Lillian's First Birthday!!

It is SO HARD TO BELIEVE that it's been a YEAR since Lillian was born! This is one of my favorite pictures -- Elliott and his baby girl on her very first day...

Then -- when we went up to visit them -- Mom and Dad were giving baby Lillian her very first bath in the kitchen sink...





At Christmastime, Elliott & Lilly were taking a nap...



Here she is, with her beautiful Mommy...


Over the weekend, we attended her sock monkey birthday party in Tomah, Wisconsin. A great big room full of people, eating banana pudding, banana bread, and real BANANAS...all there to help her celebrate this wonderful FIRST YEAR.

She is a lucky little girl...HEY -- SO ARE WE!!

Welcome Eleanor Burns!!

Eleanor Burns came to the Sewing & Stitchery Expo for the very first time. AND WE LOVED HER. Her booth was mobbed every single day. She ran out of everything. It was amazing...Here she is, signing one of her reuseable totes...



On the first day, she still had books to sign...here she is with one of her fans...



The next minute, another fan....in the background, you can see Eleanor's son, Orion, working the cash register. It takes a village, folks...



THANK YOU for being so enthusiastic!! Eleanor was completely blown away by our little show. Our audience was amazing. And wasn't she fun? Eleanor starts her show by dancing down the aisle -- hey -- I HAVE A VIDEO!!

keep reading...sooner or later -- I'll find it and post it for you!!

My son Ross

My son Ross works as a photojournalist for a wildlife company. He lives in Brainard, Minnesota and his hobby is making short films. He wrote the screenplay for this one. And if you know me -- you will understand how really proud I am of the boy...
He is, of course, the star of the film...

If I had to give it a rating -- it would e PG-13. Consider yourself warned -- preview before you share it with small children...

First Day Lines

On the very first day -- the Vogue Fabric booth -- MOMENTS before the show opened. We moved them to the end of the vendor floor because they are always SO CROWDED. See -- we DO LISTEN, people!!



In line at the ticket sales booth...


This is another shot of how long the ticket sales line was...

Same line, different angle. Do you see yourself?

On the first morning, I had a conversation with these two women from California. One was an actual show virgin!! This was her first EXPO! How was it? EMAIL ME...ritafar@aol.com I'd love an after-the-show report...


I MEAN IT -- all of you!! Take the time, right now, while it's still fresh in your mind -- to SEND ME AN EMAIL. I want to hear your Expo stories. What was the best thing? Favorite class? What do you want to see for next year? DO IT...ritafar@aol.com

THANKS...I'm still recovering. it was awesome. you were amazing...

Daily Style Shows -- Behind the Scenes

We have more GARMENT FASHION STYLE SHOWS than any consumer show in America. FIVE DIFFERENT SHOWS EVERY DAY. With Special NOONER events!! (while the professional models allegedly eat lunch)

And we really do appreciate the fact that every year McCall's (Butterick & Vogue) sends us their best new stuff -- and Simplicity as well. Linda Lee & Louise Cutting did a great job with their Personal Style Puzzle, the IPCA (Independent Pattern Company Alliance) was a very exciting show this year -- and Sandra Betzina and Marcy Tilton decided to "take Vogue Outside the box".

HEY -- IT TAKES A VILLAGE. There is sooo much work that goes on behind the scenes. If we're doing it right -- you WOULD NEVER KNOW. But the best thing about this blog thing is that I have the opportunity to TELL YOU some of what happens. Here's a picture of the "behind the Expo Runway" area...before it gets all crazy...


This is a picture of the first day -- right before the Simplicity Style Show. This is a picture of the "models", along with Judy Raymond and Deborah Kreiling from Simplicity -- and Mary Collen (in the pastel pink jacket). Mary is the Style Show Manager -- and she is the only reason we can have five and six shows EVERY SINGLE DAY. She lines it all up -- has every show on her laptop -- plans their rehearsals, oversees the model fittings -- she is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G...



Here's another picture -- this time, with the "dressers". (again, Mary Collen in the pink jacket). It is VERY IMPRESSIVE how these shows go together. Every model (in the first shot) has a dresser (in the second shot). Without the dressers -- the models could never do the quick changes that are required. The dressers help them get into and out of their outfits, then carefully hang everyhing up on the correct rack -- so it'll be ready for the NEXT DAY.



Amazingly, these fabulous, professional fashion shows are COMPLETELY FREE. No kidding. They go off without a hitch -- because our crew makes it look easy -- BUT IT IS NOT EASY...it is a TON OF WORK...

AND we'd like to say -- THANK-YOU, TEAM..!!

Joleen & Claire

Okay, okay -- I'M BACK. As it turns out, I am addicted to blogging. I've already written about six blogs (then, I set them to publish automatically). So, for now, I'm going back to a daily schedule on this personal blog...and you NEVER know what I decide to write about...

It is ALWAYS REWARDING for me to actually be able to MEET a young person who enjoys sewing. In this case, Jolene and her daughter Clare (notice I'm spelling their names every which way -- hoping to get it right sooner or later...)

They ALSO got to meet two of my most favorite bloggers -- Jan Potter and Bonne Swett! They attended their "two girlfriends, two fabrics, two challenge" show on Thursday. And I HOPE CLARE IS IN THE GAME -- right??

Jan (mother of the Hey Rita tote) and Bonne invited Claire to participate next year -- and it'll be fun to see what their challenge is, eh?

Altho -- relax, girls. I'M GIVING EVERYBODY THE NEXT MONTH OFF. Really. Take a little sewing break...

We worked so hard -- we earned it, don't you think??

P.S. -- No, I did not make this jacket. It's a Koos jacket I bought at the Goodwill store for $2.38. No kidding. Silk. Amazing bargain...

Visitor from England

This is an email sent to the Expo office -- a woman from England who came to the show. She hooked up with the Yahoo group -- and we LOVED HAVING HER!!

From: Winifred
Subject: Sew Expo !!

I'm home again in UK after a great and relatively short flight due to wind direction. DH Trevor met me at Heathrow with my luggage which seemed to have got extremely heavy, cant think why !!! I have had such a mind-blowingly wonderful time ! Just sorry not to have met you all, but could have stood beside you for all i know !!

The classes i took were all great perhaps especially Pati's ones. What a thoroughly lovely lady. I just wish i could have done every single one reading experiences of others so far. I saw 2 of the fashion shows and endlessly trawled the booths.Even so, there are ones I missed or could have spent more time in. One or two of you mentioned "Nifty Thrifty" and " Sue's Sparklers". How abs. wonderful they were. Vogue and Pacific Fabrics also. Aaron at VF with the sip vest had his picture taken i can tell you - what an inspiration that was.

All the booths , just great. but best of all, the utter friendliness and politeness of you lovely American ladies, such a difference to over here where I feel invisible sometimes and find it difficult to cope with the " off-hand take it or leave it " attitude. Barb Gooch , who ferried me each day has been an inspiration and great new friend to me. Joanne Schoner who fetched and carried me from Seattle despite a critically ill husband - another bosom pal. I could go on and on. The visit to Pacific Favbrics left me open mouthed ............... what a display !!

Right now, I'm tired , sleepy, and feel quite nauseous but DH is wonderful as he tries to see me thru all the fabric rolls I've brought back, patterns etc. I won the draw for the " Smetsch" Needles class ! Wow!! I'd love to make myself one of the lovely multicoloured jackets I saw so many ladies wearing but I'd stick out like a sore rthumb O'm afraid. I just WISH I could somehow inspire England a bit, to sew more and also to stock some of the wonderful products that I saw. To those who tend to post negatively, you dont know when you're well off !! I passed a fabric shop on the way home from Heathrow and I just GROANED !! That says it all and goes for embelishemts and haby too.

My love to you all and if I can get the cash together before I'm ninety, I WILL BE BACK !!
> xxxxx Luv

THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING!! And thanks for taking the time to write such positive comments about your time at the show. You are so right, Winifred -- we are very, very lucky to have the wonderful vendors we have, and the first quality speakers. And we ARE grateful...