Puyallup Sewing Expo

[Valerie B.]

Just got back from my first time at the Puyallup Sewing Expo. Four days of color, ideas and inspiration. Had classes/seminars on marking quilts, spinning with drop spindle, spinning wheel, using scraps for quilts, new ideas for old quilts, lace shaping, piñata quilt class, and more instructed by Eleanor Burns, Kaye Wood, Martha Pullen, Libby Leman and many others. Lastly, but not least, I attended the Saturday night show with Alex and her Sunday morning seminar "Beautifully Quilted.".

I had a great time exercising the creative side of my brain!

[Hannelore N.]

WOW, that sounds like an amazing event. So what were the three most inspirational ideas you came away with??

[Sherry B.]

Sew Expo is one of my favorite events and I didn't get to go this year. Usually I combine it with a visit to my daughter's family. Anyway, so glad you had fun!

[Valerie B.]

Three most inspirational ideas:

1. Color, color, color = challenge myself. One of the instructors who does contemporary quilting suggested selecting 10 fabrics in solid (or reading solid) colors: 6 I like, 1 black, 1 white, and 2 I despise. Make something out of them. (I am generally pastels, white, cream)
2. Spinning - what a difference having a teacher made over trying to learn from a book. I left a 2.5 hour class with a length of two-ply yarn I spun that I could actually do something with. Plan to continue with a drop spindle and eventually learn to use a spinning wheel. (Tried several hours on my own)
3. Beautiful quilting - break out of my 1/4" outlining quilting rut - find designs that contrast and enhance the quilt top, use new techniques learned to mark the quilt, and end up with "beautiful quilting!" (I am a hand quilter)

[Hannelore N.]

Those are great inspirational targets! I have the feeling that the colour one will be most challenging, because it's so easy to get into a rut of always using the same combinations. I found the book Visual Coloring by Joen Wolfrom wonderful for triggering ideas and getting me to experiment more.

My stash these days is a riot of colours, but it used to be totally dominated by greens, rusts, and the usual autumnal palette. Now I even use some shocking pinks sometimes.

[Hannelore N.]

Those are great inspirational targets! I have the feeling that the colour one will be most challenging, because it's so easy to get into a rut of always using the same combinations. I found the book Visual Coloring by Joen Wolfrom wonderful for triggering ideas and getting me to experiment more.

My stash these days is a riot of colours, but it used to be totally dominated by greens, rusts, and the usual autumnal palette. Now I even use some shocking pinks sometimes.

You will probably aquire even more pinks as little Eva grows up too! :wink:

[Hannelore N.]

Rosemary, I know that restistance is futile when it comes to little girls and pink. But I'm going to make sure that there are plenty of other colours mixed in.

[Valerie B.]

The book Visual Coloring is on my "to get" list. I am fortunate that we just built a new house and I have a very large guest bedroom to have for a sewing room (shared with a bed). A generous amount of room to set myself up properly for fiber arts hobbies.

[Valerie B.]

The book Visual Coloring is on my "to get" list. I am fortunate that we just built a new house and I have a very large guest bedroom to have for a sewing room (shared with a bed). A generous amount of room to set myself up properly for fiber arts hobbies.

You will need a pitchfork to find the bed for when you have guests! I have that set-up and and I do! :lol: :lol:

[Hannelore N.]

:lol: :lol: :lol: ...... I can see the invitation now:

"Dear Friend, please, come to my birthday party. Bring pitchfork and arrive early with compass in order to allow enough time to find the bed. I would also appreciate it if you bring your own quilt (can be left behind when you leave). I look forward to welcome you to 'Chateau Rosy', a subsidiary of Hogwarts."

[Hannelore N.]

:lol: :lol: :lol: ...... I can see the invitation now:

"Dear Friend, please, come to my birthday party. Bring pitchfork (or fabric mining tools) and arrive early with compass in order to allow enough time to find the bed. I would also appreciate it if you bring your own quilt (can be left behind when you leave (provided it is already finished) ). I look forward to welcome you to 'Chateau Rosy', a subsidiary of Hogwarts."

:lol: :lol: :lol: