Hello from Shanghai! I'm traveling for my day job this week, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do a Blog Hop with the fabulous group I attended Sew Pro with! And today's the day! I'm so happy to introduce to you my very first pattern inspired by my Sew Pro attendance this past September. This pattern is called "Spinning Vectors" for the spinning nature of the flying geese and my STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) background.
The pattern was designed with 3 main colors for the different flying geese for a more traditional looking block.
The first sample that I created was using Ombre by V and Co. flying geese that were left over from my Moroccan Getaway quilt. The rainbow pattern of color is one I just adore in any quilt, so I decided to do that as the first sample. The edge to edge quilting was done by Rhonda Walker of Olie&Evie.
The second sample is more modern with a low volume mixture for the background color, but it stays with the main 3 color flying geese just alternating positions. This quilt was made for my sister in a citrus colorway for some fun splashes of color with a modern look. I quilted it with a simple crosshatch. I decided to do my samples in two very different styles with the pattern written traditionally to show different possible looks of the quilt.
Look for a tutorial on how to do Y-seams and partial seams within the next month to help the beginner quilters with the blocks.
I'm now live on Craftsy and Etsy to purchase the pattern as a PDF download. (hip hip hooray!!!)
In short, Sew Pro Convention has changed my life. I attended knowing hardly anything about the industry, only with the desire to be a part of it. Even though I am working on consistently blogging each week, I don’t consider myself a "blogger" just yet. My passion and motivation is to move towards pattern designing and my ultimate (long range) dream goal of fabric designing. Sew Pro really lit the fire under me to start now rather than wait until later to begin. I didn't have a good answer when I asked myself, "What are you waiting for?" So I designed Spinning Vectors and had some really awesome ladies proof read and test the pattern for me!
I gave a recap about my Sew Pro experience a few weeks ago right after the convention (you can read about it here). But here's my list of what I feel still resonates with me since then:
- Quilting is a consistent asset in my life. There is so much more structure in my creative life and that's largely due to the accountability I have with blogging my weekly goals. So thank you to all my readers for following and supporting me through this creative journey and doing your part in helping me stay accountable (even if you feel like you aren't actively doing anything).
- The one thing that sticks with me the most was something Tula Pink said in her keynote speech, about how not all your ideas are going to be great. You just need to trash the not so great ideas and put more ideas down on paper. I completely paraphrased but that was the gist of it. Sometimes it's frustrating that ideas don't just magically rain down on me, but realizing that everyone goes through that is so normalizing and almost comforting knowing it's not just me.
- Keeping in touch with other participants from Sew Pro and supporting each other is going to be critical in staying in touch with the community. I never considered myself much of an introvert, but too often I find myself that way with quilting.
- Last but not least, I can do this! Just see my first pattern above!
In addition to reading about everyone's projects inspired by Sew Pro, there is an associated giveaway with the blog hop! There are 3 bundles of fabric with patterns! Enter below.
Note - The giveaway will be live at 12am on 11/14 and end at 12am on 11/19.
Rafflecopter giveaway (Click on the link to get to the giveaway)
SewPro Stars Blog Hop Schedule
Monday Nov 14
Lisa Peterson - Lisa and Lorelai
Sherri Noel - Rebecca Mae Designs
Andi Stanfield - True Blue Quilts
Tuesday Nov 15
Vanessa Behymer - Vintage Barn Girl
Pam Cobb & Lynn Rinehart - The Stitch TV Show
Sherry Shish - www.poweredbyquilting.com (YOU ARE HERE!)
Joanne Kerton - Canuck Quilter
Lisa Nielsen - Lisa Lisa and the Quilt Jam
Wednesday Nov 16
Carmen Ross - See Carmen Sew
Anne Beier - Hudson Valley Quilts
Jessica Caldwell - Desert Bloom Quilting
Pamela Morgan - My Sweet Little Stitches
Thursday Nov 17
Maryanna Powell - Marvelous Auntie M
Cathy Smith - A Quilting Chick
Lissa LaGreca - Lovingly Lissa
Paula Mamuscia - Creations by Paula Mamuscia
Friday Nov 18
Becca Fenstermaker - prettypiney.com
Holly Stockley - www.lighthouselanedesigns.com
Teri Seal - daymoonquilts.blogspot.com
Trinia Braughton - www.penguinfeats.com
Deanna Wall - https://www.stitchesquilting.com/
For those of you that are new to my blog, I end each blog post with my accountability goals for the week. I will be giving my Sewing Expo recap next week as this week was a special blog hop post.
11/15-11/22 Weekly Goal:
Available time for quilting:
All day Sunday and Monday Night.
Projects I want to work on:
Powered by Quilting Patterns
Modern Heritage BOM
Moroccan Getaway (It'll be back from the longarm this week!!!)
Goals for the Projects:
Powered by Quilting Patterns: Layout schedule for Pattern #102 and tentative launch time frame
Modern Heritage BOM: Finish Month 4 Blocks
Moroccan Getaway: Finish binding the quilt.
I almost forgot! My sister is going to be going to Saturday of Winter Quiltfest! I conned... I mean convinced her to attend! I'm slowly enticing her to become a quilter, hehe. But that still means if you are attending and would like to share a room with me and wouldn't mind it being the two of us Friday/Saturday, let me know!