I just attended another spectacular International Quilt Market in Houston and wanted to share some of it with you.  Quilt Market is a trade show filled with fabulous quilts, fabrics, fibers and all sorts of quilting supplies and embellishments as well as being a fusion of colors.  Here is a bird’s eye view of a small part of the show floor.

There are always some great quilt challenges and exhibits at Market and here are some that were spectacular. I just loved this quilt made by Maureen O’Doogan from Tallahassee FL.  Its fun and whimsical and great colors!

There was an exhibit of  kaleidoscope quilts by Paula Nadelstern.   They were simply amazing. Here are a few of them along with a close up.

Another huge and fascinating exhibit was the Fabric Forrest, a German exhibit to represent the Black Forrest. The quilts were tall and slim and were hung to represent trees.  One of the amazing aspects of these quilts was that they were double sided with both the fronts and backs equally as beautiful. My photo’s didn’t do them justice with the colors because of the space and lighting.

Now for a brief pause before I continue.  Not everything about Quilt Market is about Quilts.  I just have to show you the gorgeous red shoes my friend Jill (with Quilting Treasures) was wearing.  Aren’t they awesome! Some serious Shoe Envy here!

Games are really hot right now, especially board games.  I think I could change my middle name to “opoly” because of all the work I’ve done with “opoly’s”.  I designed and made this Monopoly quilt for Quilting Treasures booth.  They debuted the Monopoly fabric line at Market.

The DMC Corporation showcased their Quiltopoly and Stitchopoly games in their booth.  I designed the components of the Quiltopoly board and game last year.  Cilene (with DMC and a friend for many years) and I are posing in front of the game display.

In addition to all the beautiful quilts and colors of Quilt Market, Its always fun to catch up with friends including Brenda Pinnick and Debra Quartermain, and many others.  I’m already looking forward to the Spring Quilt Market!

The International Quilt Market in Pittsburgh this month was wonderful as usual.  Color was everywhere as new fabrics were displayed (including mine - Its a Dog’s Life with Quiting Treasures).  The mood was upbeat throughout the show and buyers were doing just that - buying.  I took loads of pictures of great vendors as well as my friends   But, if you read my last post, you know that my photo files were corrupted on the disk (the file names are all goofy symbols and Windows doesn’t know what file types they are- so if anyone can tell me what happened, I would love to know).

I am really excited about something that I purchased at the show (actually its being purchased through my local dealer).  I bought Bernina’s digitizing software, “DesignerPlus Version 5″ so that I can turn my art images into machine embroidery.

I plan to start with the motifs from my fabric collections. I also want to create designs to put on some of my projects featured in magazines and books.

Call me a nut, but I actually love learning new software, until I get to a frustration point!  The good thing about this software is that my local shop (Robin’s Sewing Shoppe) will give me lessons on using it, in addition to the demo I received at Quilt Market.  So, any frustration points can be resolved locally!

But the next step is that after getting home, I have decided that I want to upgrade my sewing machine.  That actually means starting new since my machine can’t be “upgraded”.  I’ve been visiting the websites of ALL the sewing machine companies to see which one has the features I want. Boy, now that’s frustration!  Some of the websites have much more information than others and its frustrating looking at one that has very little information on the features of their machines.  Then when I find a feature of one machine that I really like, I look back at all the sites again to see which ones have that feature.  And I love features! Unfortunately, the $$’s go up with each feature so I am going to have to tone it down.

So now, I’m off to visit local dealers to make a decision on which machine I want and to see if I can find one in my budget.

Oh well, wish me luck!

Phyllis

I am very fortunate to have two events Sunday night (May 24).  At 4:00 p.m. EST, I am going to be the guest for the live chat on the Fiber Arts/Mixed Media Forum with Susan Sorrell.  My topic will be Art Marketing and Licensing. 

At 7:15 p.m. EST, I will be on Inspired at Home with Tiffany Windsor on BlogTalkRadio. My topic will be Trending and using trends in designing, home decor, and crafts. 

I would love to have you join me as you will be able to ask questions.  If you are unable to join in, you can still listen to to the interviews later by visiting the above links. 

I had some wonderful pictures that I took at Quilt Market.  However, something happened to my disk with the photos and all the files were corrupted with strange file names.  I have been unable to open them to post the pictures.  What a bummer!  If any of you know how this could have happened, please let me know. 

Quilt Market was wonderful, upbeat and exciting!  I will write more about it in the next couple of days and hopefully, I can get some pictures that my friends took to show you.

I hope to visit with you tomorrow night!

Phyllis

My bags are packed, my Quilt Market projects are finished, my Schoolhouse talk is ready and my boarding passes are printed.  Flying is my period of rest, thinking and reading as things are always so hectic getting ready to leave.  I picked a James Patterson book to read in my flying and airport time.  And I’m looking forward to meeting up with friends who are also going to Market - dinners, lunches and just walking the show together.

I will return energized, inspired and ready to hop back to work on new designs and art.  I will post Quilt Market happenings and celebrity sightings when I return as well as the projects and patterns that I created for market.

If you are attending Quilt Market, I want to invite you to attend my Schoolhouse session “Using Trends to Boost Sales”, Thursday 3:35 in room 325.  And of course, I would love for you to visit the Quilting Treasures booth to see my new fabric “Its a Dog’s Life”.

Until I return,

Phyllis

I have been busy preparing for International Quilt Market next week.  The Spring Quilt Market is open to the trade only and is being held in Pittsburgh - a city I love to visit.  And, my new fabric collection  is debuting there.  After designing fabrics for kitties and cats, I had to show the love that I feel for dogs as well and designed Its a Dog’s Life for Quilting Treasures.  My cutting table is piled with the fabrics for the projects that I’m sewing for Quilt Market.

I will have a free pattern or two to post after Quilt Market.  I’m sewing an apron and a quilted tote bag as well as a badge holder.

If you are attending Quilt Market, I want to invite you to attend my Schoolhouse session, “Using Trends to Boost your Sales”. on Thursday, May 14 at 3:35 pm.  I would love to meet you.

OK, back to sewing - I have to get these finished!

I’m excited that my next fabric collection, It’s a Dog’s Life for Quilting Treasures is debuting at Spring Quilt Market in Pittsburgh starting May 14.  A quilt that I designed with these fabrics will be in the Quilting Treasures booth and the pattern will be posted to their website for downloading after Market.

It’s A Dog’s Life features dog bone, dog lingo, paw prints, and activity dogs fabrics.  Also, as friends of the dogs,  two bird fabrics are featured.  The blocks feature 10 dogs in various activities - cooking, exercising, shopping, gardening, and many more.

The collection can be viewed on Quilting Treasures website or on my website.

Woof, woof! (And if you are attending Quilt Market, I invite you to attend my Schoolhouse session “Using Trends to Boost Your Sales” on Thursday, May 14, the day before the show opens - I would love to meet you).

I want to wish you each a very Happy New Year, a magical one filled with love and laughts!

December was filled not only with  holiday festivities and travel, but also with work, especially work.  In addition to working on new art images for 2 art licensing events that I am exhibiting in January (Atlanta Gift Market and the Craft and Hobby Association)  I finished 2 quilts, one for a magazine and another with my NEW dog fabrics, Its a Dog’s Life for Quilting Treasures.  This quilt is for their booth at the Spring Quilt Market and will also be on their website as a project sheet.  I plan to take photos of my new fabric this week and will post them. But I am giving you a sneak peak, with an image “Group Photo” compiled of the 10 dogs  in the fabrics.

I’m still reflecting back on what I accomplished in 2008 and what I hope to accomplish in 2009.  The first day of the new year always inspires a fresh start and lofty goals.

May all your goals be attainable,

Phyllis

The weather was beautiful during the International Quilt Market in Houston so if felt good to walk through the new Discovery Green Park across the street from the George Brown Convention Center.

As I walked through the park on Sunday, I saw the funkiest golf cart.  It has been created by a high school for an entry into a motorized parade and then donated to the park. Decorated with dragons, sequins and pearls, it was a crowd stopper!

After a invigorating trip to Quilt Market and then a couple other trips, I’m back home creating new art.  My new fabrics, Its a Dog’s Life will be released soon.  I am waiting some samples so that I can start sewing with it and give you a free pattern!

When walking International Quilt market, there is so much eye candy to grab my attention.  This dress in the booth of Coats and Clark really jumped out at me just from the sheer beauty.  (My picture doesn’t do it justice). This dress is befitting the dreams of a fairy princess!

The dress was an award winner in the Bernina Fashion show last year.  The fabric was all sheer and machine emellished with Coats Dual Duty XP threads which you can see in the detail closeup.

In addition, crystals were added in the back.  The construction of the skirt was really unique with  streamers of fabric sewed at the waist, with the edges slightly overlapping and sewn around the bodice in several layers.

Below are more wonderful quilts from the quilt exhibits.  (If you missed my earlier post with some quilts, check back a couple of posts to view them.)

Cynthia St. Charles from Montana designed this quilt of a Village.  I love the colors!

Another fabulous quilt with wonderful colors, this one was designed by Carol Taylor of NY.

Pat Watson of Victoria, BC Canada designed this quilt.

This quilt by Katie Williams of Colorado was an award winner.

All of the quilts above have such wonderful colors.  These were just a sampling of the quilts exhibited at International Quilt Market and they all were wonderful.

I  have one more article I want to post from Quilt Market - but its something fun, unique and whimsical that I saw outside the market in the park

The quilt designs are copyrighted by the quilt designers.  The photo’s are copyrighted and cannot be used without the permission of Phyllis Dobbs.

I have some special treats from International Quilt Market.  Although it was close to Halloween, these treats are not the “trick or treat” kind.  They are simply treats to enjoy! 

I visited with my friend, Anna Marie Horner, who designs fabrics for Free Spirit.  Anna had some exciting news.  She is expecting a new little one.  And while she was at Quilt Market, she received more exciting news.  Her booth won “best booth” for the 2nd time in a row. Gee, Anna, you are really a superwoman!

Gina Halladay is the owner of Threaded Pear, a pattern company and is in her beautiful booth.  In addition, she is the author of the fabulous blog, Quilter’s Buzz.  Gina also had some good news.  She has purchased a quilt shop, so in addition to her blog, a machine quilting dealership and pattern company, she will have a retail shop. I think Gina qualifies as another superwoman.

And in addition to old friends, I met up with a new friend who I met through Twitter.  Lani Padilla owns thequiltshope.net, an online quilt shop.  Its fun to meet a Twitter friend in person! (along with her hubby, Sam!)

While walking the show, I saw the most beautiful flowers - the large fabric flowers that were across the top front of the booth of Daisy & Dell. The flowers were a really  neat display.  Daisy & Dell is a pattern company from Cypress, TX owed by Pat Bruce.  I love flowers and the fact that these were fabric instead of real, means that they live forever.

Although I don’t have pictures, it was fabulous to spend time with my wonderful friends, Brenda Pinnick and Vicky Schreiner.  Spending time with friends makes the shows even more special.

I still have more to show from Quilt Market - check backfor more gorgeous exhibit quilts.