Hello everyone,
I had the opportunity to attend the Mimi G Style 6th Annual Fashion Sewing & Style Conference over the weekend, and it was such a great time. In today’s blog post I’d like to share all the photos I captured to highlight the event. I enjoyed every bit of this weekend, but the best part of all was getting to meet and hang out with so many of my sew sisters. Putting faces with names was so exhilarating. By the end of the day on Sunday, I was exhausted from laughter and screaming. Hahaha! I seriously had a hangover on Monday morning from too much fun. No drinking necessary for this girl. Just give me a room full of sew sisters for three days and that’s all the high I need.
To those of you I was blessed to meet in person, I’m still smiling as I remember our conversations and look at your beautiful faces through my photos. Even if I don’t remember all the names, the hugs and smiles mean everything to me. I wish you all could know how much you encouraged me with your words of affirmation this weekend. Hearing from you gave me even more motivation to take this thing to the next level. In the words of our lunchtime conference speaker, Miranda Anderson, I’m ready to “Make it until I MAKE it!” Each person’s “Make It” is unique to them, and applies in all areas of life. My “MAKE it” is whatever God says it is.
I’m sending a HUGE thank you to Mimi Goodwin for all that she does to promote growth and diversity in the sewing community. The conference was amazing and so is she. Enjoy the photos!
(Warning: This is a photo-heavy post.)
I was totally thrilled to sit under the teaching of the master, Kenneth D. King. He led two classes at the conference, Cool Tips & Tricks, and Sewing with Leather & Fur. I learned so many helpful tips and I’m ready to up my sewing game.
I also got to learn from Deb Kreiling, the Creative Bug Instructor from Simplicity Pattern Company, who taught a class on The Perfect Pant. Joy MacDonell inspired us with her lesson on Wardrobe Planning. Mary Alice Duff led a class on Pattern Alterations. I wish I had been able to sit in on her lesson too, but I heard she was fabulous and everyone loved her. Madalynne Flanigan taught a class on lingerie fabrics. She is the master when it comes to sewing lingerie.
The Babylock Sewing Company, one of Mimi’s sponsors, is so supportive of her. They provided the sewing machine for the winner of the fashion show, and they provided a catered lunch for the attendees on Saturday between sessions. What a pleasure it was to meet the Babylock team.
The fashion show was a blast, with over 80 different pieces shown. While I did not get photos of the garments in the show, I did get a photo with the winner, Nola Semana-Castillo. Oh my goodness! She is so talented and it all showed in the two garments she wore on the runway. I loved both pieces and agree with the judges on their decision. Her denim jumpsuit was INCREDIBLE!!! The detail was amazing. I wish I had captured better photos.
An amazing moment at the conference: Mimi called her #1 Fan, Lawana Pwowell, to the stage and blessed her with a check for the cost of completing her education to receive her degree. We were all so happy because Lawana has been trying to raise the money to finish school. What a beautiful gesture from Mimi. Congratulations to Lawana!
A group of us sew sisters held a contest to bless two people with a ticket to the conference who would not be able to attend due to financial hardship. These two lovely ladies were the winners and we, the Mimi G Angels, were blessed to be able to give back.
What a pleasure it was meeting Cristina Tudor, the fashion illustrator of CT-Sketches. She was so much fun to talk and hang out with. On Friday, we handed out lei’s together before the fashion show. She blew us all away with her amazing sketches during the conference. Her work is incredible and speaks for itself. The artwork you see on Mimi’s pdf patterns in Sew Sew Def Magazine is the work of Cristina. Check out her blog post to see all the beautiful sketches she did at the conference. I really like her.
Okay, do you see this smile? I promise you, every time I saw her, she had this same beautiful smile that made my heart so happy. I sure wish I had more time to spend with this beautiful woman.
These two couldn’t wait to meet each other. My husband, CEMO, and my sew sister, Carol Crocker-Ware. I knew they would hit it off.
This is the awesome team from Sewing Portfolios. Their booth was amazing, complete with giveaways, a spinning wheel, and video presentations by some of their members. You’ve got to check them out to learn about what they have to offer to the sewing community. I was so impressed.
(Great photos courtesy of CEMO!) (Not so great photos courtesy of my cell phone!)
Thanks for sharing the pictures. I really love watching the totorials that you post on you tube. They are so helpful to me. You all are so talented. Good luck and thanks again.
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Hi Anita, please don’t laugh but I am just learning how to look at your blog. Beautiful pictures. Amazing to see Mimi because I truly was following her. Where was this conference? I am sad that I am a late comer.
Hi Rosalind! Not laughing! The conferences was in Los Angeles.
Anita, do you think that you will sponsor a conference?
Wow! What an awesome conference and so very sorry I never had an opportunity to attend! Because of great people like yourself, those of us like me, get to experience it through your eyes! Thank you! (However, I know it’s nothing like being there!)
Heeeey Myra! I’m sorry it was the last one too, because it was so much fun. She’s gonna start traveling though, so you may get to attend an event closer to your location.
Hi Anita! What an awesome time you ladies had. I know this was the last year that Mimi will host a conference. She is always coming up with new adventures. Hopefully, there will be opportunities in the future to meet up with others who share the love for sewing. I had too many other commitments to be able to attend this conference. I’m thankful you shared. It was almost like being there. God Bless!
Hey Sandra! Yes, there will be other opportunities. She’s gonna travel now and do smaller events, so you may get a chance to attend something closer to your home.
My dearest Anita so wonderful to see that you and all the ladies had such a wonderful time, hope that I will get the chance sometime in my lifetime to meet you in person, and Rochelle and Mimi of course, you my dear Anita is my most inspirational, and I love all of your looks, i am a subscriber to your Channel and also visit your site. well at present my sewing room is under construction so I will be back to sewing I hope very soon,and as soon as that happen you have quite a few tutorial that I intend to do.
and as your motto says: When you live in your DESIGN, it is from there that God SHINES!
And in my language we say : Hopi bendishon ku amor i karino pa sigi manera bota
Meaning: Lots of blessings with love and care for you to go forward just the way you are. XOXO
Ooooh, Michelle! Thank you so much for your kind words. I hope we get to meet in person one day too. Have fun designing your sewing room and hit that machine as soon as it’s done. “Lots of blessing with love and care for you to go forward just the way you are.” I LOVE this! Thank you!
Ms. Anita I don’t even know where to begin to start! You have been a sewing mentor to me via social media from the moment I saw you post one of your project pics on FB about a year ago! You had me hooked since and although I have much learning to do still, I pride myself in trying to produce lovely garments as you do. When I discovered you, I connected with you in so many ways; family, sewing, simplicity and most of all the Lord! I am so blessed to have finally met you this past weekend and I look forward to building a lifetime friendship with you. Thank you so much for the all the kind words you have spoken about my sewing skills and for sharing a picture of us on your blog. It means the world to me! Hope to see you soon and tell your husband “Mr. McKnight” that it was a pleasure sharing small talk with him at Michael Levine’s!
Ooooh, Nola! You make my heart so happy girl! You have an amazing talent and an exceptional eye for detail. I am BEYOND honored to know that you look to me as one of your mentors. You make me want to grow to new heights in my craft and challenge myself even more. I’m so proud of you. Your personality and humility are beautiful. Yes, we are forever connected. God bless you always and I look forward to the day I get to see you again in person. I love you to pieces.
My husband, “Mr. McKnight” says he didn’t know he was sitting next to a star. LOL!
It has away been a dream of mind to attend a sewing conference.Anita you really look like you was having fun.I’m glad that I found you on you tube,watching has really inspired me to get back to sewing. Thank you for sharing and God Bless you on your journey. Dottie S.
Hey Dottie! Yes, it was a great time. So glad you like the tutorials. God bless you too.
Thanks Anita! Great things happen when “sewing sisters and brothers” get together!
Yes, Dara, you are so right!
Mrs. Anita,
Thank you so much for the platform to help beginners sew with you on your YouTube channel. I am so grateful to apart of the Mimi G conference and your subscriber as well. I am loving all the photos of the ladies who attended the conference… yeah!!! So glad to be featured in a picture with you. Continue on your path and may god bless you.
Hi Rochelle! I’m so glad to hear that you like my tutorials on YouTube. Thank you so much for subscribing. I hope you had a great time at conference too. I will continue to follow the Lord’s leading.
This would be my dream vacation. Thanks for sharing. You all look soooooo happy in the pictures !!!!
Ooooh, Sharon, it was a happy weekend. Blessings to you my sister.
Wow! What a wonderful time it looks like you had Anita! I just signed up for Mimi’s blogging class, and I’m looking forward to growing with all her expert knowledge! I’d love to sit under Kenneth King to learn more about sewing leather (his pants btw are fantastic!). What a great opportunity to connect with other sewists. I’m still nursing my baby girl, but perhpas next year!
Hi Elizabeth! It was amazing! Congratulations on signing up for the blogging course. I learned a lot from her course and I continue to learn as I go. I’m having fun with it so far and hope you will grow to enjoy it as well. Kenneth King is so much fun and full of great information.
happy for you may god bless you alwayd
Thanks Tandica! God bless you too!
Awesome post!!! There were some incredible happenings during this conference. Thanks for sharing your experience with us!! Shhhh, don’t tell Carol, but she is a shorty!! But, a cutie-patootie!!! Love you Carol!! (Hee-hee)
Hey Alethia! Yes, everything was so wonderful! Hahaha! She looked so cute in her amazing dress. She got to show it off to Kenneth D. King too.
I just love you sis! It’s my highlight seeing you!!! Oh and Kenneth King is my new best friend in my head! He said all the right things! Now, to one day meet Paco Peralta! I gotta get to Spain! ROFL!!
LOL! Carol, I’m gonna believe that you will meet Paco one day. I love you too, sis!
I dying laughing!!! I’m not short, he’s just tall! ROFL! It was a pleasure to meet my new friend Sewbrothagotjokesandstyle (say it fast, one word) He was as cool as Anita! I just love them both!!! It’s always a pleasure to see Anita! Such a great aura! Gazillion hugs!!!! Love you guys and I guess you too Alethia! LOL!!!
We love us some Carol too! He had me cracking up when he told me you walked up to him at Smash Burger during lunch break and said, “slide over.” LOL! You are a riot! Hope to see you again sew sister.
Anita it was a pleasure meeting you in person you are beutiful inside and out.. such an inspiration and a blessing ..please keep sewing and sharing…
Vernitaaaaaa! Ooooh, you made my heart smile every time I saw you. Thank you for that gorgeous smile. You are beautiful!
WOW!! These are some beautiful pictures. Attending a conference like this would be a dream come true for me. Anita, you look so happy. I can tell from the pictures that you truly enjoyed yourself. Mimi G looks great. I also see Brittany Jones. You ladies are the best.
Thanks so much, Sheila!
Anita, it was such a blessing for me to finally meet you in person. It was definitely a highlight of the weekend for me. I am so glad you were able to attend. It was a wonderful weekend indeed!
Oh Dari, the feelings are mutual! You are so darn gorgeous! I’m so happy I got to meet and chat with you a bit. I just love you girl!
Looks like a great event, thank you for sharing the pics. I love the cold shoulder too you are wearing. ☺
Thanks Carmen!
Thanks for sharing, looks like you all had a blast, what a pleasure to be able to meet your sew sister in person, your photos made me feel as I was there. ??????
Thanks Sharon! It was amazing!
Wonderful recap Anita! It was such a pleasure to meet you this weekend. Love ya!
Thanks Terolyn! Yes, meeting you was a highlight for me. Love you too!
Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome Debra!
Hey Anita,
I looks like you all had a great time and met some wonderful ladies.
Hey Brigitte! It was amazing!
Anita, this sounds and looks amazing. You are a blessed woman to be a part of such a flourishing community.
Glenda, I am blessed, indeed!
Wow! Great pix! I felt like I was there!!!!!
I hope to make a conference or two!!!!
What pattern did you use for the animal print cold shoulder top? Fabulous!!!
Hi Denise! I used Simplicity 1613 for that top.
Great photos Ms. Anita!! It was such an awesome weekend!! Love you!!
Yes it was, Brittany! I love you too!
Wonderful recap! What an absolute pleasure to meet you in person! Continue your awesome work!
Tiffany, it was a pleasure meeting you too. I will continue. Thank you!