How I met Sandi Henderson

I’ve decided I should never promise to follow up on something the next day.  Because whenever I do someone in my family gets sick and we sit on the couch for three days.  I’ve had an awful stomach bug and Creamie has a bad cold.  Yuckiness all around.  Bleh.  Anyway, here are the last of my pictures from Quilt Market (first post here).  Today it is all about Sandi Henderson.

Sandi Henderson was the very first designer I knew about.  Three years ago I had never been inside a quilting fabric store.  I thought everyone bought fabric at regular fabric stores like Joanns or Hancocks, or the little Bernina dealership on Main Street.  I had never heard of designer fabric, or “collections” or “lines” or anything.  But I was looking for some fabric for Creamie’s nursery, and my friend Lyndi introduced me to Sandi’s recently released Farmers Market line.  And there was no looking back.  I’ve had a fabric crush on her ever since.  Particularly on one particular print named Henna Garden, which over the past few years she has released in 12 different colors (see them all here).

Anyway, her newest line is named Secret Garden, and it is beautiful.  See that big blue ribbon?  She won first prize in the booth decor contest.  And how could she not? I want to live in here!  As we got to talking (I had no problem talking to her, it was just Joel Dewberry that I was too scared to talk to… which I won’t link to because it turns out when you link to a famous designer’s website, his wife just might come and check out what you wrote about him.  And then leave a (very nice) comment on your blog.  If you want to read it and be embarassed for me, read this post again, and the comments.) ANYWAY, as we got to talking about her booth, she told me that she was really surprised she won.  I asked her why and she said, “Well, I bought nearly everything in here at Goodwill.  All the frames, the lamps, the tables, little rocking chairs, the beautiful flower paintings, and the gorgeous framed crewelwork  and all the embroidery hoops on the walls were all purchased for only a couple of bucks at Goodwill or other thrift stores or garage sales.

And look what a little paint and fabric can do.  It will win first prize at an international exhibit of all things pretty and fabric-y.  First prize.  Thrifted.  See, she is my new idol.  Her booth was gorgeous.  And I want to be her when I grow up. I talked to her for almost a half an hour and she told me all about her design process, and how she creates a fabric line, how long it takes, etc.  She comes up with the name first, and then the rest of it just spews out and she writes and sketches as fast as she can.  Amazing.  I would LOVE to sit and watch her work.  She told me that if she did nothing else she could crank out a whole collection, start to finish in about 3 or 4 weeks.  But you know, she has small people in her life that need attention, and dinner and stuff, and it usually takes her about 4 months start to finish to get things the way she wants them.  Maybe one day I’ll go to wherever it is that she lives and we can go thrifting together… you know, in my dreams or something.

Alright, enough about Market.  It was lovely, and overwhelming and fantastic all at the same time.  I can’t wait to go again someday.  Now I’m back to finishing a quilt for Creamie’s bed.  She’s needed it for the past 6 months.  And it just so happens to be made of Sandi Henderson’s Farmers Market fabric, which I have been hoarding for years now.  I decided I didn’t want to redo her whole room because she grew up just a teensy bit.  So it’s going to grow up with her.  I’m going to think about the surrealness of the whole experience while I sew little squares together.  Have a good weekend!