shop owners have the opportunity to buy "designer cuts" of fabric to make our samples before the fabric lines are shipped. We also can buy special packs of patterns from pattern vendors. Then there are a few sought after booths that actually sell samples with a group of patterns!

A true madhouse... it is rumored that fights have broken out in previous years. I waited in the hall for 70 minutes to experience this venue. Chatting with shopowners and designers, the wait seems hardly more than 5 minutes.

Tomorrow - the trade show floor opens and buying begins...

Signing off until tomorrow!

Julie