Just back from the 2012 Houston Quilt Market and I want to post some quick photos.
This time was a total blast because, having been there once before in 2009, I had a better idea of what to expect. And having had the pleasure of working with Georgia Farnet every Thursday for the past many years, I have learned even more about the quilting world.
Basically, I was a groupie at a concert this year.
GIFSoup
It started with Day One and strolling past Ty Pennington and attempting to be nonchalant about it. You try to keep a cool demeanor and not throw a fit (but let's face it, y'all. A celebrity in your midst is startling.) This lasted approximately one second, when I turned nonchalantly around and saw Mona elbow Georgia and heard her say, "Georgia! Look!" They sidled up to me and said, "Did you see who that is!?" as if.
First of all, there are not as many men at the Geo. R. Brown Convention Hall as women, so they sort of stand out in the crowd. Then you add the fact that
he stands tall and lean and rugged like a Ralph Lauren male model. Oh, yeah,
then there's the throng of women surrounding him, looking upward, as, did I mention he is rather tall?
So being the shameless groupie that I am, I shoved Mona and Georgia over to him and said, "I want to get your photo with Ty. P!" He charmingly obliged.
Sadly, the lighting in the Hall obliterated the beautiful quilt and photos behind him but......nevermind! Look! He's got his arms around 'em! Ty (we're on first-name basis now) was very kind and I truly regret you can't see that quilt of his fabrics because it's a happy thing!
During Schoolhouse on Friday, I sat in on a session with Bill Kerr, Modern Quilt Workshop author (along with his wife, Weeks Ringle) as he discussed my current obsession, combining the modern quilt movement with the traditional and he showcased his new fabric line from Andover Fabrics, "Victorian Modern". You may have seen any of his Modern Quilts Illustrated magazines at Bright Hopes and samples from them hanging on our walls. Here he is with Pearl, as sweet as he looks in the photo. A gentleman in the truest sense of the word.
Jason Yenter. Full Stop.
Just before we left for Market, Georgia brought in her new sample of Jason Yenter's Deco quilt. It's hanging in the shop, glowing off the wall and we have the line and kit ready to go. So, when I spotted the man himself, I marched right up and blurted out, "That woman over there made your Deco quilt and it's gorgeous! Her name is Georgia!"
"Really!? Wow! that was fast! I haven't seen it made up yet. When we designed it, we did it digitally so I am impressed."
me- "She fussy-cut so many pieces and really did a marvelous job. It glows."
Now all this while, Georgia is speaking with Mike Daecher with Craftsy just on the other side of the aisle and has no idea how close Jason Yenter is so after she has finished, we spin her around and point over to Jason. The photo speaks for itself. I don't know which of them is more impressed with the other.
Jinny Beyer, absolutely beautiful woman...... this photo was taken at Schoolhouse as she was discussing a specific pattern. I simply could not muster the courage to approach her directly.
Four years ago, Eleanor Burns published her Victory Quilts book, hardback, which spoke to me (yes, I pieced that one, no, it's not quilted) (yet) and I carted that heavy tome around for three days, in hopes of seeing the lady herself. That didn't happen. And I learned a valuable lession: Don't Carry the Unnecessary.
This year, I signed up for her Tales of the First Ladies Quilt for Monday. Our schedules for market changed and happily, I was able to change that class for one on Sunday. However, I assumed it was a lecture. Never assume. I didn't come to class with supplies!
Now, let me back up one day. The class I had for Saturday DID require supplies and I dutifully carried them to class, and it was a lecture instead. A good one! don't misunderstand, but now afterwards, I am carting around a bunch of tools and cutting mat, weighing me down and basically throwing off my groove.
So in I breeze, expecting a room full of chairs and instead I see tables littered with Babylocks and Eleanor Burns standing at the front, ready and fired up to do some sewing. Thank God, I was not the only one to show up empty-handed! I slunk into my seat like a naughty schoolgirl who left her (unfinished) homework assignment on the bus.
However, being the Pro she is, Ms. Burns brushed aside the bumps in the road, made everyone of us who arrived unprepared welcome and went to work introducing her new book, Tales of the First Ladies. The block you see featured behind us, Double T, was the block we constructed using the Quilt in a Day method. It works perfectly.
After the class, she signed our books and graciously posed for my ZOMG! photo. When she realized what I was doing, she responded in kind and said through her smile, "What are we doing?" She has a great smile and as I hugged her, I whispered :You changed my world" but I don't think she heard me. Acolytes can be tiring.
Pearl, thank you for taking me to Market. I had, obviously, a BLAST!
Check back for more cool photos of quilts
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