September 13, 2016

September! Part 1!

September 13, 2016/ Ashley Nickels

September! It’s Fall! Back to School! Virgo birthday season!

It’s also that time again when I announce all the cool stuff going on. There’s so much, actually, that I’m dividing into two posts. Because I like sequels.

1-- I'll be heading to Palm Springs at the beginning of October for Quiltfest Oasis. I'll be teaching and lecturing, alongside some other awesome quilters, including Libs Elliott. Check out the details here or by clicking on the photo. See you in Palm Springs! (I'm so excited, by the way, I've never been to Palm Springs!)

2-- Next up! The following week, I'll be back in the Bay Area teaching for my second year at the Pacific International Quilt Festival. And this time, you'll recognize right away who else is going to be there.

There are still spots open in some of our classes, so head over to the website to sign up. See you in Santa Clara!

Part Two of the September updates to come... including some dates for your calendars and fun projects to announce! Stay tuned.

Oh, and if you aren't already doing so, follow me over on Instagram to keep track of my comings and goings:)

See you soon,

Ashley

June 21, 2016

Summer News

June 21, 2016/ Ashley Nickels

Happy Summer!

School is out and the sun is out (occasionally) in San Francisco! There has been a LOT going on over here, so allow me to cut to the chase.

Attention World!

I LIVE STREAMED! Yep, I made my very first infomercial, an impromptu Facebook live video from the Patchwork Show Oakland a couple of weeks ago. Thanks to the team at the Patchwork Show, and also a special thanks to my friends Justin and Jamieson for helping, it was like sweet serendipity the way that whole thing went down.

In case you missed it and need a few chuckles, here it is:

[video width="640" height="640" mp4="http://www.alphabetsummer.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/PatchworkLivestreamJune52016.mp4"][/video]

Attention Pop-Open Coveters!

My Etsy shop has a new look. Also, I’m going to be adding this beautiful medium size to my offerings, as well!

Attention Sewists!

My latest post on the Dear Handmade Life blog is a tutorial on how to make this super easy sleep mask. I’m taking mine on an upcoming backpacking trip, since that summer sun makes it almost impossible to sleep past dawn. You should make one, too!

Awesome photography by Isabel.

Also, my latest Creativebug class, How to Sew a Dopp Bag, is the June Bag of the Month! If you haven’t checked out the trailer to see if it’s your thing-- which I can already tell you it is-- here you go! Don't forget to use the promo code ASHLEY for a free two-week trial!

Attention Pop-Open Owners!

Are you taking yours on any trips this summer? Take a photo of your pop-open in the wild, like my friend Diali has here in the Grand Tetons! Tag me (@alphabetashley) and use the hashtag #popopensinthewild and it could be shown on my page! Also, at the end of the summer, there might be a prize involved. Just saying.

Attention Quilters!

I'm excited to be teaching at Quiltfest Oasis in Palm Springs this October 6-8th! I've never been to Palm Springs and I feel like it might officially make me Californian. I can't wait! Head over to the site to see why I'm so honored to be a part of this lineup.

Also in October, I'll be returning to the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara! Head over here to see my class offerings and also who else will be teaching... hint: It's my mom!

Attention World, Again!

Last but certainly not least, I’m thrilled to share that an article I wrote will be appearing in issue #30 of Uppercase Magazine! More on that soon, but if you aren’t a subscriber yet, use the code “summer30” for a discount. This magazine is one of my absolute favorites, and I look forward to receiving it more than almost anything. To say I'm honored that words that I wrote will be printed in this beautiful publication is a vast understatement.

That is all, for now. Thank you for reading, and happy summer out there! I'd love to hear from you, especially if you have any ideas for more silly live videos!

Back to School Newsletter

August 28, 2015/ Ashley Nickels

I know, I know. Nobody wants the summer to end! Some people are happy to be back at school (or to send their little/not-so-little ones back to school!) and some are perhaps... a touch reluctant that the glorious unscheduled time and freedoms of summertime have come to an end.

Over here in San Francisco, summer endures. As we enter the warmest and sunniest two months of the year in the Bay Area, I'm gearing up to go "back to school" in a sense myself. Next week, I'll be teaching a live (that's right, LIVE) class called "How to Teach a Craft Class" on CreativeLive.

I'm excited about this class for a number of reasons. First of all, I LOVE talking about teaching and all of my experiences over the years of teaching teens, tweens and adults. But I'm pretty sure people don't want to just listen to me ramble off stories about kids hiding under tables or what it's like to take 54 kids to Central America.

So. This class is for anyone who has a craft. This class is for anyone who has ever been told, "Oh, you should TEACH that!" This class is for any artist/crafter/maker who wants to expand their business and add more income. I'm going to show you why you are ALREADY a teacher.

We're going to talk about what's holding you back, and you'll learn the tools and tricks you need to go forth and TEACH. And I promise, it will be FUN. And by the end of it, you'll not only know what to do, but you'll wonder why you weren't doing it already.

RSVP to the course here!

Did you know... you can watch the free live stream on September 2nd and 3rd, which includes a live chat forum where you'll be able to ask questions and interact with me in the San Francisco studio. Whaaat?

Are you out there teaching your craft? Are you an aspiring craft teacher? I'm thrilled to invite you to join the Teacher's Lounge, an online meeting point where you'll be able to connect with other crafty/creative teachers and talk shop! Get advice, find potential teaching gigs, exchange resources, and more. Make sure you're signed up for my newsletter to find out more.

I think you'd like:

Pam Garrison's Creative Sketchbooking class on Creativebug. Pam gives you the freedom to make mistakes, explore, and have fun using paints, ballpoint pens, collage, and more. I HIGHLY recommend it for a creative jolt! (If you follow my Instagram feed, you'll see it's my own personal obsession right now!)
You are a Badass by Jen Sincero. The title speaks for itself, but if you are ever wavering that you are, in fact, a badass, PLEASE read this book.

See to you soon:)

-Ashley

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June 27, 2013

E is for Education

June 27, 2013/ Ashley Nickels

“Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in...”

Not like school is the same as being in the Corleone family or anything... but school’s out for the summer!? Not entirely! This week, I had the awesome pleasure of teaching a sewing camp called “Accessorize it!” ...and please don’t forget the exclamation mark.

All but one of my students (age 10, approximately) hadn’t used a sewing machine prior to showing up to class on Day 1. Fresh meat! And thanks to some generous friends and colleagues, we had a 1:1 ratio for machines. We spent the week cranking out all kinds of accessories: bracelets, drawstring pouches, pins, tote bags, infinity scarves, and even hair scrunchies (hello 90’s!).

To summarize:

The experience was educational for all parties. The students were eager and energetic, their final products were elegant, and their egos were elevated (ever so slightly) and I believe they have truly caught the sewing bug.

Yay! More little sewists for the world. But I'll tell you who also learned a thing or two... this guy. (Pointing to myself.)

Basic lessons learned:

Bring extra sewing machine needles. Within 20 minutes of the first class, two needles broke, and we were down to three machines. Rookie mistake!
Draw lines for students to sew along! Beginners (who are also ten-years-old) tend to veer off course.
When drawing said lines, DON’T use a turquoise Sharpie. Use a writing utensil that doesn’t bleed through!

More exciting lessons learned (or re-learned):

Sewing is FUN.
Watching a bobbin wind is AH-mazing. I had a crowd around me EVERY time we had to wind a bobbin. They were in complete and utter awe.
Sewing on a machine is a lot like driving. Therefore, when a person under the age of 16 is sewing... do NOT assume they understand the “your foot controls the show” idea.
Do not even bother to give advice to a ten-year-old about which colors look best together. They have their own ideas about that, and cannot be convinced otherwise.
Also, don’t bother telling a ten-year-old about what is/isn’t trendy. Making an infinity scarf is apparently a lot less fun than making a long piece of cloth that you can turn into a blindfold or use to whip your friend.

Now... "E"njoy a few pictures from class:

Hey you! Check out the "Blue Tool" here. This thing is MAGICAL for turning straps and threading drawstrings.

Old blog

I think you'd like:

Ashley Nickels