Tuesday, November 15, 2016

SewPro Stars Blog Hop

Today is my stop on the SewPro Stars blog hop! Welcome! 

Thank you to Andi and Jessica for organising the hop to keep the momentum from SewPro going. They have also assembled a giveaway prize package, so be sure to read to the end to participate in that, as well as a Canuck Quilter Designs pattern giveaway.


Just when I was feeling really negative about the business side of my pattern design business late last spring, I stumbled across a reference to SewPro.  The convention website promised presentations on various issues I had been struggling with.  It's like the internet read my mind and threw that across my path.  Off I went for a few days in September. I met inspiring, creative people and soaked up lots of advice and information from industry rock stars. Do Pat Sloan and Tula Pink ring any bells? Then I came home and tried to digest all I had learned and figure out what I am going to do with it all.



Here's the quilting that came out of all that.  It represents the equilibrium I'm striving for.  This quilt now lives on the wall in my work space to remind me to work on all the pieces, not just the fun bits.


This little quilt has a lot to say, starting with the colors. The schedule at SewPro was color coded to let us know which path a particular session would be most useful for: pink for pattern design, green for fabric design, blue for publishing, yellow for blogging and social media.  Grey sessions were relevant to all four paths.


If you have followed this blog, you know me.  I love color! I couldn't stick to just one color.  I hopped all over that color-coded schedule. It became pretty clear to me that the pattern designing I enjoy needs to lean heavily on blogging and social media and publishing, and yes, fabric lines, for their marketing. No marketing means no pattern line.  All of these pieces need to work together which is why my little squares are all leaning against each other, holding each other up.


I'm still processing all the information I brought home.  I'm figuring out what I can realistically accomplish in the time I can devote to my business.  I'm deciding which pieces feel true to who I am and how I work (thank you Tula Pink for that little gem I took away from your vastly entertaining keynote). I'm confident I'll eventually find balance.  From comparing experiences with other attendees, I've realized I have already come a long way from the first free pattern I offered up 4 years ago and that there isn't a single path to success, or even a single definition of success. Though I was leaning towards closing up shop last spring, I have gotten a second wind and I'll keep taking little steps to keep building up Canuck Quilter Designs.


And (thank you Pat Sloan) I'm going to try to work smarter, not harder, starting with this blog hop!  I really wanted to offer a tutorial for new and returning visitors to this blog, but I just wasn't able to put one together without giving up on sleep altogether.  But wait!  I have several tutorials available already!  I added prairie points to this quilt, just for you, to encourage you to check out all the tutorials I have available, starting with my series on using prairie points in your quilts.

Thanks for visiting.  Please pop over to visit more SewPro Stars this week.
 

Monday Nov 14
Sherri Noel - Rebeccamaedesigns.com
Andi Stanfield - http://truebluequilts.com

Tuesday Nov 15
Pam Cobb & Lynn Rinehart - http://www.thestitchtvshow.com
Joanne Kerton - www.canuckquilter.com

Wednesday Nov 16
Carmen Ross - seecarmensew.com
Jessica Caldwell - www.desertbloomquilting.com
Pamela Morgan - mysweetlittlestitches.com

Thursday Nov 17
Maryanna Powell - www.marvelousauntiem.com
Lissa LaGreca - lovinglylissa.com

Friday Nov 18
Becca Fenstermaker - prettypiney.com
Trinia Braughton - www.penguinfeats.com

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GIVEAWAYS

And now for the giveaways.  First, mine.  Do you think it' a coincidence that the last day of SewPro was the 4th anniversary of my very first pattern release?  I released the free pattern for my String of Diamonds placemats on September 18th, 2012.  To celebrate, I'm going to give away one Canuck Quilter Designs PDF pattern to each of four winners.  Here's how to enter:
  • Click on the PDF Patterns tab at the top of this page to go peruse the selection, then come back and tell me in a comment which one you would choose if you win.
  • For a second chance, tell me how you follow my blog.
  • For a third chance, share about this post on social media (FB, Instagram etc) and come back and tell me about it.
I'll use a random number generator to draw four numbers on November 22nd, and the corresponding numbered comments will win. Make sure I have a way to contact you.  If I can't email you if I draw your number, I'll draw a new number.  Also be sure to answer the question.  If I draw your number and I find you didn't tell me what pattern you would choose, I'll draw a new number.

The SewPro Stars giveaway is a bit more high-tech using the Rafflecopter entry below.  As I understand it, you have up to 23 entries to win fabric bundles and patterns, and the drawing will be on November 19th.   Have fun hopping!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


34 comments:

  1. I would chose Snow Dreams if I won a free PDF pattern. It's a beautiful pattern. All your patterns are wonderful.

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  2. I have your blog listed in a blog roll on my blog. That's how I follow you.

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  3. What wonderful timing! Sounds like it was a fun event. And that quilt is so cute! Very bright and cheery.

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  4. Joanne! I love your little quilt! It really pulls Sew Pro together in a very visual way. You did an excellent job! It was so great meeting you and fun to relive the memories through this blog hop.

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  5. Love your spin on the colors of the Sew Pro Tracks!!! Super Cute!

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  6. I love your Autumn Moons pattern

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  7. Your quilt is so pretty and perfect for your sewing room. All of your quilts are wonderful!

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  8. I really like your Wandering Geese pattern (it was very hard to choose - they are all great).

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  9. I have your blog included on my favorites list on my blog.

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  10. A truly delightful post! You've gained such insight since your 'excursion' and I'm excited for you! It was difficult to choose a favorite, but Autumn Moons really catches my attention. Good luck on your new old adventure! XO

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  11. I follow you off the side bar on my blog. Speaking of blogs, I love your new header!

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  12. All your patterns are lovely. I'm glad you're not quitting. I am just finishing up writing my first for sale quilt pattern, almost at the testing stage. You have been an inspiration.

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  13. I did share your post on FB this morning!

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  14. Wow, you have quite a collection of gorgeous patterns available! If I had to pick just one, it would be Hoarfrost.

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  15. I follow your blog on my blogger dashboard/GFC.

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  16. I love your project that's so cute! and yes, Pat's advice was awesome!!! :)

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  17. Wandering geese is a favorite of mine.

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  18. I think my fav is Quilters Scrapbag. I flow you by email.

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  19. I like all of your patterns, but finally decided on Snow Dreams if I am the winner.

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  20. I follow you via email and blog lovin.

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  21. I'd pick your Blaze pattern.
    jen dot barnard at btinternet dot com

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  22. I follow you on bloglovin'.
    jen dot barnard at btinternet dot com

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  23. Great job Joanne. Your patterns are lovely!! We still haven't been in touch since Sew Pro, but we will soon. We still have an interview to do!!

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  24. Wow! I love how you used the colors from the Sew Pro Schedule to make such a darling quilt! I took a class many years ago with prairie points, I'll have to dig up that UFO and refresh my skills. Thanks for sharing.

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  25. This little quilt sounds like a great reminder for you. The prairie points were the first thing I noticed. :)

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  26. So hard to choose! I have so many of your wonderful designs already =) Wandering Geese I think for my chance. Now to go back and get Star steps finished, quilt quilters scrapbook and finish some snowflakes to put Hoarfrost together and a snowflake tablerunner...... I do use the placemats I made with the flying geese all year on the table =) Oh, I have you on the sidebar on my blog... so I see your new posts =).

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  27. Joanne!!!! I just absolutely LOVE the quilt you made to have as a reminder from Sew Pro!! The colors you used are brilliant and the four squares stabilizing each other!! LOVE!!! Don't give up and I'm so glad you went to Sew Pro, it spoke to my soul too! I think it's great we get to be reminded all about Sew Pro through this blog hop just two months after we were all together!!!! We need to keep this up!!! You are an excellent pattern designer and have great tutorials. Way to go!

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  28. I love all the symbolism you packed in there! Beautiful quilt.

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  29. I don't doubt that the pieces will fall into place Joanne now that these insights. The convention seems to have been most useful and there's a lot to be said from studying the journeys of those who have gone before you.

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  30. So happy you didn't give up!! Love your how your blocks are helping each other out....great collaboration!! Super cute quilt pattern!

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