What's Up Sewing Friends

Hello everyone.  Well I've been doing lots of things since my last post!  I attended the Sewing Expo in Chantilly, VA.  Two of my sewing sisters, Vivian Vaughn and Jane Backert, roomed together.  Vivan and I arrived on Wednesday evening to avoid the awful morning commute from Baltimore. We hit the Expo ready to go! Jane joined us on Friday.   I was the "Classroom Goddess" for Jim Suzio.  He's a fabulous embroiderer, digitizer, and designer!  If you have ever been to Expo, I'm sure you have seen his fabulous embroidered gowns, he calls them "knock offs."  I'm not a digitizer, but I learned a lot in his class.  I got a chance to walk the floor a bit before my next class.  Wow, lots and lots of neat notions, all sorts of fabric and patterns.  Some pattern lines I had never heard of...J Stern has some really nice looking contemporary designs.  There was definitely lots more fabric at Expo this year.  I was happy too see two Afro-centric fabric vendors.  I picked up some afro centric fat quarters and a beautiful aqua mud cloth.  On Friday, I was a "ticket taker."  It amazes me every year when people start arriving at 9:00 and the brouchures clearly state that the floor doesn't open until 10 am.  LOL  When we get the word to let people in, was like the day after Thanksgiving at Walmart!!!!  After my stint at the door (9 - 12noon), I did a little SHOPPING!  I got some much needed stabilizers from the Floriani booth.  There was a great booth with purse findings! OMG. 

                  I purchased a beautiful aqua slinky from Emma Seabrooke.  I did a lot of window shopping...I'm saving my $$$ for for Nov 7 NY Garment district shopping trip!!!  I really enjoyed the vendors and the classes I sat in on were great.  I learned some neat tips for working with fonts in embroidery from Debbie Bohn", Cynthia Guffey's Core Sewing Skills was excellent, Kathy Ruddy "The Swing Jacket," very interesting, she's been in the business for quite some time and her advice was good.   Back on the home front I've begun making fleece hats/scarfs sets for our church's Chistmas bazaar.  I'll post pics soon.  My dear DH took a few to work and I've had a few orders.  I'm working on making some sets out of Ravens fabrics.  Go Ravens!

          This little lady called after me when I walked by and I just had to take her home! 

 After Expo, I left with my friend, Earnestine!  She is the best, we met at an ASG conference in San Diego.  This is second time she and her husband opened up their lovely home to me after Expo so that I didn't have to head back to Baltimore right away.  I'm usually exhausted by then.  On Sunday, I picked up this cute pink and white basket from Hancocks for a whopping $1.75! 

I also got a really nice surprise from a co-worker. His mom, 89 yrs old, had an antique machine and he asked me if I would like it.  Me being a sewer couldn't say no.  So I trek out to his house not knowing what to expect and low and behold this is what he gave me, complete with table!

I haven't sewn with it yet.  It's so pretty!  Well so long for now...I've rambled enough.  Happy sewing everyone!