We've just returned from our annual pilgrimage to Houston Texas for the International Quilt Market, and we've got so much to share with you all! Though it can be exhausting on our feet (and the Hawthorne Threads wallet!), it's also an amazing way to rejuvenate our creative ideas. Seeing all of the new fabric designs, booth displays, and handmade pieces brings us an enormous amount of inspiration.
Let's kick off our market re-cap with Westmister/Free Spirit Fabrics. Previewed at market were peeks of what's coming from Anna Maria Horner, Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry, Denyse Schmidt, Tula Pink and more!
We'll start with Anna Maria Horner, as her lines are due in early this month. Anna showcased Dowry and her True Colors line of anything-but-basic basics.
Dowry pays homage to many of her own family's heirloom pieces, celebrating the act of making and giving. The fact that we can make our own heirloom pieces with this new line really brings the creative spirit full circle in a truly beautiful way. We had the chance to attend Anna's pre-market schoolhouse session where she charmed us with stories of learning to sew and embroider from her grandmother in Greece.
The rich tones in this collection will make for gorgeous quilts that you'll want to cuddle up with for years to come. And here's a close up of this traditional, yet modern quilt.
Rich in detail, and luminous in color, each piece in this collection can stand on its own but they work surprisingly well all together as a whole as well. Here's a close up of that beautiful quarter square triangle quilt that uses each and every print in the collection.
Of course, this line will easily cross over into bags and clothing, equally sweet for both young and adult audiences.
Next, we'll head over to Anna's booth display. Full of garments, quilts, bags, embroidery, and illustration, it's a beautiful tribute to a homespun life.
That looks to be The Socialite Dress Pattern above, as well as a sneak peek at Anna's new ribbon selection coming out!
Here's a little Dowry mixed with a striking blue fabric from True Colors!
Finally, here's a pretty skirt that shows its True Colors rather nicely, and a quilt that marries Dowry with True Colors. As you can see, the colors overlap beautifully, and I'm sure you'll have so much fun playing with these two new collections. Look for them in our shop early next month, and stay tuned for more scenes from the Free Spirit Fabrics camp!
