Innovations 2009

Innovations, the machine quilting conference in Tacoma, WA is starting today!

This is not just a quilt show, it is a place to take classes on machine quilting.  Short arm, mid arm, and long arm, it all applies.  This year there are classes specific to short arm machines that I did not see last year.  Of course, vendors are setup, and you can try out just about any machine in which you are interested.

I will be attending several classes, as well as helping Sally Terry with her class about creating or improving your web presence.  I am really looking forward to the experience!

Cindy Roth, the organizer of the conference, is teaching a class on how to use templates, and I am very excited about that class.  I don’t have a lot of template rulers, but I want to know which ones I’m most likely to use, and then buy them.  Cindy has her own line of  circle rulers, which I can’t wait to see put into action.

The Innova dealer, Cindi Rang, will also be here, and I’m hoping to see the ruler attachment that ABM has come out with.  From what I’ve read, it frees up your hands so you can concentrate on your work.  I’m interested to see how it might also help with curved arcs, if it does.  I’m also interested in seeing if they have a solution for doing pantos from the front of the machine.  If they do (I know there’s a laser light that can go up front) then I can push the machine against the back wall and free up another 2 feet of space!

There are so many classes I wanted to take, I just had to pare them down to allow time to enjoy the quilt show that is also part of this conference.

And, I can’t wait to meet up with the friends I met from last year!  They are a pack of talented ladies, all very accomplished quilters, and they are loads of fun.

I am pretty lucky, because a friend I’ve known for 20 years lives in Tacoma, and she graciously allows me to stay with her while the conference is going on, and I can take the bus to the Convention Center.

Classes start this morning, and the show opens in the afternoon.  People can still come to take classes, so if you suddenly get a bug, and you are in the Tacoma area, stop by!