Exceptionally talented surface pattern designer Bonnie Christine, shares her experience of exhibiting at Quilt Market and also kindly offers some invaluable tips for preparing for a Trade Show. As well as designing her gorgeous patterns, Bonnie also runs her very successful Roost Tribe community – a space for inspiring creativity with advice on growing your audience, lots of industry resources, and a whole host of other fab content every month.
See below for Bonnie’s experience of Quilt Market:
Hello, friends! we’ve just returned from Quilt Market and we had such a wonderful time. I’m so happy to be a part of this amazing community – I think quilters and sewers just have the sweetest spirits! being a part of Art Gallery Fabric‘s family is so special, too. everyone is incredibly supportive, creative and energetic. AGF also won the 2nd place award for multiple booth design during the show. It is one happy place to be!
Since I was debuting two new collections (Cultivate and Hello, Bear), I was able to have two booths! We spent the entire day on thursday setting up, attended the ever-so-crazy sample spree thursday night, and then welcomed thousands of sewists to the show Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I was able to meet so many wonderful people (hugs to you if you’re one of them!) and came away with some exciting opportunities in the works, as well.
Above is my booth for Cultivate – a new flower garden inspired fabric line that will ship in April, 2015 (just in time to start gardening!).
For this booth, we had a moss manikin, sunhat, dreamy quilt, kneeling board, fabric covered keds shoes and more. all of these projects will be popping up on Going Home to Roost over the next several months, I’m sure!
Hello, Bear is my special edition children’s line inspired by my son, Bear, of course! it will begin shipping in January, and I can’t wait to start making more projects with it. It’s not only for children, as I have several home decor and women’s clothing projects I want to make with it as well!
For this booth, we made a bean bag, cloud pillow, feather headdress, triangle quilt, a few stuffed animals and more. It was so much fun seeing it all come to life!
We are very excited to announce that we will be sharing an exclusive video interview with Bonnie as part of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design Module 3 class. You can find out more about the class HERE
Bonnie shared with us some Q&A’s about preparing for Trade Shows:
What is your check list of things to bring when you exhibit?
Oh my, so many things! but, on the top of my list:
- All samples
- Promo materials: biz cards, postcards, flyers
- Booth supplies: staple gun, glue gun, double sided table, hooks, small nails, vinyl decals and paint (depending on the project)
- Comfy shoes and clothes to set up and break down in!
- Notebook for taking notes and orders
- Paypal or square iPhone attachment to swipe for payments
How far in advance does it take to prepare your exhibit?
I usually start thinking about the booth design as soon as my fabric collection is finished, so roughly 2-3 months in advance. Fabric usually arrives about 3 weeks prior to market, so we hit the ground running to make all of our samples up in time.
Do you do any sort of promoting?
Yes! I make sure to send out a newsletter about a week prior and write about it on my blog. Depending on the show, it’s also a great idea to send postcards out about a month in advance with your booth number on it. You can also email potential buyers a few weeks in advance to let them know you’ll be exhibiting.
How do you deal with following up in interest and potential clients?
This depends on the show you’re doing. Quilt Market doesn’t have too much follow up, but exhibiting somewhere like Surtex would. I suggest keeping a notebook with clear notes in it (name, company, contact info, topics discussed) with a place for a business card next to it, then start following up with companies as soon as you get home. Be persistent!
Do you recommend having a lawyer prior to attending Trade Shows to help with contracts or is it straight forward enough for a trade show beginner?
Ooh, good question! I would say you can go in to a Trade Show with no lawyer because you generally won’t be signing any contracts during the show. It’s always a great idea to let someone look over your contracts before signing them though later on!
Are there any Trade Shows you recommend for Trade Show newbies specifically?
Again, this depends on the industry but Surtex and Printsource are the ‘biggies’. Quilt Market is great if you already have patterns, notions or fabric you’re selling (it’s not the place to show your potential patterns though in booth-style). You can always google in your area to find smaller pattern shows.
In your opinion or from your personal experience what makes a successful booth/exhibit at a Trade Show?
It’s always important to be present in your booth. You could miss a great opportunity if you’re not there! Clearly showing your work and having something for a potential buyer to take with them is also a great way to be memorable.
What is your purpose for exhibiting at quilt market?
Quilt Market is a bit different than the average Trade Show. For me, it is to promote the fabric collections I have already made to shop owners, pattern makers and the like. Other opportunities are always present though – like signing with ribbon companies and getting book deals! (wink wink.)
If quilt market is a Trade Show for people in the industry only, how did you get in before being in the industry?
Basically, you have to have some sort of a connection. The first time I went, I was able to get in because i was an employee at my mom’s quilt shop. Make a connection with a shop, designer or company far in advance to see if you can get in!
I would love to know how you decide how to decorate your booth. Do you have a sewing marathon leading up to Quilt Market to have samples to show?
Ideas for the booth are always based around the inspiration for the collection (Hello, Bear = children’s woodland theme | Cultivate = gardening). it’s so much fun! We usually get fabric 2-3 weeks before market, so as soon as it arrives the sewing marathon begins!
I’d love to hear about how you design your quilt patterns! I loved the Winged one so much. Also, how you decide to decorate your booth and decide what to sew to showcase your lovely patterns. Your booths are always so inviting and pretty!
Thank you! I just design my quilt patterns in Illustrator. For winged, I used a grid to fill in the patterns. When I’m happy with a design, my mom will calculate the yardage needed using EQ6. For the booth, I start making a list of potential projects early on. We usually only get about ½ yard for each print before market, so we have to make the projects stretch! Incorporating lots of solids is always helpful.
Do you scout the shows before you decide to exhibit or attend? How do you know it’s going to be worth the effort and expense?
It’s definitely a bit of a gamble! I was able to walk Quilt Market the year before I exhibited, but that’s not always possible. I try to speak with others who have exhibited in years prior to get a feel for the show.
Do you find that having an open space where people have to walk in is more or less beneficial to everything being out on the aisle?
I have had both and I can’t really tell a difference. Sometimes a walk in booth can be intimidating for people to come in to, so I tend to like the aisle version. People don’t have to fully commit to get a good look at what you have to offer.
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Have you seen Bonnie’s guide to creating your own DIY wooden picture frames in MOYO magazine? Be sure to check it out HERE
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In our Module 3 class of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design, we teach you everything you need to know about Trade Shows and also include a Trade Show planner, as well as our Bonus Technical Workshops, where you will learn how to create your own professional Trade Show Brochure. Our next classes begin January 12, 2015, you can register HERE. We are also delighted to be running Modules 1 & 2 in January too – we hope to be able to welcome you to class!
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