American Sewing Expo 2013 Recap

Shrug: Target.  Shirt: McCalls 6078.   Corduroy pants:  J Stern Designs jeans.

I spent the weekend in Novi, MI for the American Sewing Expo. This was my 4th year in a row at the Expo.  This time I took more classes than ever, shopped more than ever, met more sewing bloggers than ever, and had more wardrobe changes than ever (the new (and comfy) hotel connected to the convention center facilitated that!)

Thursday:
Like last year, I drove directly from the airport to Haberman's...


...and picked up some stretch denim and stretch corduroy and stretch lace.  STRETCH!

On Friday I visited Jennifer Stern in her booth...and was able to show her the jeans I made after taking her ASE class and online PR class last year.  Also she fit me for her new shirt pattern and her existing tee pattern--how awesome is that!  That is one of the best things about going to the expo--meeting the designers themselves, buying the patterns directly from them, getting to try on their muslins and having them fit you instead of you struggling all by yourself!

Later on, I met up with Elvis (I *love* Elvis):



On Saturday I bought a bit from the Vogue Fabrics booth:

And got to talk with Anna Christina in the blogger meetup.  It was really nice to chat with her and learn more about her.  While we were in the blogger meetup she won a prize, and later  we met Ellen March, host of the Sew It All tv show.

Shirt: McCall's 6078. Jeans: J Stern Designs jeans.

We also met Rhonda from Schmetz needles--I don't know how I didn't get a picture with her!  Rhonda's class was the first ASE class I ever went to at the first ASE I attended.  I think she's great!

Anna Christina and I met Gertie too.  I got to tell her how she inspired me to make Simplicity 1609 (which she was wearing!)

Later on I met up with Lynnelle in the Haberman Fabrics booth. That feathered fabric is $198 a yard!

Lynn made her entire outfit, including the jacket!  Looks very RTW.

Also on Saturday, I was selected to be part of the McCall's Focus Group.  I think I'm going to write a separate post about that.  Anyone interested in what that was like?    Their questions were super interesting.
I  also enjoyed chatting with the McCall's reps in their booth.

Later on Saturday it was time for my third wardrobe change  of the day.  Here I am in Vogue with Gertie's dress in the McCall's booth.  Those sample sizes are teeny tiny.

Dress:  Vogue 1351

Saturday night was the Passion For Fashion show.
I had asked Lynn to bring her coat to PFF so I could see it in person--it looked amazing on her blog and is just as amazing in person.  :

And we took pix on the runway together.  This was my third year meeting up with Lynn at the ASE and I was really happy to see her again.

We got to chat with Kristine and her model about her PFF entry. Kristine was in the top 6 and this was her first PFF--way to go Kristine! I got to chat with her at dinner the night before and she is so sweet and kind.


Here was her entry that earned her a place to compete in the PFF.  I really loved this dress when I first saw it on her blog--and it's even better in person.

Sunday 
I showed Angela Wolf my Thurlows on Friday when I wasn't wearing them. I also brought my muslin with me for her review and she pointed out some changes I could make after laying out the muslin on the floor of her booth! (She helped me fit them via the online PR class Altering Pants).

I finally got to show her the Thurlows on me on Sunday. She told me the remaining changes I have to make to them to get them to fit better--it's not too many changes and I think I can make them on the pants as they are now.  It's mainly scooping the back more and tapering the side seams to slenderize a bit. Personally, I also want to add another belt loop which means undoing one belt loop, sewing it back on in a different spot and adding another belt loop so that they are all balanced.

Shrug:  Target.  Shirt:  New Look  6807.  Pants: Sewaholic Thurlows

I also did some last minute shopping at the Haberman booth on Sunday (later that night I drove my purchases over to FedEx and the woman, upon seeing all my fabric, said "You went to the sewing expo!" and then told me her sewing story, about how she usually goes to the sewing expo but couldn't this year, the outfit she wants to make when she loses weight, and about how great my fabric purchases were--that was a fun FedEx trip!)

Oh, and the classes.  I have to say, as in previous years, the classes are hit and miss, and they are a riot.  Why are the classes a riot?  because you learn about a technique in one class, and then hear a different instructor in another class tell you that the other technique is wrong or doesn't work and that you should use their technique instead.  What I've learned from that is to try all the techniques I know about and then find the one that works best for me.   Anyway, here is what I learned in the classes that were hits:

• how to sew seams and around curves without pins
• how to sew a centered and lapped zipper without pins or basting
• how to stay tape and hem knits of all kinds without waviness or puckering.
• finally learned what a sloper is and how it is used
• learned about sewing with leather (a totally new topic for me)
• learned more about bias binding

Liz and I took a super scary class (the stay tape/hemming knits) class that was on a Bernina.  That was one of the best classes even though it was scary.


That Bernina is like a tank


The expo wrapped up late on Sunday afternoon--but not before I did a little more fabric shopping, buying the fabric that was left over after thinking about it all weekend.  Some pieces were gone which made that decision a lot easier!

Last but not least, I want to say a huge thank you to Connie, Bonnie and Liz.  We shared breakfast, dinner and several classes among us, and it was a joy to spend time with them (and Kristine, Anna Christina and Lynn along the way).  You ladies rock!

Got Fabric? I do!

Be well!!