Updated August 2017.
A note from Brenda: I’ve been to a lot of events over the years, from quilt shows to bag making sewing classes and presentations at quilters guilds. I thought it was important to keep a record of some the places I’ve written about, so when we moved the blog I kept these older blogs, which were formerly on a single page called Events. Here they appear in reverse chronological order.
I’ve been a fixture at CreativFest over the past few years, so those blogs are gathered into another post called CreativFest Through the Years.
Zipping around the countryside
September 12, 2014
September has rolled in quickly and my calendar is full of events to attend. I’ll be visiting two guilds with my trunk show and product line–the Trent Valley Quilts Guild in beautiful Trenton, Ontario with 160 members and the London Embroiders Guild in London, Ontario. I’m looking forward to seeing some new faces in Trenton and recognizing a familiar faces in the London area.
I’ll also be showing off my patterns and related products for sale at the Yorkshire Rose Quilters’ Guild Show in Toronto, Ontario. It’s at the Ellesmere Community Rec. Centre in Toronto on September 20, 21st.
I’ll also be doing something completely different when I demonstrate Bosal In-R-Form Stabilizer for 70 shop owners at the Fern Resort in Orillia in the middle of the month. I love using the Bosal product in bag construction, so much so that I mentioned the product to the editors of Threads Magazine. Since they are not familiar with foam stabilizers Bosal has sent them samples to work with. They’ll be trying it using my new Girlfriends Bag pattern. So, if you are a subscriber of Threads Magazine watch for the review. I feel pretty certain they’ll fall in love with the product just like me!
Piecemakers Quilt Show 2014
March 9, 2014
Spring is almost here and so it’s just about time for some wonderful local quilt shows. Here’s information on one of my favorites, the Piecemakers Quilt Show in St. Marys, Ontario, April 24, 25 and 26th at the Pyramid Recreational Center at 317 St. James St.
There will be a full selection of hundreds of quilts to see in all sizes along with wall hangings, wearable art and bags. This show is known throughout the area as one of the best. You’ll enjoy lots of shopping, a wonderful lunch, demonstrations, a bed turning show, and much more.
Making Samples
September 28, 2013
As summer comes to it’s inevitable close the days spent working in my studio get longer and longer. That’s because every fall I travel to Houston, Texas for Quilt Market. Quilt Market is a wholesale marketing convention for all things ‘quilty’. I’ll be having a booth there, speaking a couple of times and generally sell, sell, selling. Shops from all around the US, Canada and abroad come to recharge, learn from their peers and find new patterns, fabrics and notions.
This year I’m trying to achieve a really tight look in my booth to tie in with my new branding. You can see the logo at the top of this page. Formally I was known as ‘Among Brenda’s Quilts’. But now, since I’m better known now for my bags, the word ‘Bags’ was added to the logo. I’m hoping I don’t morph into a fabric designer as well. In that case my name would need to reflect that change too. Can you imagine it – ‘Among Brenda’s Quilt, Bags & Fabric’! Maybe I should have initially called myself ‘Brenda’s Favorite Things’ or ‘Brenda’s Bags’ or ‘The Best of Brenda’ those names would have left some room for future growth!
The booth at Quilt Market is going to be color themed this year, something I should have done years ago. My problem is I like all kinds of fabric, country, modern, vintage etc. But that garage sale look just won’t cut the mustard at Quilt Market. That’s why I’m making new samples for some of my things. The goal is a cohesive look. And that look is – young, fresh and bold with a hint of playfulness.
So out with the muddy colors and in with the brights. These are the colors I gravitate towards anyway. They are the colors I wear and the colors I look best dressed in. You probably all have your own color palettes you favor just like I do. An in the end that’s your look, your color spot.
So I have a little stack of fabric to dig into to make several new bags. The sewing machine is all warmed up to make those samples. That’ll keep me busy for an hour or two!
The Birds and Bees at the Stratford Perth Museum
March 28, 2013
Visit beautiful Stratford, Ontario between April 16 – May 26th to get your fill of spring. They are having a nature themed quilt show inspired by the beauty of the surrounding countryside. My chicken themed quilt Forbidden Fruit will also be there – backyard chickens really do qualify as nature!
Heritage Quilt Exhibit
February 13, 2013
If you are a quilter you’ve probably got an old quilt or two in your collection. Maybe your quilt is a family heirloom lovingly passed down from Mother to daughter. Or maybe, like me, you have a quilt or two that have been gifted to you.
Locally we have a family who collects notable quilts of the area. They’ve established a quilt show called the Heritage Quilt Exhibit. The Fagan family opens the show to local collectors so that we can display our quilted treasures along side the Fagan collection.
Here is a quilt that I will be submitting to this year’s show.
A Little Fun with the Girls
November 19, 2012
Our local yoga group headed out to a very enjoyable Mexican dinner followed by a concert featuring artist Brenda McMorrow. Brenda gets the crowd singing and chanting along with her in Sanskrit. It’s a great evening to connect with others using the healing energy of sound.
I’ve been part of my yoga group for a few years now. When I first joined I carried my yoga mat in a shopping bag! Some of the girls noticed and asked ‘don’t you design bags – why don’t you make a yoga bag’? That’s how I was shamed into designing the Yoga Girl Bag for the Among Brenda’s Quilt line! Now it’s one of my favorite bags!
Show and Tell at the Huron Perth Guild
November 14, 2012
One of my more popular designs at Among Brenda’s Quilts is the My Monster Bag pattern. It’s the perfect way to use a full package of Bali Pops, Jelly Rolls or Roll Ups. In case you have no idea what I’m talking about those are multi-colored packs of forty 2 1/2 x 42 inch strips.
Yesterday while at the Huron Perth Quilter’s Guild two of the members stopped to chat with me. One had pictures to show me of her progress on the Monster Bag. Another quilter, Donna D. had her new bag with her. Donna tucked in the sides of her bag to square it up. She’s also used strips on the outer pocket rather than yardage. I love to see the adaptations quilters and sewers make to the designs – after all you’ve got to please yourself! Visit my Show & Tell page where Donna will be eligible to win a free pattern for providing me with this picture. We do a draw each month on the Show & Tell page so be sure to send in your photos, girls!
Checker Distributors Open House
July 26, 2012
I am pleased to be invited to attend the Checker Distributor’s Open House this year. This annual wholesale event is in it’s 6th successful year and takes place August 19th and 20th at the Checker warehouse in Maumee, Ohio. There will be numerous vendors besides myself, each with a demonstration booth.
This is “An event to get you inspired and bring you up-to-date on the latest fabrics, notions and technology from Checker.”
There & Back Again, The Tale of Two Canadians in Kansas
May 23, 2012
Hey Ho, Lisa and I have returned from a rip roaring time at Quilt Market. Our suitcases went there slightly empty and returned packed with batting samples, magazine samples and samples of every item known in ‘Quiltdom’. Lisa sure knows how to gather the free stuff! I’m still sucking on the free candy… It’s great to be home but gracious now it’s time to plan for the Houston Quilt Market!
Kansas City Here I Come!
May 11, 2012
It’s time for Spring Quilt Market and the poor ‘ole sewing machine has been kickin’ up a lot of dust lately running from sun up to sun down. All this bustlin’ about is for the big show that opens next week. Yours truly along with trusty side kick Lisa Hill will be there at booth 904 and doing a School House presentation from 11:00am to 11:30am on Thursday. Here’s one of the last minute items, the Me & My Baby Bag, that I’ve been working on.
Blue Ribbon Sew & Vac Ties the Ribbon
February 26, 2012
Blue Ribbon Sew & Vac is a sponsor for this year’s Relay For Life in Fairbanks, Alaska. Sue Phillips, co-owner of the Fairbanks shop along with the president of the local guild are planning a class to teach my Tie A Ribbon Bag. Students have the option of donating their bag to the relay auction. Sue has sent me this picture of her bag with a beautiful blue ribbon!
Beautiful British Columbia
January 18, 2012
This past week found my husband and I visiting Victoria and Vancouver. The trip was a combination of work, play and visiting. Along with my good friend and B.C resident Ursula Riegel and her husband Walter, we did some sightseeing, visited wholesalers, did demos and visited a whole bunch of quilt shops.
I’ve never been to Canada’s West Coast in the depths of winter and was very surprised to find some roses still in bloom and other flowers just about ready to start the season all over again. Back home it’s still very cold or very wet or very dim depending on the day so it was nice to get away just for a bit and say hello to folks on the other end of the country.
Bags of fun had at this class…
January 29, 2012
Shirley of The Marsh Store in Coldstream, Ontario, Canada sent me this picture from a class held this past week in her quilt shop. The gals made The Everything Goes Bag. Here are three of the bags just about complete using some terrific colors and fabrics. Like Shirley said ‘the bags look pretty great’.
Mini Trunk Show and Demos in Nanaimo B.C.
January 18, 2012
It was my pleasure to visit two quilt shops in Nanaimo, B.C. this past week, Snip and Stitch and Serge and Sew. I did demos on two table runner and placemat sets thanks to the sponsorship of N. Jefferson Ltd. in Vancouver. The Making Waves pattern twists Hoffman California Bali Pop strips into a series of gentle watery waves. Spin Off, another pattern, is named after those old 45 records. Spin Off connects circles to make runners that fit any shape of table. It was great to share my mini trunk show with all the gals who attended. Who could have guessed that I could have crammed so many quilts in one suitcase! Thanks everyone for a really great time.
Quilting for Goderich
January 3, 2012
This past year the beautiful picturesque town of Goderich, Ontario suffered the effects of a tornado that struck its historic town center. Although one life was lost that day we all are thankful that no others died in this tragedy. Clean-up and fund raising began immediately. It was my privilege to lead a quilting fund raiser in nearby Exeter, Ontario at the Quilts and Calicos shop. Ladies of local guilds attended the class and over $1,700 was raised for the Goderich Relief Fund that day.
Feeling Groovy
August 17, 2010
I recently got a nice picture of one of my bags modeled by Breana at The Quilts of Gee’s Bend show at the London Convention Center. This cute little bag is the Bag-ette and it’s been made with four fat quarters from Westminster Fabrics. Breana and her Mom are going to be making a Bevy Bag for Breana to carry her books to school in. The Bevy Bag will also carry a notebook computer, and iPad or a Kindle. It’s also got room for all your purse belongingss too! Thanks for modelling Breana!
Look Who’s Coming to Dinner!
June 7, 2010
Spring Quilt Market just wrapped up in Minneapolis at the end of May. There are always lots of quilting celebrities in attendance like Mark Lipinski who stopped at my booth. He was kind enough to pose for a photo with yours truly. Here he is with the Home Cooking Casserole Cover in his Oakdale fabric. The casserole cover pattern includes instructions to make either an 8″ x 8″ or a 9″ x 13″ casserole cover that turns into a table runner when opened.
Life in the Fast Lane
March 18, 2010
It’s spring again here in Canada and with spring comes the opportunity for more travel as I visit numerous guilds to do my lecture/trunk show and my teaching visits. Just this week I visited the Erie Shores Quilt Guild. They meet at the Kingsville Arena. My lecture and trunk show is called Developing the Designer in You. It’s full of ideas on how to rev up your own quilting and designing to a higher level.
Next month I have a couple of engagements – one in Orangeville, Ontario to visit the Dufferin Piecemakers Guild and in Kincardine to visit the Sunset Quilter’s Guild.
The month of April is the month of my own guilds Piecemakers Quilt Show in St. Marys, Ontario at the Pyramid Rec. Center from April 22 to the 24th. I am the chair of that event. In May it’s time to fly to Spring Quilt Market taking place at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Visit me at booth 2814 if you happen to be attending!
Leave a Reply