Riley Blake Quilt Market

Wow! What a weekend! Spring Quilt Market 2015 was ahhh-maaaze-ing! Emphasis on the ahhh!

I can't tell you how much I enjoy being a part of Riley Blake Designs. They are so good to work with! I just love working with Jina and Cindy on new collections and getting their feedback; so we can bring you the best designs and color palettes. Their attention to detail is second to none.

They are a close knit group, but are welcoming to all. I have felt so incredibly blessed to work with them these past 6 years!

...And the designers...well...we have way too much fun together. I got to room with Lori Whitlock, Carina Gardner, and Emily Taylor at market, (also Riley Blake designers.) We stayed up much too late. I know we all needed the sleep after our long days at quilt market, but it was like a big girls slumber party. These girls made me giggle and not want to sleep. Who needs sleep anyway...right? LOL.

I walked the show floor with Lori, and we were able to visit with so many talented people in their booths, and learn so much. It is amazing how much people are willing to share when you ask about their techniques. I love this hobby because of that. 

Carina walked us around to show us where she found some gorgeous vintage buttons and fun hand-made jewelry. Yes, quilt market is beyond introducing new fabric lines and patterns...so we did a little shopping too. ;)

I got this adorable typewriter key bracelet...

and some might say...way too many vintage buttons. Actually after I got home...I wanted a few more and kicked myself for not getting them at the time.

Anyway...it was a great time, and I was so glad I was able to make it there.

I almost didn't.

You see...I had another business event that was literally back to back with quilt market. I was in Hawaii for the Silhouette Summit 2015 which went through the 14th...but needed to set up my booth in Minneapolis on the 14th.

So I left the Silhouette event early and went out on the red-eye flight the night of the 13th...didn't sleep a wink...you know how comfortable coach seats are these days...It was mid afternoon on the 14th by the time I arrived at the MSP airport. I got off the plane, drove to Ikea to get a few things for my booth, stopped by the hotel to pick up the boxes that I had mailed to myself there (didn't even check in,) then drove through the insane Minneapolis traffic (in the rain,) to set up at quilt market--just barely in time before 6:00pm on the 14th...(the time they stop letting people in.)

Yes, it was nip and tuck...I was frazzled...but I made it. I set up...then went out to dinner by myself that evening to settle down...and after being up for more than 40 hours straight...slept a few hours that night, ready to go the next day.

I introduced my Rodeo Rider collection in my booth.

I've been doing cowboy lines for Riley Blake since my very first line with them. I love the theme...it's fitting for a girl like me who loves the country and lives in Lehi--home to the annual Lehi Roundup Rodeo. Good times!


This time, I introduced a cowgirl to the collection. Sure I've always had a girl color-way in previous cowboy collections, but this year...the collection was unique in that I took out the bronco-riding-cowboy in the girl color way, and replaced him with a barrel-riding-cowgirl.

We've had an overwhelmingly positive response to that little addition. This year I also introduced a more coral pink with a soft mint to hit on the new color trends for girls.

I updated the horse in the cowboy side of the collection and used bright fun colors for young boys.

The Rodeo Rider collection also has plenty of tone on tone stars for complimenting the more intricate patterns like the paisleys and main prints.

I also enjoy designing for themes other than cowboy. Riley Blake introduced several of my new novelty prints in the main Riley Blake booth.

My novelty fabrics are a little quirky and a a whole lotta fun! I envision people making fun bags, and funky fashions with these prints. I've also discovered that some of the Rodeo Rider tone on tones also coordinate with a few of my novelty prints. Bonus!

Riley Blake did a fabulous job displaying these fabrics in their booth with some beautiful projects.

I couldn't have pulled off my booth, had it not been for a few helpers sewing for my booth including Shari Butler of Doohikey Designs. She made me two incredibly cute quilts.

The cool thing about Shari's quilts are the large appliqué blocks, with horses, cowboys cowgirls and horseshoes. I think they add a lot of character to the quilts. I absolutely love them!

Jessica Taylor (Simply Love Fabrics) and her mother Donna sewed some adorable bags, bibs, cute cowboy clothes and blankets.

...and my talented mother, Sue Crockett, who provided some uniquely designed pillows for my booth, and let me offer them as giveaways...

Thank you ladies!

Stuffed cuckoo clocks were my contribution for my booth. I used my Janome MC15000 to embroider and sew the clocks. I love that machine. I designed the illustrations for the clocks in adobe illustrator, then digitized the designs in the Janome Artistic suite.