My First Market.....part 1....with a giveway!!

So, through a serious of events that included the stars aligning in 3 different universes, I was given a chance to go to International Quilt Market in Pittsburgh as a helper monkey to Thomas Knauer who had a booth there. This involved me devising a way of being gone from my 3 boys for 6 whole days and not having the universe implode! Thankfully, my mom came out to help, along with her sidekick Maggie- the most annoying barker I have heard. While she keep things together on the home front, I enjoyed myself immensely and wanted to share some things with you. I took this picture as I got up in the morning before I left for my 7.5 hr drive. 

Set-up- as glorious as this sounds, it's a lot of really creative people packed in a convention center without A/C (which doesn't come on until the public comes in) sweating their butts of as they make their booth look amazing. We (Thomas and the Amazing Lisa Sipes) spent Wednesday unloading and setting up. We got to take a walk down the strip and found a nice Italian Restaurant where we sat under the canopy on the sidewalk to eat.

Thursday we completed the minor details and cleaned the place up. Just in time for Thomas' Schoolhouse where he talked about his AMAZING book Modern Quilt Perspectives. He brought the quilts out that were in the book and discussed them. It was price-less to see them in person and TOUCH THEM!!!! Which is allowed and welcome in Thomas' world!!

There are many, many more pictures of this (I was taking them with Thomas' camera) that have yet to surface. 

After this talk, I spied someone that I HAD to get a pic with!

This is the gorgeous Scott Hansen, who works for the amaze-balls Generation Q Magazine.  He is also on the cover and featured in my Quilter's Shirtless Man and Spicy Burrito Calendar. 

Do you understand why I couldn't pass up this opportunity to grab a selfie with him?? lol

Something else that was mind-numbing was that a gal by the name of Kay Whitt came over to me because she recognized me!! This was unreal that someone that I had admired for so long to even have a clue who I was!!! She remembered things about my life from Facebook and everything. And she was so super sweet! This picture wasn't taken when we first met since we were gross and all, but a couple days afterwards. 

Thursday evening wrapped up with a little party back at the loft where Thomas and Lisa were staying. It was a nice time to get to know some new people and catch up with old ones. I got to meet Victoria Finday Wolfe and her pal Shelly Pagliai. This picture was also taken later but I thought I would share here!

These gals were sweet, nice and treated me like I had every reason in the world to be there....which I was kind of doubting at this moment in time!

That night I also got a picture with my pals for the week!

This rounded out the first part of the adventures. Fun times were had by all!!

I also thought that I would share some goodies that I picked up along the way! 

This first giveaway is for a 6 spool set of Aurifil thread. They are all the same thread color but are in each weight of thread that they offer! Gotta love this stuff! I have also included 2 Fat Quarters from Tula Pink's new line that comes out this fall!! So yummy! Can't wait to pre-order this line. 

In order to be entered in this giveaway, please comment below with your favorite designers name! 

Contest will end Friday at noon EST.  

Good Luck!