Virtual Quilt Market (link to sign up) is this week, the intreped folks from Quilts, Inc have been working hard to get this event together coordinating all the vendors, presenters, and Schoolhouses together so that we can, once again, see all the new fabric lines, notions, machines, tools, patterns and in a limited way the people in our quilting world. As always Market kicks off with the Premier presentation from an leader in our industry, Andover Fabrics where they are celebrating their 100th year as a company, debuting Century Solids and Century Cloth collections. Congratulations Andover and all the designers!
Business presenters include Kizer and Bender on connecting with GenZ, Heidi Kaisand on Keeping you and your business healthy, and Ebony Love on Delegation, and more. There are also seminars on the Legal side from Dr Elizabeth Townsend Gard, Ron Gard, Ricardo Gonzalez, and Kiffanie Stahle covering contracts, intellectual property, trademark, copyright and more.
Having worked in quilt shops as an employee and teacher, and being an author, free-motion quilting teacher, and all the other things I can not express the value of Quilt Market enough. If 2019 and 2020 have reinforced anything for me it is our interconnectedness and need for community. I know that personally I have needs to grow if I hope to stay an active and contributing member of this quilting industry. I had no way of knowing I would assume Batt Scooters and would have become a vendor and worked on a Schoolhouse presentation.
I can tell you that on March 24th at 9 AM Pacific (11 central) and March 29th at 3PM Pacific (5 Central) I will be a panelist with C&T’s Creative Spark talking about how retailers can use Creative Spark in stores.
Keeping stores alive and vibrant is an essential component of Quilt Market and all who participate. Creative Sewlutions has new ways to use panels to stitch up beautiful quilts. Built Quilt is making enamel pins that are “contemporary, modern renditons of classic pins” and a little something to add a bit of jazz at the front counter. Cutie Patterns is debuting the Early Bird and Sunrise, Sunset pattern pamphlets.
See you at Market this week!
Teri
