a day at the quilt show

Today I had volunteered to sit and mind the SAQA table at the NJ Mancuso show for the afternoon.  However, when I arrived, I was told that somewhere along the line there was a communication screw-up - uh- glitch and the Mancuso people knew nothing about a SAQA table. Oops!

For me, it was fine.  I headed straight for Usha's booth and spent the afternoon hanging out, covering her for breaks, talking to people, and generally enjoying myself.  Saw some people I hadn't seen in a long time and soaked up the beauty of Handloom Batiks.  I grabbed these two fat quarters because I had run out of them and I simply love both the colors and the wonderful pattern.    It took all my self control not to come home with more, but I managed to leave a few beauties there.  I mean, how much more do I need?
(yes, I know: NEED has nothing to do with it).

 If I change my mind, I will send Usha this photo and ask her to cut me 1/4 yd of each of the three I would have loved but didn't take.  Look at this beautiful display!  Hard to make a choice.

 Opposite, a table full of fat quarters -- always a treat for the eye.

See that quilt?  I made it for Usha back in 1996. I saw her fabrics for the first time at Lancaster and fell in love with them. I saw that people(aka traditional quilters) were walking into her booth, looking at the fabrics and because they couldn't figure out how to use them, they said "how nice" and then left without buying.  I told her that if she would give me fabric, I would make her a traditional quilt to hang in her booth.  She hung it and her business took off because people saw they could make trad quilts with Indian batiks and they'd be gorgeous. I liked it so much, I made one for myself and it hung in my livingroom for years.

 In 2004 I made her a funkier, free-form one and it was hanging in her booth today. I wish I had one like it but can't seem to make another one.

Looking at this jacket, I almost wished I could sew.  Usha made it and I think the combination of fabrics is wonderful.  How many people would think to put these three fabrics together?? Love it!

 I barely looked at the quilts but I did visit Iris at the MistyFuse booth and we caught up when she could get away from the hordes at her booth.   I managed to leave a few $$ at the Superior Threads booth on these Bottom Line bobbins and one spool of thread.

After the show closed, we headed to our favorite Indian restaurant with four other vendor friends and had a fabulous dinner of mostly South Indian dishes - my faves. They have a buffet and everything is always fresh and hot and different. See the vada in the back row? Delish with rasam.

Almost forgot the requisite photo of Usha and me. A selfie, taken a little too close, but oh well.  

It was a good day.