This past week has been the Quilt Market and Quilt Festival in Houston.  I don’t know about you, but for me (a person who is not able to attend), I can’t stand this week each year.

I am not a avid quilt shop attendee, but if I need supplies they are the first place I go.  I never fails that during the week of the spring and fall markets, I always end up at my local shops picking up fabric or supplies.

It always seems to me that the old adage is true, even at a quilt shop – ‘When the cat’s away, the mice will play’.  This past week, I went to two quilt shops.  One by my work and one in my home town.  In both cases, not only was the owner at the show, but so were their key employees.  The service wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t the same.  I had to track down people to cut my fabric or tell them where the fabric came from in the store.

Yesterday, I asked where they keep their ‘Best Press’ (because Morgan used mine up on a school project).  They didn’t even know what I was talking about!  After a few minutes of explaining it and several minutes of searching the store, they gave up and said they didn’t have any.  Peggy or Sue would have known immediately and got it out of storage.  So I grabbed my 3 yards of fabric and went to check out – I was a bit nervous because I was paying with a gift certificate.  But after staring at it for a bit and a little freak out when I wrote the check for the remaining balance before they could pull out the calculator and figure it out for me (Yes, ladies – I do know that 31 – 25 =$6 AND I can do that math in my head!)  I was on my way with the thought that I will NEVER go back during Market week.

It really makes no sense to go during Market week anyway.  Next week I would have gotten to talk to the owners about what they saw.  Possibly new notions or products would be in.  It would have been much more fun.

For now, I just say “Hurry Back, quilt shop owners – WE MISS YOU!”