VINTAGE CHARM AT THE AQS SHOW IN DES MOINES

Last Wednesday, I went to the AQS quilt show here in Des Moines. There were so many fun vendor booths but one of the highlights for me was the Farmer's Dotter booth, where I had the chance to meet the owner, Brenda. I felt I already sort of knew her as we'd met through the wonderful world of blogging last year, but what a treat it was to meet her in person! She is just the sweetest. Her booth was so delightful decked out in her collection of vintage quilts and props. Here she is with her daughter Lindsay who was helping her out for the show.

I love the way Brenda displayed her quilts on vintage drying racks. What a great use of the space! 

Inspired by vintage quilts, Brenda designs her own patterns and sells kits that incorporate vintage fabrics to help you craft your own piece of the past. I thought it was so clever of her to use actual 1930s fabrics in her kits! If you are interested in buying one, contact Brenda at her website here. She doesn't currently have any kits on the site but was thinking about eventually selling them there.

Here are some more of her vintage-inspired quilt patterns—"Little Lindsay", named after her daughter, and "Mae Flowers", named after her mother-in-law and her love of springtime flowers.

In addition to her patterns, Brenda also had a treasure trove of vintage sewing notions for sale—pincushions, sewing baskets, rick-rack trim, buttons, notions, and more. 

Brenda also hosts quilt retreats at her home in Bedford, Iowa. The beds are all dressed in vintage 1930s quilts. There's something about a quilt that makes a bed even more inviting, don't you think? So if you and your quilting buddies need a getaway, keep the Farmer's Dotter in mind. And if you're looking for a guest speaker for your quilt guild or social organization, Brenda also offers trunk shows. I don't know how far she's willing to travel but you can ask her at the weblink I provided above.