4 Things from Houston’s Quilt Market

The International Quilt Market is held each fall in Houston, Texas. This trade-only show is a chance to see what new fabrics are being designed, what new products are being offered, and a chance to check out a few new projects and patterns.

With amazing vendors at the Market spread throughout the convention center, it takes a while to see all the offerings. Seeing what new ideas and designs these talented makers offer is always thrilling.

The fabrics being planned for release in 2023 are fantastic, and the designers have knocked themselves out. I am always reluctant to talk too much about upcoming fabric lines. Sometimes the fabrics will be released in the fall of 2023, and many shops can only carry some fabric lines. So I hate to talk about a line of material and have quilters needing help finding it at their local quilt shops. But trust me, the upcoming new fabric is terrific.

It is hard to pick out just four trends and new products but here is what I saw and liked

Hotfix Adhesive

This is a permanent fusible adhesive offered in sheets and rolls. How permanent? I talked to several vendors who have tested the bond by continuously washing a panel with the adhesive applied. Some have already exceeded 200+ washings without an issue.

This adhesive sheet is perfect for applique, patches, and home-cutting machines like the Scan N' Cut or Cricut machines. You apply the sheet to your fabric, cut, peel off the backing and apply with a hot iron. Your material is now permanently bonded together. The product comes in 12-inch rolls or 8 ½ by 11 sheets, ready to go through an inkjet printer if desired.

This would make some appliques easier to apply and could be a considerable timesaver.

Designer lines

Okay, we all know that Kaffe Fassett and Tula Pink are red-hot designers with avid and numerous followers. Their fabric lines are eye-catching, colorful, and easy to notice and pick out. But many other designers work with fabric companies to offer their own theme. The lines formed throughout the show when designers were going to be at a booth.

Designers put a lot of time and effort into creating a series of fabric designs that cohesively blend. This effort does not go unnoticed, and the designers have created fans waiting for the latest offerings. Designers like Amanda Murphy, Andi Metz, and Nancy Holversen are all doing inspiring designs. I often overheard fans commenting on how they always collect a specific designer's full lineup and can pick out the fabric and know what year it was offered.

So when you find a fabric you like at the local quilt shop, consider looking at similar offerings from that designer.

Waves Quilting

When the Market was last held in person nearly every booth it seemed had at least one matchstick quilt. Those are quilts where the quilting is straight lines, narrowly spaced apart. Hence they resemble matchsticks.

At this year's Market, many quilts on display were long armed with a "wave" motif. The lines still run horizontally, but the spacing varies and is not parallel. At times the line expands or constricts to offer some movement, and some quilts even show a bump, circle, or wave to break up the pattern even more. Many of you might remember seeing this style previously, but it made a strong showing this year.

Clover’s Fabric Tube Maker

Remember when everybody was making Jelly Roll rugs and bowls? It is a pain to fold the Jelly Roll fabric and stabilizer and feed it through the sewing machine. Some folks made a device to initially fold and sew the Jelly Roll in half with a piece of batting, but you still had to manually fold it again and feed it through the sewing machine.

Clover made it even easier with their Fabric Tube Maker. Their device uses two pieces of plastic to first fold the Jelly Roll in half and then fold it again before entering the sewing machine. This eliminates having to use your hands to make the second fold, and sewing a long set of Jelly Rolls into tubes will save you a handful of aches and pains. Most shops can order notions through their Clover rep, so expect these to show up soon.

Each year at the International Quilt Market, you see various fabrics, tools, and patterns. It can be both daunting and invigorating simultaneously. Here is hoping that 2023 allows you the time and energy to continue making great items to use and cherish!