Skratchie

I live in Houston, so I have the option of attending the quilt show annually here, plus smaller shows that I find out about here and there. I don't go every year to Houston - in fact, I didn't go for two or three years because of the sameness of them. The same quilts, the same vendors, the same wares.

I go through the vendor booths at the quilt show not to buy fabric - I can buy that any time. I look for the new innovations that I haven't seen before (a few years ago, it was the Tru-Cut ruler/rotary cutter), or to try out the various machines. But there was a period there when I wasn't really seeing anything new, and I wasn't interested in the machines. Also, I kept seeing several of the same quilts at the show, so I stopped going for a while.

My biggest complaint the last couple of times is the number of booths that have nothing at all to do with quilting or sewing. I know there are "other vendors" that are welcome at these things, but it seemed like a quarter of the booths were full of tacky jewelry and such.

institches33

I feel your pain. Our guild attends the Sewing Expo in Cleveland and the major show in Columbus, OH and I've skipped both this year. You are correct in that it's the same items for sale, with the same display quilts, in the same booths in the same location. No wonder the shows have lost their luster for those who attend regularly.

With computerized long arms the show quilts are too perfect and over quilted, so there is a sameness. Very few quilts are original patterns and it's possible to find 5 Judy Niemeyer quilts in the same pattern on display, lovely, but the same.

Sometimes a good shop hop to out of the way QS can rejuvenate interest.

bearisgray

I would like to have more "rest stops" - benches or chairs scattered around in more places - so that I would be able to recuperate a bit between forays - and stay longer at the show - otherwise I get sooo tired and my legs and feet ache and then I want to leave sooner.

I know these seats would take up valuable space, but I have heard that the longer a potential customer is in a shop, the more she is apt to buy.

Another reason I don't buy much, is that I have learned that the stuff gets heavier and heavier and heavier the longer I lug it around.

Doggramma

The Expo in Madison is wonderful for resting places. I can only go a little then I need to rest.

solstice3

I know the feeling. I have sworn off random purchases until I use some of my stash. I now go with specific needs in mind and to look. Compulsive shopping MUST quit before I retire next year due to the foreseen drop in income. That's my story and I'll stick to it for now or until temptation strikes again!

dee1245

I went last fall to a sew and quilt expo, but was a bit disappointed. It was not near as big as I had anticipated and very crowded. I am planning on going to the Chicago International Quilt Festival this coming Saturday. I am hoping this will be a good one to go to. Has any one gone to an international show?

Chester the bunny

I have never been to a large show.......small quilt shows with a few vendors.
I feel overwhelmed in a quilt shop! My favorite is to find quilting fabric at a thrift store or garage sale.
There are two reasons for this, the price and I don't have to make a decision about which fabric to buy and how much.

Janie67

I thought it was just me. I thought I had everything. Still enjoy getting away but purchases have changed over the last few years.

rosiewell

ditto here, so often quilt shows have quilts done in a class, the colors may vary but the pattern is the same, I like traditionally hand or custom quilted quilts, I feel that most time the overall crowded machine quilt design overshadows the fabric colors or the workmanship. I used to get so inspired by shows that I couldn't wait to go home and start a new project.

cindi

I've been to the Houston and Paducah shows with my good friend, Peggi (Peckish on this board), and it really makes a huge difference when you go with a quilting friend. Our tastes are the same, but very different. Which gave each of us an advantage. Peggi is very technical-minded, and I like things a bit more simple. She'd point out things that excited her that I'd have never thought of even looking at - that I realized I really liked! And I'd do the same for her. We'd spend as much time with each other as we would alone - we're both the type who like to go off exploring for ourselves. We never felt we had to entertain each other. We'd message each other when we'd find something at a booth the other might like to see, so we were able to double-cover the same show in half the time. And we'd both spend a lot of time looking at the quilting in the quilts to see if there was something we wanted to try or felt was "different" than the usual boring feathers and swirls. There's nothing, NOTHING like going with a friend who makes you see quilts in a completely new way!