Sewing Souvenirs

If you were following SCHMETZneedles on Facebook last week, you got a glimpse into my trip to International Quilt Market in Portland, OR.  This is a wholesale show where fabric companies, industry manufacturers, publishers, authors, designers and educators unveil the newest fabrics, notions, tools, block of the month patterns etc.  Quilt shop owners and machine dealers from around the world gather to sift through all the new products to deal and buy for their retail stores and special customers like you.  Yes, it's colorful and a feast for the senses.  Among 500+ vendors, no doubt I pick up a variety of sewing goodies, samples and lapel pins.   

A few recent goodies on a background of the ever soft and cuddly Cuddle Fabric by Shannon Fabrics.  Lapel pins by Swirly Girls, Craftsy, International Association of Professional Quilters, International Quilt Market, and a thimble from Blank Quilting

I have an expanding collection of pins not only from International Quilt Market, but other shows I have attended or taught including Sewing & Stitchery Expo, American Sewing Expo, Original Sewing & Quilt Expo, Quilt Expo, Creativ Festival, Baby Lock Tech, Janome Institute, Shipshewana Quilt Festival, well you get the picture . . . Mementos galore!  What's a girl to do with them all?

There are a lot of memories and friendships around each pin.  Several years ago after finishing a fabric challenge with former quilt shop colleagues, I made a quilted wall hanging that just begged for my sewing memorabilia. 

Voila!  All my pins, badges, and  little sewing notions make their way to this little quilt hanging near my sewing machine.  Take a look....pins from Australia, I haven't been there yet, but I have Aussie friends that love to sew, shop hops, Come Quilt With Me.  There is even a delicate Swiss hankie with handmade lace from my dear sewing sister Zsuzsanna from Switzerland.  Meeting Zsuzsanna at Quilt Market was always a special part of my Quilt Market experience.  Zsuzsanna is no longer with us, but I always think of her skilled sewing expertise and exquisite design style when I look at that hankie.

This is a busy wall hanging with a quilt frenzy theme.  Adding my pins and show goodies, brings a smile to my face.

Of course, there are a few SCHMETZneedle pins.  After all, every sewing machine project demands a quality needle . . . . SCHMETZ of course!

How do you collect, save and showcase you sewing mementos?  Or are your sewing goodies tossed into a drawer like I used to do?
Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda
www.SCHMETZneedles.com

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