Quilt Market

Okay -- I've tried six different times to upload some of my GREAT PICTURES from Quilt Market. But, alas, hotel online hook-ups are just like any other form of temporary real life hook-ups...you start off very optimistic -- but at the end of the day -- you just know it's not working...

SO -- I'm wondering how I can tell the Quilt Market story with NO pictures??

Today was Schoolhouse. This is an entire day of mini-classes for quilt shop owners. Some 15 minute sessions, others 30 minutes. Manufacturers, designers, pattern companies -- they all have some new product or fabric to pitch. The "Schoolhouse Listing" booklet is available at 8:00 in the morning -- and the line-up is about a mile long. Then, for the next two hours, all the attendees sit on steps, chairs, the floor -- all over the big George R. Brown convention center -- circling the sessions they want to attend.

There are no advance sign-ups (each room seats about 100) -- so some classes have standing room only with people spilling out into the halls.

For example -- Eleanor Burns had two rooms completely jam packed. I AM SO EXCITED to have her coming to Puyallup next year! Tomorrow, I hope to interview her for the next newsletter (due out in 2 weeks).

Linda McGehee did a schoolhouse session about her new zippers. And I think I got a FABULOUS PHOTO of Linda & me...(you'll just have to take my word for it, eh??)...

Mostly, I got a lot of great shots of the show floor going together. It really is amazing how much work is involved in building a big show like this. Many thousands of man/woman hours, that's for sure. When I get home, maybe I can put all the pictures into a slide show for you to see.

A LOT of your favorite vendors are down here in Houston this week. Believe me -- these are some of the hardest working women in America...and I am sooo glad they do what they do....my hat is off to them!!