Last weekend I was stitching my project’s last hexies on the deck with morning coffee, thinking about what to sign up for at Quilt Festival in Houston. The bad news is that I have not been to Houston since 2010. The good news is that I am going this fall and I am so excited!
Filling out the Houston forms sent me down memory lane and I’m going to take you with me. First step in travel is traveling through O’Hare. Back in the day I always flew American, thus their terminal photo.
The person responsible for me even thinking of going to Houston is Clotilde. She was a fabulous woman and was a dear friend. Our friendship moved to a new level when she wore two of my award winning jackets on the cover of her catalog. Once she asked to do that I decided that I needed to make patterns to go along with the catalog entry, launching Downie Designs.
My first Festival in 2003, Lynn and I roomed together. Aren’t those wonderful flowers! Before festival I did go to Market and Clotilde let me room with her since I didn’t know anyone and she showed me the ropes.
My second Houston in 2004, I again got to room with Clotilde at Market, and then on to Festival where I roomed with Chris who now lives in Australia! You can see us here at one of the luncheons. It is a wonderful way to have a great lunch and hear a great speaker, while resting from running around the show.
In 2005 I attended Market, and attended Moda’s party which was a Halloween costume event! I made my outfit and got to meet a lot of famous people there. It was a real blast.
My first Market as Downie Designs was in 2006 in Minneapolis, MN, which was very appropriate since I grew up in MN. One of my sisters, Brenda, assisted that weekend.
2006 Fall Market and Festival in Houston, Brenda joined me for both. I got the chance to spend tine with her and Molly who was there with Gordon! Molly, Brenda and I ventured off one day and went to NASA. It was fantastic to hear about the early days and close ups of all the rockets and engines.
Along the way I was honored to be invited to design a runway fashion for not one but three different Bernina Fashion Shows, which all debut at Fall Quilt Market. The first invite was 2005 and I created Midas Archipelago.
In 2006 I was invited again and created Carnival Rio.
And my third invitation was for the last Bernina Fashion Show in 2008, where I created Rendezvous with Nature’s Rainbow.
Since my first Quilt Market in 2006, I attended every one which happens twice a year, until my last Market in Spring of 2010, back in Minneapolis. By then I had a large inventory of patterns and a great looking booth.
Needless to say I cannot wait to go back to Houston where it all began and still continues today!!