Quilt Market Recap

Time for a Quilt Market Recap. As some of you know, I’ve recently returned from a whirlwind weekend at Quilt Market in Houston. Quilt Market is the weekend before the International Quilt Festival {which anyone can attend}. As a matter of fact, the International Quilt Festival will have ended yesterday.

Quilt Market comes a week before Festival and is all about the products. Quilt shop owners, sewing machine dealers, and lots of bloggers all attend Quilt Market. It is all about the newest sewing machines, latest sewing gadgets, fun fabrics, and all things sewing.

When I am at Quilt Market I always try to spot are trends in the world of sewing. And that is what I will be talking about today. Spotting the next trends in sewing.

Trend 1 ~ Garment Sewing

Lots and lots of garments on display this year. At most of the fabric seller’s booths, there would be one or two quilts and then a whole rack of clothes. When I was walking through the Japanese fabric section ~ lots and lots of garments. Patterns for garments. Fabrics for garments.

This display was on the end of a fabric manufacturer’s end cap. These are all rayon blends Which drape beautifully.

Do you see any quilts. Nope. It’s garments, bags, and home decor but not a lot of quilts. Are you spotting a trend, yet.

Aren’t these coats gorgeous. The first time I attended Quilt Market the only coats I saw were quilts that were sewn into coats. Friends, this is all new. And, don’t you love that fake fur collar!

This display from Cotton + Steel is another example of non-quilting fabrics. The fabric is a cotton linen canvas which would work well for some garments as well as home dec. I love the colors but I’m not wild about some of the designs. I don’t think I will be decorating with pink and red horses. However, I think there are a lot of people who will.

It’s a bedroom but its main feature isn’t a quilt ~ at Quilt Market. See what I mean. I think they are saying we should expand our sewing talents to include other areas.

Trend 2 ~ Quilting

In case you got the impression that quilting is on the decline, let me reassure you that it is alive and well. One thing I did notice is the trend towards modern quilting continues to gain momentum and there is an abundance of modern fabrics.

Carolyn Friedlander’s fabric collection is a great example of the trend towards modern quilts.

Modern colors and modern design for the next generation of quilters.

Of course, who doesn’t love Charley Harper with a fresh, modern take on the animal kingdom.

At more than one booth I noticed a nod towards Native American design. Arrows and feathers have been very popular design elements so it makes sense that some designers would trend toward Native American design.

You can watch for trends and then every now and again a designer will throw a curve. These fabrics from Amy Butler are a perfect example of something unique and extraordinary. I immediately spotted the 1920’s Parisan theme. Very refreshing. And, of course, I love all that turquoise.

If you are a traditional quilter, don’t worry. There are still plenty of new fabrics for you to express yourself. I was particularly drawn to this van Gogh-inspired fabric line.

Trend 3 – The Next Generation

In previous years most of the people attending Quilt Market were older females who wore quilted clothing. This year they were no where to be seen. Instead I noticed more than one tattooed hipster strolling through the hall. I can’t wait to see their contribution to sewing over the next few years.

I think that people in the sewing industry are wanting to capture the hearts and needles of the next generation of sewists. This juvenile sewing room with its Hello Kitty sewing machine says it all.

I ran into this lady because I admired her top. It’s from an independent designer called Sew Chic. While I was fascinated with her garment, her story was even more interesting. She has (had???) a quilt shop somewhere in Oregon and started to see a drop in interest. Instead of folding up and giving in she decided to take her sewing to the next generation.

On a regular basis she holds lecture demos in a local pub. She sets up her sewing machine on one end of the bar and demonstrates different sewing techniques. Now, that’s a clever woman. {sorry for the bad cell phone photo}

Trend 4 ~ Stand Out Product

I had seen this product last year. It’s called Chenille It. This year I was able to chat with the people who sell the product. This is something I really want to try to incorporate into my sewing. It’s a bias tape that you sew on and when washed it blooms into a beautiful chenille trim. It is infinitely flexible and can bend around every shape.

This is an example of it on a quilt. The design is just a quilting template design with Chenille It sewn over the design. I had some of this, imagine the possibilities.

I am hoping to see more of this product in the hands of creative people. I just love it and think it would be fun to work with. If you want to try it out, you can purchase it by the yard at this Etsy store. Expect to see me create some really fun things with this ~ think appliqué + chenille = adorable.

Exciting Things ~ A Book!

It’s not really a trend, but it could be one day.

I’ve occasionally hinted and downright mentioned this book occasionally. But here’s what gives. Two years ago at Quilt Market I met Sarah and Caroline. They are such sweet gals and we became friends.

They were working on putting together a book of fun sewing projects and asked me to contribute an apron pattern. The book is called Just for You (affiliate) and is available on Amazon. In November, I will be participating in a BlogHop which includes a book giveaway. More to come on this.

Of Course, I Bought Stuff

Some of the folks in booths will sell stuff to show attendees. Especially to bloggers who can’t shut up about anything {wait, that’s me!}. Anyway, there was one booth I wanted to find because last year I didn’t purchase what I should’ve and then regretted it all year long.

I searched every aisle for the TrueCut booth. All day long, I couldn’t find them ~ then, when we were leaving, there they were, but the show was closing. I begged ~ he relented and I got a 6 1/2″ ruler, ruler grips, and a 45 mm rotary cutter that go with my new cutting mat.

Here’s a video about their products and why I wanted them. I especially love how the rulers have marking holes which helps with placement but also allows you to hang it up. So clever. Watch the video below and you will see why I love their stuff. {affiliate links}

Another item I’ve had my eyes on are Kai Scissors. I’ve been wanting an awesome pair of dressmaker shears and kept hearing great things about Kai Scissors. It only took a second after trying them to say, “I’ll take a pair of 9″ model #7230, please!” (affiliate)

Yes, I bought some fabric, too. The fabric I’m most excited about is this batik rayon by SewBatik. The minute I touched this fabric I was in love. It is a great weight for a top, skirt, or dress. Notice the indigo fabric hanging near the left. It has a border on the hem. I love these border prints because they will make great tops.

Best Moment of the Show ~ Nancy Zieman

While walking down an aisle I saw Nancy Zieman and blurted out, “I LOVED your book!” She politely (as always) stopped and said, “Thank you.” Then she noticed my name tag and said she recognized me because she reads my blog. Can.you.believe.it. It’s like my grandsons getting to meet Batman!

I welled up a bit. I can’t believe Nancy Zieman even knows I exists, let alone, reads what I write.

Best sewist moment ever!