Learning, Teaching, Design, Etc.

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It was a crazy weekend last week! I attended the second Sewing Summit. There were no nights between Wednesday and Saturday that I went to bed before 3 am. I was either working feverishly to prepare or having too much fun sewing and gabbing with new and old friends. It was definitely a weekend to go down in the journal.

This was part of our amazing group of thrifters on Thursday afternoon. We all scored some amazing finds! From left: Maria, LisaHeather, me, KatieVeronica and Carrie. Photo by Katie.

I taught a design principles for bloggers lecture while I was there, sharing with fellow attendees my personal must and must nots of blog layouts. I had a great turn out (60+?), but several couldn’t make it due to scheduling. So I thought I’d do a ‘quick’ 28 minute recap for so you can glean from that lecture as well. If you want a personal design consultation, I’m now offering them here.

Basic Design Tips for Bloggers from melissapher on Vimeo.

While at Sewing Summit I made a table cloth, a skirt from a top, a maxi skirt for Penelope, two maxi skirts for me, I refinished the insides of a few of my handmade items, I made a pillow with an invisible zipper and four perfectly pointed quilt squares. I stayed BUSY! I took a serger class (maxi skirts with Leanne Barlow) and took advantage of the precious serger time and finished a bunch of outstanding projects with the Babylock sergers. They were dreamy and now I lust after one. I’m not sure that purchase will be in the near future, but at least I’m not so afraid of them anymore. Or invisible zippers (thanks to Miranda).

I had some awesome roommates, Miranda, Mim and Rach (not pictured). I could totally bust out my inner 12 year old around these awesome women. I definitely looking forward to next year.

And in other news:

Babble posted my blog as one of the top 50 design blogs for moms. I’m pretty excited about my major award and being listed among some really top notch reads. I discovered quite a few new-to-me reads there as well. You should check it out.

Valerie from DIY Bride interviewed me as part of her real DIYers series. I feel honored to have participated.

I share my current reads and obsessions in Mom’s Best Fall Mag (page 49).

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    1. Celeste says:

      Loved the interview on DIY Bride!

      Also, I’m totally coveting after a Baby Lock serger. My sewing teacher in college had a round table of SIX of them and they were so smooth!

    2. Miranda says:

      It was fantastic. And I love your inner 12 year old:)

    3. mandie says:

      Girl, you are on fire! I can’t wait to watch the video (after work, haha!). I’m hoping to log some hours in my friend’s sewing lunge on her serger soon….I have some knits that need to be turned into something. :)

    4. Leanne says:

      Dang you got a LOT done! By the time the day was over I was too tired to sew! It was so great getting to know you. I have admired your blog for a while and it was so great to get to know you in person and be introduced to the worlds best midget hot chocolate.

    5. Kristin says:

      Holy cow! That looks like a blast. I am in love with my serger…when it works. I have an old 5 thread baby lock that likes to throw the timing a lot, so I feel like it has a permanent date with the repair guy every six months. The video was great! Great, sound advice. I stopped reading any blog with comic sans or a cursive font as the content font or plays music. Drives me nuts. And don’t get me started on a few of those free background places. Visual abominations, I tell you.

    6. Lindsay says:

      I want to send EVERYONE to your blog to read just the “good” and “bad” fonts list. I hate Papyrus SO MUCH, and nobody seems to understand what is wrong with that font. OK, thanks for letting me vent. :)

    7. Gosh, it was a huge treat to room with you and get to know you in person! You were every bit as funny, silly, talented, smart, fashionable, and talented as I thought you’d be! Thanks so much for your tops on my blog, I will let you know once I get things fixed up. So glad I got to meet you! (and sorry i was so quite that one night- working on my class totally consumed me, haha)!

    8. Oh bother, sorry about all my typos. It was way too late when I was blog surfing last night. So… just for my brain’s sake… it is “tips,” and “quiet” and I used “talented” twice. Well, I guess that one wasn’t a typo, since you are extra double talented. :)

      Love all the pictures. Fun fun!

    9. Alyce says:

      As an international-er, thank you so much for sharing that video on here! Unless we move to America, there’s zip chance of me attending something like Sewing Summit, so I really appreciate the work you’ve done to make the video. Great points, I LOVE your honesty and fantastic tips – both Do’s and Don’ts!

    10. Congrats on being in the top 50 design blogs for moms!! You’ve been doing so much cool stuff! I look forward to watching the video- I really appreciate your design posts:)

    11. congratulations on all that awesome recognition. You deserve it. I am really glad you posted the recap of your class since I couldn’t get into it. I need serious help with my blog. Next year is gonna rock :)

    12. Noor says:

      Oh goodness you have me laughing with listen no one will listen to your music lol. Tell it sister! I know I STILL feel like I have to tell people this stuff but so many do not listen grr.

      btw ugh I agree about those ugly backgrounds. Who use those they are just gross. Hey were talking about you cutest blog on the blog and lelou blogs lol.

      The rainbow ha I am laughing and typing as I listen :p I have watermarks and those tumblr blogs just cut it off. omg I love how those fonts disgust me I have never met someone so much like me lol.

    13. Madeline says:

      Just watched the video & loved it! Good work.

      Seems like you have a million good things coming your way. I’m so happy for you. You deserve every one of them!

    14. samarahuel says:

      This video is so helpful! If it’s not too much trouble to post the list of your favorite resources or that slide from the video, it would be greatly appreciated!

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