Monday, August 6, 2012

Anna Maria Horner in Colorado!

Multi-Tasker Tote

I guess I have to dust off my blog, whew.  I had such a great weekend meeting Anna Maria Horner that I had to share.  I've been sewing a long time so I find it hard to take classes, there aren't a lot of major skills I need to learn, it's more that I need to practice the ones I know but when I heard Ms. AMH would be in Denver, I signed up for the Multi-Tasker Tote bag class she was teaching at Fancy Tiger.

First, I attended the meet and greet Friday night which was a laid back event where Anna Maria was available to chat.  When I walked into Fancy Tiger, I saw the two owners in the back of the store and went back to say hello, kind of ignored the tall woman next them and then OMG, it was Anna Maria!  I pretty much acted like she was Brad Pitt or something, embarrassing.  Anyway, she has such a great personality I'm sure it went right over her head how silly I was.


 Anna Maria Horner!
 Fancy Tiger had her new fabric line Field Study for sale, as well as lots of cute things they had already made from it.

(I bought the pattern for the dress Jaime is wearing on the right, it's the Painted Portrait pattern and the fabric on the shirt that Amber is wearing on the left (which happens to be the Wiksten tank pattern but she added sleeves) is the one I used to line by bag.)

Field Study

The class was Sunday afternoon from 2 - 6 PM and I tried to cut out my fabric before the class so I'd have the full 4 hours to sew.  I didn't get it all cut out and I was sewing like a race horse to get it all done in 4 hours!  I stayed a little over and got it done.

I have to say, having the person who created the pattern in the room while you're sewing is awesome.  She taught me something new about turning a corner seam, not to mention I didn't have to read the pattern, I could just yell "HEY ANNA".  OK, I didn't really do that but I could have!


Anna Maria Horner teaching 
Also, the pattern itself is amazing.  She explained how she came up with different aspects of the design as well as the instructions.  I would have had to do a lot more "reverse sewing" if I hadn't had her right there in the class to explain things, sometimes seeing is easier than reading the instructions.
Listening to Anna



I had her sign the pocket before I sewed it in.
Multi-Tasker Tote
And my favorite anecdote of the day was when I gave her a little gift, I made a Denver postcard fabric picture for her and when I gave it to her, she thanked me and then immediately announced to the class "OK it's time to give me gifts, you can just pile them here on the table."  he he he

So there, now it's time to leave my little fantasy world where I live in a world surrounded by fabric and craftiness and go back to REALITY.  
 
Anna Maria Horner Class in 
Denver

5 comments:

  1. SO AWESOME!!! I'm really glad you got to take the class and got to spend some time with her. She really has an incredible personality, and her professional story is pretty amazing, too.
    Did pretty much everyone up there make their bag from Field Study? I probably would have if I'd taken the class at Fancy Tiger. :)

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  2. such a lucky girl you are! Any suggestions for the precuts to buy to make the feather quilt? I haven't seen a pattern for it yet but am very very excited about it!

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    1. Hi Tiara, I wasn't in that class, the feather quilt class, so I can't offer any tips. I think she posted it somewhere to download but I can't find it right now.

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  3. Wow! What a great class to take. I agree with you, there is nothing better then the pattern developer to be present to help you put it together correctly. I would have been silly excited in her presence too!

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  4. Oh I am soooooooooooooo jealous...I live on the Western Slope and don;t get to Denver that often...hope to see you in Austin at Quiltcon...saw that you had something entered...and loved your story on naps...I have gotten the art of naps down as I seem to get up in the wee hours of the morn (4 am) to sew...

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