The fall is nearing and feels like a good time for reflection, and some exciting news for the future! This summer has been full – full of warm weather, full of work, full of family and friends, and full of my kids! They were home all summer, causing this online life to take more breaks. All with good reason I think! As we approach the start to a new school year, it’s time again to take stock of where this blog has been and where it is going.

I LOVE writing, and taking photos and I love sharing my life with you. So many things have happened over the life of Thread Riding Hood, many over the past year… many, many of them through amazing connections and emails that have landed “randomly” in my inbox. Off the top of my head:

Working with Cloud9 Fabrics to produce the Time Warp Tote tutorial. Meeting & planning with Elizabeth Olwen and Warp & Weft to promote the Wildwood fabric collection. Posting the Forest Glen Satchel pattern, and you all started buying it! Teaching my first workshop. Being part of the Indiesew Summer Collection blog hop. Working with fabric designers and indie pattern makers. Writing monthly posts for the Craftsy sewing blog….

I cannot even say how grateful I am to be working with this blog’s sponsors, their ads allow me to keep up this amazing hobby-turned-job. And to you… I am so, so thankful for your support! I never, ever, envisioned that I would be able to accomplish all of these things here. All of it is truly a dream for me. I am so grateful to all of you for being my sounding board and allowing me to continue writing.

I still look back in amazement that this has all happened because I started writing about something I am passionate about and love, and discovered that you love it too! (Your support of my sponsors and companies I work with is so appreciated!)

With that I have one more exciting thing to tell you about. A month or so ago Janome Canada contacted me to ask if I would talk to them about working on a project together. I think I jumped out of my chair and ran (literally) to tell everyone the good news! (I also think I sounded a bit crazy also when I talked to Debbie, from their Vancouver office, on the phone later on that week. Argh. I am blaming my love of sewing for that!)

I am sure I’ll be talking more about this new partnership in the future, but for now I am so excited to introduce you to my new on-loan machine – the Janome Skyline S5. *squeeeeeee!*

I am super-excited to work with Janome! It is so satisfying to work with a company that I already know and love – and already use on a daily basis! Now 4 Janome machines live at my house + the new Skyline makes 5! After a first very low cost Singer, I upgraded to a Janome SUV1122. My husband bought a 2030QDC last year for my birthday, and a Kenmore serger (made by Janome), came for Christmas. We also just bought our youngest a Janome New Home 1/2 size machine for her birthday – it’s so cute!  Since the Skyline S5 is an on-loan machine, they will all stay with me for now, just in case I need to return it someday.

I will be posting a first review of the Janome Skyline S5 in the next few days, but my first impression is… *Surprise!* I LOVE this machine. It makes my sewing life sew much easier! (Sorry, not sorry for the pun!) 

Before I go, I’ve got an important question for you!

What would you name this machine?This S5 doesn’t have a proper name yet – and I think she deserves one. I thought it would be fun to get your help and we can all name her together. Comment below with your name suggestions – yes, she’s a girl! I’ll put up a poll soon with some top favorites and get my kids to throw in a few too. I’m so excited to see what wins!

Thank you for reading the whole post! Join me for “thread ride”, don’t miss more great content!