Spring Creativ Festival

Went down to the Spring Creativ Festival on Saturday. It's farther out than the fall festival which is downtown and way smaller. Still, I went because I'm in the market for a sewing machine and the shows are a great place to shop for one. Not only are all the dealers and brands right there under one roof they have some great show specials so its more likely to get a good deal on your machine. Anyway, more on that in another post. For now here are some pictures from the festival.

This is our booth - Sew Sisters Quilt Shop. Sometimes I still can't believe I work here! Before we moved to Toronto I googled "quilt shops in Toronto" and they were one of the first to show up. I subscribed to the newsletter, followed the blog, looked at their website and told myself I would visit if I moved. And then I moved.

I volunteered at the festival in the Fall and I remember walking through the shop floor looking for the booth and when I saw that familiar banner I smiled. :) I was actually half way across the world and staring at the store I had looked up 4 months ago.

I then went to the York Heritage Quilters Guild show and bought my first fat quarters from them at the booth. I chatted with Judy a little.

Later in January I wrote to Judy and said I was looking for work. Went to the interview the same week and now I work for Sew Sisters Quilt Shop and love it! I sometimes have to remind myself of how amazing this all is! :) Anyway... so here's our booth and it was mighty busy!

 

Here are some of the other booths. 

I was really impressed with the Sashiko. The stitches were so beautiful!

Really liked the display in this booth. Lovely colour palette.

 

:)

 

Liebster Blog Award

 

Many thanks to Chumkie from My Favourite Things for this cool award! :) It's interesting that she and Rashida gave me this award - one for Happy Turtle and one for Quilting in India. So... since they are two different blogs I'm going to share the love with 5 more winners! :)

The Liebster Blog award is presented to blogs that the presenter believes should be recognized. It is given to "small blogs" - those with fewer than 200 followers. 

Here's a little I dug up:

The origins of the Liebster Blog award are somewhat unclear but the general consensus is that it originated in Germany, Liebster meaning favourite or dearest, to showcase bloggers with fewer than 200 followers. Upon accepting the award the recipient can then pass it on to five more blogs of note. A way of introducing other bloggers to the blogs you enjoy.

There are a few rules that need to be followed if you're a recipient.

• Thank the person that nominated you on your blog and link back to them.
• Present the award to five other blogs. 
• Let them know via a comment on their blog.
• Post the award on your blog. 

Here are my  5 awards: 

1. Suzanne (I'm not sure if I spelled that right) from fiberchick
2. Rebecca from The Vintage Bicycle
3. Dana from Drinking Fabric.  
4. Sujata Shah from Basket full of Scraps.
5. What Comes Next?  

Congratulations! And I hope you pass this along! :)

Color me Crazy - Chartreuse

I was putting up some fabric online and I came across this fabric - Daisies and Dots - Chartreuse. It;s from Robert Kaufmam and designed by Piece O' Cake Designs. 

I've always been attracted to lime-yellow-greens and really Chartreuse and have now found out that it has a rather interesting history! 
 

 
Collins English Dictionary:

chartreuse  (ʃɑːˈtrɜːz, French  ʃartrøz)
— n
1.	either of two liqueurs, green or yellow, made from herbs and flowers
2.	a. a color varying from a clear yellowish-green to a strong greenish-yellow
	b. ( as adjective ): a chartreuse dress
[C19: from French, after La Grande Chartreuse,  monastery near Grenoble, where the liqueur is produced]

Kona Cotton - Chartreuse from Robert Kaufman

The word Chartreuse comes from the Chartreuse Mountains in France where the Carthusian order of monks produced a naturally green liqueur at the Grande Chartreuse monastery. This liqueur was also called chartreuse and gets its unique coloring form chlorophyll. Apparently, 130 herbs, flowers and other secret ingredients are used in its production in a recipe that dates back to 1605.

Chartreuse is the color precisely halfway between green and yellow - it's 50% green and 50% yellow - and is the most visible color to the human eye. 

Color me Crazy!

I love my job! :) I get to rip open boxes of orders for the store, name and describe the new bolts of fabric, and put them up online. In the past three months I have learned about how fabric is designed for quilting, I've been introduced to a whole bunch of designers (online of course), and I've been introduced to new colors!

I realize that there is a whole world of color that I know nothing about and I have decided to begin a series here on my blog to write about these new colors that I am meeting. :) I promise to post at least once a week to begin with... hopefully it will be more... but once a week I will research a color and do a post.  I'm sure this won't be new to those of you who have been in the business a long time... but indulge me will ya? :)

Taking a quilting class!

I'm going to be taking a Beginner Machine Quilting Class that we are having at the store in March!!! :)

Beginner Quiltmaking by Machine

Wednesday Evenings from 6:00 – 8:00 beginning in the March 28th  (7 Sessions)
Instructor Jeannie Jenkins
$99.00
Learn the basics of quilt making by machine. Jeannie will take you through rotary cutting basics,
piecing, assembling the top, sandwiching, quilting and binding.  Sewing machine required.

This is so great! Jeannie Jenkins is a fantastic quilter and does a host of classes at Sew Sisters Quilt Shop. I'm really looking forward to it. There's another one I want to do as well - Introduction to Paper Piecing. I'm so looking forward to these.

I haven't sewn in six months and its driving me looney!!!! :(

Introduction to Paper Piecing

Tuesday May 8th, 1:00 - 3:00

Instructor Jeannie Jenkins

$20.00

Paper piecing is a technique of sewing oversize fabric pieces to a paper foundation.  This allows you to make accurate patchwork blocks easily and quickly without making any templates. During class you will be given some sample patterns and work on completing some easy blocks.  Suitable for beginners or anyone wanting to learn machine paper piecing.  Sewing machine required.