Hello Sewing Friends!
 
As a sewing educator I’m on a continual quest to help fellow sewing enthusiasts fill their world with pretty stitches! It’s my ultimate goal to help you make the most of your sewing machines each and every time you have the opportunity to sew!

It's amazing how many sewing sites, online magazines, and DIY YouTube channels are out there! They're all filled with colorful pictures and promises to fulfill your wildest sewing dreams and expectations. To be sure, we live in a time when sewing is not only considered a valuable skill, but an artistic endeavor we can enjoy while sewing solo or as part of a group. Thanks to the Internet, creativity is just a click away. Without a doubt, there has never been so much information available to us by simply tapping on a screen or typing on a keyboard. With all that’s out there, it can be easy to get lost in this maze of information.

So, where do you go when you need a little boost of creativity and inspiration? While I often fly solo when working and play in my sewing space, I find myself greatly inspired by the enthusiastic sewing people I meet, students who attend my classes and events, and folks like you that I have the privilege of interacting with on a regular basis online! I love hearing from you, whether it’s a comment at the end of a blog post, an email, Facebook post, an in-person event, etc., etc., etc.! Of course, some of you are local and we regularly get to have that precious face to face time together. Whether I get to see you often in person or connect via the internet airwaves, I want you to know that your comments and questions keep me energized, spur me on to new sewing explorations and keep me on the hunt for new discoveries to share with all of you, my near and far away sewing friends.
 
Thinking about where and how we gain sewing knowledge and inspiration these days, I have a few questions for you to ponder. Question one is this, what avenues do you explore when you’re searching for sewing inspiration? Second, where do you find yourself searching for sewing solutions when you are stumped on a particular project or sewing task? Last but not least, what kind of sewing instructions do you prefer to purchase and have on hand for future reference? Today I’m asking you to participate in a short survey and inviting you to share your answers to these pressing questions. Thanks for playing along! 

Are you ready for this short survey? I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Let’s get started!

Answering all three questions for this survey should only take a few minutes. When you're finished, click SUBMIT at the bottom of the page so I can view your answers. All results are anonymous :-) I'd love to read your comments in the comment section too!

It's a wrap! Take a look at all these happy faces on Friday inside the It's Sew Easy TV studio at KS Productions. Here I am with the majority of the wonderful crew as they finished a great week taping the new series.

Here you see the set all quiet and serene after the last guest instructor packed up her fabric pieces and headed for a well deserved lunch break. Believe it or not, we taped a full seven segments on Friday and ended at mid-day.

Did someone say lunch? A Mexican feast was ready to be devoured after expending lots of energy in the studio. 

This is the "green room" where guests prep for each segment. Normally a buzz of activity and full of fabric pieces and projects, this is a typical Friday scene where everything, and I mean everything, is packed up and put away, leaving the room ready for whatever comes next at KS Productions. Numerous creative shows are produced here all year long. One day I plan to write more about each one and give you and even bigger behind the scenes view.

This photo of part of the control room gives you a teeny glimpse into the heart of the studio. It's a small room compared to the grander parts of the studio. This all-important tech center is where Executive Producer Katherine Stull, and Director Mike Murphy can be found while the show is taped. Kara White would normally be "assistant directing" at Mike's side but she had slipped away before I got to snap this photo. I've been inside this room just once while the action took place on set. To say that the orchestration that occurs in this room is fast paced would be an understatement! It seemed more to me like they are working to corral lightning and thunder all at once while directing multiple cameras and guiding the presenter through the timing of their individual segments. It's an amazing feat that happens time and time again, bringing you the sewing information you are used to enjoying as you watch It's Sew Easy TV.

It took me two days to complete the seven segments I was scheduled for this time around. On Thursday I had great fun with my friend Reen Wilcoxson. Here we are in the make-up room after getting our show faces painted on. Reen was there for her debut taping and I got to watch from the green room as she glided through her segments like she had a million under her belt. Many of you are familiar with Reen's in-the-hoop creations at embroiderygarden.com. Just wait till you get the chance to see her stitch on TV!  

I was also thrilled to see my special friend Michelle on Thursday. Michelle's up-cycled inventions are always a joy to behold and the stories behind her fashions are quite mesmerizing. Coincidentally, we've been at the studio three times together.

Sarah Thomas and I met for the first time. Full of smiles, with a great teaching style, you'll see her quilt themed segments when the series comes out this summer.

Since I had some time before my own taping, I helped Michelle set up for some free motion stitching during one of hers. Take a look at the new Brother ​Dream Carousel Cabinet paired with the BQ2450. It's something new you'll see this season. This special cabinet has quite an appeal for quilting enthusiasts and those who love free motion stitchery of any kind. 

We did have an "unexpected guest" show up in the entryway, but he/she never made it past the front door since it was obvious this guest had no sewing experience and therefore no business being at the It's Sew Easy studio LOL!

On Friday I got acquainted with  Ebony Love from lovebugstudios.com. I got to watch her zip through several segments all in a row. I can't tell you what she made on set, but I can tell you that you are going to LOVE what she presented. 

Ebony packed up her gear faster than me but by early afternoon we were all heading home. I left energized from having the opportunity to share the love of sewing in anticipation of sharing it with It's Sew Easy viewers like you!

Early this summer I'll be able to reveal all, so stay tuned and get ready for more sewing fun when series 1700 debuts!

Ready for some sweet February projects? 

​As you can see, this list covers a lot! If you pop over to Brothersews.com you can check out their current offering for a Free Trial Download of SABESLET4. You'll need to scroll all the way to the bottom of their web page to see the offering.

Next, you'll find a post featuring the most famous mouse couple of all! This Disney Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse pillow is made from a sweatshirt and closed up in the back with a shoe lace! Click on the pillow picture to view and download instructions.

About the only thing I can think of to make this more cute would be to have their tails intertwined! This is just one design in an adorable collection called Disney Mickey and Minnie in Love. Check it out on the Brother design download site, iBroidery.com.

The final heart themed item for February is a framed piece stitched with decorative frames built-in to Brother machines, built-in lettering fonts, and a free antique key design. Click on the photo to view the project and you'll find a link to download the Free .pes embroidery design. I made this with two dear friends in mind. This special couple will know who they are when they land on this post :-)

I had so much fun creating each and every one of these! I must say that I never tire of stitching hearts, not just this month but all year long! I hope your February is filled with lots love and lots of pretty stitches!

Questions? Comments? I'd love to hear form you.