Quilt Market Archives - American Quilt Retailer

Posted on December 24, 2019December 24, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — 1 Comment

Quilt Market Finds

It may be too late to shop for Christmas, but soon enough the post-holiday sales will begin. Check out this list of Quilt Market finds to see if anything you want is going on a major sale.

Quilt Market Finds

Creative Grids Crazier Eights Template. Scrap hoarders have a new favorite product. This whole set can cut odd-sized scraps or multiple 10-inch squares. Pair this with the booklet String Theory 2.0 to make a scrap lovers day.
Odif Adhesives. One such product, Odif 808 reactivating adhesive, can turn parchment paper into freezer paper piecing (as demonstated at Quilt Market). Or you can try their Odicoat Gel to make cotton fabric into a water-resistant, oilcloth-like product.
The Grace Company Quilting Machines. The Q-nique 15 Pro has a new touch screen designed to be user-friendly and easy to use. It also includes faster stitching and enhanced stitch quality (and was available for test driving at Quilt Market).
Lisa Bongean’s Wool, Needle & Thread Book. Bongean’s book from Martingale includes detailed, close up photos of how to make stitches and embellish projects just like the author.
Picture Window Reverse Applique Tool. Designed by Jerriann Massey, this tool can complete products that range from traditional to modern.
Creative Grids 60 Degree Mini Diamond Ruler. Designed by Kristin Moser, the ruler comes in multiple sizes and can be used to cut a variety of shapes and designs, one of which is shown below.

What has been this season’s best selling tools in your store? Share in the comments below and while you’re at it, check out these items and more in the free digital issue from Fall Quilt Market.

If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you.

Posted on November 20, 2019November 18, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece

Quilt Market Trends

Fall Quilt Market 2019 has come and gone and if you haven’t heard, American Quilt Retailer’s digital issue covering all-things quilt market is now available! And did we mention it’s free? Head to our website to download your copy, after reading this shortened version of the trends we noticed at this year’s market.

Textured Fabrics

One of the trends at quilt market was textured fabrics. Textured fabrics were added to the edges of pieces or used on summer blankets. Some of the patterns matched the different textures making the projects double cool. Consider things like wool, fabrics with ribbing, and ultra-soft fabric for the warmer months, too.

Travel

Quilt market had the travel bug this year with travel themes present at multiple vendors. Whether it be place-specific (with images like the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben) or how you get to different places (planes, trains, and cars) travel is definitely a craze. Consider adding a hometown pride project or display in your store to capitalize on the fad.

Gifts

Tis the season of giving, and quilt market knows it. Vendors had a variety of gift options for a variety of clientele. Gifts included useful items like shear sets, or cute gifts like themed tea towels. Organizers, craft sets, and colorful kitchen utensils were all a part of the gift sets too. Consider getting gifts that aren’t Christmas-themed so they can be used all year long.

Kids

Want to gift the young ones in your life something special? Make their gift! Quilt market had loads of options; patterns include cloth books from quilt blocks that tell a story, embroidery pieces that together make a beautiful doll house, and another embroidery piece of a handmade mat that an imaginary town could be built on.

These are just a few ideas of fads to add to your store. Quilt market doesn’t tell all though, what have your customers been asking for lately? Any trends you’re noticing? Leave your comments so the quilt retail community can stay up to date.

Posted on June 5, 2019June 3, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece

Trends from Quilt Market

Everyone knows that one of the best benefits from attending Quilt Market is finding out what’s trending this season in the craft industry. Check out this list to stay up to date on what consumers want.

What’s trending this season

Ombré. Ombré is back, only this time in prints. The design is the same as the solid color gradient, just with polka dots or other shapes thrown on top.
Butterflies. Just in time for summer, everyone’s favorite insect is adding it’s beauty to inspire quilts and fabrics.
Nontraditional bom. Quilts featuring a variety of bom (or bill of materials) are everywhere in quilt design. Think Scandinavian design, or lines that form one overall pattern (instead of the traditional repeated block). The techniques used to create these quilts also differ, with regular piecing and applique used in the same project.
Wool. Wool doesn’t have to be drab, this material offers an abundance of colors differing from the usual reds and browns. The texture wool provides continues to be a fan favorite, for both crafts and quilts.
DIY Softies. Thought to attract a new generation of crafters, softies prove to be great gifts for babies and little ones. Think beanie babies or small pillows, it doesn’t get any cuter than this.
Farmhouse style. Nostalgia for the farm doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, with curly script and farm animals, country icons are sprinkled through all sorts of craft and fabric design.
Fantasy. Even though the most-watched TV show, Game of Thrones, is over, the love for all-things medieval isn’t. Designs range from pretty pink unicorns to fire breathing dragons.
Deep blue sea. Continuing with the summer theme, ocean animals are this season’s trend.
Old becoming new. Staying true to it’s beginning, reusing old material and making the most of what you have was trending at Quilt Market. Rugs made of old rags and flannel shirts recycled into quilts were just some of the projects on display.
Soft color palette. Even though Easter is over, soft color palettes can still be found everywhere. The lighter the better it seems this season.

Find out more

Don’t worry if you couldn’t attend this year’s Quilt Market, check out our digital issue to catch up on what you missed!

Posted on May 22, 2019May 20, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece

Quilt Market Aftermath

Now that quilt market is over, how do you actually follow through with all those good ideas and big plans?

The aftermath from quilt market, all those samples, being behind at work, and figuring out how to stay inspired, is a problem we all face.

Once you catch up on sleep, organize your life, and start prioritizing and tackling your to-do list, you’ll still have to turn those big ideas into actions. Here are some tips on how to stay inspired so those non-time-sensitive tasks don’t fall by the wayside.

Staying inspired

Since inspiration is a big level idea, the ways to stay inspired are big level too. A good way to keep the motivation after quilt market alive is through your vision. What do you envision your business becoming? How do you envision getting there?

Another way to not fall in to the same rut is finding what motivates you. If that’s money, then that’s okay! Find something concrete to help measure your progress so you can see your ideas to fruition.

Stay healthy

Oddly enough, when reading what keeps other people inspired, the topic of health came up more than once. This makes sense though! If you prioritize a healthy diet and exercise, not only will you feel better, but the endorphines released during your workout last well beyond the 30 minutes of your routine.

Life often seems like a never ending to-do list. But when that to-do list has purpose behind it, it doesn’t seem as daunting. Living a balanced life while trying to accomplish our goals sometimes feels like an extreme sport, but as we entrepreneurs know, the reward is so worth it.

Posted on May 10, 2019May 9, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece

Quilt Market Boot Camp

What’s a Quilters Boot Camp? Do you want to own a quilt shop? Is that your lifetime dream? We have a must-attend event for you coming up in mid-May.

Build your retail muscle in this spring quilt market boot camp

If you’re attending spring Quilt Market in Kansas City, don’t miss your chance to learn from seasoned industry veterans Pepper Cory, Cathy McKillip, and Janice Pope in “The Power of Three – A Blueprint for Success from a Trio of Experienced Quilt Professionals” on Wednesday, May 15 from 9 AM-4 PM.

In this day-long Boot Camp, the three experts will provide insight, business advice, and guidance from their individual perspectives and cumulative knowledge. Providing a mix of corporate business background, quilt shop ownership, and a healthy dose of creative solutions to employee and customer problems, this is the place to get answers.

Receive a guide of “How to Shop at Quilt Market” plus a marketing system for successful shop owners that will grow your business by 15%! Focus sessions include hosting events in your store, improving your customers’ shopping experience, handling difficult customers and “weirdo” employees, and more. Receive a book filled with strategies that can be customized for your business’ success. Leave with a personalized blueprint for actions to take as soon as you get back home. This panel will help you navigate problems and share solutions. And by the way—there will be fabulous door prizes!

About the presenters

Pepper Cory: Longtime quilter, former shop owner, author of seven books (and counting) and present-day fabric designer and teacher, Pepper brings her knowledge to the table with a side helping of humor.

Cathy McKillip: Daughter of a quilter and seamstress since she was a girl, Cathy McKillip left her high-power corporate job to buy a quilt shop and opened April’s Fool Day 2007. Since then she’s never looked back!

Janice Pope: An entrepreneur since childhood, Janice has managed a quilt store, repaired antique quilts, owns a pattern company, and is currently a fabric sales representative. Her store owner customers love her advice and assistance.

Have you heard the news? American Quilt Retailer is hosting the opening session at spring Quilt Market in Kansas City! Their Schoolhouse Series includes breakout sessions and an opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge from the people who make, design, or write about the products you sell. Register to attend today.

Posted on May 1, 2019April 29, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece — 1 Comment

Schoolhouse Series

Have you heard the news? American Quilt Retailer is hosting the premier and opening session of the Schoolhouse Series at spring Quilt Market in Kansas City.

This year’s quilt market officially runs May 17 – May 19, but the Schoolhouse Series starts May 16 at 10:00 a.m. Be sure to check in before, and breakout sessions begin immediately after.

The goal of the Schoolhouse Series is to provide quilt industry professionals opportunities for increased profitability through education.

Five business experts will help present during AQR’s session over topics including marketing, branding, social media, business coaching, and finance. The goal of this premiere session is to get you started with a mindset inspired to move to action.

Schoolhouse Experts

Here is a breakdown of the opening session presenters:

Life coach Beth Montpas. Beth spent 20 years as a small business owner and now helps women regain confidence saying, “if you don’t like the part you’re playing in your life story, you can write a new script!” Certified by the John Maxwell Team, Beth is a frequent public speaker and contributor to AQR.
Consumer anthropologists Rich Kizer and Georgeanne Bender. This duo has been helping businesses since 1990 while making appearances on MSNBC’s Your Business. They’ve also been named two of Retailing’s Most Influential People saying “Consumers can buy what you sell in any number of places so the experience with you has to be a stand out, every time.”
CEO Leann Pressly. This self-proclaimed #bosslady is CEO of Stitchcraft Marketing and does consulting for craft companies. Leann pulls from her over 20 years of experience to give tips on both Stitchcraft’s blog and podcast and has spoke at such conferences as AFCI.
Consultant Sommer Sharon. Sommer is a long-time business owner who’s company, Sleigh Consulting, specializes in search engine optimization and digital marketing.
Business savvy Tom Shay. Tom offers business help and advice through a variety of platforms including through his website, podcast, speaking engagements, and articles. Tom gets more than anyone what it’s like to own a small business, so that’s why he created Profits Plus, a tool to help small business owners everywhere.

Register Today

The first 800 attendees get an exclusive article by American Quilt Retailer (available only after quilt market for purchase) and 400 blue bags stocked full of giveaways. Check out the link in the signature to register today.

Posted on January 31, 2019January 30, 2019 by AQR Piece by Piece

Threads of Success Registration Open

The wait is over! Registration for this year’s highly anticipated event at Quilt Market, Threads of Success, is now open.

The event takes place from October 25th through the 28th at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.

Threads of Success will include 35 breakout sessions that include opportunities for networking, lectures from keynote speakers, and educational features.

Geared toward industry entrepreneurs, the sessions will cover topics including writing, inventing, pattern design, Focus Tracks of Fabric Designers, accounting, copyright law, and more.

Of course anyone is welcome at the stand-alone conference but the event will be extremely beneficial to anyone breaking into the industry.

22 industry leaders have already been announced as speakers including Tula Pink of Tula Pink, Inc., Jennifer Keltner of Martingale, Christa Watson of Christa Quilts, and more.

Some of these speakers will present during one of the conference’s three breakfast and two luncheons.

The conference also includes a mentorship program with well-known names in the business and exclusive access to the Quilt Market trade show on the last day of exhibits.

Schoolhouse Series

Registration for Schoolhouse Series is also available upon registration to Threads of Success.

Schoolhouse Series includes over 250 sessions offered in 15-30 minute intervals on October 25th. The information-filled forum provides opportunities for manufacturers, designers, retailers, and veterans of the industry to display new products and techniques.

Both of these events give attendees insider access to a wealth of knowledge. Industry professionals will help you find out how to get published, avoid costly mistakes, market yourself, expand your creative network, and so much more.

Registration for Threads of Success costs $750 for the four day event.

For a complete list of classes and events, check out their website.

Continue reading Threads of Success Registration Open

Posted on November 21, 2018 by AQR Piece by Piece

All About Video

Continuing with our theme of online stores, this week we’re going to highlight content for video.

For many of you video can be a scary word, but we’ll show you just how easy it can be.

With the close of the 2018 fall Quilt Market in Houston, we came back inspired by all of the businesses and products the industry has to offer.

Check out this video from Brooklyn Haberdashery. This first-time market attendee highlighted this year’s hottest products.
This next video promotes a new tool with a little bit of flare. Pay attention to the detail she’s able to describe that really helps viewers get to know the product. The tutorial is a plus too.
This last video may be short and sweet, but it highlights one product that was the star of the show.

*All of these videos can also be viewed in our digital version of the Fall 2018 Quilt Market Recap Issue

The one thing all of these videos had in common were they knew what products they wanted to highlight. Think about the tools that excite you, then make a video about why your customers should purchase one.

Also note the video quality wasn’t top notch, but all of the videos were interesting. The background noise doesn’t have to be completely silent, and it’s okay to stumble on some words along the way.

Of course, practice makes perfect, so feel free to practice a few times before taping. As long as the display looks great and you have everything you need prepared if you’re doing a demonstration, think about the video as if you were talking to a customer.

The more you try the more comfortable you will become. Take advantage of the holidays to tackle two birds with one stone; promote your products and dip your toes into promoting them through video.

Posted on September 27, 2018 by AQR Piece by Piece

New Conference at Quilt Market 2019

Quilts, Inc. is offering a new conference at Quilt Market 2019 titled Threads of Success.

The educational experience will run concurrently with the Quilt Market in Houston, TX happening October 26-28, 2019, targeting those new to the industry and those trying to make a breakthrough in the industry too.

The conference will focus on four areas including writing, online retail, and fabric and pattern design. There will be 36 classes geared toward those topics, along with others covering the basics of copyright law, accounting, and finance.

In addition to the classes, the conference will also include three breakfasts and two luncheons with keynote speakers, and a mentorship program who can help guide you along the process of turning your passion into your career.

And don’t worry about missing out on the Market fun, you’ll have time to enjoy the trade show floor on the last day!

This conference provides opportunities to network and get all your questions answered so you can avoid making costly mistakes when you get your business up and running. Any question you need answered—how do I get published, how do I increase my online presence, how do I manage money, and more—is what this conference is all about.

“Threads of Success will bring together our industry hopefuls and our most successful and respected industry leaders,” said Director of Education for Quilts, Inc. Marcia Barker. “It is truly a win-win for all. The participants will have access to those experienced in all aspects of the industry, providing answers to their lingering questions and perhaps some they haven’t even thought of yet! Because isn’t that the true strength of gathering talent? To learn from each other in ways you could never anticipate. We are very excited to be providing that forum.”

More information will be released as the date of the conference approaches. If you’d like to stay updated, subscribe to this email, or check out their website.