In this tiny little town we now have 4 quilt guilds, but the one that started it all was the Preston Piecers. Last week they hosted an annual quilt show, as you may remember from either the internet where we announced it, or real life if you visited the show.  Just thought you might enjoy a few photos, including the Viewer’s Choice winners…

3rd Viewer’s Choice

Feathered Stars made by Gail Nye

2nd Viewer’s Choice

Plum Petals made by Ilene Peterson

1st Viewer’s Choice

Dear Jane made by Sue Baddley

 a few more that jumped out at me…

Stack 'n' Whack made by Doris Foster

X-Blocks made by Elva Merryweather

Wonky Block made by Adrienne Alvey

Ugly Green Meets Funky Yellow made by Barbara Reynolds

Birds & Berries made by Deonna Fuller

Flying Into Spring made by Dixie Rasmussen

You can see more photos from the show here.  It’s not everything of course, probably you’ll be able to sense the void which will compel you to visit the show next year.

Lucky us, that even out here in the country we have so many talented designers nearby.  We especially admire Jen Giddens, who designs some of our favorite bag patterns while attending university in a quite competitive program.  So that you could get to know her too, Jen was kind enough to answer some interview questions recently.  Read on and you’ll see why we think Jen is so awesome, and why we’re so excited for her upcoming workshop at Suppose!

Other than designing bag patterns, what do you spend your days doing?

The bulk of my time is spent doing school projects. I’m a junior in the Interior Design department at Utah State University. I love the creativity and practicality of my major, and I spend a lot of time perfecting projects and participating in school organizations. I also work for the USU Cooperative Extension program, where I write researched based documents and develop projects about clothing and textiles.

When I’m not working on patterns, school, or work I enjoy skiing, training for my second half marathon, baking oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, spending time with my husband and with friends, and drinking endless amounts of tea!

Where do you get design inspiration?

I hope that all of my patterns are a combination of aesthetics and function. This is true for interior design as well: for something to be truely beautiful, it must first satisfy its functional requirements. When I first develop a pattern, I ask myself what functions the bag should fulfill. Of course I think about how the bag will look, and it’s often a back and forth process as I move from function to aesthetics and back.

In terms of what inspires me in general, this is a tough question because my inspiration changes daily! I am inspired by images from interior design magazines, textiles, furniture, etc. I am also inspired by the natural world. I enjoy going to the library and checking out books about shells, seeds, corals, beetles, or whatever else strikes my fancy as I browse through the stacks.

What was the first thing you ever sewed? The last thing?

In Home Economics in middle school I sewed a pillow shaped like a jar that held a cute little felt bug! It was adorable, and I loved it until it was completely squished and flat. Most recently, I sewed a lovely gray linen dress with a ruffled collar.

What’s the hardest part about designing patterns?

The most difficult part about designing patterns is making sure that what I am thinking in my head is effectively communicated onto paper in my instructions. I wish I could invite you over to my house so we could sew together! Instructions seem so impersonal, and it is hard for me to bridge the gap sometimes.

What one sewing tip do you wish everyone knew?

Don’t be afraid to try new things and mess up! I am self-taught, and the way I do things might not necessarily be the way it is taught by some expert seamstresses. I have made SO many sewing mess-ups, but each time I learn something new that I can apply to my next project. Don’t be afraid to do things that aren’t by the book.

What one sewing tool can you not live without?

I absolutely love my Gingher scissors that my Grandma got me for Christmas years ago. They feel lovely in my hand and are a dream to cut with.

Any plans for other types of patterns in addition to bags?

Eventually, I would like to branch out into patterns for home use. I would like to make patterns for home organization and patterns for use in the kitchen. I have no concrete plans yet, but I do have pages of doodles in my sketchbook.

Can’t wait for those home org & kitchen patterns!

Jen will be teaching her most popular bag pattern in the Pleated Tote Workshop on Saturday, April 17 at 10:00am Suppose. See more about the class here and more of Jen’s bag patterns here.

Last friday there was exactly one month left of summer, till the September equinox marks the beginning of Autumn.  It was a good day to celebrate summer by having a visit from Julie Popa, the designer behind the Sunshine Serenade fabric collection, Sunflower Hill Designs patterns, and books such as Young at Heart Quilts and A Fresh Look at Seasonal Quilts.  Our customers were able to have a little discussion session with Julie and her fabulous mom Yvonne, where we learned all about Julie’s design process, her inspirations, and her future plans.  Their big task for the day was choosing a winner of our block contest in which local quilters made blocks using Sunshine Serenade fabric.  Glory and prizes went to Loenza for her basket block!

Though not usually a fan of baskets, Loenza thought the fabric called for it, and Julie & Yvonne agreed.  They loved the stripes, the engaging effect of the yo-yo flowers and leaves, and thought the 3-D appliqued butterfly gave it the fun the fabric was meant to inspire.  (It’s not obvious in the photo, but the butterfly is attached as though it was a real butterfly landing on the basket.)  We were truly impressed with the creativity of all the block contest entries and are so proud of our imaginative customers!  And we are especially lucky to have Julie and her talent nearby to encourage us in our drive to create. Thanks to everyone for making it a great day!

Here in Preston we have started a new sewing & quilting guild called Suppose Creative Guild. But like a dummy, I haven’t taken any photos at our meetings so far.  Last week we made the patchwork pincushions I blogged about here, and this week we will meet and start making memberships official.  We have a killer presidency to lead us, which I’m really excited about.  Lauree, our president, made this dress and purse for her little girl out of fabric from Erin McMorris’ Park Slope line.  The birds are especially perfect because her name is Wren. Can you even stand how adorable that is?

So if you live in the Preston area and are interested in getting together with other sewists and quilters, learning new things, and just having fun, consider coming to the guild.  Here is some helpful information about Suppose Creative Guild:

• We will hold a business meeting on the first Thursday of each month at 7pm in the Suppose classroom.  We won’t be sewing at this meeting, but will have show & tell, refreshments, and take care of other business.
• Optional classes will be offered during the other weeks on topics nominated by members.  These classes can be taught by our members or outside teachers, and may range in cost from free to a nominal fee.
• We will have opportunities to take field trips together for exhibits, shop hops, etc.; participate in humanitarian service, and any other grand schemes we come up with.
• All levels of sewing experience are welcome.
• Yearly dues are $20, which will cover costs of meeting space and give us a budget for teachers, events, etc.
• You may attend one meeting for free before choosing to join and pay dues.
• Email with questions or to be put on the guild email list.

So, this Thursday May 7 at 7:00 pm we will hold the monthly business meeting for May in the Suppose classroom.  Our presidency will be introducing themselves and Lauree is bringing refreshments (she is an excellent cook). Afterwards, those who are interested are invited to the Thomas home to watch the season premiere of the new fashion design competition show on Bravo, the Project Runway knock-off  The Fashion Show.  We’ll give directions at the meeting. See you there!

One of our local Preston creatives, Abby Chase Designs, had contrived an handy travel toothcare kit out of our Anna Maria Horner oilcloth, which you can check out on her blog.  We have been drawn to this extra-wide laminated fabric and thought of using it to make lunch bags, makeup bags, tablecloths, and coaster, and there’s another great idea!  Has anyone seen or come up with some other good uses for oilcloth?