To the Sewing Summit ... and Beyond!

Sewing Summit is over for 2011.  The inaugural event went off very smoothly I thought; as an early riser and general doofus I tend to be aware of such things, and if there were any bumps in the planning or execution they were not apparent to the attendees.

There were a bunch of planned classes, a lot of impromptu mini-classes and one-on-one instruction, tons of gorgeous bags, and maybe a little too much attention paid to personal appearance but the result was pure eye candy. So much color and movement in one spot! There was squee-ing all over the place! It was also a young crowd, maybe a little surprising; I was definitely among the older attendees and I'm only Nearly Fifty! I'm used to being called "kid" at sew-ish gatherings so this was a real surprise. I bet there weren't a dozen actual Seniors in atttendance!  The mix created a very vibrant crowd.

Lots of pics in the Sewing Summit Flickr group!
The hotel was much nicer than I had expected. It has a good-sized lobby with a two-sided gas fireplace. This focal point became the gathering spot for embroiderers and hand stitchers. I sewed with some online Big Names and it was almost universally positive. The hotel also has a half-indoor, half-outdoor pool and a hot tub. I did a lame American version of the Scandinavian custom and swam to the outdoor side, then ran in and sat in the hot tub for five minutes, then back to the pool, and another round. Wished there was snow on the roof to make it authentic.

The view from my balcony on a gray day:

I took the time to walk around Temple Square. The Temple is just beautiful, a white, nicely-grained granite with little flecks of black and gray. Non-Mormons are not allowed in the actual Temple but I walked around it, gaping with my jaw down-to-there. Went through the Tabernacle and the visitor center; it was very informative and the Visitor Center is effectively presented.  Salt Lake City has a terrific light rail system; I rode right to the Square and then walked back - no fee for the better part of the City center!

Geeking out over the door hardware?  You bet!

Look, the whole city is quilty!  See the lovely French Braid?

The county courthouse - beautiful, isn't it?

A gathering like this makes you hyper-aware of form and color.  This cart was ready to go up to the Bride's room; it was so pretty I made the bellhop stop so I could take this shot.  The bellhops were a whole 'nuther story, I'll tell you sometime.

Classes ended by noon on Sunday and I got picked up by my coworker and her husband for some touring. They took me to Antelope Island so I could get a look at the Great Salt Lake, and then we headed through Big Cottonwood Canyon, over Guardsmen Pass and down into Park City. The scenery was nothing short of spectacular.

The Great Salt Lake:

Real Mountains!

And then, the camera starting acting up.  oh, gargh.  This is about the best shot I got from Zion National Park.  I was Good, I did not weep - aloud.  The camera is at Nikon now; I will shortly decide whether the next step is repair or interment.

I did what any unreasonable Tourist would do: I paid an exorbitant sum for a couple of single-use cameras at the visitor center.  Zion was a wash but I used two cameras at Bryce Canyon; will share some of those photos when they come back from processing if they're worth sharing. 

The final call:  Sewing Summit was great fun and I'll plan to do it again next year; and the friends who took me touring (and put me up in their guest room!) are genuine peaches.  SLC to Zion and Bryce and back again the long way in two days is a bit much but I wouldn't take it back for all the world and I'm thrilled that my friends convinced me it could be done.  I can't recommend these parks strongly enough though; if you haven't been, you should make plans - now - to do so. Words are inadequate to describe their grandeur and awe-inspiring beauty.