Market Bag and Using up my Stash

Hi friends!

Last week I had a chance to do some sewing for fun. Well mostly for fun. Annie’s contacted me and asked if I wanted to participate in their Annie’s Market Bag Summer Adventures! And if you know me, you know I said yes!

 

So what is this Annie’s Market Bag Summer Adventures? Well Annies is offering a free pattern for their Market bag. To get the pattern, go to Annie’s Facebook page and join their Quilting Group. They will have the information their inside the group. But don’t wait! The pattern is only free until July 14th!

 

Then make the market bag. Easy peasy. The bag is super fun to make. I think the quilting I decided to do was the longest part! It looks good though doesn’t it? I just taped off lines using blue painter’s tape and then sewed next tot he line the width of my presser foot away. Easy to follow and if I wobbled a bit here and there, well, since it is a squiggly line, it is hard to tell!

 

And here is my finished market bag.

 

For my market bag, I used a charm pack out of my stash called Bright Sun and it is just perfect for this bag. Feels like a summer bag doesn’t it?

 

I bet you have a charm pack in your stash perfect for this! Or maybe you can go do little shopping- charm packs are just like potato chips- you can’t buy just one!

Kira is ready to go shopping – she’ll help you pick out your charm pack for your market bag!

 

Guild Lecture

Speaking of stashes, this evening I am headed down to Colorado Springs to speak at the Colorado Spring Quilts Guild at the Central United Methodist Church. My topic will be about using your stash. This should be fun! It is a dinner meeting and I get to speak while they eat.

Will I see you there?

Have you ever wondered what it takes for a a quilter to get ready for a lecture? I had someone once say, well, you only speak for an hour, what’s the big deal? And she was right! The speaking is only a small piece of the story. The process begins way before that!

It starts with emails and contracts. Then proposals on lecture topics and classes ideas. 

Then it is deciding on the quilts for the lecture. What quilts will you use for this lecture? I never use the same exact group twice. There are always new quilts to add! So I need to figure out which ones I want to bring. And I always want to bring more than I can stuff in to my suitcases!

Then, do you have all the quilts for that lecture? Are any loaned out to shops and will they be back in time or can you contact the shop? 

Then it is prepping the items for sale. Do you have the patterns that go along with the quilts you are bringing? Do you need to print any or have them printed? Fold, pack and stuff patterns?

 

Don’t forget the lecture prep! Now that you know the quits you are bringing, time to created new notes and practice what you will say.

Then, it is time to pack for the big day. First you have to haul out the suitcases. For me, if I am doing a lecture I can drive to, I bring 3 suitcases of quilts! Then, once I get all the quilts together, I make piles, decide on the order to show, pack them according to order in the suitcases. 

 

Pack the patterns and other items for sale. Get cash from the bank. Charge up the iPad to run credit cards. Put together items for a giveaway.

Haul everything out to the car and figure to how to fit it all in. Phew. 

Now I can go give my 1 hour lecture.

THE BEST PART!

And that is why I do this, because I love chatting with and meeting other quilters. 

So I hope to see you tonight and if not, maybe another time. I have to stop typing now. I have quilts to stuff in suitcases!

happy quilting!

Kate

p.s. Don’t forget to grab the Market Bag pattern while it is free!