Travel and vacationing is not always fun.  Crowded airports, hauling luggage, waiting in lines, and being away from our creature comforts can bring out the cranky in the best of people.  Sometimes you come back more tired than you began.

However,  I have to say that my latest adventure to the Handi Quilter HQ Academy event, HQ Quilting Elevated, was a blast.  Quilters are great people to hang out with.  I wasn’t ready to leave!  I am back among my family,  and my creature comforts, excited to try a few of the new techniques that really struck home for me.    I wrote a post, but it was WAY too long.  So, I plan to break it up and share a little portion over multiple days to keep you interested.

*Keep your eyes peeled for some links to some free downloads!   I plan to share some of my practice work as free downloads.
** Note:  I am not an affiliate of HQ and am providing my unbiased opinion of my experience. 

My goal at this event was to become more confident in my quilt design, digitizing abilities and tools, expose myself to the HQ Pro-Stitch Software Updates, and dabble in some free motion and ruler techniques that I have not spent time on at home.

I will post about the classes that I attended, but know, that there were many others!  A big THANK YOU to all of the organizers, instructors, event sponsors, speakers and assistants in the classes!  I know from experience that a big event is time consuming to plan and execute.   I think there were at least 150 in attendance.  

The tools we needed were available, the speakers were wonderful, and technical support was great.   Handi Quilter put their best foot forward to make our experience positive.
Oh, and did I mention prizes! It was like Christmas!

Day One:  Art & Stitch Boot Camp  (Wednesday)
 Art & Stitch is a digitizing software that is bundled in purchases of HQ Pro Stitch
The software is a powerful tool just a step down from CAD software.  It allows you to open, manipulate and create digital quilting designs for all of the major quilting and embroidery formats.

This class was great for new users of Art & Stitch, and even for those that had dabbled in designs, but wanted to learn about some quick uses for all of the tools.

After a full day of learning, there was a reception to meet other attendees, and visit six different demonstrations of HandiQuilter machines and tools.  I visited a couching demo, saw their three new sewing machines, saw the new HQ little foot machine set up with a Simply Sixteen, ruler demos, pole cradles and the glide foot.  I have to say that the last one hurt my wallet the most!   After this, I couldn’t resist picking up their new Handi Pole Cradles, and the Glide foot.

Hands Pole Cradles are designed to attach to your existing HQ frame to allow you to hold the top several inches above your backing to make inserting your batting and smoothing easier.

The Glide Foot is a bowl shaped foot that is supposed to work well for quilting over thick seams, around appliqué, and I hope will be great for thicker batting quilts and wall hangings.  I am excited to see how this works!   I wish it was brought back in my checked luggage!