Finally Home and Half-way Human

Well, I'm finally home and recovered - got in late Sunday night and worked a 10 hour shift at the shop yesterday. Let me tell ya - my synapses were about 18" apart yesterday. Nothing made much sense, but I was there getting it done.

Let's see....where did I leave off? Oh yeah. Market Research, day 2. Pretty much turned into SHOPPING. Debbie and I met up with some friends of hers from her treadle on-line group and they took us to a mill end place. Oh my...serious trouble. Current fabrics at bargain basement prices. I think I got 20 yards of fabric for about $3.80 a yard. Also picked up a hunk of really cool Alexander Henry fabric at another shop.


Do you sense a split perosnality here? Reproductions and mods - I like 'em all!

Cindy, our tour guide, took us to the Textile Center. It's a cool art gallery/workshop specializing in textile arts. They even had a special exhibit of Minnesota art quilters.

Behind the building was the Textile Mobile. This converted panel van was painted like quilt blocks and had all kinds of sewing things glued on to it - buttons, yarns, garment patterns, spools, etc. How fun would it be to tool around town in this?

We also visited Glad Creations. This small shop has published a gazillion patterns (think Faceted Jewels) and they had the most ingenious method for hanging bed-sized quilts - a rug fixture!

I want one! Just have to figure out where to find one and where to put it....

Thursday evening was Sample Spree. This is an event where vendors can preview their wares and where market attendees can buy single items to make samples with or you can even buy pre-made samples (on the Market floor, you have to buy minimum quantities to get wholesale prices - it weeds out the individuals who are shopping for their personal enjoyment....). What a nightmare this event is becoming! You have never seen so many rude and obnoxious women in one place in all your life! It's almost becoming more trouble than it's worth - yet I continue to go. Figure that one out. This is where I usually pick up fabric packs or single patterns or books to take back as gifts for friends.

I think this gets us through Thursday. Next post, Market itself.