This Tuesday, registration opens up for Sewing Summit 2012. Especially for newer readers of this blog, I'd like to take some time today to talk about what Sewing Summit is! I'll be working on projects for my class all throughout the year getting ready for this great event! So, let's go!
What is Sewing Summit?
Sewing Summit is a sewing and blogging conference for the modern sewist! If you're connected online and you love sewing, this is your event! There will be classes, speakers, sewing, and time to just hang out with friends (new and old!). Really though, it's so much more than that. It's like the internet in real life, connecting and meeting friends, getting inspired, collaborating on projects during sewing time. A giant slumber party sewing weekend!
Where is Sewing Summit?
This years event is being held in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah at the Little America Hotel, October 11th-13th, 2012. The hotel is beautiful! The rooms are spacious and well cared for, and the food was great too! The city itself is fantastic. The airport is only a few minutes from downtown, and there are lots of great shops and restaurants! There was no shortage of modern fabric in this city, that's for sure! On top of that, there are cute yarn shops, good thrifting, and lots more. Plus, the mountains are breathtaking!
For more information on the hotel, city, and transportation see here.
What type of classes can I expect?
Last year there was a great range of classes, and this year's class offerings are going to be even more diverse! From quilting to home dec to bags and garment sewing, you'll find all types of sewing here! I took classes on free-motion quilting, bag making, improv piecing, mini quilts, and an author's panel! And this year there is going to be a whole extra day of classes! :)
For a better idea of what classes to except this year, take a look at this year's teachers here!
I don't know anyone, will I still have fun?
Absolutely! And the great part is, the event is still 7 months away, so there is plenty of time to get to know other attendees! I'd recommend joining the flickr group and introducing yourself! Honestly, even if you come to the event not knowing anyone, I think you'll find this is a great weekend to make new friends. There were a lot of people I didn't know until I met them at last year's event!
Do I need to bring my sewing machine?
Only if you want to! The conference is going to be equipped with sewing machines for you to use! These rooms last year were fantastic! Great machines that were used for the classes and then available for use in the evenings for open sewing time!
For answers to lots more questions, see their FAQ page!
My Experience
Sewing Summit 2011 was one of the most fun weekends ever! Getting to meet all my online friends in person, being around like-minded creative people, was simply amazing. It made me realize how important and valuable it is to get together in person with other sewers. Because of Sewing Summit, I drive 3 hours to Iowa every month or so to get together with friends. It's worth every minute of driving time. For me, this makes the cost of flying out to Salt Lake City in October, worth every penny. It's a really special event, and I'm honored to be teaching again this year.
For a full recap of my experience last year, see this post and this one. Check out this Sewing Summit Pinterest board for more recaps of last year's event!
As I mentioned, this Tuesday, April 3rd at 9am MST, registration opens. The first 50 tickets will receive $50 off, so act fast! You can find the registration page here. For more information about Sewing Summit 2012, I highly recommend visiting their website, signing up for their newsletter, and following them on Facebook, Twitter and now Pinterest!
I hope to see you there! :)