I’ll admit it, I’m a Quilt Market newbie. It was my very first time attending this amazing event and I left feeling inspired, exhausted, and simply in awe of all the beauty and talent I’d just witnessed. As a writer for Missouri Star, it’s not often that I make my way out into the public eye. I usually work behind the scenes, but when the opportunity came for me to attend Market in my hometown, I jumped at it!
I made my way through both Schoolhouse and Market with the fervor of a puppy, excitedly admiring my favorite designers and trying not to drool. There was so much to see and so little time to see it in, I hope this recap does it justice. All I can say is, we’re all in for a big treat this summer and fall when these incredible collections start coming into stores! I have a feeling you’re going to adore them.
Some of the Missouri Star gang met up briefly before we scattered to our various duties at Market. We’re always happy to see each other!
From right to left:
Nichole Spravzoff, Jo Hellberg, Rob Appell, Jenny Doan, Ron Doan, Nancy Rosenberger, and Karen O’Shea.
As an avid Cotton + Steel fan, I feel like I should mention their last collections with RJR Fabrics first. These ladies are truly wonderful and I can’t wait to see what they’ll do next!
Their brightly-colored booth was a standout in the center of Market. With coordinating thread and a wall of rainbow-hued fabrics from all their collections, I could hardly restrain myself! Each of their new collections is just as wonderful as ever.
Kimberly Kight’s latest collection, Steno Pool, is the epitome of vintage office cuteness! Imagine slipping into that darling frock before heading off to a day in the typing pool with that bag on your arm to boot! I wouldn’t mind one bit.
Rashida Coleman Hale’s collection, Akoma, has a lot of heart. It’s all about patience and tolerance, featuring Adinkra symbols originally created by the Akan of Ghana and the Gyaman of Cote d’Ivoire in West Africa. To me, it definitely says, “Girl power!”
Moonrise is a serene collection of quietly bold fabrics, infused with the magic of the moonlit hours. Eclipses don’t happen too often and neither does a collection as special as hers.
Front Yard by Sarah Watts completely delighted me with its whimsical toadstools and gnome prints in bright, bold colors. I couldn’t walk past without smiling ear to ear.
Melody Miller has such a playful style. I could imagine Carol Brady herself wearing this sweet, yellow dress adorned with flowers while whipping up a meatloaf for a family of eight. It’s simply adorable. See more from her Freshly Picked collection HERE.
Alison Glass was not to be missed at this Quilt Market. Her collection astounded me with its spectrum of beautiful, yarn-dyed solids. Like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, her smaller projects were wonderful little surprises that accented her main collection perfectly. Who wouldn’t want to make a few of these darling mini quilts designed by Guicy Guice? Hehe!
Next up, I have a feeling that Wolf Abstractions by Violet Craft will be a howling success! This majestic, geometric wolf is king of all he sees.
And Violet hasn’t stopped there. She’s gone back to her roots and created a collection inspired by her home state, Kansas. As she likes to say, “You can take the girl out of Kansas, but you can’t take Kansas out of the girl.”
Her Farmland Series includes an udderly cute cow, a perky EPP rooster, and a sunflower table runner.
Our friend, Tula Pink, is here with a new fun, funky collection called Zuma. It seems to be equal parts ocean-inspired and laid-back hippy, which I totally love. It has a strong nautical theme with bright, neon accents throughout. I could practically squeal over those Volkswagen bus pillows! (I think I did.)
Big props to Valori Wells, one of the first designers who inspired me to quilt. Her 40th fabric collection, Marmalade Dreams, is simultaneously light and breezy, with a lot of history behind it. She simply oozes creativity and finds inspiration in exotic locales and block printing, another one of her artistic outlets.
This fantastic Trip Around the World quilt includes pieces of each of her 40 fabric collections. It truly has been an incredible journey for her so far and I’m excited to see where her travels will lead her next!
Quietly powerful, Carolyn Friedlander’s newest collection, Polk, has a homespun sensibility with all the appeal of Modern design. I adore her color combinations with that bright pop of melon in the mix.
And I know you’re all excited for another awesome collection from Elizabeth Hartman! Her latest designs feature the cuddliest little penguins, narwhals, polar bears, foxes, and other creatures of the Arctic in cool, muted colors.
I could really go on and on about all the fabulous collections I saw at Market, but for your sake and mine, I think I’ll go take a little nap and dream about all the exciting things that will be on their way soon! I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into a beginner’s first experience at Quilt Market.
Until next time, Happy Quilting! —Nichole