More round hats and SewExpo 2019

I genuinely hate driving in traffic, and any excuse for public transit I will seize upon.

So I took the bus to the train to the bus to SewExpo.

You have to click on this to see the action 

I stalked Bernina presser feet.

I visited the booth where I bought my hat's fabric

I took two classes.

Peggy Sayers of Silhouette Patterns didn't have a booth this year, she was just here to give a couple of presentations. Her presentation on sleeves hewed to the "if you have a blouse that fits you, that's the sleeve/armhole you want to use". Her key measurement is the arm circumference of your favorite blouse/top. 

 Let's give Peggy the chance to tell you herself. This is essentially the lecture she gave. It's a great idea, and saves you a lot of redrafting and messing around.

These machine knit blankets are about ten feet high.

The loveliest bias hem on a Kalle blouse

with a very charming sew in tag.

I bought these from Drygoods. I've never been in their Seattle shop. Silly me.

I got this stunning pendant from Rusty Crow. The needle and the button are separate items.

Pattern coming soon!

It was not one of Ms Ruddy's better days.

 That said, she answered all the questions the audience had. There was time/room location/topic confusion and she had about a minute to change her presentation. No harm done.

A magnetic pincatcher /cup on a plastic snap bracelet. I will show you how to make one of these later this month, from stuff you already own, sometime in the March edition of Tips and Tools. I just need to buy another chocolate milk bottle that has the cap that works best for this.

I found the motherlode of vintage stuff.

More halo prim button covers and some crazy snap strap buttons

The hat pattern that Peter Lappin made famous and a demented Simplicity uplighting pattern with a cowl pattern you know I'm going to take a swing at.

And the pattern on the left is going to be my spring regrade project. The right, we'll get to that later. 

There is no trip to Puyallup without a scone. Skipped the jam this time. Mmmmmm.

I didnt' wait for the train to go home, so took the express bus back. HOV lanes are my friend.

Yes, they put the Sound Transit map in woven upholstery on the seats.

WANT.

Sew Expo 2016

I live in Seattle, which is an hour north of Puyallup, home of the Sewing and Stitchery Expo.

I live right off Interstate 5. I can hear it from here.

After a great deal of calendarical dithering, I determined I'd be going to SewExpo on Thursday to catch Laura Nash's vintage pattern class, and whatever classes worked out for the rest of the day.

Which I would have made if I had left Seattle about an hour earlier. Not for traffic on the highway, but traffic trying to get ON to the highway.

Seattle, you have too many cars.

The weather was perfectly nice. This is a terrible photo, because I take terrible photos out of the car window while I am driving (nuff said). But that grey mountain shape in the lower center of this is Mount Rainier, which is very visible from some parts of Puyallup. And you could see all of it's snowy glory that day.

So....cars.

A really sad attempt to yarn bomb the Sasquatch at the entrance of the Washington State Fair grounds.  He needs a full sweater.

Since I missed the 830, I did the shopping first.

Vogue Fabrics had wider aisles this year, and nothing I needed.

Love this shirt. Love Judy. More on her later.

I took an illustration class from Julie Paschkis once. She is a great example of how you can use your talents in all markets, and her lines for In the Beginning's quilting cottons are clothes-worthy.

And hard to cut into. I just pet mine.

I predict more people will do scale draping. It really works, and it's easier to take a gamble with a smaller amount of fabric to try something out. Especially next to a mountain of magnetic pincushions.

Are they cushions if they aren't cushioned?

Buttons. I am a sucker for you. Put five on a piece of string and watch me drool.

Huh.

New pattern this year. 

Look familiar?

Huh. I must be crazy.

Lorraine Henry does a nice presentation about moving darts and altering pattern pieces. I have seen this several times before, done by a variety of people, and she does a good job of explaining it. She does not have a book, but her methods are all over the internet. The key to her method is preserving the seam line length, rather than cutting through it to alter. 

This year the omnipresent WSU banners cracked me up. My elder child, Thing One, is a freshman at WSU, over in Pullman. So I give them more money now!

Marla Kazell was the  technical advisor for the book, Couture The Art of Fine Sewing by Roberta Carr,  which is kinda like finding out someone else painted the Last Supper. Marla's presentation was about prepping a jacket pattern, and recutting the center edge and facings offgrain so they would hang straight. It's just how it is. This was a tough sell for some of the participants, who just couldn't get it. 

And Judy Kessinger's Fit Nice class. 

Theoretically about pants, but about her pants pattern, with some great old lady advice about just not giving a dang. I don't need another pants fitting system, but I enjoyed my 90 minutes with her. It was a hoot and then some. Her website is full of videos that are worth your time, videographed by her sons. Go check em out.

And then we go back to shopping. Or buying in this case.

Treasures of the Gypsy. 

Yes, they have many shiny things and they are really serious about you keeping your damn hands off them. I get where they are coming from, I love them to bits. Don't mess with them!

The Venus of Willendorf. And five thousand Elinor Peace Bailey patterns.

I own about four hundred yards of that nylon bird fabric. I pick the birds off and use them for trim.

My beloved needle threader was on sale at Hancock's booth. I did buy another, as a gift. Really.

A scone for luck

The haul: the free tote bag, the black striped 3 yards of japanese woven cotton goodness, the poly digital print from Marci Tilton, 18" of shiny beaded red trim, six beautiful resin buttons, a 3/8" curved ruler (finally, now I can stop coveting one), more typewriter fabric (two 1/2 yd pieces to be kluged) and class info pages.

And how quickly I sewed this beauty up! Thanks Ms Tilton!

Huh.

Planning my SewExpo 2016 Day - the sewist classes

http://www.sewexpo.com/

Sew Expo Brochure

Sew Expo Speakers Biographies

Ya go to the fair, ya get a scone!

Since I got skunked on classes last year at SewExpo in 2015, I figured I would do my due diligence on what was offered so I could sign up right away when classes open for 2016. February  2016, Wednesday 24 through Sunday 28. 

I got my brochure today, and am sending it in NOW.

EDITED TO ADD: January 11th, I got the email confirming my order.
January 8, I got my tickets.
Time travel is REAL

From the email: Online registration begins on January 6, 2016 (it will open sometime on Wednesday morning (PST) during regular business hours). Deadlines include a postmark of February 12 for regular mail and February 21 for online registration. Get your registration in early so you don’t miss out on your favorite seminars.

Mostly SewExpo has been about quilting, with a smattering of clothing sewing and a dash of knitting. I live in Seattle and would not miss this for the world, even though I don't quilt. There are some great ‘one stop shopping’ opportunities over the weekend, meeting your heroes. Buying that tool, getting those notions you can’t find online (Treasures of the Gypsy! I am talking about you!).  And the more clothing sewists that attend, the more stuff they have for us. West Coasters, represent!

There are some fine four hour “four needle” classes on the opening day Wednesday. Sadly, Wednesday is just classes, no shows or floor vendors. I know, I live in Seattle, it’s a couple of hours drive in bad traffic from my home.  In reality it just doesn’t work out. As much as I prefer to buy things in person, sewing wise, there’s not enough on the floor to merit two full days off in the middle of the week, and I will be burning much midnight oil on costume work. Emerald City Comic Con is a few weeks later. It just times out that way.

These are not all the presentations or classes, and I haven’t listed the style shows. The italics indicate SewExpo copy from their website, and their PDF.  This is mostly sewing related, and I am sure I have left off someone you love; apologies in advance. But this is what I’m thinking about. Class numbers relate to how long they are.  1’s are 45 minutes, 2’s are 90min, 3’s are 2.5 hrs, and 4’s are just on Wednesdays, and four hours long.

I would be remiss if I did not start with Laura Nash, of Sew Chic. See her 1650 Vintage Pattern presentation (Thurs/Sat 830am) – the gal knows her stuff, look at her pattern line Sew Chic Patterns  if you need more proof.

     

I put this dress on and I am invincible (Fifth Avenue, by Sew Chic). My spouse doesn't understand how blog clothing photos work, this was the farthest away he would photograph.

      

1663 Costuming Basics: To Conventions & Beyond Toni Preston, Pacific Fabrics FRI (#1663B) 4:30 PM ROOM D, SHOWPLEX Anime and Comic Book Conventions are a popular venue for kids and adults who love to dress in costume to enhance the fun—but where do you start? Whether you have basic or advanced sewing skills, Toni will send you home with lots of tips and great ideas on how to create costumes for Cosplay and the Cons with limited time, money and space. Toni is a part of the amazing team at the Northgate Pacific Fabrics. THE BEST DAMN STORE EVER. There’s a lot going on out there in the land of cosplay (costumes and character play for adults), and there will be a lot more of it this coming year on my radar.

1624 Pattern Alteration SOS (Swivel Our Seams) Lorraine Henry, LH Enterprises THU (#1624A) 10:30 AM SAT (#1624C) 10:30 AM ROOM G, SHOWPLEX If you are tired of cutting your pattern into puzzle pieces and trying to put it back together to make it “kind of fit, have an “Ah-HA” visual experiences. Watch how seams can “swivel” to enlarge or shrink for the bust, widen or narrow for the back, and work in combinations without causing any distortion in the pattern. Learn how to create hinges and swivel your seams to meet the needs of YOUR personal shape! This is a damn fine trick to learn, changed my sewing. I'm going mostly just to  see how she ....uh...swings it.

1625 The Three Crotch Figure! Lorraine Henry, LH Enterprises FRI (#1625B) 1:30 PM SUN (#1625D) 1:30 PM ROOM G, SHOWPLEX All figures have three crotches. Two arm crotches and one lower torso crotch. Fitting them all has great similarities. Come learn what measurements are in direct relationship to one another in these areas. Learn figure variations that apply to each and how correct measurements will show you where to do the alterations for a better fit. Another brilliant concept at work.

1681 From Dress Form Draping to Princess Lines Joseph Vecchiarelli, Fashion Supplies Inc. FRI (#1681B) 12:30 PM SUN (#1681D) 12:30 PM ROOM E, SHOWPLEX Joe Vecchiarelli and Judy Kessinger have combined their talents to bring you a one-of-a-kind class. Start with Joe’s dress form and learn how to drape the form to FIT your figure. Then Judy will show you how to create a princess pattern to FIT your comfort! Go from form to fashion with confidence in the fit and comfort of a garment. Live draping, kids. Yes, it's a sales pitch but you don't have to buy.

 http://bravobellabras.com/pages/my-story

2611 Bra Fitting: Just Because It Fits, Doesn’t Mean It Fits! Monica O’Rourke Bravo, BravoBella FRI (#2611B) 8:30-10:00 AM ROOM F, SHOWPLEX Let Monica help you demystify the sometimes perplexing world of fitting a bra, whether you plan to make your own or want to be a more educated ready-to-wear consumer. Learn about the art and science of bra fitting and get a glimpse as to why so many of them don’t (fit, that is!). You will walk away armed with a foundational knowledge that you can apply to both your shopping and sewing experience. Also: 1655 Panties Monica O’Rourke Bravo, BravoBella FRI (#1655B) 1:30 PM SUN (#1655D) 1:30 PM ROOM C, SHOWPLEX

1656 Upcycling>Upcycle Sewing! Michelle Paganini, Paganoonoo THU (#1656A) 2:30 PM FRI (#1656B) 4:30 PM SAT (#1656C) 2:30 PM ROOM C, SHOWPLEX Upcycle sewing is different than sewing with flat cloth. The starting materials are previously owned garments, there are no pattern pieces to print, cut out, and then pin to garments. Watch the steps for transforming three men’s shirt into a beautiful woman’s blouse. I’ve seen her work in the Refashioners 2015. Now I get to hear her.

1641 Ultimate Upcycles Marsha McClintock, SAF-T-POCKETS THU (#1641A) 8:30 AM SAT (#1641C) 8:30 AM ROOM B, SHOWPLEX Upcycling is described as reusing a material without degrading the quality of the material for its next use. Marsha will show you how to take old leather coats, jeans, and dress shirts and give them new lives. See how to turn a dress shirt into several useful items. Then take an old leather jacket and turn it into accessories like jewelry, tote bags, and trims. I love the insides of Marsha’s brains, she is a real engineer. This is an unfortunate overlap with Laura Nash for the one day attendees. If you’re sticking around, see em both.

1657 How to Fit Any Pattern in a Knit vs. a Woven Fabric Pati Palmer, Palmer/Pletsch Publishing THU (#1657A) 9:30 AM SAT (#1657C) 9:30 AM ROOM B, SHOWPLEX If your knit stretches to fit the stretch gauge on the envelope and you are the exact measurements for your size, you could sew the garment without any fitting—supposedly. Patterns for knits or woven fabrics are interchangeable. Pati will share her sewing tips for successful garment construction no matter the pattern or fabric. It's Pati, dangit!

1658 Tissue-Fitting Method for Pants and Tops Pati Palmer, Palmer/Pletsch Publishing FRI (#1658B) 9:30 AM SUN (#1658D) 9:30 AM ROOM B, SHOWPLEX Pati Palmer and Melissa Watson have developed a new line of patterns for McCall’s that will use all of their latest techniques for tissue-fitting. Pati will show the first designs from the new pattern line and how to use the designs to help you learn to fit yourself. The class that changed sewing, live and in person and updated.

1611 Know Your “Half” Measurements Louise Cutting, Cutting Corners, Inc FRI (#1611B) 2:30 PM SUN (#1611D) 2:30 PM ROOM B, SHOWPLEX You’ve always been told to measure completely around the body but, patterns are drafted with front and back pattern pieces. Using “half” measurements, Louise will share easy to follow changes in patterns that can make your garments fit better. Students will receive ‘mini-pats’ (quarter size scale of a front and a back) to address how measurements and sizing needs to be added or altered This makes appalling amounts of sense.

1626 Tailoring: Before You Cut Marla Kazell, Marla Kazell THU (#1626A) 11:30 AM SAT (#1626C) 11:30 AM ROOM B, SHOWPLEX Before you cut and sew your next jacket, discover how appropriate planning and refining the details of your pattern will improve the final results. Learn about hem allowances, turn of the cloth, button size/overlap width, off-graining and drafting or adjusting lining pattern pieces.  Marla Kazell has done many and much, but she was the technical advisor for the book, "Couture The Art of Fine Sewing" by Roberta Carr. Nuff said!

1647 Sew Your Own Swimsuit— Fearless & Fun Techniques! Annette Millard, Pacific Fabrics FRI (#1647B) 10:30 AM SUN (#1647D) 10:30 AM ROOM C, SHOWPLEX Dive into sewing your own suit with Annette’s fearless methods for both sergers and sewing machines! Whether you love Retro, Basic or Modern styles, you’ll find these tips and basic techniques make swimsuit sewing fun, easy and full of possibilities. You’ll learn the basics of fitting, how to use fabrics, linings, and patterns and which tools and notions will make your swim sewing life easiest. Bra cup techniques will not be included, but an easy substitute will be shown. Annette is fearless, a real human being shaped person, and will convince you into sewing one.

I just bought her vogue pattern! You’d go home with a real purdy box!  3631 Intro to Cartonnage: The Art of French Box Making Mary Jo Hiney, Mary Jo Hiney Designs THU (#3631A) 11:00 AM-1:30 PM FAIRVIEW, 1ST FLOOR The art of making decorative boxes from cardboard began around 1844, in Valréas, France. Learn Mary Jo’s well-honed techniques for creating decorative boxes and incorporating ribbon techniques, using her artisan-crafted hand-dyed silk velvets and ribbons. Students will choose between a small oval or small heart shape. Assorted shades will be offered.

Two Wednesday classes it pains me to pass on:

4604 Fitting and Designing for All Cup Sizes Connie Crawford, Fashion Patterns by Coni WED (#4604Z) 1:00-5:00 PM ROOM 2, PAULHAMUS Using your personal measurements and cup sizes, learn the art of fitting a pattern and the importance of having the correct cup size for both woven and knit fabrics. Connie will demonstrate the different drapes for a perfect custom blouse block/sloper. She will also show you how to fit the gaposis of a neckline, make a shoulder and armhole fit properly and match the collar to your neckline

4607 Pattern Alteration Basics: A Hands On Approach For A Great Fit Lorraine Henry, LH Enterprises WED (#4607X) 8:00 AM-12:00 PM ROOM 3, PAULHAMUS Learn how to identify common figure variations, how to take and use body measurements effectively and apply to alter your pattern for a great fit. Learn the principles and guidelines for the three methods of alteration that you can choose from—Slash, Pivot and Slide—and the newest Seam method. Use ½-scale practice patterns in doing frequently needed alterations for each part of the body.

4616 Pants For You! Personal FIT! and STYLING! Kathy Ruddy, kathyruddy.com WED (#4616X) 8:00 AM-12:00 PM ROOM 4, PAULHAMUS Create the only pant pattern you’ll need for years to come! Measurements and visual keys are the foundation for creating a custom pants pattern. Watch as Kathy demonstrates how to correctly take measurements as you work in pairs to complete your individual measurement chart. You will receive a visual fit chart to analyze your fit and where to apply the changes. Using ½-scale patterns, practice the fitting changes outlined in the personal analysis to create your very own custom pant pattern.

Even if I miss the classes, Bravobella will have bra supplies, Pendleton will bring their sale priced blanket woolens, HANCOCK Fabrics always has some notions on the big sale (wonder clips a couple of years ago, Ott lights last year) Bernina brings the truck of feet, Professional Sewing Supplies brings the pattern notchers and fine sewing needles, and 

Treasures of the Gypsy raven strip

Treasures of the Gypsy (Elinor Peace Bailey patterns, breathtaking trim wonderland, only do a few road shows and NO ACTUAL STORE, so bring all your money for them).

Make and take activity list on page 39,

http://shiboridragon.com/ Sashiko Pincushion  $8 Create a Japanese Sashiko hand embroidered pincushion, sounds pretty cool

vendors on p.40

Be seeing you!

So Sew Expo?

TenThousand Hours of Sewing's current post about sew expo made me think.

Yes, this a photo I took last year. I was so underwhelmed this year, I did not bother to take photos. 

It all looked the same.

I know it's a traveling trade show, with many of the same sellers, and I have no issues with quilters, or sales shows, but...it's just not for me anymore.

I have been trying to put my finger on why I just don't feel the need to go again. I am envious of the presentations by Gentleman Jim that Victoria mentions in TenThousandHours; I just didn't see anything of that level of information or experience at mine. Then again, I'm the person who grumps about Threads Magazine not having enough content.

I think there is so much available on the internet now, between blogs and tutorials for information/education AND online suppliers of fabrics and tools, the Expo isn't the only show in town.

photo Tami Levin,  Lemon Tree Tales blog

One big difference: Treasures of the Gypsy does not sell online. They just tour their amazing collection of magical stuffs from 'spo to 'spo. And I love them. I give them all my money.

See these birds? Laser cut from nylon.

I have them on the collar of this jacket, on a hat, I've bought more in white, and some leaves in yellow and green and...it was the BIG stop of the three hours I spent  at Sew Expo.

I left earlier, MUCH earlier than usual. There just wasn't anything else for me.

The Puyallup Fair Grounds have always had Fisher Flour scones (see, Original Fair Scone). And I got my scone for 2014.

And I ate it while driving home.