Spring market inspiration

I know I said I'd have more photos from the Schaumburg quilt show, but the quilt industry manufacturers, designers and store owners are currently at the Spring Market in Pittsburgh. I was trolling through some of the websites last night and became completely giddy with excitement due to some of the new lines coming out.

Sherri Berry's "Trick or Treat Street" is officially out now! And is it fabulous!

I've mentioned it before, and probably will again, but holy cow are those bats fantastic! And the trick or treaters are absolutely adorable. I totally have to get me some of this fabric.

She also has a Chinese Takeout and a Tiki line also debuting at market. I'm soooo excited! I saw them both on her blog what seems like ages ago, and now I totally can't wait to see them in person!! We were actually supposed to be doing part of our basement in a Tiki theme, ala the Enchanted Tiki Room (this is a video of the original show, pre-Iago, the awful screeching bird from Aladdin) in Disney World and the fabrics totally remind me of it! Maybe this will inspire the hubby to finally finish off the basement. He loves the Tiki Room. I think we sat through that show at least 4 times in 3 days.
There is also a Christmas line called "Have a Sheri Berry Holiday" that is just coming out as well. I think it will coordinate with some of the vintage Christmas table cloths that I've been collecting for years. I love those deer.

Her designs really have a retro Disney feel to them. They remind me of the 50's, but Disney World didn't open until 1971, so I guess it really just reminds me chilhood. Of course Disney Land did appear in the 50's so maybe the decorations carried over to World. The Trick or Treat line reminds me of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

The Organic Frutations illustrations on Sheri's blog would make great grocery bag fabric. Let's hope that Nortcott decides to make that into fabric as well.

Another much anticipated (by me) fabric line is Kaari Meng's "Rouenneries" for Moda. Kaari Meng is the owner of French General and the author of a few lifestyle and project books. I love the antique French fabrics featured in her books and store, especially the reds, so I'm just thrilled with the new line. I'm already envisioning a project with the fabric to add to my never ending project list. According to the French General website, Rouenneries were the cotton prints printed in Rouen, France during the mid-18th century.

The wovens that are with the line are gorgeous as well. I love a good ticking fabric and there are tickings galore in this line. Not to mention some other specialty fabrics suce as linen and toweling that I just can't wait to experiment with.

Happy Halloween!

Yeah! It's Halloween time! I love Halloween. The photos above and left are of the wreath I made with black leaves and tinsel garland for my door last year. I love the bow. Isn't it cool? It's a black flocked scene of a witch and bats flying over an old fashioned looking town.

I know many quilters that can't resist Christmas fabrics, and while I'm especially tempted by a toile Christmas print, I just can't deny the tractor beam that pulls me into buying Halloween fabrics! And every year they get better and better. And if they have bats on them, look out!

I found my love of bats during the family vacation to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico that we took when I was around 8 years old. Every evening at dusk, the visitors gather on the ledge outside of the visitor center that overlooks the cavern opening and watch thousands of bats swarm out from the cave to hunt for their dinner. My parents bought me the best t-shirt there, it said "Bats need friends too!" and had the cutest cartoony bat on it. If I had known about t-shirt quilts back then, I would have kept it when it got too small! Sadly, I believe most of the bats have left the caverns due to pesticides killing them and their food supply in the area.

Back to the fabric. I made really simple trick or treat bags for Anna, Ryan, Carolina and Santiago this year. I was going to drop off Carolina and Santiago's today but was saved the trip when I ran into DiscoJen and Carolina at the early voting polling place in our town! DiscoJen was about 15 minutes behind me in line, so when I was done voting, I took Carolina upstairs to the library and we read a couple of books while we waited.

When we left the library, I remembered that I had the bags in the car. I showed Carolina the 4 bags and asked her which one she would like to have for her trick or treat bag. She said "I don't know, they are all super cute!" We totally cracked up! She just comes up with the best lines!

The fabric is from the Chic and Treat line by Arrin Turnmire for Moda fabrics. This is my absolute favorite line of Halloween fabrics this year. I made the bags reversible, so the children can pick which they prefer. The handles were made from left overs of the main fabrics. I used batting in the handles so that they would be cushy when they become heavy with candy.

Here are a couple more of my favorite new Halloween lines:

Trick or Treat Too by Marcus Brothers

Batty Halloween by Kylie Kreations for South Seas

Check out these darling little trick or treaters that Kimberly of the Fat Quarter Shop posted a photo of from Quilt Market, which is in progress this week. I hope Northcott manufactures Sheri Berry's designs. I think they are all fabulous, but I especially like the deer in the Christmas and woodsey lines and the fabulous Halloween line.

Don't the bats remind you of the dearly departed Mr. Toad's Wild Ride that used to be at Disney World. I loved that ride. I still can't believe they took it down. If you click on the link I provided, you can take a virtual tour of the ride! And this one provides a wonderful synopsis of all things removed or changed at WWD. I love the internet.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween everyone!