Embroidery Party

This past weekend, Elizabeth attended the Anita Goodesign Embroidery Party at All Brands Sewing Center in Richmond, VA, hoping to continue to power past that creative slump.  Where better to go than a strip mall in Virginia with a cactus sign? 

It was a fun day and she had never been to this type of event before.

One of the great things about the day was that you only had to bring yourself!  No supplies and no sewing machine.  Everything was provided; including lunch.

The day was very interactive with the group voting by using a clicker system on four of sixteen possible projects plus voting on three educational topics.  Our class voted to make a ribbon applique block (although it is a bit hard to see the ribbon in the photo):

a zippered bag:

a free motion quilt block:

and a Heat and Shrink applique (Heat and Shrink is a product by Floriani).  

You use the heat and shrink like you would use batting and then shrink it with a steam iron until it has the texture you would like.  

For our education segments we voted to learn about monograms, stabilizer and embroidery as fine art.  Even though there is not time in one day to make all 16 projects and hear all the information, all the project designs and topics are included in the CD for the party and a magazine with step by step pictures of everything is included.

It was all so well organized and each section was just the right length with shopping and lunch breaks in between projects.  Sarah, the Anita Goodesign educator, also brought along hundreds and hundreds of design packages you could buy.  The choice was almost overwhelming and the pricing was as low as you will ever see designs by this company.  During the workshop, three people sit at each machine and take turns stitching the projects. Everyone has a kit with the fabric so you keep the one you stitched and then you can make the others on your own after class.  It worked out well and I enjoyed meeting my sewing mates, Joyce and Joy. 

If you ever get the chance to go to an event by Anita Goodesign it is well worth it.  Elizabeth had such a good time, she signed up for another class in December.  She is determined to banish the creative slump!