The Expo Part II

Wow, I can't believe it's Friday already..... Yesterday was my daughter and Mom's birthday (party Sunday!!!)  and today is a half-day at school (two extra girls coming over)  SO I decided to start early (6:30 am) and finish up my expo post so I can move on to How to make a V-Neck version of the Tee... and, I'm reformatting the Women's Tee instructions so they are easier to mail.  As soon as I'm done with that I will offer it to everyone (including my sewer girl in Sweden!)    

Before I get going with the Expo wrap-up, I want to let you know about a typo on my jeans pattern.  Yesterday in my Jeans workshop, one of the students pointed out to me that the zipper seam allowance cutting lines printed on the pattern were wrong.  There is a right and left leg cutting line and they are opposite of what they should be.  Please read through the pattern instructions before cutting trimming the zipper seam allowance the Pattern Instructions are correct.

Ok,  here I am teaching my front pocket and front fly zipper technique at the Expo....

It's hard to see in the picture, but one of my students was wearing a really cool button necklace.

One of the women who came to visit the booth showed me her sweatshirt--featuring the Fabric Etch technique that I wrote about in the last Embroidery Essentials Department article for Threads magazine.  It's a really cool and easy way to achieve perfect cutwork embroidery.  Work with natural plant fiber fabrics like cotton or linen.  Embroider with polyester thread.  Treat open areas with Fabric Etch.  Let dry and brush off the fibers--no time consuming trimming with scissors!  You can see the entire article in the last Threads (May).  I was in the mall this week, and I saw top that looked very  similar to this in one of the shop windows... so it's also a very fashion forward technique too!

One of the coolest booths at the show was Peggy Anne's Quilting & Sewing Co.  They had great samples and they ordered pansies to decorate their booth with...very original.  I purchased a little bag kit (to make for my mom for her birthday... I can say these things out loud because my mom never gets to my blog!) Their shop is located in Concord, NH and I'm really excited about possibly doing a jeans workshop there... we'll see!

Our neighbor across the aisle was the Beadin Path.  They had really nice trims, beads and charms. I definitely made new friends there!  I checked out their website.  If you're into the beading thing, it's definitely worth a check.  They have tons of stuff to look at!

...and I got some of these German Filigree charms for Gail (Gail Patrice Design) so she could use them to fill holes with--intrigued, check it out on her website!

...and here she is (working hard in our booth!)

Finally, last but definitely not least are my friends from Sulky.  I see Diane and Eric at every show I attend, and it's definitely nice to see these friendly (and talented) faces.  Eric is a busy guy... He's a National Sulky Educator and a sales and education coordinator.  I've been to Sulky events and they are fantastic, so if you own a store and want a creative event, check that out.   In addition to being a National Educator for Sulky Diane also has her own blog--Design on a Whim.  They are both fantastic!

...and finally, if you're looking for a different kind of metallic thread, try Sulky's Holoshimmer Thread.  Unlike traditional metallic thread, Holoshimmer is tiny slivers of holographic material that embroiders and sews like a dream.  Embroider on jeans, leather and organza using this thread with fabulous results.  (The embroidery on my website home page is done on white leather with silver Holoshimmer sparkle!)

Here are all the fabulous colors that are available, try it, you'll like it!


That's all for now, stay posted for the V-Neck Tee!