Fall Quilt Market 2012

The aisles were full of great ideas at Fall Quilt Market 2012.

The use of solid fabrics is still a strong trend.

We had several book signings at the Market Quilter's World booth. Connie Ewbank signed copies of one of her books, Quick & Easy Quilts for Kids.

There were many new and creative designers attending for the first time. They'd taken the chance and rented booth space, hung their sample quilts and ideas, hoping that this would be the market that launched them into quilt stardom. I'm pretty sure a few will make it. I'm always amazed that at every market there are always new and exciting ideas, samples, notions and inspiration to drive us to the next season. I never fail to leave without more inspiration and ideas than I can possibly ever use or accomplish, and that's how it should be. It's a thriving industry.

Three days of walking the showroom floor is overwhelming. There are so many talented designers, fresh new ideas, fabulous new collections, and always, new and exciting rulers, gadgets and threads. There's something new and exciting around every corner. Watch our Favorite Finds section for some of the great finds.

One trend that was present throughout the booths was the move toward quick and easy piecing. The patterns were clean and simple. The use of solid fabrics is still a very strong trend, and it looks like it is here to stay for a while. Also, the use of neutral background fabrics such as gray or white could be found everywhere.

Colors -- wow! Other than the use of solids and neutrals such as gray and white, it's all about color -- bright and cheerful for the most part. Lots of bright orange, hot pinks, limes and mustard yellow could be found. Many of the new collections feature these colors. It seems that fresh, bright color may be what's to come -- well, at least for this season. And of course, there were the traditional lines and colors. Those will always be a standard.

I did notice a big move to more modern prints and a lot of crossover into the sewing area. I'm not surprised by that, though. It's been coming for a while. I guess when you have an industry that produces such outstanding fabrics, it only stands to reason that others will want it. You will also notice a lot of home decor patterns appearing at your local shops with great ideas on how to use them. Now you can make a quilt and all the accents to go with it. Stuffed toys, purses, totes and fashion accessories are just some of what you'll see.

Pictured are a few of the quilts made with fabric collections coming your way soon.

Our booth was super busy. I really enjoyed my book signing and meeting many of our readers. The feedback on our magazine changes was wonderful. We have worked very hard in the last year to bring our readers the best possible magazine, and it's nice to know our efforts were noticed. I couldn't be happier with the response. Shop owners were very excited to see the changes.

All in all, I think the designers, textile companies and distributors are really on top of the trends. The collections were well thought out, the designers are really on top of the game, and you, the quilter, will see some wonderful things coming your way. Personally, I can't wait to purchase more fabrics. It's going to be a great season for quilters.