Kaffe Celebrates 85
When the first person who walked in the building asked me, “Do you sell Kaffe?” I just looked at that person like she had just grown a horn out of her head. I had never heard of Kaffe.
Then, when the second person asked if we sold Cafe’ and pronounced it like an eating establishment, I still shook my head. However, by the third, fourth and fifth person, I figured this was some character I should look up.
So, I looked him up. Kaffe Fasset pronounces his name KAEF FASSET like Safe Asset. That’s how he explains it to people.
I found my FreeSpirit rep and contacted him, asked HIM how to pronounce the name, and we started with 100 different Kaffe fabrics!
You all received him well, but during COVID, we didn’t sell much Kaffe. I actually thought about closing it out, and just eliminating the division altogether, as space was an issue.
However, when we were able to acquire another unit in the strip center, move my Chop Shop to another spot, and free up some space, we decided, in the end, to dedicate an entire area to both Kaffe Fasset and Tula Pink, another wild and crazy designer by FreeSpirit Fabrics.
I know you’re probably tired of hearing about Quilt Market, but we had been warned ahead of time that this was the year of Kaffe turning 85. I actually have no idea in the whole world when his actual birthday is, but when you’re 85, you can celebrate all year long, if you want! And he is!
We were asked to make up a garment of clothing out of one of the Kaffe Fasset Collective fabrics! So, I chose this beautiful Millefiore in Blue to make myself a top.
I actually made one mock up first in two different Kaffe fabrics, and it was just a tad bit too small. So, since I knew I’d have to wear it all day, I chose to make a second top, this time in the blue!
I actually wore this beautiful top when I met with Tula and got photographed. I doubt she cared, but I felt bad that I wasn’t wearing something made with her fabrics. However, we were scheduled to have the party at 5 p.m. I certainly wasn’t going to carry this top all day long. I chose to wear it.
We were to go to the FreeSpirit booth at 10 a.m. and register for prizes! I did. Nancy Jewell, FreeSpirit coordinator, told me to come back at 5 p.m. in time for the party.
So we spent the day wandering around the Quilt Market, and I was eyeing all the others wearing “Kaffe clothing,” knowing that I would be competing for prizes against these folks!
Prizes are great, and all, but it was just fun. I’m not even sure WHY it was fun, but it was.
Others at the show got into the Kaffe wearing spirit!
At 5 p.m., we just went and gathered around the “area.” Kaffe and Brandon had an “area” set up that was their area.
Kaffe and Brandon sat in their booth pretty much the whole time I would go past, and they’d be hand sewing. Smiling and wearing their bright clothing!
Their booth was very, very bright!
Then, the party started. People were just standing around and we were waiting for something to happen. Brandon then passed around some of the brightest cupcakes you’ve ever seen. I found it a ton of fun!
Then, Nancy Jewell (in front), director of FreeSpirit, along with Scott and Greg Fortunoff, Jaftex President and brother (Greg), along with Kaffe, passed out prizes!
Jaftex gave out a lot of presents for Kaffe’s birthday!
Those of us who made Kaffe clothing were invited to be a part of a group shot! This was the one that Ken took!
This was my view, from the back of the bus!
And sure enough, they just kept on calling out names, until I was sure there was no one left who hadn’t won, but me. Finally, they called me! I had won an autographed, signed book by Kaffe! !
Our store will never be the same. We started with ZERO Kaffe Fasset fabrics. Now we have around 300 all the time, some waiting to go up, as well as some on order all the time! Check out the KAFFE area if you wish HERE.
I hope you enjoyed your trip to Kaffe’s birthday party with us!
Ken and I are glad to be back home in Dade City. The market was fun, but you can’t live like that. I think that the pace is frenetic enough here!
And that’s a wrap for me! I’m still trying to process what we saw, learned and bought. I still haven’t gotten it all out of the bags, much less put it on the site. I’m still getting in orders from the Quilt Market.
Thank you, Rachael, for sharing with us from your trip! Sounds like fun. And yes, the colors of the fabrics shown - incredible!
Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!
Feel free to browse the site.
