Robert Kaufman Modern Quilt Guild Challenge
10 days later I’m finally feeling back on schedule after attending Spring Quilt Market in Salt Lake City. The weather was beautiful and the city welcoming. The day-to-day routine of running a business can be consuming to the point I don’t even realize it’s devoured me until I get away for a few days. I returned rejuvenated and full of fresh ideas. Goal number 1 achieved!
Sandi Henderson
I’d venture to guess that everyone involved in the industry enjoys sewing and quilting as a personal creative hobby. That includes individuals making goods for re-sale, shop owners, pattern writers, bloggers, and fabric designers. There are unique challenges associated with blending your hobby with the pursuit of a viable business–that obviously needs its own post! Quilt Market provides an opportunity to take business classes, network with other shop owners, and become better informed about market trends that affect my livelihood. Goals 2, 3 and 4, check.
Nancy Mims Pick a Bunch Organics for Robert Kaufman
A quick market trend recap from my view of the world:
- Organic cotton has gone mainstream. Quite a few manufacturers presented organics for the first time. One phenomena that I observed that I don’t quite understand is the lowering of the price of organic cottons at the same time conventional cotton has gone through the roof. The price gap matters and this bodes well for greater availability of organic cotton.
Fruit Punch Organics from Timeless Treasures
- The high price of cotton. The big buzz at Fall Quilt Market was the rise in cotton prices. Last October, many manufacturers announced wholesale prices that for the first time would exceed $5 per yard. This was big because it meant retail prices would push over $10 per yard. $10 was viewed as some sort of sacred number. What a difference 6 months make. Prices went up. No one likes the higher prices but most shop owners and their customers seem to be taking it for the undeniable reality that it is. It helps that there has been extensive news coverage on the world cotton squeeze and the rising price of clothing making for a very educated consumer.
- Art Gallery Fabrics Solids
- Solids, solids, and more solids. Very exciting to see so many offerings. I realize that some people may look at all the solids and wonder what all the fuss is about (yes, I did hear that from a few shop owners). As a die hard solids fan I see choice, choice, and more choice. Varying hues, base cloth weights, and levels of saturation. Many collections are being crafted to coordinate with designer collections.
Valori Wells Wrenly
- Colors: Orchid, Coral, Chartreuse, Tangerine, Cherry Red, Aqua
Cosmo Cricket Joins Moda
- Styles: lots of cute (maybe too much? time will tell on this trend), retro vintage, sophisticated design (many designers that we LOVE are really coming into their own with their 3rd, 4th, 5th and more collections). OK, if you make me name names I will: Anna Maria Horner, Sandi Henderson, Valori Wells, Lizzy House, Bari J and Paula Prass. Love, Love, Love what’s coming soon from these talented women.
Aneela Hoey for Moda
- The modern quilt movement was present and accounted for. Robert Kaufman had a dedicated display of quilts from the Modern Quilt Guild Challenge they sponsored. The Modern Quilt Guild had a meetup the first night of quilt market that was bursting at the seams. Alissa Haight Carlton, a founding member of The Modern Quilt Guild, was there to promote her upcoming book Block Party: The Modern Quilting Bee co-authored with Kristen Lejnieks. It was clear that a good number of fabric manufacturers are producing goods aimed at this market: basics, solids, and contemporary designs. Many of the books coming out appear to be targeted at this segment as well.
I’m excited that the modern quilt movement is crossing age groups. While a lot of market chatter wants to focus on the ‘next gen’ which infers a younger demographic, I think the modern quilt movement is not so much about the ‘next gen’ as it is the ‘next wave’. That wave includes young quilters who see something they can identify with (no doubt the modern quilt movement has many) as well as middle aged women rediscovering/redefining their love of sewing and an older generation of quilters that are excited by the energy the modern quilt movement brings with it. Lots to love about all these things. The internet brings together like minds not limited by age boundaries.
Basic Grey
- Lots of fabulous pattern designers. Since this is near and dear to my heart I’ll be doing a dedicated series of posts on the patterns.
Paula Prass
- An unbelievable number of choices. When I started my business just 3 short years ago I was constantly searching and patiently waiting for the right fabrics. Goodness. No need to look far now. I had to make a lot of difficult choices about what would fit into my budget. I’m very excited about what you’ll find at Pink Chalk over the next 6 months!
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Giveaway loot:
I collected some market swag that I think is pretty amazing. The tote bag from Andover featuring Lizzy House’s upcoming collection 1001 Peeps was in high demand. I have to share the story of how I got not one bag but two! My wonderful rep from Andover had a miscue on scheduling. I’m pretty good at taking care of myself so not an issue for me but he felt really bad about it. He asked what he could do to make it up to me and I said I wanted one of those Lizzy House tote bags to give away on my blog. He rolled is eyes like ‘great, are you kidding me, there are no more totes, how about something else.’ 15 minutes later he produces TWO Lizzy House tote bags. You lucky ducks!
Signed copies of new books from Jennifer Paganelli and Bari J! Score!
You’ll have to thank Kaari Meng of French General for the Moda 2.5″ square packs along with a pattern. I was taking some photos in the Moda booth and had the pleasure of meeting Kaari (what a nice and lovely person!). She asked what collections I had ordered and as we talked she kept giving me these little paper bags that had a sticker showing the collection name on the outside. When I said I would give them away on the blog she doubled them up! Too funny. I didn’t even realize the amazing contents until I opened one up back in the hotel room.
Whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry on top: Kona cotton color card, Sandi Henderson notepads and an apron from Moda!
So… leave a comment telling me what you think the most exciting market trend is right now. What images have you seen from quilt market that make you swoon? I’ll draw winners next Tuesday.
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Winners from two weeks ago (yes, I missed a week!):
Marilyn of Marilyn Butler is the winner of Shades of Grey FQ set (blog comments) and Melissa wins the Pooches and Pickups FQ set (newsletter subscriber)
Congratulations and look for an e-mail on Thursday.
How Fat Quarter Tuesday works:
- Every Tuesday two items from the Pink Chalk Fabrics online store will be featured and given away the following week in a random drawing.
- The first winner is selected from those who opened their Pink Chalk Fabrics e-mail newsletter during the week.
- The second winner is selected from all comments left on the blog for the week (comments from all posts, not just the giveaway post).
You can sign up for the Pink Chalk Fabrics Newsletter here.
Ya know, when I lived through the “midcentury,” I was never a fan of the avocado-harvest gold color families that were so popular then. I’m still not, which is why that Robert Kaufman quilt draws my eyes first. I do, however love the paisleys from that era, because of the movement and the color combos, which is why Sandi Henderson’s display catches my attention next. The cobalt and aqua combo of Valori Wells is great with the bird on the branch before the fireworks/chrysanthemum(?) design. I am so happy to hear that solids are popular again because I love to in effect make my own fabric patterns by combining them into blocks. This way I can pick and choose which colors to emphasize so I can utilize the modern fabrics to give my quilts and accessories a contemporary edge, while featuring my favorite shades of blue and green and pink and purple and….Thanks for sharing your news! Mary Lou Malone
I like the new precuts and patterns made just for them. I am a new quilter and this makes starting a quilt a lot less intimidating.
I really like your blog showing the many new things coming out. The colors are terrific. I look at quilts I have made and think they are a little boring compared with the new fabric colors. I can hardly wait to go to the quilt store and get some bright, bright, vibrant colors.
Thank you for your Market post. It’s really interesting to see all the fresh ideas for a newbie quilter like me. I really loved the photo of “Nancy Mims Pick a Bunch Organics for Robert Kaufman” LOVE LOVE LOVED those. Pairing them with some RK solids would be wonderful!
Thank you for your take on the spring market. It sounds like it is such a great event. I really like your take on the new trends.
it is good to hear there is more emphasis on modern quilt making.
Thanks for the trend spotting report! Love the solids revolution and your summary on cotton prices.
The Lizzy House totes are AMAZING, can’t wait for that collection to come out, but I’m also really excited to hear that prices on organic cotton have come down. It’d be nice if the day came when all cotton was organic. We can dream.
I love that Fruit Punch organics quilt you have pictured in this post. I like the look of using more solids.
Love the birds and nature ones. I am just discovering your website and love it. Thank you
I love the owls but I’m ready for a new animal. I like how there seem to be more organic products out there, but with the prices going up, it’s going to be tough to go for an even higher priced product.
I am probably too late to get into the drawing for the goodies…but I will try anyway! lol
I am one of those “older” generations that joined the local Modern Quilt Guild. I love the new fabrics and the many solids that are coming out…
the good thing about commenting on my giveaway posts is that I’m always a bit late! I’ll be drawing winners first thing in the morning
I love that there are more solids available. I used to have the hardest time finding any solids that I could use with the fantastic prints I found. I love the options. My Kona solids card is never far from my sewing machine!!!
I like that there is a trend toward attracting a wider demographic, especially in terms of the modern quilts and quilters. Many of us long-time quilters like modern quilts as much as our younger friends, and it’s a great cross-generation way to help ensure that quilting evolves and stays vital as time goes on.
I’m most excited about the larger selection of solids! Glad you carry so many.
I am loving that colours like Orchid and Chartreuse are big! These are such vibrant and interesting choices that may make you squint your eyes, but want to make you look again – great paired with many other colours dark and light. Crossing my fingers for the Lizzy tote too!
I am liking the many solids. I have mostly used them for Applique, but now wanting to use them in the piecing also. Quilt Market sounds like so much fun.
I haven’t attended Quilt Market, and can only go by the blog happenings that feature it…but I’m amazed at the creativity throughout quilting world. Modern quilts. Miniature quilts. New techinques. New colors. This is an age-old hobby, yet every year it seems as though something new is being introduced to us. Amazing.
My favorite is the juvenile fabrics that are aimed towards boys (ie no pink or purple involved) & yet are not babyish, that will work for older kids. Plus just the plain amount of awesome choices!
Perhaps I’m not accurately informed but I thought the “cotton squeeze” was due to all the wars & natural disasters occuring in places cotton is a major crop? Perhaps the organic cotton is not being as highly affected because a)it is not grown in these places b)they are not grown in such high volumes as non-organic cotton?
It is nice to see the show through your camera lens! All the new things that are coming is like opening a early christmas present. Thank You.
Thanks so much for sharing your Quilt Market experience. So many inspiring images! It must be overwhelming (in a good way, of course ;o) when you’re there in person. With so much to choose from, it must be a challenge deciding what to select for your store.
I love seeing the new fabric lines and the beautiful projects made from them but I also find myself excited over all those solids – there’s so many glorious colours to choose from! Perhaps my interest in those solids is because I have yet to try quilting with them.
I am loving the new bright floral fabrics! I am also hoping that there really are more young quilters coming up the ranks and that the Modern Quilt movement keeps them coming.
Definitely the new Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 line — I haven’t seen that colour combination before and I can’t wait!
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this quilt!!
Kathy this is the best market post I’ve read, thanks for your take on tends in the industry…
I am excited to see some organics showing up in LQS’s and being more readily available (i.e. affordable).
I’m very excited to see the organic fabrics and to hear that prices for them are dropping!
I might be too late…but that’s ok
The biggest trends I see is are steps towards more saturated color and away from “almost solid” prints.
I love the fact that everyone who goes and has a blog reports on everything at Market. It really helps us quilt and fabric lovers see what’s coming out and give us lots of inspiration.
I like your take on the modern quilting movement being next wave! I’m a member of a modern quilt guild and we have members of all ages, but all want to try something new and create their own things! Thank you for the giveaway!
Love the new wave of quilting!
I love seeing embroidery and hand work. It adds a nice touch to quilts and pillows.
I am absolutely overwhelmed with all this great fabric and ideas!
Art gallery solids…Yum
My favorite trend from Quilt Market was the use of quilting cottons for some really stunning clothing – and in such fun colors and combinations of fabrics. Awesome!
I love all of the retro and vintage-looking fabrics out right now. They are all so sweet and pretty.
Love your tell all about Quilt Market, oh,how we all would love to be able to go! I am taken with the Wrenly by Valori Wells! Just so free and easy, love it all,don’t get me wrong, the new designers are a breath of fresh air to me. Bonnie Nyquist bonniesline at aol dot com
I’m hoping there’s a trend towards less feminine fabrics so that we have something to choose from to make stuff for guys. I like Going Coastal.
I am loving all the fabrics i saw at market. I love the solids, the cute, and the retro! The new patterns intrigue me as well.
I am loving the wider variety of colors available for solids. I am trying to remember to use more of them in my quilting and to learn to use them more effectively.
Thanks for the great trend report!
Wow these quilts are amazing. I feel like I should be quiting my day job to immerse myself in sewing!!!!
Loved the pattern Cosmo Cricket meets Moda. Looks challenging.
This was the best blog post on the Spring Market that I saw. Great insights. Thanks.
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