For the past several years the Spring International Quilt Festival has been held in Chicago (Rosemont, actually) and I am lucky enough to live nearby. Very convenient for me and a great chance to see incredible quilts on display as well as vendors galore where you can buy just about anything quilting related and see what's new in fabric, patterns, books and tools. Next year the show will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio and I'm not sure if I'll be able to make the trip. So the fun was good while it lasted. Here are some more highlights:
It's hard NOT to get inspired by some of the wonderful booth displays.
I have to hand it to the shops--they do a great job enticing us with their samples.
I want this little sewing machine! Darn, just a display.
Lots of antique quilts for sale . . .
I should probably try to be more "sophisticated" about all of this, but I can't tell you how exciting it STILL is to see one of my books and the quilts made from it on display. I'm always amazed and sometimes have to pinch myself. Am I dreaming??
I remember attending my first Quilt Festival in 2004--I had just finished my first book for Martingale & Co. (That Patchwork Place) which would come out later that year and I was pretty much in a daze about it all, as you can imagine. Alex Anderson was there signing books and I stood in line for 20 minutes to get her autograph. (My first Quilting Celebrity! Shoot! I forgot my camera!) When it was finally my turn I handed her the book to sign and I think I blurted out something like "I'm going to be an author too!" I'll never forget the sweet, quizzical look she gave me--I must have seemed like a 5-year-old telling her what I wanted to be when I grew up. Before I could explain--Oops! it was someone else's turn and I slinked away, embarrassed. I'm STILL excited to meet quilting celebrities but now I try to remember to bring my camera and shut my mouth.
Pat Sloan
Paula Barnes of Bonnie Blue Quilts had a great booth.
Kaffe Fassett signing books
Lori Smith
I bought waaaaaay too much fabric, but mostly charm packs, small bundles or fat quarters so it's one way of justifying buying some of each print I see that I like. I need a huge variety for my scrappy little quilts, right? So now I think I really have to get cracking and make something.
Oh, I posted more pictures of some of the antique quilts from the show here.
11 comments:
I so enjoyed my time in Chicago the one year I attended. I have to say that was the first time I saw your book about the Prairie Children. And Lori Smith had the most awesome booth! I felt like I was in wonderland. She was very sweet. Thanks for the tour.
Thanks for the booth pictures!!!!! I took loads of the antique quilts but put my camera away and focused on shopping when I got to the vendors. I will definitely miss Chicago because it is a convenient day trip for me. I fly there and you can't be Chicago for the selection of flights in and out.
Thank you so much for posting these pictures! I've been going to the show every year it's been in Chicago, and I'm really going to miss it. I talked to some of the vendors, like Country Threads, and they don't think they're going to make the trip to Cincinnati. Maybe they'll have to bring it back to Chicago! One can hope....
Julie
Thank you so much for the lovely pictures. I live in Cincinnati and I am so hoping you will come here in 2011, so I can get a chance to meet you. I don't know what has caused the change of venue, but I hope our fair city can make you feel greatly welcomed. Kristy in Ohio
Great to see you at the show. Really nice pictures. Now get busy and make more quilts and inspire us LOL
Great booths!! I'm always amazed at how they can set them up to look so wonderful!! Thanks for letting me tagalong.:)
Cool photos. I am so glad you are having fun. Enjoy your trip. I love the justification for your fabric purchases. I tried to cut and paste it into my comment but your blog thought I was stealing your words. LOL.
I enjoyed viewing your photos, especially the antique quilts. I could look at antique and vintage quilts all day long, which is why I like to make copies of them to look at in my home all day long!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos of the show. I have never been to a quilt show and so it was an extra special treat. I also really enjoy seeing how other quilters interpret your patterns- it helps my inspiration. I enjoy your postings and look forward to new ones in the near future. Peg from NJ
Thank you for some more great photos of the show. Connie204
Thanks for sharing! Looks like a wonderful time. I am headed for Springfield, Ill tomorrow...any shops you might know of that I should check out?
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