Spring Market in Portland

Just got back from my first Quilt Market, although I feel like I live at the "market". I couldn't find any Cheetos or Capitan Crunch, just luscious fabric and fresh color everywhere. Now that’s my kind of market.

My creative juices are flowing. I was there doing demos for Martingale (my publisher) and Checker Distributing plus signing my book. I had a wonderful time with the Martingale & Company publishing family. They are the BEST!

We were talking about the great book review I got from Mark Lipinski in Quilter’s Home magazine. Then someone said “do you want to meet him?" Of course I did. Then the Martingale girls grabbed my hand and we ran around the corner. There he was, in all his glory, holding court. It was great. I screamed. He screamed. Kisses flew. It was so fun. I asked him to sign my book. He wrote: well, you will just have to read that for yourself. He's the bomb in the quilting world.
It was wonderful.

I walked up and down each aisle taking it all in. Ifound some new lines that I just love. They are young and fresh and I could have rolled around in their fabric all day.

One was Tanya Whelan, she has a great look with clean colors. Her palate is alot like mine. Another was Tina Givens. So creative and, of course, there was Amy Butler. We went to her schoolhouse presentation after I had done mine. Her husband was there moving fabric around and he reminded me of Joe. I called him Mr. Amy and they both laughed like they had heard that a few times. Joe has always been called Mr. Melinda. Especially when I was designing wallpaper and fabric years ago. You have to be a real man to take that name and he is. Its been 26 years so something must be working.

As I was watching the people, we walked by Amy Butlers booth. You could not get in the place. It was packed. So I stepped back and found a funny shot. There where 3 Mennonite women just examining every little thing in her booth. Even the Mennonite women get this fresh look.

I also met with 2 fabric companies that both said yes to my fabric designs. So maybe you will see me at the next spring market. Keep your fingers crossed.

Got to go. The real market is calling. Mother Hubbard's Cupboards are bare because she was out playing in Portland.