Last weekend we had a local designer meetup at Bits of Thread, the studio where I work on etxe. There were about twelve of us women from all different backgrounds (think White House correspondent or Olympic Skier--no joke), each with a different business model and focus, some further along than others. I was really amazed to hear their stories about how they started, what they are working on now, their successes and their failures. The fact that there are committed and successful fashion designers in DC is incredibly inspiring. I didn't really know what I would find here, but I feel like I have struck gold. It's rare to find creative entrepreneurs that are truly down to earth, genuine and talented.

I was so immersed in the moment that evening that I took zero photos. But you can imagine--many bottles of wine, an assortment of cheese and crackers, gourmet popcorn and vegan muffins--we dished out the real real. No one cried, but I was so happy I could have. Who else would appreciate the specifics of fabric sourcing, dreary details of local manufacturing, complications of digitally printing or tales from my past life in startup e-commerce land?

I found my people!

I spent the rest of the weekend working on patterns and struggling with the serger (YouTube, you are my best friend). That meetup was enough fuel to get me through an awful bandeau experiment and some sleeve drafts --- and many, many more possibly frustrating experiences to come I'm sure. :)

Hope you had a great weekend and don't ever give up on seeking out those that inspire you!