Final day! By Sunday we were exhausted but ecstatic because we bought this:

Our very own long-arm quilting machine! After tons of research on Kathy’s part, we chose the APQS Millenium. It will be here soon and in due time we’ll be quilting up a storm. We’ll update soon with our rates and details on how you can have your quilts quilted by Suppose.

We are happy to be home and back to our haven at Suppose, and anxious to get to work on all the goodies we found at market.

Sometimes when people ask what on earth Quilt Market is, I like to say it is the Fashion Week of the independent sewing and quilting industry.  Basically, fabric designers debut their new collections in big, colorful fanfare. All day long we meet with our favorite fabric companies to choose the most exciting things to bring into the shop. Along the way there are so many new notions, patterns, doodads, and hoohaws to see that we can only stop if something really spectacular catches our eye. In the middle of the exhibit hall stands a quilt show where I had to stop and admire this quilt from Japan by Haruki Asada. I almost couldn’t get close enough.

The highlight of the day was the Moda boat party. We cruised up and down the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, catching views of the Heinz ketchup factory, a coal barge (remember how I am easily entertained?), a Pirates vs. Rockies game, and the convention center where we’ve been spending our long days. We enjoyed meeting shop owners from all over, including here in Pennsylvania and nearby Virginia. And we serendipitously sat next to the most darling ladies who, as it turned out, are from Seasons of Home in Midway, Utah, not so far from Suppose Preston!  We were so happy for their company.

There is just something about passing under a bridge on a boat. Am I the only one?

More exciting fabric related news tomorrow!

Quilt market is THE trade show for the quilting fabric industry (and by quilting fabric, I mean high quality cottons, etc. used for many many awesome things), and we always get a little giddy when it’s market time.  Market is held twice a year, each fall in Houston and in a different location each spring.  This time we are in PIttsburgh, and just 1 1/2 hours from Falling Water which I really wanted to visit (I am a huge Frank Lloyd Wright fan) but it was closed on our only free day. Argh.  But Amish country is only 2 hours away, which turned out to be a satisfying second choice.

First we visited Pittsburgh shop The Quilt Company, home of Karen Montgomery, a designer for Timeless Treasures, where as usual, husbands wait outside.

Then we headed west into Ohio towards Amish country. Google Maps on my iPhone told me to turn onto some tiny little road, winding past lovely large Amish farm homes, and some less large but also lovely old structures.

I worried that we were getting lost, but alas we came upon Charm, Ohio, home of Miller’s Dry Goods.

Several young Amish (or Mennanite?) girls ran the shop.  I tried to decipher their Pennsylvania Dutch but I don’t think it’s actually anything like German. Actually, it’s not like my German is that good anyway.  Miller’s Dry Goods possibly had more bolts than I’ve ever seen in one store. This photo is just one little corner.

Ohio was beautiful and picturesque, so much so that I almost thought this little bridge should have been a miniature at the storybook boats at Disneyland.

We took many shots from inside the car window that didn’t turn out fabulous, but here’s proof of the Amish. I thought they were just charming.

We stopped at the Guggisberg gift shop for some delish cheeses and the Disneyland allusions continued with a miniature Matterhorn! I would recognize it as a Swiss allusion if I’d been to Switzerland but–oh wait, I have. Disneyland is just my point of reference in this world, I guess.

Maybe I’m just easily thrilled, but I loved this brick factory we passed, near (ish) New Philadelphia. The rain made it even better–driving in the rain is so peaceful, but it made for sloppier photos thru the windows.

With brick kilns (right?) even!

And finally, from Ohio to West Virginia, to Pennsylvania, just in time to rest up for the big day ahead.

Stay tuned for more Market adventures!