Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Sewing and Stitchery Expo 2012 and GIVEAWAY

About 15 years ago, when Expos were a new thing and I was still in college, I went with an Aunt to the now famous Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, Washington. At $2 a pop, we could take a class from any number of well known sewing educators. We left with notebooks full of information, agreeing not to return until we'd fully utilized the information we'd collected. That experience feels like a lifetime ago, and since then I've become an educator myself. It was time to make good on my commitment, so early this month Tricia and I took a drive up north to visit the show on Saturday where she and I were to participate in the ASG style show.

Because I would have a second change for the show, I decided to come ready for my first scene, wearing an embellished version of Southern Belle. Right away, Rhonda Pierce of Schmetz Needles introduced herself. I told her that my favorite needle is the Microtex, but I forgot to mention the double needle sewing on the yoke of this dress. Can you see it here?

 Then I stopped off at the WSU booth who introduced me to Rita Farro, who does the blogging, networking, and marketing for the show. She is a delightful person, and has a fabulous smile.



Soon it was time to line up for the fashion show. The runway prattle is made up from the questions I answered on the show application. My jaw dropped instantly when I heard "...and Laura has been sewing for 40 YEARS!" Everyone laughed. The MC added with a smile "I didn't write that!" I'm sure I look my age, but did they have to announce it? lol.


Being an avid Project Runway fan, I secretly hoped I'd get a chance to talk to Suede, whom we know from Season 5. He works for Simplicity now, and would be doing a stage presentation.You see, I would have liked to ask him what it was REALLY like to be on  Project Runway. I had applied to be on the show some years back, just about the same season he was there. It's just as well I wasn't accepted because the retro genre was not doing very well with the judges at that time. For a split second he looked at me and looked as if he would come my way, but thought better of it and turned away.  

Throughout the day I browsed the booths and stopped to talk with friends, acquaintances, complete strangers, giving away a few patterns of the Clara Bow Apron. It's incredibly easy to talk with people with a love for sewing in common. One really young girl, probably still in middle school, stopped me to say she liked my skirt. I gave her a sewing pattern. She looked at me in bewilderment. "But I only wanted to say I liked your skirt!"

1920's Clara Bow Apron
I have 5 Clara Bow Apron patterns that I'd like to give to you, my little dwindling group of followers here on blogger. (I suspect it's from severe neglect!) Hopefully this will make it up to you. This means that YOU have very good odds of getting a pattern. All you need do is:
1) be a follower
2) make a comment here about sewing topics you are interested in, OR the topic I've written about that you enjoyed most.
IF you want extra entry points, you can:
3) "like" on Facebook
4) sign up for the newsletter

Do it before April 4, 2012. I'll draw 5 names from a bucket on April 5th.
 Good Luck!

Post update: thank you for your entries, kind words, and suggestions. Best of all, Congratulations to the winners!

15 comments:

  1. I'm a follower, and I'm fairly new to your blog. I love the tips you give for making adjustments to patterns to make them more suitable for your body type.

    The apron pattern is super cute! I've been meaning to make myself an apron for months.

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  2. Your series on the dress form were fascinating! I'm not a very fitter (scares me to death, in fact.), but I would love to be better. I'm seriously considering making my own dress form that I can fit to.
    But, I love that aprons take very little fitting. :) Lovely pattern!

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  3. I'm a follower and I like the designs and the information you share. The apron is adorable! And, your aunt is my neighbor...that serious sewing bug runs in the family!

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  4. Hi! I'm a follower. I really liked your dress form posts. Would love to see more about lingerie sewing. I've been sewing my own bras since taking the bra workshop from Anne St. Clair, but there sure isn't much out there about sewing lingerie. The Valentine pattern is lovely, btw!

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  5. I want you to know that it was MY daughter that admired your skirt and you graced her with a pattern -- this lovely Clara Bow Apron pattern! She was so very touched. I had a church women's retreat that weekend and was unable to attend the Expo, but Miss T spent the weekend with her VERY talented grandmother and they attended the show together.

    THANK YOU for being so generous and giving her, not only a pattern, but a very special memory.

    Shawnee, the Apronista
    http://apronista.com

    PS - I'm sharing this giveaway and your websites on the Apronist today!

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  6. I'm a new follower. I'm interested in fitting techniques...sounds like I need to read back through your blog for some good tips :) I love aprons and this pattern is darling. Found you at Apronista. Thank you! mamalusco at ortelco dot net

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  7. Just liked you on FB! Thank you. mamalusco at ortelco dot net

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  8. I am so happy to have found you, I just LOVE all aprons! You can find my aprons @ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sew-Hip-Company/119915661380916

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  9. I'm a new follower, and I like your tutorials on dressforms! I have a lot of apron patterns, but would LOVE to have yours!

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  10. The Apronista sent me! Thrilled to be a new follower!

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  11. I love sewing and knitting. Love your aprons. Was at my first estate auction last summer and the one thing I HAD to have, was a box with 4 1940s aprons in it. I use them as my kitchen cafe curtains. So cool.

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  12. I'm a new follower to your blog. Please enter me in your apron giveaway!

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  13. I also signed up for your newsletter so please enter me again in your apron contest. Thanks!

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  14. Thank you for your great comments and suggestions, and thank you too for mentioning how many times to enter your name- makes it extra easy to keep track!

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  15. I'm a new follower and love your blog! I looked up how to make a tulip sleeve on Swagbucks and it led me here! Love your tutorials :) This apron is beautiful! I love 1920's clothes..so beautiful:)

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