Guest Blogger Elaine Schmidt

Hi.  My name is Elaine Schmidt and

I am delighted to be a regular guest blogger for Renaissance Ribbons.

My love affair with ribbons started quite awhile ago.  As long as I can remember, I have collected ribbons – salvaged lengths from Christmas and birthday gifts, antique snippets from grandmother’s sewing basket, treasures from a flea market and the oh so many impulse purchases of wonderful ribbons “I just had to have”. I love playing with the ribbon lengths, rolls and remnants in my stash, organizing the different types, colors and patterns, and combining them as inspiration for my next craft or sewing project.

I work as a designer and product development and marketing consultant in the sewing, quilting, and craft industries and I discovered Renaissance Ribbons while doing research for my book The Complete Photo Guide to Ribbon Crafts.  I immediately fell in love with their beautiful and unique woven ribbons and realized that several of the favorite ribbons I had in my stash were actually Renaissance Ribbons. I have to admit something….creating a design with Renaissance Ribbons is very easy.  They are so lovely on their own that just a length sewn to a pillow or made into a headband or bracelet will make a stunning craft or sewing project.  Laura Foster Nicholson, owner of LFN Textiles and one of Renaissance Ribbons’ amazing designers, describes them as beautiful little tapestries in miniature.  Just a snippet can be sewn as an appliqué or used to create a special card.  I guess that is why I save every little bit of ribbon I have leftover from any project. Suzani Ribbon Collection LFNT In my posts for this blog, I hope to share with you lots of ideas and tutorials for using Renaissance Ribbons, along with tips and techniques, interviews with the people who work and design with Renaissance Ribbons, upcoming sneak peaks of new products and just about anything that has to do with ribbons.  I hope you will also share with us your inspirations and ideas for using Renaissance Ribbons.  Because, although my book is entitled a “Complete Guide”, I am always learning new ways to use ribbons and the folks at Renaissance Ribbons are constantly providing us with beautiful new designs that are a constant source of inspiration. You can learn more about me and visit my blog at www.elaineschmidt.com And please follow this blog as we share and inspire each other with Renaissance Ribbons.