Kona Bay Fabrics will be at Quilt Market again!!

Since 1991 when Kona Bay Fabrics started, we have been at International Quilt Market every year!

For the quilting industry, it is the Big Dance where fabric companies, pattern makers, quilters, artists, sales reps, etc., all gather to get reacquainted and show the industry and quilt shop owners our new products.

This year, the Spring Quilt Market will be in delightful Kansas City, Missouri and the dates are May 18 thru May 20.

Kona Bay will be in booths 2812 and 2913 and encourage one and all to stop by our booth not only to see our new gorgeous fabrics but to get their chocolate macadamia nut candy from Hawaii. Passing out these delicacies has been our tradition from our very first show and we are not able to break tradition.

See you in Kansas City!!

Kona Bay features Georgie Gerl's quilts at Quilt Market

Kona Bay Fabrics proudly displayed two beautiful quilts by superstar quilter Georgie Gerl of Spokane, WA in our booth at the recently held Quilt Market in Houston, TX.

Georgie's two quilts will also be both showcased in the next issue of Kona Bay's Asian Fabric magazine which will be released around mid November.

The quilt on the left is entitled Kiero (Path) and shows a lovely way to use Kona Bay's tonal fabrics along with our highly prized cotton sateen prints from Japan.

The quilt measures 79" x 79" and the instructions for making this quilt will be in the next Asian Fabric magazine.

The quilt on the right is called Tiene and it measures 49.5" x 55".

This quilt offers an interesting way to incorporate applique into a beautiful design and will also have pattern in the next issue of Asian Fabric magazine.

Look for Asian Fabric magazine in your locval quilt shop in mid November or you can order online at the Kona Bay Fabrics website.

Kona Bay Fabrics back from Quilt Market!

The semi annual quilting industry gathering called QUILT MARKET has ended and Kona Bay staff is back in our offices in Redmond, WA hard at work working on even producing many more new fabric designs.

The Quilt Market show was recently held in Houston, Texas and it is where fabric companies, designers, pattern producers, gadget inventors, etc all gather to showcase their products and get together with customers and friends at the nation's largest quilting wholesale show.

Kona Bay had a super Quilt Market and we would like to thank everyone who came by our booths to review our new and current fabrics.

Now, the huge consumer show entitled Quilt Festival will begin in which thousands of quilters will take over Houston and mob the convention center looking for wonderful fabric and taking lessons.

Thanks to one and all for making our Quilt Market experience an awesome time once again!!

Quilt Market Fast Approaching

The International Quilt Market is the quilting industry's BIG SHOW and this year the Fall show will be held in Houston, TX on OCT. 29 - 31.

Kona Bay has been attending Quilt Market since our beginning in 1991.

In addition to showing off our latest fabric selections, Kona Bay has always had a special treat for our quilt shop customers and, once again, it will be chocolate macadamia nuts from Hawaii.

I know some will enjoy a licorice whip or a Tootsie roll at other booths, but it is no comparison to Kona Bay's chocolate macadamia nut candy!!

So, if you are attending, please make sure you swing by our booths -- 1220 and 1321 - and check out the new wonderful fabric collections as well as enjoying our wonderful candy from beautiful Hawaii.

Aloha from Da Textile Samurai

QUILT MARKET at end of October

Kona Bay Fabrics has been a fabric wholesaler since 1991 - -yikes...we're 20 years old!!! -- and during that time, we have been to many, many Quilt Markets which is the quilting fabrics wholesale industry show.

Every Fall, thousands of us gather in Houston, TX and show off our new fabric collections, patterns, gadgets, techniques and get together with old friends and make new friends as well.

If you are attending Quilt Market, please come by the Kona Bay booths (1220 and 1321) and check out our new fabrics as well as partaking in our super delicious candy from Hawaii - our trademark chocolate macadamia nut candy.

You can always see our beautiful fabrics on our Kona Bay website and while you are visiting our web page, please enjoy our FREE patterns!

Thanks for all your support these past 20 years!!

International Quilt Market Fun—Spring 2010

Another great Quilt Market!

Just a week ago, the staff and I were in Minneapolis for the semi-annual International Quilt Market. We always look forward to the chance to see old friends and make new ones. The three days of Market leave us inspired and grateful to be part of the warm and creative quilting industry.

We had a wall of amazing projects on display (shown here). Four stunning quilts were created by our celebrated Quilt Designer, Georgie Gerl. Patterns for these projects were included in Issue #19 of Asian Fabric magazine. The magazine was handed out at Quilt Market along with the ever-popular, mouthwatering chocolate macadamia nuts from Hawaii Kona Bay has become known for having at our booth.

Some of the other contributors you see represented in the photos include Cheryl Kuczek, Sheryl Mycroft and Kari Nichols. The skirt and quilt patterns will be in the upcoming issue of Asian Fabric. Leesa Chandler, Helene Knott and Kristen Wright contributed the bag, the children’s wear and the quilt we had on display that was also in Issue #19.

The new collections and several new tone-on-tone groups were well received. The catalog featured in Issue #19 displayed the art for these so shops were anxious to see the new group and place their orders.


Just before Fall Market 2009 in Houston, I set up our Kona Bay Facebook page. Now, just a few short months later, we enjoy over 4600 friends and counting. Every day, I spend time visiting with fabric fans from around the world. It was so much fun to meet and visit with many of my Facebook friends in person. If you haven’t hooked up with us yet, I’d love to have you join us! You can find us here on Facebook.

The last week we’ve been busy filling orders and as always—planning for the future. The fun never stops at Kona Bay Fabrics!

Asian Fabric Issue #17—The Surprise Inside!

One of my favorite things about flying to and fro Hawaii is having time to enjoy my pile of current magazines. Our recent poll tells me it’s at the top of your list, too. It has been both exciting and satisfying to publish the only quilting magazine specializing in working with Asian prints.

Last week we released Issue #17 of Asian Fabric magazine. If you haven’t picked up one at your local quilt shop yet, reports are—they’re going fast! In addition to the usual great array of patterns, this special edition includes the current catalog showcasing the latest and greatest fabric designs from Kona Bay Fabrics.

This sneak preview has previously been reserved only for our customers—the local independent quilt shops that bring you fabric, fun and fellowship. As the list of enthusiastic fans of Asian Fabric has grown, we decided to say thank you by sharing our catalog with our readers as well.

In addition to just having the scoop on new designs, a few readers have mentioned that the catalog images are a helpful planning tool. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this special edition and how it might have inspired you.

The power of the printed page has long fascinated me. Having been in the quilting industry for nearly twenty years, starting and building Asian Fabric magazine has been akin to the documentation of a long, enjoyable adventure that some days feels like it’s only just begun!

Now, if only walls could talk—the staff and I are busy getting ready for the semi-annual quilt industry trade show in October. We’ll be headed to Houston for 2009 International Quilt Market on the 8th of October. I’ll be tweeting updates and posting photos on the Kona Bay Fan Page. It’s a good time to get on board—click here to follow me on Twitter or join in and become a Facebook fan of Kona Bay Fabrics here so you don’t miss a thing!

The Insider Scoop On International Quilt Market in Pittsburgh

The Kona Bay troops and I spent the past weekend at the semi-annual International Quilt Market. Held in Pittsburgh this time, it was a fun time to be had by all! If you’ve never attended, Quilt Market is the big daddy trade show of the quilting industry.

We always look forward to seeing customers, colleagues and old friends. In addition to our US customers and Representatives, our distributors from around the globe make the trek to see what’s new. Thank you mates for making the trip and for your business.

Once again, the Kona Bay tradition continued. We distributed the famous and sought after chocolate covered macadamia nuts hand carried by yours truly from the tropical paradise known as Hawaii. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think people flocked to the booth for the chocolates instead of me! Hmmm, chocolates or Doug…I won’t ask.

Issue #16 of Asian Fabric Magazine had come out just before Market. We had a beautiful display of quilts by Georgie Gerl, our quilt designer, on display in the booth. Customers were snapping up the fabric used in her stunning designs. Be sure to pick up a copy at your local quilt store. Be sure, also, to fill out the questionnaire and send it in for a chance to win fabric from Kona Bay!

My heart was going pitter patter seeing all the Kona Bay fabric used in projects and new books as I cruised the aisles. We’ll introduce you to two of new books from Quiltwoman.com and FW Media in upcoming posts (make sure you subscribe—in the column to the right, so you don’t miss ‘em—it's free!)

Our group stayed at the Omni William Penn Hotel just a few blocks from the Convention Center and Market. Wow! The ultimate in luxury since 1916, the William Penn has been restored to its original grandeur and continues to live up to it’s long-standing reputation. It’s like stepping back in time to the gilded era.

I can hear all the foodies (and yes, I’m a member) singing in unison—Ah, yes, but what about the eats? First of all, we all took a vote and the room service pizza at the Omni was top rate. We also visited a Pittsburgh institution that had been featured on several TV shows we foodies dine vicariously on a regular basis. The Primanti Brothers serve up a whopping sandwich complete with French fries and coleslaw tucked between the bread walls. We visited the “original” restaurant. It was fun to indulge in more Pittsburgh history.

The Quilts, Inc folks always put on great show. They also orchestrate two very popular consumer shows—Chicago in the spring and Long Beach in the summer. They’re a must do for quilting enthusiasts and you can order tickets online for the Long Beach show, July 24-26.

Houston Quilt Market is early this year—October 10-12. That’s just around the corner in the fabric world. We’ll see you there!

Pittsburgh—Here We Come!

Twice a year Kona Bay Fabrics attends International Quilt Market—the big daddy of quilting trade shows. Spring Quilt Market this year will be May 15-17 in Pittsburgh. Each spring show goes through a cross-country rotation and Fall Market is always held in Houston.

Quilt Market is a wholesale only show. This is where the folks from local quilt shops go to see all the great fabric designs, products and patterns that end up in their stores. They can also attend classes to learn new techniques they can share with customers. Kona Bay loves the shows as it gives us a chance to see and visit with our customers up close and personal.

Kona Bay Fabrics has been attending Market since 1991. I’m looking forward to venturing back to Pittsburgh. It’s an easy to navigate city with a great convention center. I’ve already mapped out some of the local good eats I want to try; fabric and good food—what more do we need!?

Although consumers can’t attend Quilt Market, Quilts, Inc, who put it on also host three consumer shows. The next will be this summer in Long Beach, California July 24-25. The company has held Houston and Chicago show for a number of years. The Long Beach show was their first west coast venue. Read more about the show at Quilts, Inc. I wasn't able to attend but I heard it was lots of fun for all who did.

I’ll see you in Pittsburgh!