Fall Quilt Market 2016

Packing the bags was a big job! I settled on three checked suitcases for my twelve day visit to Houston and then set to filling them as full as I possibly could. Steve helps out by standing on the scales with  the bags. Sticky notes remind how much more I can add… another pair of shoes, a few DVDs?The Christmas cactus has continued to flourish. I have left instructions on proper care so perhaps there will be flowers when I return?Our plane was completely full and it took a few minutes extra to get us all on board. One last view over Chicago as we took flight.
Knitting and on-board TV (thanks Steve… it was working well!) kept me occupied and it didn’t seem long at all before Houston came into view.I have found that cab drivers vary so much. Some like to talk, some ignore you completely. I had a super trip through the rush hour traffic on Thursday. We discussed coming to a strange country… life in the UK, winters in the northern States… Much better than the silent treatment.

The sun was starting to set. Lots has changed since last year. The Marriot across the green is almost finished.
Just time to get a bite to eat in the lounge where I could enjoy more views of the city.Then back to the room to unpack the bags. I’ve put each class in a separate drawer but I’ve still got a stack of stuff on the desk.

My room at the Hilton of the Americas looks over the Toyota Center which is lit all up at night.

Friday started bright but not too early. I had to stop to take the obligatory picture from the bridge. The front of the convention center is still in construction mode. Less mud than last year!Schoolhouse is a great chance to see what’s new and watch some of the stars of the quilting world in action.

Kaffe Fasset had his new line of ARTISAN fabrics to show us, a combination of bold prints and bright batiks.Valori Wells had the loving support of her mother as she shared her block printing line, Jasmine. I love the camels!Bonnie Hunter shared her schoolhouse with Joyce Dean Gleszler. Here Bonnie is holding one of Joyce’s quilts for us to enjoy.Just time to go back to my room, get sorted, visit the lounge for something to eat and then out again to Fabric 2.0, a chance to mix and mingle with other market goers. I registered for the event when I saw reference to it on FaceBook. The first couple of hundred to reply get a goody bag. I had heard rumors about them in the past. Today’s featured image is a look inside at some of the goodies… All kinds of interesting things to play with!

But that was not the end of Friday. I still had Sample Spree on my schedule…

Well, in all the busyness of getting ready to travel I had somehow managed not to check the box and was dismayed to find I didn’t actually have the required ticket. I was not a happy camper, but never fear. I was able to buy a late entry ticket and there was still plenty left when I was allowed in at  8 o’clock.

Fabric AND thread from Cotton + Steel.The end caps of the spools are too cute! The thread is a 50 weight, 2ply thread produced by Sulky. It will be available in the New Year. Quilt shops only… no big box stores.Heather Givan‘s latest collection from Windham Fabrics, not in stores for a few months, Valorie Well’s fabrics ( I needed those camels) and some little charms for hexies from Lecien.I was running out of time when I spied the Spargo family over at the far side of the very big room…

I only needed a few minutes to buy one of each color of Sue’s NEW wool thread produced by our friend at Wonderfil!! And Sue was there too. It was just so good to see her smiling face after the year she has had. I added some Eleganza threads and hand dyed wool fabric to the bag.
We’ll be breaking out the wool thread in my wool appliqué classes this week. My full day class on Tuesday has some space. The half day one later on is full. So exciting.

Good times?

That was day one. Day two involved visiting about half the booths on the show floor. More pictures to come.