Utah-New Mexico Vacation - Part 6

While walking through the vendors' tents on the Fiesta grounds, I came across a tent filled with quilters!  I had found the New Mexico Quilters' Association from Albuquerque, NM. 

This was the quilt--Spirit of the Fiesta--that was being raffled off.

During our break between events at the Fiesta, we decided to walk from our hotel to a local quilt shop.  Google indicated that it was 1.7 miles from our hotel to Southwest Decoratives and that the walk should take us about 35 minutes. 

This is a picture of me taken in front of Southwest Decoratives.  http://www.swdecoratives.com/

Even though I spent 45 minutes wandering around the shop, I still fell like I could have spent more time there--there was so much to see in this wonderful shop!

This is a picture of my patient husband waiting for me to finish shopping.  He doesn't look happy in the picture, but he wasn't feeling 100%--he was fighting a cold.  I think he deserves an award for walking with me to the quilt shop in the heat and then waiting patiently while I shopped.  I think he is a keeper!

For the most part, this shop carries  fabrics and patterns with a Southwest theme.  

The walls were covered with quilts that take their inspiration from the local landscape and culture.

I purchased balloon fabrics to make myself a quilt to commemorate our balloon ride.  The fabric on the left is from Timeless Treasures.  The panel and fabric on the right (view of the tops of balloons) are from Andover Fabrics.  I am planning to use the pattern, Sidelights to make my quilt.

This stripe print is called Monument Valley Stripe and is by Michael Miller.  Although Monument Valley was not a place that we visited on this trip, the red rock and pictured in this fabric is very typical of the red rock formations that we saw in several places on this trip.  My current plan for this print is a Seminole row type quilt.

This shop had the SW inspired quilt, Reflections, draped over a chair and they were selling it as a kit.  As I had limited room in my suitcase and because fabric is heavy, I elected to buy the print yardage and pattern only.  The fabrics that the shop put with this print in the quilt were solids or near solids and I felt I could purchase those at home.  By leaving them behind, I was able to put other fabrics in their place in my suitcase--fabrics that I wouldn't likely be able to get at home.

This print is A Robert Kaufman print called, American Heritage and reminds me of the jewellery made by the native craftsmen that this area is well known for.

The prints in the next picture are of cacti.  I also fell in love with the Saguaro Cactus quilt hanger.  I don't have a pattern in mind right now for these prints, but I will be keeping my eyes open for something to showcase these interesting prints.

This is a panel of African animals that I will be adding to my African fabric stash for a "someday" quilt that I have planned.  :)

These are the patterns that I brought home with me.  There were racks of patterns from local designers who are inspired by the native basket, pottery, and weaving designs.  I had a difficult time deciding on just a few patterns to bring home.

This Easter Egg pattern is one that I had seen on line in the past but never was able to locate it in my quilt shop back home.  I think this will make a cute table topper for spring.