International Quilt Market in Houston 2009

I just returned Monday from Houston and enjoyed so much attending the Quilt Market and seeing all the new products, fabrics, etc, for the sewing industry. While I was there, I helped out in the Bosal Foam and Fiber booth demonstrating my Marlee Baby Bag made using their fusible fleece, poly therm insulated fleece and their craf=Tex sew in heavy interfacing and lastly their cotton woven interfacing!!!!!!!!!For my great niece Marlee, I designed the bag and made the first one for her. Then we worked up the pattern on the computer and had it printed and I sold and gave away copies at the Market. I took several I made which are listed and shown here in the blog. I also made one 1/2 way so people could see the interfacings sewn and or ironed in.
The people from Bosal are fabulous and were great to me-even printed the pattern-and took me out to dinnerand gave me an opportunity to see the Market from the Vendor's prospective.It was fun and enjoyable.
I love their product because of the way my bags look and feel using it and because it is made in the USA.
I met a lot of great people there and enjoyed talking with them.
I went to the Moda Fabric/United Notions dinner and met some lovely ladies from California who make mosaic quilts based on architecture they see all over the world. So fabulous to talk with them.
When I left the Hilton to get a cab to the airport, I chatted with Kate Spain, Moda's newest designer, and we shared the long cab ride to the airport. She designs fabric, paper products, a lot of things. She was so great to talk with and so nice. It was my honor to meet her. Her fabric line is called Verna by Moda. Check it out.
The people at the Hilton and at the George Brown Convention center were wonderful and I really felt at home.
It is great to get outside and travel and see other parts of the usa.

Melly and Me purses I made.

The one of the top is the Toffee Aoole which forced me to learn how to sew in elastic which in on the pockets on the end and also to do a drawstring at the top.

I think it is good to raise the bar so to speak but sometimes frustrating. I think it turned outnice and Connie fell in love with it and of course I gave it to her.

The second one is called Sherbet and it is smaller than I like and did not turn out at all like I thought it would but it is adorable and i gave it to Ellen the friend who cleans for me. She was thrilled. If I make it again I will make it larger. I like the larger bags myself.I really don't carry a lot I just like to be able to find things when I reach or look inside the bag.

I discovered Melly and Me who make purse pattern and are in Australia. I bought a couple and made them, but really struggled because they were advanced for me, but I finally suceeded.

Where in the world have I been???

The last day of September and the first day of October. I was substitute teaching in a kindergarten class when my vision got crooked. The next day, I went to the retina specialist, and she sent me to thee emergency room. After numerous tests, I went home in 4 days knowing only that the neurologist did NOT think I had had a stroke in the left eye. The left eye is or rather was my good eye, but it is now my bad eye. It is, however, getting better.

At first I could not read or work my crossword puzzle, cryptoquip or jumble, email, etc. Now, I can, with a little bit of a struggle.

Anyway, I am getting back to my blogging and emails and have been working on my new website. today I got my domain name and in a couple of days will be up and running. This is my fabric / sewing supplies store.

October 24 we went to Houston, Texas to the International Quilt Market and had a fabulous time. I saw all the new products for sale and especially liked the fabrics and purse patterns.

I absolutely went straight up over the Marcus Brothers Al fresco line and bought all 19 bolts. I can't wait to get it. I love the Surg and Sand by the same designer and bought several from it too. The fabrics are gorgeous. I bought several from the Eleanor Burns Benartex Victory Garden collection, and several from Maywood Studios and Moda. I have really been working to get it all listed online.

Back in August, I started making my bags for the Bazaar this coming weekend. I finished them last weekend and delivered them to the lady who sells them in her home along with items from several vendors. I have added the pictures I took of everything.