So what do Minnesota designers do on their day off? Heck ... they hang out at my place!! Well ... not all the time but they did last Tuesday. It started out with Celine and Gudrun coordinating a day to come visit my workshop in White Bear Lake ... and turned into a 'if two designers are good then twenty-five are even better' kind of a thing. It was one of those spur of the moment can you come things ... half the number invited were able to drop everything and join us. And what a day it was!
It took us two and half HOURS to get around the table doing introductions!! Someone would make a comment about themselves and we'd be off and running on a totally different conversation. Everything from fabric design to trade shows to customers questions to 'exactly what do those quilters want'. Seems like half of them were Home Ec teachers of some sort ... just like our Monday blogger. The backgrounds of others ... including our Thursday blogger who came from the toy industry to the quilting industry ... were totally amazing. Lots of us started at home with kids under our feet and our sewing space in the kitchen so we could keep track of them. A weird observation on my part is that I've been in the industry longer than any one of them ... including Lynette Jensen from Thimblerries and Linda Hohag from Brandwine Designs ... who it seems I've been looking up to for advice my entire quilting career. How did that happen?
So then it was time to hustle them out the door for lunch at the Avalon Tea Room. Here they are turning the corner in front of Bear Patch Quilting ... Debbie was vacationing and Laurel was teaching a class or we would have picked them up. Look at that woman looking at them ... can't you just see her mind churning ... isn't this a gaggle of Minnesota quilt designers? I know that's what she's thinking. Seriously.
Ahhhh ... lunch at the tea room ... doesn't it look wonderful? It was! Pasta with chicken and dried cherries ... a melty scone ... fresh fruit including blackberries ... strawberry iced tea. Not to mention more conversation swirling around. I found out so many intersting things!!
Back to the workshop for an afternoon craft ... and lots of laughs! Someone didn't follow directions and had to sew her papers together ... but that's ok because I sew paper together all the time. It's very fun! We were making paper covered composition books. (You can find my directions for them on OLFA's web site.)
They had the option of making a tag for the front of their book ...
... or they could could make a crepe paper rosette ... one of my personal favorites. Rosette's are all the rage with the paper-crafting girls.
I even let them use my Crop-a-dile. I can hear you scrapbooking girls snickering ... it was like handing a rotary cutter to a knitter. c.l.u.e.l.e.s.s.
The end result is all that matters, though. Now they all have something to take notes in at our next get together! I can't wait ...
I loved my time in your workshop at the designers day out. Thanks so much for sharing your time and space with us. It was fun getting to know you better too!
Posted by: Jamie Kalvestran | 05 July 2009 at 06:58 PM
Ohhh..looks like a fabulous day... and I love the books you made!!! Gorgeous!!! :o))
Posted by: Stina | 29 June 2009 at 05:07 AM
Sounds like a fun day! I would have loved to be a fly on the wall!
Posted by: Carol R | 28 June 2009 at 11:38 PM
Just love your shop and hope to get there again soon!
Posted by: Judy Heinen | 28 June 2009 at 07:03 PM
Pat ... if you can't use your book then I guess you'll have to make another! I have the same problem.
Celine ... we have been right on the money about so many things ... cracks me up that you did the same theme in your post!
Diane ... I am in Minnesota! And a designer, too. Looks like you're the one who's is going to have to pack the car and move to us. The tea room is really a great place to eat ... we were in the gift shop part of it ... the other side is like a little tea shop you'd find in England. Stinkin' cute!
Posted by: Roseann | 28 June 2009 at 12:49 PM
Oh what a fun day you had. I love my notebook so much that I can't bring myself to use it!!!
Posted by: Pat | 28 June 2009 at 11:47 AM
Are we twins separated at birth? Check out my post for today!
Celine
Posted by: Celine Perkins | 28 June 2009 at 11:20 AM
Hi--I guess I will have to become a designer and move to Minnesota or maybe you have to move to Minnesota and then you can become a designer--BECAUSE lunch at that tea room sure looked yummy!!!!!! smiles, just, Di
Posted by: Diane Cannon | 28 June 2009 at 11:07 AM