Innovations 2008

[Sylvia]

I have read about the various machine quilting get togethers and began to wonder - is anyone yet planning to go to Innovations in the fall of 2008? What experiences have others had there? Thanks for any info you may share.

Sylvia

[PattyJo]

Sylvia, I went 2 years ago and had just gotten my Milllie. I found that there were alot of good classes for beginners as well as advanced LA quilters. A lot of fun, met alot of people from this chat there and had a blast. Last year, I wasn\'t there, but Linda R organized a dinner for anyone who wanted to go and made all the reservations for us. It sounded like alot of people had a really good time. I\'m planning on going for at least part of it this year. They haven\'t yet sent out the class guide, but if you go to the website, you can get on their mailing list. There are alot of good classes and teachers there. Here is the site http://www.mqinnovations.com/

[Sparkle]

Hi Sylvia,

I went to Innovations last Fall. It was my first time, and I loved it! What I liked about it---is it\'s more about learning. While they had a nice show of quilts and some vendors, it wasn\'t a quilt show in the sense of what we think of. There are oddles of classes. Most are lecture type classes with the instructors using the long arm with an overhead projector and you watch, take notes, draw (lots of drawing), handouts, and Q & A periods. My head was swimming with all the stuff I learned, but it was so much fun! I probably took to many classes, but I went there for the classes really.

We stayed and the Best Western Tacoma Dome Inn. The rates were much better than the host hotels near the convention center. Very nice accomodations. We walked down two blocks from the hotel and took the fast rail system that downtown Tacoma has....it goes by every 15 mins, and takes you directly by the Convention center. Plus, it\'s free.

Downtown Tacoma is a great old town center that is being rennovated. You will want to take some time to explore the glass museum and some of the small restaurants around the downtown dome district. The convention center itself is pretty awesome.

I may not go this year due to conflicting dates for other things going on. A wedding, some birthdays, and a quilt retreat. It just depends on if I can get away. I have to fly in from Oakland, CA. so it takes some travel planning

A group of us met for dinner one night while we were there, thanks to Linda R. here on the group. She organized it all. It was fun meeting other APQS quilters.

If you can go----Go for it! Some great instructors, and you will have a wonderful time!

[Chocoholic]

I have gone for the past 2 years and will be there again this year. 2 years ago, I spent the whole time looking at and playing with long arms. And I bought my Millie. Last year I took a lot of classes. They were great. The only way it could be better is if the classes were hands on.

Even though I am sort of local (50 miles away) I stay in Tacoma so I can take part in everything and not be so tired from driving 100 miles a day. Plus with the cost of gas this year, it would probably cost me more for gas than the hotel room costs.

I wasn\'t on this list last year, but would love to get together with anyone who attends.

[Laurie]

if you can go - DO IT!!!!!

Last year was my first time....I\'d only had my Lil MnM for 9 months. I took lots of classes, volunteered my time in a few places (hanging quilts was fun!!!) and met lots of great people - from this group especially Went to the dinner Sparkle mentioned and had a wonderful time!!!! (Hi, Sparkle!)

I can\'t go this year because of some many things but I will go next year. I want to go to one of the other big shows but it is just so nice to have a wonderful show on our coast!

[Kelly]

I went last year for the first time and really liked it. It\'s very organized. The quilts may also be peer judged, which I think is a nice idea. I\'ll be there again in the Off the Edge booth with Mari-Lee and am very much looking forward to it. Cindy Roth does a wonderful job with the entire show. I would definately go if possible and even enter something.

Kelly Phillips

Mille

[DoryJM]

I\'m so glad to hear such good things about Innovations. I attended Cindy\'s Longarm U and then bought my Millie. Since then I\'ve been practicing and practicing and anxiously awaiting Innovations. Its on my calendar and I\'m looking for a cheaper hotel. I want to spend my money on fun stuff--not a room to sleep in; however, I don\'t want to stay with drug dealers!! I do have my limits!!!!:P

I\'m going to look into the Best Western Tacoma Dome (thanks Sparkle!) and I\'ve also been watching Hotwire. Trouble there, is that you don\'t know where you\'re staying until you book and then you can\'t change it. Kinda scary, I think.

If there is a dinner, please sign me up. Food, new friends and quilting--what could be better???

[ffq-lar]

Innovations is wonderful--but I am biased. I also went to Longarm U when I first bought my Milli and I think Cindy Roth is great!

We will definitely have another dinner this year. The Spaghetti Factory was very accomodating of our 22+ who came last year. We also try to find each other at classes and in between. We do purple ribbons on the ID necklace. I am already getting excited.

One afternoon we may try for a trip to Bayside. Olympia is only 20+ miles South and I have a van that seats 7. Bayside is a new APQS Rep and I hear they got the machines set up this week.

As Innovations gets closer you will see a lot of excitement on this forum.

[Chocoholic]

If anyone needs to know about hotels and which ones are in good/bad areas, I can help. I did a convention for 800+ women in 2006 and investigated all this stuff. I also have a friend who is the sales manager of one of the hotels which is a ways from the convention center (you would have to have a car) and she can also help me with those I don\'t know.

There are some bad hotels in terms of noise, etc. as some of my convention attendees found out when they wouldn\'t listen to me and just wanted to get the cheapest price.