Jennifer Sampou Fabric Designer Blog

My 15 minutes of fame on the QUILT SHOW!!

8/11/2014

The Secret is SHARED and NOW SHOWING just for you!!
Congratulations to Donna Baker from TX for winning the Ten Square Pack of SHIMMER!

I've known Alex Anderson for a long time and not only has she done so much for our industry, but she is so fun to be around. She is full of energy! She asked me to share with the Quilt Show about my life as a designer/artist and a committed mother/wife- How do I keep it all in balance? How do I stay fresh? What inspires me? I am honored to be featured on an episode of The Quilt Show and we’ve got an exclusive coupon code THIS WEEK ONLY! To access this episode, all you have to do is sign up for a FREE account between today and August 18th. using THIS coupon link. My piece starts at minute 38:40. Leni is a great designer as well so enjoy her segment too!

Here's the episode trailer below!

To celebrate this occasion, I am gifting a Ten Square Pack of SHIMMER FABRIC to one of you! To enter, watch the segment and leave a comment about what keeps your creative juices flowing as well as name one of mine!

Trailer 1413 -- Leni Levenson Wiener from The Quilt Show on Vimeo.

123 Comments

kay

8/12/2014 08:11:56 am

Nice segment on TQS! You use Pinterest for inspiration, and so do I. Photos I take on vacation are also a major source of inspiration for my quilting.

Jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:52:27 pm

Thanks you michele! And congrats to your ability at navigating the internet! Our first email was very confusing!!

Jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:53:33 pm

Thank you KAY!! oops:)

Beth

8/12/2014 09:52:39 am

I am forever taking photos. The iPhone has made it so much easier. See some great textures in a piece of wood snap. Sunset snap and so on. Just got back from Ireland oh my gosh lush greens textures cannot tell you.

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:35:27 pm

Thanks Beth. Ive never been to Ireland, but was close (Wales, UK,) and it's so beautiful. Bet your making a green quilt soon ;)

Michele

8/13/2014 04:54:50 am

I haven't gotten into Pinterest yet, but after watching your segment, I just might. Antique quilts are a source of inspiration for me as is shopping the produce section of the market (weird, I know!)

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:36:45 pm

Not weird Michele! Haha. the colors in the produce section are DIVINE!! I too love the visual delight!!

Patricia V.

8/13/2014 04:58:59 am

I am new to pinterest and haven't explored it much...yet. I get so much inspiration from attending quilt shows. I always come home full of new ideas and ready to quilt!

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:37:43 pm

me too Patricia. LOVE QUILT SHOWS!!!

Susan in ct

8/13/2014 05:02:27 am

Sounds of nature, like listening to the ocean or standing in a storm, gets my creativity going. One of yours is Pinterest.
Thanks so much for the link!

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:38:54 pm

Everyone's comment are great Susan. YES! Standing in a storm is something I can relate to!!

Kathie L

8/13/2014 05:03:44 am

You love to travel and get inspiration. Better than just a trip to Target!

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:54:58 pm

SO True Kathie. :) But we also find it where we can sometimes :)

Rachel Bates

8/13/2014 05:08:25 am

You are inspired by Pinterest. I loathe Pinterest but nature is very inspiring to me.

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:56:14 pm

Nature is the best, I agree Rachel!

Cyndee Davis

8/13/2014 05:08:44 am

I, like you, love Pinterest. I also like to see the work of locals, so go to quilt shops and state fair to see the entries.

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:39:51 pm

Local inspiration is so heartwarming and supportive of where we live. BRAVO Cyndee. I agree!

Sally Morris

8/13/2014 05:08:50 am

Great segment. Like you, I'm always inspired by the design I see in Target. During my recent Scandanavian trip I spent free time wandering through their dept. and home goods store. Good thing I wa travelling in a carry-on. Your Shimmer line is one of my favs.

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:57:22 pm

Didn't know Scandavia had Target! Was it really different Sally?

Vickie VanDyken

8/13/2014 05:12:08 am

Well I heard Pinterest ...but I also heard Target !! Love it :) I must agree Target is inspirational !! The internet inspires me ( and Target LOL) and also my friends. Show and tell is great and we all just talk and laugh and many ideas sprout from our get-togethers!
Glad your back. Your family is beautiful. I have 3 Grandsons, they are THE best. Thanks for the giveaway

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:41:51 pm

Lucky you Vickie. I hope one day I will have three grandson's too. Laughing and LOVE are huge inspirations! Thanks for your lovely comments.

Cindy Wienstroer

8/13/2014 05:13:17 am

You use travel and photos - as I do. I have a mountain & valley quilt I made for our trailer - on the backside, we print photos from our vacations - so we sleep under memories. I am working on a quilt using the colors of the prairies during winter.

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:43:00 pm

Sleeping under your memories. How beautiful and poetic. Thanks for sharing Cindy

Ginnie

8/13/2014 05:16:20 am

Love your work! I too get inspiration from travel. Even when I'm not traveling to someplace new I am constantly taking pictures, usually of textural stuff. And color--I collect "color schemes" from magazines and fabric swatches for my own work with hand dyeing and printing fabric.

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:50:33 pm

NICE Ginnie! That is what most designers do too!

Rachel Trindle

8/13/2014 05:18:51 am

WE share a use for Pinterest. But I also enjoy using ideas from old and outdated quilt pattern books and updating or simplifying them

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:58:21 pm

Recycling is what quilting is based on! Great!

Sandy Spence

8/13/2014 05:18:55 am

I have 2 FQ bundles of your shimmer. I am saving it for a retreat where I am making a quilt for my husband for Christmas. I love travelling as well. An upcoming trip to the Carribbean with be very inspirational. I too love Pinterest. You can get lost for hours! My girlfriend calls it the devil!
Keep doing what you do! PLEASE!

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:45:31 pm

Haha Sandy. Yes easy to view Pinterest as the devil! I limit my time other wise it's just a big procrastination wall! Have fun using SHIMMER and thanks for your support!

Lori Morton

8/13/2014 05:23:26 am

Seems soooo many people love Pinterest...but I loved that you are inspired by Target!! I looove Target!! :) My Kiddo's & Grankiddo's inspire me...as do quilt blogs & books.

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:59:01 pm

That is great Lori!

Jeannine

8/13/2014 05:26:42 am

Great segment, love your fabric line and must say that it is blogs like yours that give me a creative push...

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:47:13 pm

Thanks Jeannine. Yes, that is one of the reasons why I blog :).

nancyk

8/13/2014 05:29:16 am

I actually lost my creative spirit for a few years. I was invited to join a small quilt art group that meets once a month. The 6 other women inspired me to keep at it and now I feel like I did when I first started quilting..so many ideas and quilts roaming around in my head that I can't work fast enough. I don't travel the way you do but I see inspiration all around me. From the natural to the archtectural. I LOVE the shimmer collection! Thanks, Jennifer.

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:48:02 pm

Good for you Nancy!

teri c

8/13/2014 05:30:19 am

Pinterest inspires me as well as it does you. Get lots of inspiration from quilt shows too. Great segment,thank you.

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:59:37 pm

Thanks for watching Teri!

mjkasz

8/13/2014 05:34:19 am

I like using Pinterest for ideas also, nice TQS segment.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:00:23 am

Thanks for watching MJ

Bethany link

8/13/2014 05:35:04 am

I love pinterest! My favorite thing to do is looking at different color combinations that I can use in my future quilts. Blogs and quilting stores inspire me as well.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:01:40 am

Color and coming up with exciting combinations is never ending Bethany!

Debra Mack

8/13/2014 05:44:53 am

I couldn't watch the whole segment on the QuiltShow my internet speed is too slow. I watch for ideas in my everyday live close to nature on a cattle ranch or watch for patterns on walls, floors, tiles etc. I also browse Pintrest to look for ideas and textures.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:02:59 am

That is what happens to me when I travel. Turn off all my social media stuff and shut the computer and just enjoy my natural surrounding Debra. Living close to nature is the best inspirations!

Michele Timms

8/13/2014 05:48:13 am

I am amazed with your talent and your creations are breathtaking!!! I get my inspiration from things around me, quilt bloggers who I follow, and Pinterest too!! My husband takes beautiful photography, he is an Art Major, and I could see myself using many of his photos for an art quilt!!

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:51:16 pm

Thank you Michele!

Jean

8/13/2014 05:56:47 am

Dare I say math? I'm not a math lover but there is lots of geometry that inspires me. Like you, I find inspiration in photos too.

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:49:31 pm

Math for sure Jean! That is what many quilts are and for sure PATTERNS!!!

Cindy

8/13/2014 06:08:55 am

I spend a lot of time on Pinterest for iinspiration. I like that you do too. Really nice segment.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:03:32 am

Thanks for watching Cindy!!

LINDA

8/13/2014 06:20:48 am

Hi! Great Video! Stitchers sharing is what inspires me the most! I really like Quilters Blogs for info.+Help; as well as Pinterest too.
Happy Stitching!

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:04:21 am

Thanks for watching Linda!!

Deb Kienow

8/13/2014 06:22:08 am

Great segment on the Quilt Show! I haven't used Pinterest to the level that you do, but, I what little I have used it does get my creative juices going. I am so into color and shapes. I am a very visual person and so many things catch my eye and influence my creativity.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:08:28 am

Yes, visual people like us get easily distracted Deb! Haha, things do catch our eyes! Thanks for watching

Linda Cejnar

8/13/2014 06:26:25 am

You are inspired by Pinterest. I haven't tried to figure Pinterest out, but I have seen some photos from other people's Pinterests. I like Google Images. I haven't designed my own quilt yet, but I have tweaked a few patterns that I've worked on. On one quilt, I rearranged the blocks and made a different pattern than the one that was originally supposed to be made. Thank you for the chance to win.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:17:10 am

Thanks for watching Linda. Keep up the quilting!

Harriette link

8/13/2014 06:32:08 am

Pinterest is fun for school and my daughters wedding. I too am inspired by Pinterest, but your designs send me over the moon!

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:18:50 am

You are sweet Harriette! Thanks for watching! Daughters wedding and pinterest sounds wonderful!

Quilting Tangent

8/13/2014 06:51:32 am

Your creative juices come from travel and shopping. Mine come from everywhere - tile floors, wallpaper, nature, TV shows are just some examples. Jennifer your fabric is beautiful, keep up the good work.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:19:56 am

Thanks for watching Quilting Tangent!

Diane

8/13/2014 07:10:51 am

Thanks for the opportunity to watch your segment - I really enjoyed it. Your inspiration comes from Pinterest. Mine comes from designer/creative people I follow on bloglovin' and Instagram. Thanks!

Jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:20:57 am

Thanks for watching Diane! Glad you enjoyed it :)

Jackie

8/13/2014 07:11:05 am

Love your new shimmer line! I get my inspiration from so many places, blogs, magazines, craftsy and my wonderful stash.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:22:11 am

YOUR Stash is perfect place to be inspired Jackie :)

Kathleen Dalecio

8/13/2014 07:12:12 am

I find inspiration in nature... beautiful sunsets, marvelous shades and color combinations in plants, wooded hills, beaches, etc.
I heard you say that Pinterest as well as travel (Thailand, Argentina...) offer you inspiration.

Jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:23:27 am

Yes, Kathleen.
Nature is the best- The colors and textures are endless. Thanks for watching.

grannyto8boys

8/13/2014 07:20:45 am

I get my inspiration from other sewists from quilting to clothing. I look for it everywhere; Pinterest, photos, nature, my grandsons and blogs.
Thanks for the giveaway and congrats on your 15 minutes of fame.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:24:21 am

Granny to 8 Boys (wow!) Thanks for watching. Keep creating!

Claire G

8/13/2014 07:25:01 am

Nature and esp animals in nature is my best inspiration source.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:25:00 am

Thanks for sharing and watching Claire!

Tracey link

8/13/2014 07:31:07 am

Like you, I also like pinterest. I can get lost on there for a while when I am looking for quilt inspiration :) When it comes to bags I think my biggest inspiration is how to make a pretty bag functional, where can I add more pockets, where will someone put their phone, where can I add the bling so it looks nice and then I stay awake at night and work out how to make it.

Jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:27:18 am

Ahhh Tracey, I know, Pinterest can be a time suck. But for bags, you might want to check out the book called "the better bag maker" by C&T. It's awesome for making all the cool add ons that are stylish and functional. Way to go! Keep creating :)

Kathy M Boice

8/13/2014 07:37:59 am

You are inspired by Pinterest as well as I am, too. There are some really good ideas on there! I also get inspired by internet bloggers and quilting sites.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:28:17 am

Thanks for watching and sharing Kathy

Tabitha Keener

8/13/2014 08:22:47 am

Great show! Pinterest is a great place of inspiration for me too! Plus it helps me to save things I want to do later, awesome place! Thanks so much for the giveaway!

tdkcarpenoctem@hotmail.com

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:30:06 am

Thanks for watching Tabitha!!

Patricia Hersl

8/13/2014 08:25:51 am

I'll walk through Target with you! I don't dare Pinterest--too much time. But I adore my antique meeting and love looking at the old quilts and fabrics.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:31:09 am

:) Thanks Patricia! Antique shops and museums are wonderful sources too!

Jill. S

8/13/2014 08:32:12 am

I love nature, architecture, and color. It all inspires me! Like you, Pinterest is also great inspiration! One thing leads to another. People are so creative and what a great way to share ideas and creations!

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:32:35 am

Yes, the human race is so creative Jill. Keep sharing and keep it going! :)

Sandy Allen

8/13/2014 09:11:15 am

One of your inspiration points is pintrest. I Love it, too, but try to stay away from creating too many boards. It can be addictive!

I love walking around the campus at work and seeing all the gingerbread and fretwork on the buildings around. Architecture is a great inspiration for me!

Jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:34:21 am

You are the first to mention architecture and it's a great one for me too. Especially when I did Victorian Wheeling collection in the 90's!

Margaret

8/13/2014 09:45:32 am

I haven't gotten into Pinterest much (unlike you), but I do like to look at photos on blogs and IG to get inspired.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:35:46 am

Margaret, I love IG and blogs too! Thanks for watching!

Elizabeth Larson

8/13/2014 10:22:33 am

I enjoy Pinterest, but subscribe to 6 quilt magazines and keep all the back issues. I also have about 100 quilt books. I love to look through them for inspiration and it always spurs me to get going on something new.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:36:37 am

You are busy with lots to look at Elizabeth! Way to go!

Beth T.

8/13/2014 11:03:24 am

Floors and architectural elements are inspiring to me. I hadn't thought of looking for them on Pinterest until I watched your video, but now I will. I mostly use Pinterest to bookmark things, but I can see it has greater potential than that. So, one of your sources of inspiration may well turn into ours.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:38:17 am

Hi Beth, You will like it too! It's fun!! But it can be all consuming so be careful :)!!

Anita link

8/13/2014 11:07:45 am

I get inspiration from nature and my surroundings, in addition to blogs. Lately, I have started to use Pinterest, just like you do.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:39:01 am

Hi Anita!
Nature is pretty amazing. Thanks for watching.

Debra Kay Neiman

8/13/2014 11:22:29 am

I get a lot of inspiration from photos and other peoples projects. crystalbluern at onlineok dot com

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:39:48 am

We inspire each other for sure Debra! Thanks for watching.

Janet T

8/13/2014 11:36:53 am

I get a lot of my inspiration from Pinterest, too! So many ideas and color combinations.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:40:29 am

Thanks for watching Janet!

karen

8/13/2014 12:46:18 pm

I know you (and many others) use pinterest for inspiration, but I haven't jumped on that bandwagon yet. I take lots of classes that my guild offers, and find inspiration in learning from the talented teachers there.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:48:18 am

Pinterest isn't for everyone Karen. Taking classes at your guild is pretty amazing inspiration! Way to go! Keep creating :)

Janet

8/13/2014 01:12:39 pm

I just started looking at Pinterest, glad to hear you I'll not alone in getting inspiration from there. Most of my inspiration comes from nature.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:43:05 am

Nature is best and most real Janet…especially when we've been sitting looking at the "screen" too long :)

Mary D

8/13/2014 01:36:37 pm

I love travel and find it inspirational too. Mexico is filled with colors, textures and inspiration. I can understand why you enjoyed living there. You have a great story and I am glad I had a moment to experience some of it.

When I designed clothing I got my design inspiration from everyday life from my creative view. I working to translate that into my quilting experience. Colors and textures excite and inspire me.

Keep up the great creative work.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:50:41 am

HI Mary, Thanks for watching.That is interesting that you designed clothing. I would be curious to see how that influences your quilting. Also I use my fabric for clothing as well. So many great pattern people out there now like Green Bee Designs.

Cheryl

8/13/2014 03:06:49 pm

What a neat segment to learn more about you! I love pinterest too and I wish I was able to travel more like you to draw inspiration from other cultures. What a great opportunity. I draw inspiration from social media and other quilters.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:46:52 am

Thanks Cheryl for commenting and watching. We are lucky to be able to connect to one another through social media. I hope your wish to travel may come for you sometime soon. Keep creating :)

Gill

8/13/2014 05:45:10 pm

You like Pinterest - I haven't discovered it yet!
I find so much inspiration on all the fabulous blogs I read!

Jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:43:53 am

Thanks for watching Gill. Blogs are pretty great too!!

Heather J

8/13/2014 07:27:15 pm

You are inspired by travel Pinterest and target. I love taking pictures of scenery surrounding me wherever I am. I recently attended a Faberge exhibit in Montreal. The colours and objects were stunning!

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:41:48 am

OOOHHHHhhh Faberge Exhibit! Lucky you! I love my local museums in San Francisco and go often! Way to go Heather!

Delaine

8/13/2014 07:31:08 pm

You use Pinterest for inspiration and so do I. I also use quilting blogs and pictures to get ideas for projects. Thanks!

Jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:21:29 am

Thanks for watching Delaine

Betty Woodlee

8/13/2014 09:44:43 pm

I enjoyed your segment of the video. You utilize Pinterest for inspiration. My main source for inspiration comes from my sister Bessie. We sew and quilt together and bounce ideas back and forth!

jennifer Sampou

8/13/2014 11:34:16 pm

Yes, I love quilting with my sister and mom. That is my favorite thing about going "home" to mom's house. We sew together.

Kate

8/13/2014 11:16:33 pm

Like you, I use Pinterest sometimes for inspiration but I love to take pictures and go to the art gallery.

jennifer Sampou

8/14/2014 12:10:25 am

Hi Kate- Going to art galleries are fantastic to me too! Thanks for watching

Jacklynn Grimm

8/14/2014 12:44:31 am

I am a Pinterest junkie! Of my 27 boards, I think 14 are quilting and fabric related. Just yesterday I found a great sewing machine cover pattern, and now I am playing around with the design. Thanks for a chance to win your beautiful fabric!

Debbie Rogowski

8/14/2014 12:56:44 am

I'm not a big fan of pinterest. I like the idea of a place to keep your stuff but so many times I try to find where a pic came from and I dont' get much more than pinterest. I may want to buy a pattern or fabrics used or see a tutorial. So my inspiration is nature. (your choice of Target is quite funny) I read somewhere that if you see a picture that you like use the colors in it to create with

patty link

8/14/2014 03:23:55 am

I didn't have any problem figuring out how to watch the show with the first email. I don't know anything about pinterest or how to create a board, but I have looked at other's boards. I also take pictures all the time and fall back on them for inspiration too!

Karen Miller link

8/14/2014 12:40:17 pm

Jennifer I just LOVED your segment. So neat to hear about your adventures and your family -- and your inspiration for your fabric lines. Pinterest is also one of my favorite places to gain inspiration (and to house the images that I find offline). Thanks for the awesome giveaway and I'm with Alex -- I'm glad you're back and designing and sharing with us all! Karen www.redbirdquiltco.com

Sarah

8/15/2014 12:20:50 am

You are inspired by travel. I tend to be inspired by fabric -- I look at something, and the possibilities just jump into my head! I am also inspired by the bloggers I read, seeing what they make. I want to tell you that I won a charm pack of Shimmer awhile back when you were doing the blog hop, and I just LOVE it. So much better in person than in the picture, and so aptly named. I am handquilting some of it right now into cushion covers for our livingroom.

Hilda

8/15/2014 04:15:39 am

Thanks for the free show. I really enjoyed it. Leni was great and I enjoyed catching up with you and your family. I have known Carolie for over 30 years and many of my friends have worked for C&T over the years. Love all your fabrics!

Rhonda

8/15/2014 07:02:23 am

Thanks for sharing the TQS episode! Like you I love to travel and photograph new places (loved your Mexico pics). I also am lucky to live in the coastal region of SC where Mother Nature is constantly providing inspiration.

Emily C

8/15/2014 08:27:34 am

I love Pinterest for inspiration, too. I have to watch that I do not allow it to eat up as much of my time as it could.

Rhonda Davis

8/15/2014 08:46:25 am

I haven't started using Pinterest but maybe I should start. I get inspiration from the many blogs and websites I visit daily. Both you and TQS are on my list.

Donna Baker link

8/15/2014 09:42:32 am

What a great segment; I'm sure glad you shared the link with us. It was great to SEE you and share your passion and beliefs in a video and not just on your blog. You get your inspiration from Pinterest, it sure is a great tool - and I am not sure I realized you hand painted your fabrics (it makes sense now though). I have a newfound respect for you because of that *wink*

jennifer Sampou

8/28/2014 05:21:11 am

Good to hear from you Donna!!
I am glad you had a chance to watch it and thank you for kind words

kimberlee

8/21/2014 11:15:04 am

I have not gotten the fever of Pinterest like you have, but I do get inspired every day on Instagram. I follow so many sewists, designers, and artists there.