Fall Quilt Market 2013

Quilt Market is like a candy store for fabric and quilt junkies.  24 rows each featuring about 20 booths of pattern designers, fabric designers, notion suppliers, magazine and book publishers, sewing machines.....  It is overwhelming for first timers and inspiring for veterans.

My booth was on a corner so I was able to take advantage of the outside wall.  The quilts shown here (from left to right) are "Quack" featuring Ducks in a Row by American Jane, "Alphabet Soup" featuring ABC123 by American Jane and "Butterfly Summer Runner and Lap Quilt" featuring Woodland Summer by Holly Taylor.

Here is the inside of my booth.  I made a coordinating quilt rug and table cover.   The blue quilt in the middle is "Dreamin'" featuring Daydreams by Kate Spain.

From left to right, "New Day" featuring Piecemakers by Kathy Schmitz, "Comfort" (table runner) featuring Piecemakers by Kathy Schmitz, "Village" featuring Le Bouquet Francais by French General, and "Flea Market" featuring Little Black Dress 2 by Basic Grey.

From left to right, "Heels" featuring Little Black Dress 2 and High Street by Lily Ashbury, "Bon Voyage!" featuring Printemps by 3 Sisters, "Baby Bird" featuring Storybook by Kate & Birdie and "Antoinette" featuring Printemps by 3 Sisters.

Fall 2013 Quilt Market

It's Thursday night in Houston and my friend Marcie and I are relaxing in our hotel after our flight.  The final two quilts have been bound and tomorrow we head to the George Brown Convention Center to set up our booth.  As usual, it has been a long haul to get here.  I am showing 22 new quilts featuring fabrics from Deb Strain, Kathy Schmitz, Eric & Julie Comstock, Basic Grey, Lily Ashbury, French General, Kate & Birdie, American Jane, Kate Spain, 3 Sisters and Stephanie Ryan.

Quack!

Alphabet Soup

These two kids quilts feature fabrics by American Jane.

Alphabet Soup is 62" x 75" and features ABC123 but could be made from any primary colored fabric group.

Quack! is 38" x 46" and features American Jane's newest fabric line "Ducks in A Row".

My new website was launched this week.  I finally broke down and hired a professional to build my site.  www.coachhousedesigns.com   I am really happy with it and hope you like it to.  Please let me know what you think.  Keep on Quilting!  Barb

Congratulations! Contest Winners

Thank you all for entering my blog contest.  Congratulations to Michele, Julie, Kathy and Beth who will all be receiving a copy of vol. 6 of Quiltmaker's 100 Quilt Blocks.

 

For those of you who would like to make a quilt to give to family or friends this Christmas, please keep my Christmas patterns in mind.  The following patterns are my top sellers and are available on my website  www.coachhousedesigns.com.

 

CHD-0907  Merry Christmas! (table runner)

 

CHD-1103 Christmas in the Country (wall or throw quilt)

 

 

CHD-1102  Red Door (wall or throw quilt)

 

 

CHD-1126  Tree Bells (wall or throw quilt)

 

 

CHD-1127  Winter Friends  (table runner)

 

I was sent a copy of this picture of the Tree Bells sample on display in The Quiltmaker's Shoppe in Arlington, WA.  The quilting by Cindy Glancy of Dancing Thread is absolutely amazing!

 

 

 

I wish I could quilt like that!  Maybe one day.......  Barb

 

 



Day 4 - Vol. 6 Quiltmaker's 100 Quilt Blocks

Welcome to my blog, this 8th day of November and the fourth day of the 100 Quilt Blocks blog tour!  

 

My block, "Black-Eyed Blooms" was inspired by the artwork of Kathy Schmitz featured in her “Towne Square Quilts” line of fabric.  I also wanted to design a block that would work well with my block from vol. 5 of 100 Quilt Blocks which also features Kathy's fabrics.
 

These blocks were combined together to build the quilt  "Abloomin' Garden" which is included in the Fall '12 edition of Quilts from Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks.

 

I have done up my block in 2 more color ways featuring fabrics by Urban Chiks ("Boho") and Kate Spain ("Honey Honey") to show you how easy it would be to incorporate this block into a variety of projects --- table runners, placemats, the feature block on a tote bag…..

The extra blocks were made using fusible web and the original block was made using hand applique. Please see my blog entry for March 31 which shows my favorite hand applique method. 

I just got back from Quilt Market in Houston where I introduced some new patterns featuring the two fabric lines used in my extra blocks and a new fabric line by Kathy Schmitz.  These fabrics will be coming to your local quilt shops in the next few months and the patterns will be available on my website shortly.

Lazy Summer ("Boho" by Urban Chiks")



 

 

Maids in a Row ("Boho" by Urban Chiks)

 

 

Meadow ("Honey Honey" by Kate Spain)

 

 

Abundance ("Round Robin" by Kathy Schmitz)

 

Beginnings ("Round Robin" by Kathy Schmitz)

Sunflowers ("Round Robin" by Kathy Schmitz)

If you would like to win a copy of 100 Quilt Blocks vol.6, please send me an email at barb@coachhousedesigns.com with your name and address and I will select 4 lucky winners.   If you are not one of the lucky winners, vols. 5 and 6 and the Fall '12 edition of Quilts from 100 Quilt Blocks are available for purchase on my web site.

Have a great blog tour and thanks for stopping by. Visit my website at www.coachhousedesigns.com.

Fall Quilt Market

Quilt Market was again in Houston, Texas this fall. My friend Marcie and I packed up my new quilts, drove to Seattle and then flew to Houston after a 4 hour flight delay. We got into our hotel in Houston just after the hotel restaurant closed but we were fortunately able to slip into the Lucky Strike bowling alley and lounge in downtown Houston 15 minutes before they closed the kitchen! They had the best fish tacos. Who knew?

 

On Friday, we set up my booth across the aisle from United Notions. 

 

 

Three of my quilts featuring Deb Strain's line "Seascapes" were hung in Deb's booth.

Three of my quilts featuring "Round Robin" by Kathy Schmitz were in Kathy's booth.

Friday night was sample spree where vendors are able to sell individual items to owners and their staff. Marcie and I picked up some fabric and some solid hand lotion that does not rub off on your fabric.

Saturday was the first day of market and it was great saying hello to old friends and customers and meeting new ones.

We also met Julie and Eric Comstock who designed the fabric line "2wenty Thr3e" which is featured in my new quilt design "Happy Birthday".

Saturday night was the Moda party at the Hilton which was tons of fun.  The theme this year was western with Texas barbeque for dinner, western music and line dancing and a mechanical bull.  Yes Marcie and I both rode the bull (and we both fell off!)

 

 

Come back on Thursday for my blog entry for Vol 6 of 100 Quilt Blocks.  There will be a contest with prizes to be won!  See you then.  Barb

Blogging and Book Club

I have been reading articles on blogging to help me, well blog.  I know how important it is in this age of technology to connect with your potential customers.  It is ironic that the very technology that took away the need for face to face interaction has fostered this much more personal form of communication.  The blogging articles tell you to find your voice, be genuine and stick to it.  So here is my plan:  a little bit about me, a little bit of promotion, a little bit about my family, a little bit about my designs, a little bit about quilting in general...hopefully you will enjoy it.  So here it goes....

Do you belong to a book club? I have been in the same book club for over 13 years now. I can't believe it has been that long. It was one of the best decisions that I made because it forced me to read books I would not have chosen myself and it forced me to get out with adult friends which is not always easy when you have kids. Case in point: between music and soccer this fall, we have kids activities every day of the week!

We meet once a month and the location of the meeting rotates among the members.  You all now will be virtual members of our club!

You must first meet the non-virtual members of our club:
Me, Wendi, Colleen, Jodi, Marcie, Jeanne, Trish, Debbie, Lorna, Yolanda, Miriam and Mary-Ann.  I planning on taking photos next meeting whether they like it or not!

We just finished reading  "The Dovekeepers" by Alice Hoffman.  It takes place over 2000 years ago and is the story of 4 Jewish women who end up in Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert.  Masada was one of the last hold outs agains the Romans and the four women's lives intersect as they care for the doves in the mountain stronghold.  Although the story is fictional, it is based on historical research.

As a group we would recommend this book as it was very well written but the general criticism was that it was too long.  The character development was excellent.  I will provide you with much more interesting commentary next time.  I was the host of this meeting and I was little pre-occupied with filling up coffee cups and serving desert...

Our next read is "The Shoemaker's Wife" by Adriana Trigiani and those of us who have already started it say it is excellent.  I'll let you know what the group thinks after our meeting next month.

Now I must go and try and write some patterns....Maybe I should have another cup of coffee first.

Magazine Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Mary Arline of Iowa who won a copy of Quilts from 100 Blocks! Thank you to all the contest entrants.  I will be participating in the Blog Hop in November for the release of vol. 6 of 100 Quilt Blocks.  Hope to see you back then. 

I just finished making this quilt which is called "Birds in the Garden".  It measures 55" x 61" and features the upcoming fabric line "Noteworthy" by Sweetwater for Moda.  The pattern will retail for $10 and it will be available at the end of September. 

It turned out really well and I love the spring colors.  This fabric line is just being shown to quilt shops now so if you like it, let your local quilt shop know!  The fabric will be in stores in January.

I was playing with it to see how it would look in completely different colors and this is what I came up with.

 
It is amazing to see how different fabrics can change the look of a quilt.

Thanks for stopping by..... Barb