I went to the show on Thursday and Friday. It was fun to see new vendors, and of course, there were quite a few I was familiar with already. The machine purchase was pretty much an impulse buy. I decided to check out the Janome Skyline 7 because of the high recommendation of my blog friend Wendy;) I was just looking, seriously I was just going to look. The more the demonstrator showed me, the more I thought I'd like to have that as a secondary machine for mainly applique and just leave it set up. It has a couple great features that would make my applique life easier, and it seems I have been doing a lot of applique in the last 2-3 years. One of them is the button to push that lifts your pressure foot up when you stop the machine, easy to pivot without manually lifting the foot. And the other is when coming to a corner, when you push the button for cornering it will corner with your stitches looking right. Sorry I don't know enough yet about the machine to tell you more details.
After the quilt show I zipped down to Carlsbad CA to visit Island Batik headquarters. You already know how much I love their fabrics and love being an ambassador for them. I couldn't be that close and not visit, kinda a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. The owner, Caleb gave me a great tour with all the luscious fabric staring back at me. It was pretty hard not to drool, LOL. Here are a couple pix for you to enjoy.
All of the fabrics has a place and everything in it's place. The fabrics are all made in Indonesia, and then all the fabrics that will be sold to shops in the US are shipped to Carlsbad, any sold to other countries are shipped from Indonesia. I hear there is a video being made to show the process involved in making the fabrics. As soon as I hear it is ready I will post a link to it. Each collection has it's own area. Blenders, neutrals, and precuts have their own space too.
The owner of Island Batik, Caleb Willis, and I in the Island Batik Headquarters. It was such an honor to be able to meet him and see where all of the luscious fabrics are just waiting to ship out to a shop near you. If your shop doesn't carry Island Batiks, be sure to ask them to!
Okay peeps I need some serious sewing time now!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh you are so lucky! First, congratulations on your new Janome and second, what a great opportunity to visit Island Batik. I look forward to the video link.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new machine! That is exciting! And how fun to go to the Island Batik headquarters - that's the perfect field trip for you, Vicki.
ReplyDeleteFun to see your new machine, sitting there so pretty! I didn't know about the corner applique thing. We'll have fun comparing notes, I think! Glad you were able to take the Island Batik tour too!
ReplyDeleteThree neat things from you, Vicki--Road to CA show, new sewing baby, and personal quilt warehouse tour!!! Sew much fun!!!
ReplyDeleteAlmost a year ago I bought a machine on impulse too from a show. I had no intention of getting it either. Glad you enjoyed the show and the Island Batik tour.
ReplyDeleteA fabric warehouse is my kind of room! I would just love to sit in a room full of organized fabric!!! I think that's my happy place. I love my Janome, expecially the scissor button. Couldn't live without it anymore.
ReplyDeleteHi Vicki! What a fun post. Of course you couldn't be that close to IBA headquarters without popping in for a visit. Wow - all that goodness in stacks and stacks. I can't say I'm surprised that you were tempted into letting the Janome come home with you. I think you really love all of its features. Nice!! ~smile~ Roseanne
ReplyDeleteLook at you, hob nobbing with fabric celebrities! Looks like you had a wonderful time taking the tour. Did you get to run your hands over those stacks and stacks of batiks? Oh, and the new Janome!! Wow, what an impulse buy! I hope that means that you're selling so many of your finishes that a splurge was a proper reward :)
ReplyDeleteHey Vicki! So you have a new baby! How are you two getting along? :D
ReplyDeleteJealous! How fun!
ReplyDeleteHave fun learning how to use your new machine.
ReplyDeleteNew machines are always so much fun. My family loves Carlsbad. (But that is to visit Legoland.)
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