Thursday, August 6, 2015

An "exciting" morning


When I took on this job, technically I was replacing Patti, but wasn't sure exactly what that meant.  I still don't and I think we are making it up as time goes on. I do know that the marketing department is putting together a list of what I will be doing since my expertise is very much involved in what marketing does (marketing to quilt stores and ultimately quilters) and hopefully I will have that task list soon. Meanwhile, I am getting up to speed on fabric lines and who does what.

While quilters like fabric, they also like to see what can be done with those fabrics. In the past, Patti designed a lot of quilts. This was evidenced by the numerous quilts that we saw from Patti in all the quilt magazines. As the number of collections increased and the pace got more frantic, this design process became impossible for one person to do. As a result, pattern designers were encouraged (and are still encouraged) to get involved with Northcott and design quilts that will be used on some of the marketing material, displayed at trade shows, patterns sold through Northcott, etc.

Check out this link to meet the Northcott designers.  (There are fabric designers and pattern designers -two tabs).  If you are interested in becoming a Northcott designer, there is a link on that page for more information. Let's not forget that these pattern designers get to use the new fabrics when designing. Technically NOT the new fabrics themselves, but the images of the fabric.  EQ7 is a wonderful tool.

I don't have an official title yet, but unofficially, I am the quilt expert. I've already given my expertise on some quilt designs that were created by several of the designers that work with Northcott. Obviously, Northcott wants to ensure that these particular quilts showcase the fabrics with lots of WOW factor, easy to sew and appealing to a wide range of sewers. I will be working with the designers to ensure the quilts are doable (Oh boy - I will be realistic since everything is doable if you know how!), offering up some advice which isn't easy as I found out yesterday when you have to provide "advice" on why you don't like a particular design.  But all is good - it worked out perfectly and I should get the new designs with my suggestions back today!  so far, I don't consider this work!   This is fun!

I hope to get some designing done today.  Been checking out the collections - and trying to mess up my office.  Funny how people keep stopping by and saying that they have never seen the office so clean!!!!


Fabric swatch cards to play with

Pre-cuts to cut up - hmmm what will become of these?


Yes - I want to design something for the walls in that office.  I've got a couple of ideas in mind - and hope to break out the sewing machine next week.

Oh - the other task I did yesterday was to pick the classes I want to take when I go to Market in Houston later this year.  OK - that is going to be fun!   They are short classes that take place before the Market opens each day but I signed up for some interesting things with new products. Can't wait!

I will be glad when this first week is over.  It is the not knowing that drives me crazy so once things settle into a routine?   - it will be much better.


ACK - a bit too much excitement this morning.   First off, I am writing my blog and I hear a lone bark from Sparky. She is outside and well - she can just stay there. Then I hear another lone bark. Good grief - she never barks like that. Then I hear BARK BARK BARK.  What is she doing????   I go out and oh crap - the gate is open.  Well she has to be close by since I can hear her. Then she really starts to bark and I'm thinking that there is another dog on the street.   When I find her, she is at the front door asking to come in!!!!!   Since I didn't answer on the first BARK - she was escalating the situation!!!!   Snart dog!


THEN we went for a walk in the forest.  I was certain when I was falling asleep that I hear the coyotes yapping in the forest, but I could be wrong about that. Anyway - we are off on our merry walk - the dogs are behind me somewhere and I'm off in my own thoughts when I hear Sammy barking and she never barks. I turn around and there are TWO coyotes.  I don't know what happened - I don't know if they tried to attack Little Sammy or whether they were getting close to her??????   She wasn't all that far away from me.  Poor little thing has a tremble in her leg, but she was shaking all over. Her ears were pinned back - she was not a happy camper!!!!  When I turned around the coyotes ran. But they didn't go far.   They appeared very aggressive this morning and were hanging around that area and kept following us. I decided to turn around and come back on the main path and not cut through the smaller path. As if the coyote would respect the big path!!!  But at least I would be easier to find should I have been attacked!

When I looked over my shoulder - there was one of them again!   Needless to say, I kept looking over my shoulder all the way home.  I did see someone running through that part of the woods, but he was too far away  - I guess I could have yelled at him, but I figured if I was big enough to scare them off - so was he.

Crap  no camera.  I know - why run away when you can take pictures.  I did have my phone but I can't say that I am happy with the camera on my phone.  It must be me.  Every picture I take is blurry.  I guess I am so used to the big camera where I can almost anything I want and pictures are good. And I try not to make it noticeable that I am taking pictures so I rush!   I also have so many pictures in the memory of my phone that I can no longer do upgrades so I must clean them out and get them onto the memory card, NOT the memory on the phone.

Anyway - here is what I captured this morning.

Look at the colouring of the first coyote.  He blends into that forest so you can barely see him.  He is right dead center in the photo!  Pretty scary because you could be upon before you see him!!!


Coyote chameleon
 I took this one when the other guy was following us.  He stopped as soon as he realized I saw him and before I could get the damn camera app open (is it just me who has that problem???)  He had turned his back. He is much brighter in colour.

Second coyote


Now I will carry my big camera for days and I won't see them again. And that is fine by me!!!!


On that exciting note - I am out of here.

Have a great day (and who thought I would have nothing to write about!)


Ciao!


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