Quilt Market Withdrawal

As I sit here looking at the dreary rain outside and wearing fuzzy socks and a sweater to stay warm, I wish I was in Houston at Quilt Market.  Right now I would be making my way up and down aisles filled with eye candy for quilters.  Maybe I'd stop and chat with vendors that I know or other wanderers.  I'd be pulling my small suitcase along behind me and it would most likely already be stuffed with wonderful inspiring fabrics, thread, and other quilty goodies.  I'd be exhausted, but energized by all of the things that I see.

Yes, I am having Quilt Market withdrawal.  Maybe you have it too?

Here are a few pictures of the floor at Market in Houston from some of my past trips.  In the top photo, towards the center you'll see me standing on the red carpeted aisle between the vendor booths. 

The Market show floor is HUGE!  Usually something like 30 aisles with many vendors in each aisle.  Of course, some vendors like fabric companies take up multiples spots, but the size of it is mind-boggling.  

Next to the show floor is a gigantic quilt show with many different smaller displays.  Looking for inspiration or a quiet spot to think?  This is the place.  Here are a few quilts that I admired from past shows.

Thanks for walking down Market Memory Lane with me.

At Market

Although I couldn't make it to Quilt Market in Houston, I'm happy to say that I have 3 different quilts on display there.

Last week, I did a super fast quilt for Camelot Fabrics to showcase their new Mixology Fabric Line.  Here it is before I shipped it off overnight to Houston.

Isn't it really really cute?  Hopefully, they'll send me a couple photos of the quilt in their booth so I can show it off some more.  This design is actually an update of a design I did for them last year, called Spare Change.  I checked the website but it's not available as a free download anymore.  :(

International Quilt Market Schoolhouse.....Wish I Was There

It's time for International Quilt Market in Houston, Texas. 

All day yesterday I kept thinking to myself  "Well, if I was going to Market, I'd be flying to Houston today."  It made me a little sad.  But then I reminded myself that I went to Houston last October AND St. Louis in the spring. 

So, I wonder what new and exciting stuff will be debuted at Market and will find its way into our local quilt shops? 

Today would be Schoolhouse Day.  Schoolhouse is a day filled with choices of mini programs all about what's new and exciting from fabric collections, books and patterns, tools and gadgets, to techniques and information.  It's a nutty day where you run back and forth between classrooms every 15 minutes or 30 minutes depending on which session.  There are usually a lot of different choices during each session and sometimes it's hard to chose just one.  By the end of the day, you're usually totally wiped out and ready for some down time.

How about Guadalahara?  The best Mexican restaurant in Houston.  A great place to kick back and chill.

Although I'm not there, I am there in spirit and in quilts.  I am a new designer for Villa Rosa Designs.

Pat is doing a schoolhouse today about new Rose Card patterns, mine included!  She will also be showing my two table runners at her Schoolhouse and will have them on display at  her booth.

Here are my first two Rose Card Patterns:

Soon, I hope to have them to sell, but for right now, you can order them on the Villa Rosa website or perhaps you'll find them at your local quilt shop. 

Tomorrow the floor will be open and hoards -- literally hoards -- of eager people will rush onto the floor to look over every vendor's booth.  It's an amazing and mind-numbing experience.  Oh!  And the quilt show -- now that's worth spending time at, just drinking in all of the amazing quilts.

Wish I was there....

Jumping on the Copyright Wagon......Again

Recently, I received a couple email requests for quilt designs featured in a magazine that no longer exists.  Both shop owners wanted to know where they could find the pattern because they wanted to use it in their beginner quilt classes.

I had to do some fast research to find out if I owned the copyright to my patterns or if the now-dead magazine owned them.  So I went right to my friend, the former magazine editor, with my question  and discovered that I did, indeed, own the copyright to my patterns.

This was great news, because then all I had to do was rewrite and package the patterns for resale.

Navigating copyright law is no easy business, that's for sure.  I'm always concerned that I'm going to make a mistake, so it's always a good idea to ask before one assumes.  It could save you not only time in the future but also money.

I know that I've referred to this old blog post several times, but it's really a terrific article and worth rereading.  Here's the link:  Copyright for Quilters

Take a look at it.  The article was written by my friend and mentor, Cheryl Weiderspahn.  Thank you, Cheryl!

And the Winner Is..................

Congratulations to 

Kathy in Lexington, KY!

You are the lucky winner of

a copy of my book, 

I Love Precut Quilts!  

I want to thank everyone for participating in my Quilt Book Giveaway!