{amylouwho} a makeover and new beginning

I thought with the change in URL and a my blogging mojo resurfacing, that it might be a good time to change things up a bit.

Ahhh, did you think **I** got a makeover? Not really, but as of last Friday-ish my blog header did!

...and so did my Sew & Tell button.  We're going on year 3 of Sew & Tell, really?
Of course you can keep the old button, but feel free to swap it out for the new one if you wish!  The new one will definitely get you back to my new URL.



  <center><a href="http://www.mommyandbeyond.blogspot.com/search/label/sew-n-tell" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5so_IQn1ztjxV9IOPCJr-cGBPai0dWvXKBXIYoaabV3NL9FIz-xugOWBP39I5_JfrkkzS2GnkuoSwpvjyRn5Mu97F4s1XkQwBm7Ggub5ys7YfWpsyGsmn1DqYttZp0BfV5wX9B1zAx88/s1600/sew%2526tell+button-+125x125" /></a></center>

Thanks to a new dear friend Holly @ Bijou Lovely for doing this for me.  We're swapping - I have to make something for her, so I'd better get busy!

Attending the Sewing Summit really helped recharged my creative juices.  Dana taught in her blogging class that it's not a numbers game and we need to have a clear focus as to why we blog. As I have lamented of late, my blogging had become lackluster and I feel like I had forgotten why I was doing this in the first place. 

Well.

In the first place, I love connecting with like-minded people.  This is definitely a forum for that.  I love the friends I've made, and those I've yet to make through this magical world of blogging!

In the second place,
It's like a virtual guild or art salon where artists get together and feed off of each other's creativity and ideas!  Hence the new tagline: create, share, inspire, repeat.

I hope you create, share, inspire others and find inspiration, then repeat as often as you can.  I'll be trying to do that here.  :)

PS - I have a fun Sew & Tell challenge (think minis) that I will be announcing tomorrow after all the Halloween festivities and sugar rushes are finished!

{amylouwho} Blogger's Quilt Festival - Fall 2011

Welcome Quilt Festival friends! I was trying to figure out what quilt I could share for the Blogger's Quilt Festival knowing I hadn't finished anything recently. I went through my old posts and found this one that I finished over 2 years ago. I started it for a friend whose birthday is on July 4, well before I knew I would be a military wife, or had heard the name Amy Butler.

I am pretty pleased with this project considering it was the first quilt I've ever designed, pieced, quilted, and bound all by myself (with a few tutorials from my mom!).  That being said, if I were to make a quilt for my friend for her birthday this year - it would look nothing like this. Even if her birthday is on the 4th of July.

Since this was the first thing I have quilted with a walking foot I wasn't ever really sure I was doing it right, because it just seemed like there was something off. That it should have been easier than it was. My stitches were uneven and the fabric wasn't feeding well. I was borrowing my mom's foot and remembered not having this much trouble working with it when she was with me.

So I was on the phone with her working on those minky baby blankets, with the walking foot and expressing my frustration - being the day AFTER I finished this quilting. Our conversation went a little something like this:

my mom: Do you have the little black arm attached to the presser foot screw?

me: what??! what little black. . . . (looking closer). . . oh, you mean that one. (attaching the foot properly - and grumbling)
Well that's interesting - it works just fine, NOW.

my mom: I didn't know you didn't know how to attach it.

me: you mean the way I also didn't know that a fat quarter measured 18"x22" until last fall?

my mom: (chuckles)

me: The problem here is that you know so much you just assume I've learned it all through osmosis! I'm totally going to blog about this. A post entitled: Things my mom thought she taught me, that I wish I had known.

my mom: Oh no you're not!

me: we'll see.


I guess we know the outcome of that one. (Thanks, mom!)

I love how the binding turned out. I think the stripes really complete it and make it a little fancier. I used to think I hated sewing on binding, but I knocked this out during a viewing of this. And it's not as hard as I used to think. I reccomend running your thread through beeswax or thread heaven to keep it from tangling. I learned that from Bend the Rules Sewing (and yes, I think my mom knew about that trick too).

Thanks for visiting!!

{amylouwho) sew & tell v3.6

Hi everyone! Sara from Sew Sweetness here with you today! Thanks to everyone who entered my bag giveaway here this past week, it was great to read about all your WIP's, and very nice to look at all those sweet comments! :-)

So, having recently moved, I haven't produced a whole lot of projects lately. Life gets in the way of sewing sometimes. ;-) Also, I have a few projects that I can't reveal yet (boo!!), so while it looks like I'm not up to much, believe me, the sewing machine has been a-whirrin' away every night. ;-)

Right now, I'm working on the Taffy Blouse, pictured above, from the new Colette Sewing Handbook by Sarai Mitnick. Seriously, I love her clothing patterns; I have just about all of them ::blush:: I doodle her name in my diary at night (just kidding). So, I decided to make the Taffy Blouse from the book first, because I thought I would like to wear it for Thanksgiving. I bought this sheer purple polka dot fabric at Joann's today (pictured below). If you know me, then you'll know that I cannot pass on a polka dot for any reason. In the photograph from the book above, you can see the model with a black-and-white striped bias tape on the sleeves and neckline; I wanted to do something cool like that, but I didn't really have anything on hand...is the solid purple too boring for the bias tape??

Sewing with sheer fabric is definitely an experience...it took me an hour just to cut out 4 pieces (front, back, and two sleeves). As a sewer, I might be getting spoiled by the quilting side in me. ;-) I'm hoping to finish the top tonight, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Soo...I did finish something up this week to share. I finished writing a sewing tutorial for this bag over the weekend, and here it is in all its pink glory:

The tutorial will also be accompanied by a step-by-step web video on how to make the bag. Unfortunately, the video is not ready yet (I'm shy), but as soon as I get an acting coach and finish it, you'll be the first to know. :-)

I'm also working on some blocks for the '12 Days of Christmas' Sampler Quilt Along that just started this week...like my Santa?


And now, without further ado, show me whatcha got...what did you finish this week?!

Linky Rules.  Please read carefully.  The delete monster will be eating non-compliant links.

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

{amylouwho} reminder - BQF

It's that time of year again! All the pros are at quilt market, while people like me sit around wishing we were there. Thanks to Amy and another genius idea we have the Blogger's Quilt Festival to keep us company. Go check it out! I know I will be. I'm hoping I might even have something to link up!

{amylouwho} my super secret bag making tip

As I said yesterday, I don't really do tutorials.  I'm deathly afraid of trying to explain something I do with the right words.  I could sit down with you and show you what to do - but to write it out? scary!! It's probably the other reason I haven't worked more on the pattern for my bag.

While I was working on this bag last week I thought I might share one of my favorite discoveries when making bags.  Fusible Thermolam. It's technically not fusible fleece, even though it feels a lot like it.  I think it's a little tighter weave or something.

I used sew-in fleece when I made my first several bags, what a pain! Then I decided to try fusible fleece! Much easier.  But I found when I fused it on some things it would pucker the fabric because it was shrinking with the iron's steam, so I started using it on the lining instead of the outer fabric.  Then one day I ended up with the Thermolam instead of the fleece and I'll never go back! (btw, this is not a sponsored review - I'm not saavy enough to get offered something like that! I just really like this stuff!)

Using the interfacing on the lining provides some stability to the fabric when inserting your snaps and also for the key hook.  And I love how it stands on it's own!  Another added bonus is that it's really lightweight, so your bag isn't heavy, but still keeps it's shape. It's also flexible enough that turning the bag isn't a huge chore.

Look how sad and schlumpy it is without the interfacing! 

Once you put the interfaced lining in, the bag perks right up!

I also cut my interfacing pieces a seam allowance shorter all the way around so that the seams aren't so bulky.

It is important to follow the directions for fusing. Because the thermolam is so thick, you should press it with the fabric side up (interfacing underneath), so the heat is getting to the fusible side, otherwise your interfacing won't stick or stay in place.

I hope this helps some of you bag makers or hopeful bag makers!  I love making bags, they are so quick and satisfying to finish.

What kinds of sewing tricks have you learned making bags? Or anything for that matter! Oh! And what is your experience with Decor Bond? Is it hard to turn the bag right side out?

{amylouwho} sew sweetness bag winner!

Thank you everyone who entered the giveaway for Sara's beautiful bag!  I wish we had one for everyone.

I really enjoyed reading all of the comments about your WIPs!  Keep working towards a finish and when you have one, no matter how small, come back on Friday's for Sew & Tell!

Winner was picked by Random.org:

#3 is Happy Cottage Quilter!!
She won for comment 3, but I thought I'd share with you her WIP comment too.  :)

 Congratulations! I've sent you an email. 

{amylouwho} bits and pieces

I feel like I have so many things to blog about!  I have some more things I want to share about The Sewing Summit and I've been on a project prepping spree!  But I'm feeling a little all over the place trying to pull things together!

This is what I look like all over the place.  WIPs, cutting several new projects at a time and scraps!

My kids are all home sick today.  It started with babylouwho on Friday, sisterlouwho following yesterday afternoon, with brotherlouwho getting hit with it last night. Late.  And mrlouwho is working long hours training for an upcoming deployment.  Good times.  

I decided today would be a sweatpants and slippers sort of day. And instead of wallowing in self pity (well maybe I will a bit), I'm getting to work.  I lysoled every hard surface in my house down yesterday, so I don't feel too bad about neglecting my floors.  And laundry.  And dirty dishes.

Sometimes the dirty dishes are worth it though - Apple Cake @ The Smitten Kitchen

I'm going to close the giveaway for Sara's bag tonight and announce the winner tomorrow!  Sara will be guest posting for Sew &Tell on Friday - I hear she's finishing up a quilt top!  I love reading your comments about your WIPs.  It's so fun to know there are so many out there working away too.

I'm glad to know that you liked the interview too! I'm planning on doing more of these types of things. I have a super fun sew & tell extravaganza planned for November 11 - I'll post the challenge this week!  Keep on the lookout.

Scraps I used to throw away.  Now I hoard them for mini quilts.

So what else?  I have a lot of blogging issues on my mind.  Like, I feel sort of lame for being pretty absent most of this year.  I really loved the sew & tell community that we had built and with everything I had going on last year it got to be too much for me to be able to connect with everyone the way I wanted to.  And now I'm afraid I was being too nit-picky about things, and I got super inconsistent.  Then there's the whole URL change thing - that was a real downer.  And then there are all of the amazing women and amazing blogs I discovered through sewing summit and sometimes I wonder - what am I doing trying to blog? I'm a total amateur!! I don't really do tutorials, I seem to make the same things over and over, I'm not really interested in making money off my blog, so what am I doing here? Showing off?  I certainly hope it doesn't come across that way.  When I really think about it, it's the people that I've met and the community that we have that keeps me coming back.  I also love that there is a cycle of creating, sharing and inspiring that goes on in our online sewing/crafting community.

So I really do hope you like coming here.  I appreciate your time when I know how busy we all are.  Thanks for sharing your goodness and talents with me every week.  I'm recommitting to be a better blogger/friend.  I hope you'll come back again soon.

I'd love to hear why you blog and the things you love about it. Do tell!

{amylouwhow} sew & tell v3.5

Hello Friends! Welcome to this week's sew & tell!

First off, if you missed it yesterday, go read my interview with Sara and enter to win this beautiful handmade bag!

*****
I panicked a little when I started to put this post together. Even with all the sewing I had done this week I thought that all I has to show you was a small, but very cute headband I made for sisterlouwho. Not that small finishes aren't worth celebrating...

When I started to download the photos from my camera I was reminded of a very early finish I had on Sunday night. Whew!

I love that you can tie a little something on a rolled up handmade gift and it practically wraps itself.

A dear friend, and when I say dear I mean sainted (she watched my kids last night and cleaned my kitchen and mopped my floors while I was gone!!!), had a baby 4 months ago and we had picked out this fabric so I could make her a new bag. It didn't get finished for the arrival of the sweet baby, but it was her birthday Monday and I wanted to surprise her by FINALLY finishing it!

When we came back Sunday afternoon from our weekend away I was overflowing with sewing motivation. I finished cutting it out and sewed it up!

She replaced her fairly new Vera Bradley with this and told me she got three compliments on it the first day! That makes me feel good!

Bag details:
Pattern: amylouwho signature bag (pattern not yet available - interested?)
Fabric exterior: Dandy Damask in Avocado, Michael Miller
Fabric interior: cotton print from Joann's - printed in Japan

Finishing things makes me feel good too! What sewing project did you finish this week?

Oh! and thanks to Sara  - picture linkies are BACK!  :)
Please follow the guidelines as spaces are limited - linky will close after the first 30 entries.

Linky Rules.  Please read carefully.  The delete monster will be eating non-compliant links.

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

{amylouwho} an introduction and a giveaway

*****THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*****

Sara of Sew Sweetness is going to be a regular contributor to our sew & tell Fridays!

Isn't she adorable? That's her naughty secretary bag and amazing dress she made!

I love getting to know people, especially their sewing/crafting history.  I thought it would be fun for you to get to know Sara a little better! We met through a mutual sewing friend and I finally begged enough that she started blogging last year!  I'm constantly amazed at the beautiful and professional looking items she creates!  And she has something to giveaway today!

*****
When did you start sewing and how did you start?
I first learned to sew in the 3rd grade. My mom had little sewing lessons for my friend and I, once a week. We made a drawstring bag and a dress. My mom let me wear my dress to school (although hers didn't, lol). I didn't take up sewing again until about 8 years ago; I thought it would be a great idea to mass-produce purses and sell them online. I made them assembly-line style. They were pretty awful actually!! I still have the parts in a big garbage bag, and my husband is constantly asking when I am going to finish them. My skills 8 years ago are not the same as they are today; he just doesn't understand why I'm not going to finish them. :-)

Her skills today.  WOW.

What is your favorite thing to sew and why?

I really love to sew all kinds of things...quilts, bags, clothing for my kids, clothing for myself, accessories...I will try anything. It is such a challenge to me to try new patterns, and I love it! I love the idea that there are so many free tutorials out there on the internet, it makes sewing so accessible for everyone.

photo courtesy Sew Sweetness

Is there something you are afraid to try?

I am actually nervous about trying to hand-sew hexagons. I always say I'll try it, but something is holding me back. That's probably the only thing I'm afraid to sew, everything else...let me at it!!

What is the best thing you ever made? Was it your favorite?  Did you keep it?

Usually, I'll say that my currently completed project is my favorite! However, there is a bag that I keep coming back to every few months (whereas my other bags, I'll use for one stretch and then don't go back to); it was a bag that I made from a Jenna Lou Designs sewing pattern called the Mabel Bag, and I made it with an Echino fabric. I love it so much!! It's a simple, beautiful design.

photo courtesy Sew Sweetness

Do you sew more for yourself/family or other people?

Obviously I like sewing things for myself, and I like making gifts, but I have an extreme phobia of making items to sell online, or getting custom requests. In that instance, sewing becomes like homework or a chore for me, and I'm always concerned about taking the fun out of sewing. Mainly, I just want to work on what I want to work on! I do like testing patterns or tutorials for other people, though!

photo courtesy Sew Sweetness

How long have you been blogging? What are your favorite things about it?

I've been blogging for one year and a month. It's gone by really fast! When I look at some of my blog posts from the beginning, I can't believe that anyone actually followed me in those days! I've learned that there really is a science to it all...taking the right photos, assembling your postings so that they grab attention right from the beginning, and keeping things fresh and exciting. Networking also plays a roll (commenting on other blogs, putting images up in Flickr, hosting giveaways, sew alongs, etc.). My favorite parts of my blog are the sewing pattern reviews and the tutorials...I am big into reading reviews for anything (products I buy, sewing projects, etc.), and so I feel the pattern reviews especially are one of my major focuses. It's funny because when I was younger, I was always trying to get into journaling. I could never keep up with the entries, and when I did read back over what I had written, it was really boring. I don't feel that way at all with my blog. Growing up, my parents always thought that I would be a writer, and in some tiny way, I sort of have. I enjoy the writing process and having well-thought-out blog posts. The hands-down best part about blogging are all the friends that I have made...I never would have gotten into blogging if it weren't for Amylouwho, and I never would have met Amy if it wasn't for my great friend, Kim (My Go-Go Life).

I know you were a GoBaby Accuquilt blogger - do you like your machine?  Are you able to use it a lot?

I love it!! I have the Accuquilt Baby, but am hoping that Santa brings me the regular Accuquilt machine for Christmas! I did use it a lot for several of the tutorials on my website (although, even if you don't have a machine, I've attached templates to use for those projects instead). It makes cutting so much quicker, and very precise. That is the problem I have when cutting out many pieces from a paper template...they are not exact, and it seems the more I cut, the less precise I am. Some projects it is not so vital to have exact fabric cuts, whereas others (such as a Double Wedding Ring Quilt), it is extremely important that your fabric cuts are exact, or your quilt won't turn out. I like the dies the best that have more difficult shapes; for instance, I would probably not buy a die for strips (just because I'm on an extreme budget), as I'd just use my ruler and rotary cutter.

made with the accuquilt diamond  die.

How do you manage sewing, blogging, and taking care of your family?

Family always comes first. But once the kids are asleep, I'm usually sewing from 9:30pm until around midnight. I like having that big chunk of uninterrupted time to sew, because especially if I'm making some clothing, I need to be really focused on my project. The blogging time usually fits in around then, too. Over time, I've learned that it's a big no-no to be taking photos at night, so I will squeeze in photographing projects during the day (and usually have my kids help in some way).

What is your favorite sewing memory?

My favorite sewing memory is taking my kids to Joann Fabrics (we're there at least once a week). I let them pick out fabrics for things I'm making for them, and I also let them help me pick out my Kona solids. Often, I'll take a small swatch of fabric in with me, and I have them match up the swatch to the correct bolt. They also like taking the bolts (I'm often only getting 1 or 2 things, so I can use coupons on everything I buy, lol) up to the cutting counter, each of them takes an end.

Anything else you want to share?

If you're interested in sewing, never be afraid to try something!! It might not come out exactly right, but each project will teach you something new about sewing. I mess up all the time, but there's always the seam ripper, and if worse comes to worst, you can always use the fabric for another project. You also don't have to spend a lot of money on sewing supplies...I am constantly buying large chunks of fabric in the form of bed sheets, old dresses, or curtains, usually for a dollar or two, at the thrift store. Get free sewing patterns online or take a sewing book out from the library. Just get sewing!! :-)

Thanks so much for having me, Amy!!!
*****

Sara, thank you for being so inspiring!

For all of you Sara is giving away one of her amazing bags that she's made!

You can have up to 2 entries (1 comment for each entry)!
To enter all you have to do is:
1. Leave a comment telling us your favorite WIP (work in progress)
and/or
2. Visit Accuquilts page through THIS LINK to sign up for free patterns and newsletter. Come back here and leave another comment telling me you did so.

Easy~peasy!  I'll leave the giveaway open until early next week! (Be sure you leave an email if you are a no-reply blogger!!)

And don't forget to come back tomorrow for sew & tell  to link up your finish for the week!

{amylouwho} bliss(ful) table runner

I feel like I'm riding a major sewing tidal wave since I got back from the Sewing Summit! I want to cut into every piece of fabric I own, and THAT is NOT normal.  Usually I just want to hoard it.

I bought some Bliss ages ago and then decided to make a table runner for a friend.  It has sat around getting neglected for far too long.  I decided the other day to make a mess and cut out a bunch of stuff!  So I headed over to (another) Amy's blog to look at her easy quilted table runner tutorial.  SO easy!

So I hacked up lovingly cut up my fabric into strips.

Then I played with the layout.

Then I sewed it up!

I want to use the brown medallion for the binding (or the red), but I don't quite have enough.  I do however have enough to cut some more strips and put another one together~to keep!!  I love this fabric.

Thanks Amy for a quick and easy tutorial!  I'll share the finish on Sew & Tell soon!

I'm linking up with WIP Wednesday!  It's my first time!

{amylouwho} the day I left for the sewing summit/or almost thrifting

Do you get stressed out when you are getting ready to travel? I do! I have weird travel dreams about losing my passport, being in Paris without enough time, missing flights, etc... It was no different this time around.

I was anticipating flying with babylouwho, leaving brother and sisterlouwho with mrlouwho for the weekend, doing last minute laundry, dishes and meal prep. It was a lot to get done!! I tend to procrastinate packing as well. I had my bags mostly packed on Tuesday night, so guess what I did on Wednesday morning, before leaving at 3:00 pm for the airport? Shopping!!!

I'm sure I should have been home packing and cleaning, but I had a couple of IMPORTANT things to take care of! First off, I stopped at Hancock's to pick up some of this awesome burlap printed with black velvet damask.

I posted a picture on instagram a week or so earlier and my roommate Darci asked me to pick some up for her. I may have bought a little extra for me as well. It's just so striking! I love damask anyway, but the texture contrast is amazing! I'm thinking it would make a cool boxy zipper pouch.

Next up, I had to stop at Ross. A few weeks ago I got a call from a very sweet friend:

Friend: Amy, Ross has queen sized Amy Butler sheets for 30$, they are turquoise and yellow and I thought of you! I hid them behind the others if you want to go and get them. 
Me: NO WAY!!! 
Friend: Well, I'm still out, if you want I can go back and get them for you. You can't even buy that much fabric for $30. 
Me: I KNOW!! Yes! Please!

She dropped them off a few days later. Are you kidding me?!? I love them. And what a great friend!!

And I'm going to use them on my bed!

A week or so later I went back into Ross looking for birdcages. I found one! So cute! And also saw THE MATCHING COVERLET to the sheets for $35! I stewed about them for a week and had to go Wednesday for fear of someone else buying it up.

YAY!!! It was still there!

And then on further inspection they had a cute twin sized duvet cover. It didn't really match sisterlouwho's bedding though, but it was only $15. And then I realized it was made from her LOVE line that I used for babylouwho's quilt.

She doesn't need a twin sized duvet though. Well, not now anyway. :) Sold!

I'm so happy with it all! 400 thread count, organic cotton, over 1/2 off the original prices ~ It's almost like thrifting!

I called Kim and told her about and she checked out her Ross and found some too - so hurry out if you're interested!

Have you found any good deals lately?

{amylouwho} sew & tell: v3.4 ~ a skirt!

Welcome to sew & tell! Hope you found us okay, and I'm SO sorry about the mess with last week and my URL. Please note my new address is amylouwhosews.com.

It is especially important today to link back to this page so that everyone can know where to find us! I've updated the HTML for the sew & tell button on the side so you can just swap out your old button. But enough boring stuff...

I'm fresh off the heels of The Sewing Summit! Which I will be talking about some more until you want to run screaming to your nearest quilt shop just to get away from me. But seriously, what a great weekend and I came back SO inspired and motivated to start hacking up my fabric!

It's one thing to read a bunch of blogs and get inspired, it's a completely different and exhilarating thing to meet these bloggers in person and sew with them!

I finished my bee blocks during sewing time last Saturday night and started another dresden table topper/miniquilt. I then came home and cut strips for a table runner I've been meaning to make forever, and a skirt as a going away gift for a friend. So clearly when I say it was inspiring, it was! I wish I had all weekend to just sit around and play with fabric!

I have a dear friend that I've made this year who is moving today. :( It's a long story that maybe I'll blog about another time, but she gave me ...wait for it... HER SURFBOARD! I'm so stoked, dude, to like, start surfing next summer!

But seriously, it's amazing. I don't have a picture of it yet, but I will. I have to! It's my favorite color!! Anyway, that little scarf I made a couple weeks ago was for her, but I also wanted to make her a skirt.

I pulled out my trusty pattern and sized it up for her. I just loved this Amy Butler Bali Gates for her because of the color and it looked beachy to me. The oval in the pattern almost looks like a surfboard.

One of the things in our swag bags from The Sewing Summit were these cute little 'sprinkles' (tags) from Izzy and Ivy Designs. I love it! Now we can all find the backs of these skirts without have to check the seams!

So, what have you been up to this week?

Please follow the guidelines as spaces are limited - linky will close after the first 30 entries.

Linky Rules.  Please read carefully.  The delete monster will be eating non-compliant links.

1. Please write the post for sew & tell - or add a blurb mentioning sew & tell to a post written since the last sew & tell.  If you are linking to a post with your own tutorial, please make sure it was a finish from this week and that the completed project is shown first.

2. One linky per person. (please put multiple projects in one post.)

3. Link to your specific post.  (See here for permalink instructions - or email me.)

4. Link back here with a link or a button (HTML on my sidebar).

5. Be sure to visit and leave comments on other's posts!

{amylouwho} sewing summit - where to begin?

I'm still recovering from my whirlwind trip to Salt Lake City for the Sewing Summit last weekend!  I have been reading everyone's recap posts and reliving every lovely minute.  It's a little daunting trying to write my own, but I'm going to go for it.
***
I have to say, it was a little surreal. I walked into the opening meet and greet on Friday afternoon and thought, who are all of these people!?

I only recognized the handful of them that I already know.  But then, as I went around and introduced myself I found most conversations went like this:

me: Hi! I'm Amy, there's like 20 Amy's here.
person: Hi! I'm so-and-so.
blank stare.
me:  what's your blog name?
person:  suchandsuch.com
me: Oh my gosh! I know YOU!
***
It was really fun to put real faces with the very real friendships I've made through this wonderful blogging and sewing community.  As Amy and Erin said that night,

their vision for this weekend was to bring together everyone's online sewing friends so we could sew and chat and visit and laugh and be together in person!  It was a success!
***
I loved the classes I took and walked away with new ideas and techniques but mostly INSPIRED to get back on my machine and do things that I have been putting off for fear of messing them up. 

I took Dana 's social media and blogging class - I loved her message.  (another Amy on the left, Dana on the right - how did I miss a picture of the two of us!?)

Blog what you love, be real and it's not a numbers game.  I totally believe that.
***
Vanessa shared great tips on getting beautiful photos. (And she made that adorable skirt!)

And how to lose inches off your thighs in full body poses.  If I could explain it to you here I would.  Trust me, it was hilarious! and worked! And if you don't know V. she is hilarious!

We all loved Leigh's hand-pieced hexi quilt.
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I had to take a nap after lunch I was so tired from the 2 hour time difference AND staying up late.  It was just long enough to make it back down for my afternoon classes.
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Susan had us make some little zipper pouches which came in really handy on the way home.

I used the purple one for my phone and iPod (they didn't get lost!) and the blue one housed babylouwho's snacks for the long day on the plane.
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Amanda, aka Ms. McPorkchop, was inspiring and charming and funny and made me want to make a gazillion mini quilts!

At the beginning of the weekend I was telling people that I liked to quilt but had a hard time finishing them. 

After her class I realized that little quilts are still quilts! And often you can finish them in a couple of hours! How awesome is that?  I have a few ideas brewing already.
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Saturday night we spent in the sewing room.

It was full of humming machines, happy chatter and laughter! Just what the doctor ordered.

I finished my bee blocks for Rachel who was there! I didn't have to go to the post office, just walked over and handed them to her. Perfect.

And I really liked how they turned out! 

Amy worked on and finished this gorgeous top.

To be honest, I didn't get a lot of sewing done because I was having so much fun just visiting with everyone! I'm telling you, sewing with friends is the best!

I'm afraid of overwhelming you with too many pictures, so we'll stop here for today. I'll be sure to share more.  I took 2 other classes and acquired a lot more fabric!  Sew & Tell is happening tomorrow - See you then!