Sew fun! That’s how attending my first h+h americas trade show in Chicago made me feel! It was quite an ordeal getting there — using a Delta refunded ticket before it expired meant I had to change planes in Detroit (no direct flights on Delta from DC airports!). The first leg was great; second leg, not so much. After delaying the flight 4 times for storms in Chicago, they finally cancelled it at 10:30pm. I decided to save the money of getting a hotel for the night (and the time to go through security again early the next morning) and stay at the airport. I didn’t get a lot of sleep but it sure made the morning flight a whole lot easier!
Once I arrived in Chicago and checked into the hotel, I met up with my friend Toni and we headed to the convention center to check out the floor.
So.Many.Pretty.Things. I was a bit overwhelmed but my creative brain quickly kicked in. Over the 3-days I attended lectures about high-performing websites, the state of the industry, and how to grow your business online. I also attended “Sample It”, a wholesale “craft fair” of new products (wow!), a fashion show, and a cosplay fashion show (I didn’t know many of the characters, but crazy fantastic costumes). I purchased a few new tools, a little fabric, a couple patterns and some bag-making items. Whew!
I met two of my favorite designers at the show — Tula Pink and Kaffe Fassett! Both are delightful humans! I attended Kaffe’s “An Eye for Colour” lecture and was both fascinated and enthralled. I made a purse to take with me using Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mabley fabrics (and Tula webbing!).
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I also met Will Chatlosh, a 23-year old fiber artist. He made amazing pieces, including this octopus, and had a showing of faces and other designs he had created in crochet. Quite mesmerizing! Made me want to pick up my crochet hooks again!
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Of course, probably my favorite moments were meeting online friends in person and hanging with the friends I already knew. We shared experiences, laughs and meals. It doesn’t get much better than that!
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I feel so lucky to be in this quilty space with so much creativity, talent and kindness. It’s worth it and I'm ready for next year!