Julie and I spent yesterday at the RBQS at the Rosemont convention center. This was the 7th year of the show. I went in 2003 and 2004, but have not been able to attend since. The quilts on exhibit were stunning . (Photos of them are posted elsewhere -- check http://www.quilts.com/ as well as other people's reports . Surely there are a few Flickr photo sets by now.)
We met our Baseball Swap friend Alice, the proprietor of Della Jane Hand Dyes (http://www.dellajane.com/) and closed up the show with her. By 7 p.m. the place had about one customer to every three vendors. We enjoyed dinner at Harry Caray's, and had our photo taken with his likeness.
I was Very Good and didn't buy very much, though the vendors certainly had wonderful wares. My purchases:
* 6-1/2 yards of fabric: some reproduction shirtings, double pinks, and cheddars (plus an irresistable bronze); 3 fqs of black-on-black; and--the splurge--DaGama cottons from South Africa in red and chocolate. (I love, love, love those DaGama prints! (www.dagama.co.za)
* Two full-price garment patterns. (One of which is a master pattern for multiple designs.)
* 10 patterns for $20--the vendor (wholesaler of Schmetz needles) had bought the inventory of a pattern distributor (I figure that it's better to spend $2 than full price for a pattern I may not make ).
* Kai scissors, which cut slippery fabric with ease. (Thanks for the recommendation, Dawn.)
Now, Sunday: a rainy afternoon, perfect for sewing!