So right before quilt market my computer crashed. As in Dead. As. A. Doornail. Fortunately, my tech savvy hubby backed everything up so that nothing was lost. As you can imagine, the timing wasn’t great, but is it ever good timing for a hiccup like that?
One of my many demo’s at quiltmarket. My mom and I made the shirt I’m wearing from my fabric.
Now that at I’m back from quilt market and Jason has set me up on a new laptop, I can stop and breathe (for about 5 minutes) before it’s time to start working on the next fun quilty thing! (More fabric, more classes, more patterns, oh my!!)
So this post is a quick catch-up of what’s happening in real time along with a thank you giveaway for sticking with me and reading to the end!!
Quick Quilt Market Recap
Quilt Market was a blast! This is the industry trade show that takes place each fall in Houston, Texas, the week before Quilt Festival which is the consumer show. Many industry folks stay for both but that would be way too exhausting for me! Maybe once the kids are out of the house we’ll consider doing both…
One of the many quilts made from Modern Marks. Free & paid patterns coming soon!
I was in my booth most of the time at market showing my fabric line Modern Marks to quilt shops in the hopes that they decide to carry it in their shops. The response was really great as so many folks are attracted to the fun bright prints. I promised the shop owners a couple of free patterns coming soon, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t also share them with you. So be on the lookout as I’ll be sharing those as soon as my graphic designer has made them look pretty!
Demoing machine quilting + wearing another top made from my fabric.
I also introduced new customers to my book, Piece and Quilt with Precuts, and my awesome publisher set up several book signings and machine quilting demos while I was there.
My good friend Annie Unrein from By Annie made several bags and accessories for my booth and my mom help me sew up several shirts from my fabric to wear during the show.
The quilt on the left is a free pattern coming soon; the one one the right was remade from my book Piece and Quilt with Precuts using my fabric! Notice the cute bag by Annie and my matching shoes!
Be on the lookout for more about the individual Modern Marks quilts and projects a bit later after I’ve had a chance to recover! Then save the date: Starting November 27th, Benartex will be hosting a blog hop to share even more ideas of what you can make from Modern Marks!
Quilt Kits for Sale
I’m continuing to sell quilt kits for the upcoming Quilt Along I’ll be hosting here on the blog in January. Click here for the QAL schedule. Most folks voted for us to make Squiggles from my new book for the QAL, but I know several of you really wanted to make Gridwork as well.
I’m now offering kits for each quilt, along with optional backing kits. You’ll need a copy of Piece and Quilt with Precuts for the patterns, but hey – if you want to make BOTH quilts, you just need ONE copy of the book. I really like it when you can get more bang for your buck!
And of course either of these quilts would look fabulous in other fabrics, too!!
Click here to purchase Modern Marks quilt kits and bundles.
Upcoming Teaching
I head to St. George, Utah this weekend to do a trunk show on Friday and machine quilting class on Saturday for Dave’s BERNINA. Then on December 1-2, for my last gig of the year, I’ll be flying out to visit my friend Stephanie who runs Quilt Addicts Anonymous in Illinois. I’ll be sharing a lecture and full day free-motion class at her shop, so if you are in the area, be sure and join us!
I’ll be super busy in January, and it’s the last time I’ll be in driving distance of Las Vegas for awhile. On January 3-5 I’ll be teaching one day of machine quilting and 2 days of improv piecing at Quilting at the Lake. Click here for registration info.
Then, January 15-18, I’ll be teaching four different machine quilting classes at Road to California. At last check, two of my classes at Road had sold out with waiting lists, but there are still spots open in my Monday and Tuesday classes. Click here for class schedule info.
If you aren’t near where I’m teaching, you can catch my live webinar for the Modern Quilt Guild next week! On Wednesday, November 8th at 6 PM Pacific Time, I’ll be sharing tips and tricks for quilting on a home machine, answering the most asked question, “How Do I Quilt It?”
Click here to register for the webinar/or join the MQG.
If you aren’t yet an MQG member, be sure and join now so you don’t miss the fun! Members have access to all of the MQG webinars, so you can also catch it later.
The GiveawayS – Win my Fabric!
I have 3 fabric giveaways for you today, as a thanks for your continued support! First, I’m giving away a box full of fabric scraps which is mostly Modern Marks plus a few misc. pieces. These are leftovers, large and small of all the projects I’ve been making from Modern Marks over the last few months. It also includes some nice chunks of funky shapes that were the cutaways from the shirts I made, plus tons of small to medium scraps that frankly I’m just too lazy to sort through! But I know one of you will love them!
Win my Modern Marks scraps!
The second and third giveaways are Modern Marks precuts. At Quilt Market, there’s a night of shopping frenzy called Sample Spree where attendees can purchase bundles before they are available in shops. I wasn’t there, but apparently all of my precuts sold out except for one 2 1/2″ strip bundle (Benartex calls them Pinwheels) and one charm pack (aptly named 5×5’s) that were held back for promotion, so I snagged those puppies to give to you all!
Modern Marks precuts coming soon! Ask your local quilt shop to stock them.
I’ll make this easy – just leave any comment to enter. I’ll give the scrap box and the Pinwheel to two separate US winners, and send the charm pack to an international friend. So be sure to mention in your comments which prize you’d like to win and where you are from!
I’ll pick the winners first thing Monday morning and notify them via email.
Whew! I think that’s all for now!! Now it’s time to unpack and sew!
Christa Quilts 
I would love any of your fabrics. I watched the Benartex recordings of your presentations and loved that your shirt and your shoes always matched.
I love to win the pinwheel. Such happy fun fabric.
I love your fabric line! So bright and cheerful! I’m in Maryland, and would love the box of scraps!
Love those bright colours in your new line!! I live in Victoria, B.C, Canada and that charm pack will fit very nicely in my collection!
Love your new line. I would be so happy to get either the scraps or the 2 1/2″ strips.
It all looks amazing, I particularly like the idea of the blouses made with the fabric too. Thank you for a great giveaway, I live inEngland. x
Love your new fabric line. My choice would be the scraps left from your projects.
I am not fussy. I would take either of fabric bundles. I love your new line. The colors are all so perfect. I would love to make a quilt out it.
So beautiful. I’m really loving what your doing at the moment. Would love to play with your fabrics here in Australia.
Thanks
Love the colors! I’d love to play with the pinwheel!
I’m in the US. Would love to win! So many ideas!! 🙂
In the US. Would love to win! So many ideas. 🙂
So sorry about the computer, I can relate since I found out that my website was ineligible to transfer to the new platform my web hosting company updated too, so I had to rebuild the entire website and well that’s my whole week. Did accomplish quilting on heirloom quilt for the church that has to be done by Monday. Whee Whoo! But the fabric looks awesome and I really love the quilt on your table there, I need to do that pattern.
I love scraps and jelly rolls. Your quilts are so bright and colorful. Love them.
The pinwheel would be lovely but I could sure find a way to use your scrap bag. I so love your quilts and am so glad to have someone of your creativity and skill promoting quilting on a stationary machine. You rock!
Love your projects and market pictures. i would love any of the fabrics but if I had to choose I would choose the pinwheel. I bet Quilt Market was a blast.
I would love to win the box of scraps or pinwheels. I am in the USA. I love the shirts you and
your Mom made from your fabric. I am going to have to add that to my sewing projects!
Congrats on the success of your new book and your new fabric line!
I love the bright happy colors. The scraps really call but the jelly roll would be nice.
Love the shirts you made for market! I’d love to win a box or scraps or a jelly roll – it would be fun to play!
Hi. I’m in the US and would like to be entered to win the box of scraps. Thank you.
Love the rainbow 9-patch, hope that will be one of your patterns. The pinwheel would be my choice.
Excited to see the new quilt patterns you’ve designed for Modern Marks. I received my fat qtr bundle, love them all. Hope to see you in Maine next July. Carolyn in Canada
Beautiful fabrics and quilts!
I’d love to win the pinwheel! Thanks for the chance. I’m from North Carolina.
I would love to make something from your scraps. I am from USA. I have never been to a quilt show, it sure looks like fun!
Your creativity and energy is amazing! I always enjoy your posts on your blog and Facebook. I would enjoy getting your scrap box and seeing what I can create with it.
I”m so glad you had fun at Market – sorry about your computer though! I’m in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, I would love the charm pack. I’m looking forward to your Squiggles Sew Along in January.
Box of scraps please. Love variety in my life.
I LOVE the bright fresh colors and patterns in your line! I hope to be tune into your How to Quilt It event too.
I’m new here and so happy I found you! Love the shapes and colors.
Hi Christa. Remember me? I still have a warehouse full of fabric, but I am retired now and hopefully going to do some serious sewing soon.
Shelley Babington
Since I am from Canada I guess I want to win the charm pack!
Christa, I’m just so happy for you and your blessed with success…patterns, books, fabric. A girl can’t ask for more. Send me your “karma” anytime.
I’m toally enjoying my ebook Machine Quilting With Style. (Still practing my continous spiral..I’m getting there bit by bit)
Ooooh! would LOVE to win your fabric! Scraps or Pinwheel!! Thank you for the chance!! 😀 I live in Ohio, USA 🙂
Thank you for the awesome pictures from the show. Hard choice but I guess I would go for the pinwheel.
Wow, just love these bright colors. I’d love to win the scrap box, but would be very happy with the pinwheel. Have a 1 1/2 year old granddaughter who is ready for her own (non-baby) quilt!
How kind of you to share! I’d have fun with either prize.
Thank you!
I love your scraps. Big, bright, bold colors.
Hi from Canada! Nice colours in your new fabric line. I would love to win the charm pack.
I would love the pinwheel.
Your fabrics really shine in blouses–I want a couiple myself! I’d also go for the scrap box; I could have a great time with that lively assortment. The pinwheel would be good also, since strips are so versatile. I’m in the Sacramento, CA area.
Congratulations! I love everything I’ve seen made with your fabric and look forward to using it. I’d love to win the scraps. 😀
Thanks so much for sharing these great pictures of Market and all your beautiful work. I like your blouses, but the picture of you in the blue dotted one is a great picture. That’s good with your coloring. These look like such fun fabrics! I do almost entirely scrappy quilts, almost never buy real fabric, so the box of scraps sounds like Heaven to me! Thanks for the chance to win. U. S. of course. =) It sounds like you were busy and had a great time, too.
So glad Houston went well – already planning a quilt with the fat eighth pack I got last month and the scraps or pinwheel would be wonderful..
Would love any of your fabric!
Would love the pinwheel, you can do so much with these. I’m from Pennsylvania
I would love to win anything that you have the heart to give away. It’s great having your Mom to sew you shirts from your own line of fabric. She must be so proud
of you and what you have acomplished. Crossing my fingers the little ole me in Canada might be one of your winners. Woohoo!
I would be delighted to win any of your fabulous fabric!!
I love scrap quilting so the box of scraps would be my choice — shhh, don’t tell my husband…..