Quilting Arts TV

This is me on the set of Quilting Arts TV. Friday, March 5, 2010, Cleveland, Ohio. As you know, I don’t really like to talk about these types of things until everything is over. I’m so excited it’s in the can and I can spill the beans!

OK, this is the only picture taken with my camera of me and Pokey on set. There were a lot of other cameras snapping so I’m counting on there being one where we both have our eyes open. I love how Pokey’s clothing matches my project. My outfit matches because I planned it that way!

Pokey Bolton is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Quilting Arts Magazine and the Editorial Director for the Quilt & Paper Division at Interweave Press.  She’s also the host and creator of Quilting Arts TV which is celebrating its 6th season, the one being taped here for the Fall season. I love this woman and marvel at what she’s created. Her passion, energy, and enthusiasm is a total joy to be around. I’ve worked with several different publications now. Quilting Arts is hands down one of the most professional and talented organizations in the industry. They take care of you from start to finish.

Helen Gregory is on the left. She’s Managing Editor for Quilting Arts Magazine and Cloth Paper Scissors. I love this photo, she’s taking some promotional shots of Pokey with my Winslow Market Tote. Yes, MY tote is in the picture. Too cool.

The Green Room, literally. They ask that you arrive at the taping studio at 8:30 in the morning. Upon arrival, you are directed to the Green Room where you hang out until it’s time to tape your episode. The taping schedule is fluid and things can change throughout the day depending on how the schedule moves along. The entire season take 5 days to tape.

You need to be ready to go when you’re called. At one point I was told I wouldn’t be going on until after lunch so I used the morning to soak in as much learning as I could about what was going on. Once you’re called onto the set, you bring out your project and lay it on the table. There’s not enough time to sew something from start to finish so you bring a series of in progress samples that are called step outs. These step outs are used to demonstrate the project. (This post is getting too long, I’m going to do a second post showing my project and how I prepared it.)

The image above is what happens just prior to the taping. The producer (Kathi Skull in the turquoise sweater), the host (Pokey), the camera team, and the guest go through a quick run down of the project. Questions are asked and decisions made about what techniques will be emphasized, what will be stitched real time on the sewing machine, and what sequence things will be shown.

This process is very quick and efficient. The camera guys ask the guest if they’ve ever been on TV before. No. Ever taped anything before. No. Ever done anything even remotely like this before. No. You’re then told to relax, talk to the host, and don’t pause, stop, or break the segment for any reason whatsoever!

I was so incredibly nervous before I went on.

Pokey drives the segment and the timing. She asks questions which are really prompts for what you need to do next. I really enjoyed the taping itself. I love to talk about sewing so much that my brain immediately went into a mode where I was just sitting there talking about my Winslow Market Tote. Just like I do on my blog or talking to my sewing friends. I don’t remember being nervous once the cameras went on. Now I’m just anxious to see the tape!

This is the fabulous Terry Grant. She taped several segments. I knew who she was because I immediately recognized her birds from the cover of Quilt Scene. In the small world category, Terry is also part of Twelve by Twelve which includes my friends Nikki Wheeler and Kristin La Flamme. I really enjoyed my time talking with Terry in the green room.

There’s a large screen monitor in the Green Room that plays the live tape as it’s being recorded. Terry had the inspired idea to take pictures of the screen with her camera. This is a photo I took of one of her segments which took place right after me.

I was so nervous all day before my segment taped that I did not take nearly enough pictures. I had the pleasure of meeting Luana Rubin of eQuilter and her daughter Sophie. Sophie is only 7 years old and did her own segment on the show! This little girl had a beautiful spirit that filled the Green Room with energy and smiles. We all clapped in the Green Room after her segment taped. The cute thing about this was when she came back into the room with a big smile she said she could hear us all from the other room.

Lindsay Mason shared a project for slipper boots that featured her pattern for a patchwork upper combined with pre-cut suede leather soles (a new soon-to-be-released product from Simplicity). She is so talented!

Of course, no pictures of all these fantastic ladies. I was just too darn nervous to think about documenting the experience. I do wish I’d asked someone else to take pictures with my camera when I was on set getting ready for my segment. Next time!

I’ve been watching sewing shows on PBS for as long as I can remember. Having the opportunity to appear on one is truly a dream come true. And I mean like at the TOP of the list. Something I will always say was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Still pinching myself.

pink chalk fabrics ~*~ new arrivals ~*~ free patterns ~*~ on sale