Recap - Sew Much Fun!

It's Monday.  The kids are back at school.  It's quiet.  The dust has settled.  We worked all week preparing to be a vendor for the Saskatoon Modern Quilt Guild's first public showcase.  We worked all day yesterday at the booth we set up.  It was the first time I've been a quilt show vendor.  This venue was a small hall filled with several long aisles of quilts and a half dozen other vendors.  It was TOTALLY worth it.  There were over a couple hundred folks coming through in only 6 hours.  And of course - with modern themes, the whole room was so full of colour and whimsy.  It was great.

I had a bit of art (postcards & threadpaintings) for sale in the corner of the booth, and a larger wall with Postcards supplies and embellishments.  My girl sold her handcrafted earrings and my youngest boy sold repurposed leather work.  THEY did awesome too.  We have never done allowance with our children.  Chores are household responsibilities (I don't get paid for them, so why should they!?  haha).  They sure feel good with all the positive responses to their creations, and with their piggy banks filling after sales events like this.  I see through the week too, how they enjoy making up more stock in anticipation of the event.  Even though there were the occasional 'child labour' jokes, I'm proud of them.  They feel entirely industrious, so I think it's all good.

I took a lot of cell phone photos and put them on Instagram - which is why they have those funny oldschool filtering effects.  They aren't the best images, but they do hold great memories.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth and signed up for classes!  That's great.  Thanks also for all the 'I LOVE YOUR BLOG' comments.  I have some guilt over that one since you know I only blog a couple times a week now.  (Insert guilty face.)  Still, it was so great to see so many familiar faces.  There was a lot of hugging and giggles. : )

Selfie - Me & Carly from Citric Sugar blog (linked*)

There were some VERY cool and ingenious quilts in the show.  Some were more traditional but the modern fabrics just kick it.  ; )  I was situated by the mini quilt wall which was full of gems.  I wish I had snapped more pictures.  Check out SaskatoonMQG on Instagram if you would like to see more.  They also have a Facebook page.

There were no competitions or viewer's choice ballots, though my kids went though and made their own choices.

His favourite:

Her favourite:

I'm so glad to have been a part of it!  Congratulations SMQG.  Thanks for letting us join you.  *Whoop whoop - I even sold a few of my Prairie Modern postcards.  Sweet.

Challenges, Changes.

I think I'm ready!  Sunday will be here before you know it.  I have the bulk of my vendor items ready for June 14th - the 1st annual Modern Quilt Guild show in Saskatoon.

I have 8 little entries into the postcards section.  I have another batch that will be available in my booth.

I feel that the more I make, the closer I get to pulling off a Modern landscape design.  This next one is my favourite cityscape.  It's a take off of 'Prairie City'.

I really like this next one.  It's a simple prairie landscape with modern fabrics.  I love the angles in it.

These were so very fun to play with.  They were a little more 'on purpose' than the abstract ones that I am putting into the show.  Still - it's FUN, and it was a great learning opportunity.

I will also have Postcard supplies available - lots of them!  I will have sign up sheets for classes I teach.

I will also have some embellishments.  I stocked up with some great decorative yarns from garage sales and thrift shops, and was able to put some more really nice colourways together.  They are mostly sythetic with lots of sparkle and fluff - perfect for art quilts and postcards.

All of my art print cards that I ordered arrived as well.  Add a few threadpaintings and I'm set.  So that's what I've been working on.

I'm officially stepping down from The Needle & Thread Network which I started quite a few years ago.  The new hostess is Laurel from Manitoba.  I met her when I taught in Winnipeg 2 yrs back.  Thank you Laurel for taking my place.  I really appreciate it.

When one door closes, another door opens, right?  Well, today I'm spending some time training for a weekly shift at Handmade House.  No kidding!  I'm going to be working there over the next while.  It's only a day per week, but I'm still nervous.  The last time I did any kind of retail, I was sixteen years old.  I'm three times that now.  lol  It will be different indeed.  I look forward to it.  : )

Have a great week.

linking to WIP Wednsday @ TN&TN

And a Booth Too! : )

I'm so excited!  The Modern Quilt Guild in Saskatoon will be having their first official quilt show next weekend.  I am not a member but I do have some entries in with the Quilted Postcards section AND I'm going to have a booth there too!  It's fairly low key.  I plan to have postcard supplies stocked.  I'll have some of my new Modern Prairie quilted postcards on display for sale.  Yes!  You read that right.  I pushed myself to keep trying at the modern thing.  Was determined to not give up and what do you know?  I ended up with some real gems!  I'm quite proud of myself.  I think the modern police will approve.  lol   Here's a sneaky peek prior to stitching them.

work in progress...  these fabrics are way too much fun

What else?  I'll have some of my artcards for sale featuring images of threadpaintings.  I'll have sign up pages for future classes at my studio.  I'm donating quilting magazines to the guild's sale table.  I think they well be 3/$1 or something quite cheap like that.  My kids might just join in with their crafts too.  We shall see.  They have been doing really well with our garage sale so they might not have a lot left.

Oooh I can't wait!  One day only.

$5 at the door (12 and under free), Vendors & Concession, Door Prize

I'm not sure I'll have much in the way of art to sell there.  I just took in more to the SCC Boutique last week and POOF they are gone!  lol  I replenished my work there yesterday again and have to produce more for Weyburn Art Walk.  You folks are keeping me hopping alright!  It's awesome.

***Garage Sale Update - we are likely going to skip Saturday altogether.  Yesterday was BUSY and we sold most of our things.  Thanks!

okeedokee...  Off to clean my disastrously messy studio in prep for a Threadpainting class that's coming in.  : )  See ya later!

Postcard Bee & MQG

I recently discovered that the Saskatoon Modern Quilt Guild will be having their first official quilt show next month.

Right away, I thought how cool it would be to have a section in the show just for Quilted Postcards with modern flair!?  I recall one year, the Saskatoon Quilt Guild's huge show had a section for an idioms challenge.  I enjoyed looking over those smaller art quilt challenge pieces so much.  Sometimes small, creative bursts of eye candy can really bring a joyful flavour to a quilt show.  So - I called up the Saskatoon Modern Quilt Guild and invited them to my sewing space for a late night postcards bee with the idea that the results of the evening could be displayed at the show.

I HAD SO MUCH FUN.

I spend many nights alone in my sewing space, so this was wonderful to invite people in just for sewing.  It was one busy Bee night.

that's a whole lotta Janome machines! : )

I picked the Friday of the May long weekend for this, and unfortunately. several were not available because of family events, travelling, or health reasons (Oh Carly - we missed you so much!).  I did have four fantastic women come in though.  Each brought a small bag of modern fabric scraps... because I have none.  *thank you.

I started blogging right when the Modern Quilt Guild movement was born.  I was blown away by what I saw.  The guilds popped up everywhere across the USA and then in Canada.  The Modern Quilt Guild members across this continent are very passionate what they do.  It's practically an industry.  I tried so hard to keep up as a new quilter, but I just could not get it.  I did not fit in and could not for the life of me create an original modern quilt.  That was also the time I got into fabric art postcards, began landscapes, and was hired to do my first commission.
And then another.
And another.
...and so down the art path I went.

This Modern Quilt Show announcement reminded me how much I tried to create that look but failed.  And so, initiating this Bee with the SaskatoonMQG was a way for me to (hopefully) learn.  I provided the stabilizer, backings, and sewing space.  They provided the fabric scraps, and thank you for the munchies!  We made a pile with the fabric donations and we started to sew postcards.  I asked, 'how do you make modern?' and Jaclyn would say, 'Just be yourself ...but don't do landscapes.'  haha. Yeah.   And so then what!?  ; )

I watched them create, I asked questions, and I tried out a few things.  Postcards are SO great for experimentation with new techniques because it's small and over quick so you can assess how you are doing.  Me?  Meh.  Not so great.  However, the fabrics were so AMAZING and I marveled at how they put them together.  Here are some of their results.

sweet mini-quilts / modern postcards

Once everyone left, I kept going.  In fact, I made 10 cards myself that night!  I woke up the next morning and whipped up 5 more.  No kidding!  I could have kept going - I was so inspired by the fabrics and how to coordinate them.

This was my first card.

playing with 12 weight thread, so nice and thick

I love it.  I'm not sure it qualifies as Modern though.  Maybe?

This next one was too much fun.  It all started with those EARS.  That's the whole piece of fabric - just the ears.  Away I went.  It's a cut & paste collaged style.

I won't show you all 15, but this was one of the last ones I made.

I could just keep going.

Postcards are addictive!

my batch of modern postcards

Okay - one more.  Someone in the MQG made a rainbow stripped card that was sliced and had a white piece put in between.  I thought looked fantastic, so I bounced off that idea and made a b&w rainbow and split it with some major colour.  (see below)

the fabrics are just so fun.

Am I getting close?  Well,, if not, between the bubbles and the paper clips, I'm pretty happy anyway. : )  The fabric is too fun and I'm definitely enjoying letting go into abstract.

Thanks for reading this loooong post.  In the mean time, I have restocked Fabric Postcard supplies in my ETSY Shop (linked).  There's lots of supplies available.  I hit the garage sale jackpot for embellishment colourways as well!

THANK YOU to the Saskatoon MQG for letting me play with you. ; )  I am so inspired.  I will be putting some of my Modern Postcard entries into the show too I hope.  If you already make postcards and want to add some modern ones to the show (or larger Modern quilts), there's a small entry fee if you aren't a member (ten bucks).  You still have today and tomorrow to enter quilts.  It's easy, via email.  You can read more about the show and how to enter  here.

linking to WIP Wednesday @TN&TN

Embroidery & the Saskatoon Modern Quilt Guild

FINALLY.
Finally I got to join up with the world of the Modern Quilting movement.  When I started blogging as a quilter four years ago, I sat back and watched as MQGs popped up all over North America with an energy like you've never seen.  I adore modern quilts.  I happen to SUCK at making them though.  I used to feel like I was missing the boat, but there was nothing I could do about it.  I pulled off a few meh/modern-ish quilt but just couldn't keep up with their skill and enthusiasm.  I'm totally at peace with it now - I found my niche with embroidery and am immensely happy with my art career.

After I began blogging, I slowly migrated over to embroidery and art.  Fast forward to this weekend, and there I found myself standing in the room with a Modern Quilt Guild - for real!  It was pretty wonderful.  I was the guest speaker for the SaskatoonMQG, invited to talk about the world of embroidery and it's applications to modern quilting.  I am so grateful to have had that opportunity.

Me & Carly of the Saskatoon MQG.  (her Citric Sugar blog)   She's the cute one. : )

We had a makeshift stitch-in at the end.  It was a big group that came out on a rainy day to the classroom of Periwinkle Quilting & Beyond (a local shop).  THANK YOU - I had such a great time.  : )  It's ALWAYS a pleasure when someone cries about their lifelong failure with French Knots, and then after a quick instruction, they end up figuring out how to make them perfectly!  That first perfectly-executed French Knot... they SQUEAL and CHEER, "I did it!!  I made a French Knot!!" and they giggle &laugh!  hehe  It's awesome.  It's quite a spectacle.

Before I got up as guest speaker, I was able to enjoy their meeting and view their show and tell.  : )  Look at this!  This next photo is a quilt-as-you-go.  Each block is quilted differently.  It's beautiful!

As I looked around, I noticed some beautiful handstitching on people's bags.  Isn't this lovely!?

Before we left the building, I had to snap a photo or two.  The new space at Periwinkle is decorated SO wonderfully!  It's driving me crazy... I can't wait to get going with decorating my new studio space. : )  Michelle is such an inspiration.  Seriously - how cool is this!?

Thank you so much for having me.  : )  I am available to talk about Embroidery ANYTIME.  lol  I'll have more handwork classes in the fall at my place. : )

You can learn more about the Saskatoon Modern Quilt Guild HERE. (click to link).  PS - you can find all the members' blogs there at the SQG website!  Go see! : )

Saskatoon Modern Quilt Guild

Let's get them stitchin'!  This Sunday I will be speaking to the Saskatoon Modern Quilt Guild on the topic of Embroidery from a Modern Perspective.  It will be an interactive hour where I will provide inspirational eyecandy, technical information, and some hands-on experimentation combining stitch with modern fabrics / blocks.  I really look forward to meeting this group!  I've only seen modern quilt guild meeting photos on other people's blogs.  haha!  It will be really neat to visit with them in person.  (You mean they are real?)

You can learn more about the Saskatoon Modern Quilt Guild on their Facebook page or at the SaskatoonMQG website.

Guess what I just realized?  It has been one year since Mastering the Art of Embroidery landed on my doorstep.  Written by Sophie Long of the UK, many embroidery artists worldwide had their work included in these pages.  I was lucky to have quite a handful published in this amazing book.  Thanks and happy bookiversary to Sophie!