| In May, I had the opportunity to travel to Pittsburgh, PA, to attend the International Quilt Market. The spring IQM is open to the trade only, and is one of the biggest annual opportunities for manufacturers and designers, both established and up-and-coming, to present their latest wares and designs to shop owners from all over the country. So, BFF Patti and I drove out and spent a very busy day and a half checking out all the excitement. At the suggestion of a customer, I decided to photo-document our journey. I hope these shots will give you an idea of what goes on behind the scenes to bring the latest and greatest products to any quilt shop. Decisions, decisions! |
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| CHESTER COUNTY QUILTING 206 Village at Eland, Route 113, Phoenixville, PA 19460 Phone - 610.917.2527 Fax - 610.917.0141 Contact - ChesterCountyQuilting@verizon.net |
| Welcome to Pittsburgh! Welcome to Thursday evening rush hour! Please be prepared to stop... |
| Please be prepared to stop...and wait...and wait... |
| Who knew Pittsburgh had a castle? |
| At last we've arrived... |
| ...and we do NOT have to clean it! |
| Our room at the William Penn Omni Hotel |
| The David L Lawrence Convention Center |
| Time to go to Sample Spree! |
| The views from our room. |
| Is it possible to get a good fish dinner in downtown Pittsburgh? No time to find out - we're on our way to Sample Spree! |
| Here we are at the end of the line to enter Sample Spree. We're an hour early, and the line inside is at least another 250 people long. |
| Twenty minutes later, there are another 200 people behind us. |
| Cyndi Hershey and the Red Rooster crew. |
| Madness & mayhem |
| McKenna Ryan's booth. Get off Patti's toe, Lady! |
| There is, literally, a sea of bodies in every aisle. |
| Hoffman California Fabrics |
| Nice jacket! |
| Eleanor Burns was on hand, signing her latest book for buyers. |
| Don't stop now! |
| From My Heart to Your Hands' Lori Smith |
| It's so much safer up there above the crowds. |
| Happy Hollow Designs by Tammy Carlson |
| Windham has entered the cut goods market. |
| Primitive Gatherings' new book Autumn Gatherings |
| Indygo Junction |
| Two hours later, it looks like Sample Spree is finally starting to wind down. |
| Exhausted shoppers after the Spree |
| A view of downtown on the way back to the hotel |
| Jim Kunik of Troy Fabrics |
| Pearl Louise Designs |
| Detail of the Pittsburgh Quilt at the David L Lawrence Convention Center |
| The Pittsburgh Quilt at the David L Lawrence Convention Ctr |
| Joined at the Hip |
| Virginia Robertson Designs |
| Virginia Robertson Designs |
| Mary Herschleb's MH Designs - paper piecing for everyone! |
| P & B Textiles |
| Florine Johnson of Florine Johnson Designs |
| The Woolen Needle |
| Jacqueline Paton Designs |
| Good-bye to the William Penn Omni Hotel... |
| I bet you can't tell this is the Primitive Gatherings booth! |
| I think I make Anita nervous. Or is she just tired? Both? |
| Sandy Gervais in the Pieces From My Heart/Moda booth |
| Lila Tueller, designer of the Santorini fabric line for Moda |
| Kansas Toubles Quilters booth |
| Terry Clothier Thompson in the Lizzie Be Cre8ive booth |
| More of the Moda booth - you could get lost in here! |
| Joanne Figueroa in the Fig Tree Quilts for Moda booth |
| The very trendy Amy Butler booth |
| Moonlight Design Quilts & Wearables |
| Free Spirit quilts |
| Kaffe Fassett holds court |
| Windham Fabrics |
| Jacqueline Paton Designs |
| Fourth & Sixth Designs |
| Pink Sand Beach Designs |
| Lori Smith's 'From My Heart to Your Hands' |
| Cindi Edgeton's 'A Very Special Collection' |
| These ladies are having too much fun! |
| Designer Cindy Zlotnik of Quilter's Fancy and Patti |
| Animas Quilts |
| The 'From Marti Michell' booth |
| We all know Karen Kay Buckley! |
| Whims Watercolor Quilt Kits |
| Kati Cupcake Design Company |
| Bananafana |
| Patti at the EE Schenk booth |
| Lakehouse Fabrics - I love those flowers! |
| Heather Mulder Peterson of Anka's Treasures |
| Henry Glass & Co Fabrics |
| Bunny Hill Designs |
| Lynette Anderson of Lynette Anderson Designs |
| Cheep Trims booth - the photo does not do justice to the colors! |
| Button Stitch Designs |
| Hillcreek Designs booth |
| Elizabeth Schnayder of Elizabeth Studios with Diane Phalen |
| Quilt In A Cup's Dianne Springer with her very tall daughter |
| Benartex booth |
| More Benartex booth! |
| Benartex booth |
| A view of the center aisle from the MIDDLE of the show! |
| Perkin's Dry Goods |
| One portion of the show as seen from the center catwalk |
| View two of the show as seen from the center catwalk |
| View three of the show as seen from the center catwalk |
| Final quadrant of the show as seen from the center catwalk |
| Brenda Watson of Checker Distributors |
| The Fabric Shop Network booth - shop owners unite! |
| Robyn Pandolph, is that your booth? |
| Happy Hollow Designs by Tammy Carlson - coming soon to Chester County Quilting |
| A Timeless Treasures quilt |
| The Fabri-Quilt booth |
| Citystamps Quilts at the Debra Gabel/Zebra Patterns booth - just gorgeous! |
| Heather Finnell of Burning the Midnight Oil Quilts |
| Indygo Junction |
| Clover Notions |
| Random views of the crowd - the recession has been left at home. |
| Wool ladies |
| A short break in the action |
