Posted on Friday, May 28th, 2010, by Janet - Calico Gals store owner, gabby gal, newsletter editor, occasional piecer
Great trip, it was.
It’s always a great trip to Quilt Market and this spring in Minneapolis was no exception. It is fun to meet up with friends that I only see once or twice a year. I enjoy business classes (really) so I schedule a few of those. The restaurants, the city, the quilting celebrities – it’s all good. But the BEST part is the shopping! The crowd at the opening shopping event, Sample Spree, was insane! I quickly tired of the mob, stepped back, raised my camera over my head and took these shots.
Sample Spree - really a spree!
Hey - I want that!
The girl in green is Emilynn, daughter of our friend from Quiltsmart, Mattie Henderson. Their booth was hoppin'!
Who else?
So… it was just me and Eleanor Burns hanging out in the Babylock booth. Eleanor always quips that she “quilts with her credit card.” She admitted to me that she LOVES the Crown Jewel, had no idea how easy (and fun) it is to use and is thinking of adding one to her studio. You saw it here first!
Easy enough for a "beginner."
Who else?
Mark Lipinski seemed to be everywhere in Minneapolis. That guy can fill a room with his personality alone! We shared an iced latte and an elevator at the Hyatt. (OK – I really am becoming a shameless name dropper!) I don’t have a picture to prove it, but I did jump over to Mark’s blog to get his take on Quilt Market. I found this photo, but you will have to read for yourself why he is coveting something from Syracuse.
Soon to be a valuable collectible.
What else?
When I got around to shopping for the store, I found that there is a whole lot more than quilts at Quilt Market. In fact, the biggest trend in sewing right now is garments! At Calico Gals we enjoy many adorable patterns for children’s clothing. This dress was irresistible in the Fig Tree & Co. booth. Joanna Figueroa’s fabrics and patterns are very popular, but her husband, Eric, was more proud to point out the model in the posters.
Their daughter sold me! The patterns are on the way to Calico Gals.
Back home.
I have only been home a couple of days, but the boxes are coming in. Just give us a minute to slap on the tags and you can have your own Sample Spree!
Check out this crowd in the front of the new Calico Gals Harborview store in Oswego.
Did they hear about the new quilt shop?
If you are planning a spree at Calico Gals Harborview, consider coming after 4 pm on a Thursday, so you can enjoy the local Farmers Market. I came home with a bag that included fresh asparagus and homemade oatmeal bread. Lots of folks stopped in to see the new quilt shop, too.
Just because…
Yes – there are quilts at Quilt Market! This was a beauty! Enjoy!
"Crocus" by Maggie Weiss from Evanston, Illinois.
Posted in Gals on the Go | 3 Comments »
Posted on Tuesday, May 18th, 2010, by Janet - Calico Gals store owner, gabby gal, newsletter editor, occasional piecer
First of all – my spree!
I am off to Quilt Market, where it is my turn to shop, shop shop! Twice a year, I spend some quality time at the quilt shop trade show – this spring in Minneapolis. Joan Ford and I usually travel together, but I accidentally booked my plane reservations for 7:00 pm instead of 7:00 am! So she is well on her way and I still have a couple more hours. All’s well, cuz I have time to post a few tidbits on the blog. And speaking of blogs – check out what Joan wrote about our favorite diner in Minnesota – Hell’s Diner. That’s right – we are going to hell! And then we will shop for the latest and greatest fabrics, gadgets, classes and fun stuff to hit the market. Keep watching the Calico Gals Facebook page to see what I find and who I meet, (shameless name-dropper that I am!).
Now for your spree…
Back to that Facebook fan page because the gals are cooking up a whole lot of fun while I am gone. They only think I don’t know what they are up to! They thought I was leaving this morning, so the Syracuse store started today with a buy one, get one free fat quarter sale. The gals in Oswego are on board with this since they are doing the same tomorrow. I can hardly wait to see what else they pull off. I can follow them everyday on Facebook while traveling, but there really isn’t anything I can do to slow them down or stop them. You win and we all laugh! Enjoy the sales!
Calico Gals Harborview is open for business!
The new store is off to a great start. We unlocked the doors on Saturday, even though there was fabric all over the floor.
Just the beginning. How do you like the new carpet?
Our groups are small at the moment, but trust me, I have already ordered a whole bunch of fabric to fill the place.
Tweet, Tweet - the new collection from Moda is just Cute, Cute!
This collection shouted, “Pick me, pick me!” So, of course I did.
Play in the Sand from South Seas.
There is still lots of room for more. The new sewing machines are waiting patiently in the boxes for the trip north.
Playing in the dirt.
It is good news if you drive by and see one or more guys digging in the dirt out front of the Syracuse store. That’s our new patio being built! And just in time for the good weather. The landscaping is next on the list.
It may look like work, but I think Mike was having fun.
Just because…
Or maybe just another reason to stop in to the Syracuse store. Remember the bras? I wrote last fall about seeing the Bras that Common Threads Quilt Guild made for charity. You can read about it here, or stop in to see the traveling exhibit we have hanging in the store. They spin around on their hangers and dance all day long. Some of us think they change places when the store is closed!
When Mike, our mailman, comes in the door shouting, "Show me your bras," we are more than happy to oblige!
Off to pack. I’ve got a plane to catch!
Posted in Gals on the Go | 2 Comments »
