Showing posts with label sewing summit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sewing summit. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Sewing Summit 2013 - A LONG Review

Oh dear, where to begin?  Last week I spent three WONDERFUL days attending the Sewing Summit in Salt Lake City.  The weather was gorgeous, the fabric delicious, and the people amazing.
 
 
Thursday was the "shop hop" where we traveled to three different fabric shops in the Salt Lake Valley.  On my way to the first shop I was given tutorials on how to use Instagram. (I may have even joked about having someone take a picture of me learning how to instagram...).  Thanks Kim for the great tutorial!  (and p.s. I'm @quartermilequilts if you're interested).  Consequently, all of my photos from the trip are on Instagram.
 
In case you couldn't tell from my blog, I am a huge fan of the color blue.  While walking in the shop one of my new friends noticed that I had a lot of blue in my hand.  She kindly walked me over to the polka section and made me pick a pink fat quarter.  Can you see it?  More on the blue addiction later.  Yes, it requires a whole separate post of its own.
 
 
Breakfast at Les Madeleines Patisserie Café in SLC. Yum!

 
Foundation Paper Piecing class.  I see more of this in my future.

 
Personal Branding - Our first assignment was to take a "selfie."  I had someone else take a picture of me, but that totally counts, right?

 
Olivia Omega - my latest inspiration.  Seriously, all, she is amazing!  One of my favorite quotes (paraphrasing) is that "when you are authentically yourself, you are unique and therefore you have no competition"  Not that I am looking to compete with others, but it does help with the whole "don't compare yourself to others" concept.  So glad I had the nerve to get a picture with this amazing lady.

 
Breakfast again at Les Madeleines' Patisserie... for the third time.  Hello, addict!
I hung out with these three woman all of the time and am so grateful for new quilty friends!  Thanks Kim, Lynn and Christine!

 
Mini Dresdens class, or as Jeni Baker and I say, Micro-Mini Dresdens. These are some of the tiniest dresdens I have ever seen.  Super cute, but a little difficult to get through the machine.

 
Melissa Esplin's Photography class.  A great class full of helpful tips and techniques, including those Ikea lamps and cotton shower caps for diffused lighting.
 
 
Picture of me and my new quilting best friend, Kim!  She and I connected on the shop hop bus and were excited to find we were kindred spirits!

 
My beautiful drawstring bag from the Sewing Summit Secret Swap.  Oh dear, I think I may have drooled a bit.

 
Seriously, all, I can't even begin to scratch the surface of all my memories from the Sewing Summit.  One of my favorites, which I didn't get on camera, was meeting Amy of Diary of a Quilter.  She is one of the first blogs that I followed and one of my big inspirations to starting Quarter Mile Quilts.  It was great to be able to express my gratitude and to share some common interests.
 
I am so very grateful for the opportunity that I had to attend the Sewing Summit this year. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the people hands-down.  Everyone is excited to be there and we all share a common love for fabric!

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Inspiration: Coral

Coral, coral, coral
 
I've had visions of coral dancing in my head the last few weeks.  Why?  I signed up for secret swap for the Sewing Summit later this month.  My partner's inspiration color is: coral.  Do you think I've nailed it?


I used some of my favorite Tula Pink Prince Charming hexagons to create this little needle book.  I loved the hexagons and chose to have the quilting echo the shape.  Loving the effect!



Second item highlighted a piece of Cloud 9 Fabrics and gave me the chance to use the Summer Madras Tote tutorial from Noodlehead.  I chose Kona Charcoal for the main and used the coral fabric for the exterior pockets and lining.  Anyone else a fan of fun colored linings?!?!  I know I am!

From my partner's Flickr page, she's not into a lot of patterned fabrics and so I am hoping that this mix of pattern and solid will be loved.

 
I will admit that I made a mistake, well technically two mistakes.  In my haste and excitement to make the bag, I made the handles with the Kona without any interfacing.  I am in the process of figuring out how to remove and repair the handles.  Any thoughts?  Can I "add structure" to the handles without removing them?  Oh dear, this is why I typically stick with quilting...  This is why we try new things; to learn!


Hope you have a fabulous Tuesday!