Sew Expo 2016 ~ Sunday

Sunday started slowly for me because Gaylen let me sleep in late! And I was so thankful...I flew out to Seattle battling a sinus infection with a plastic baggie full of meds and lounging around Sunday morning was such a treat!

Our plan for Sunday was lunch with the West Coast Posse and then spending time in Gaylen's sewing room. When Gaylen asked me where I would like to have lunch at my answer was Mexican. I love the Mexican restaurant near her house so that's where we met up!

We were joined by Amy (Sew Well), Melizza (Pincushion Treats) who brought her beautiful mini me; Melora (birdandbicycle) and Niema (neemiebean)! It was great to spend time talking sewing, looking at patterns - hey NY Crew they bring patterns to trade at meet-ups.  How comes we don't do that? And passing that adorable baby around!

One of the best parts of journeying to Seattle is meeting up with these ladies! Thanks for taking time out of your busy days to spend a couple of hours with me.

Then we (me, Gaylen and Amy) headed back to Gaylen's where I had to kick Amy out because we just kept talking and talking!  She had to get home to her own precious little one! 

I spent the rest of the afternoon in Gaylen's sewing room, pawing through her fabric collection, and watching her sew up this Madeleine Ponte Top by Style Arc that I've now got to own!

Gaylen is wearing it her with The Magic Pencil Skirt

I later told Gaylen that every time I come to visit her I learn something new. Last year I stole her magnetic pin bowl idea and the glass head pins she uses - I have them both in the sewing cave now and love them!  This year it was several new indie patterns that I wouldn't have looked at twice but did because of her interpretations.

I also brought a piece of that fabric from her collection home with me. So now I just need to get that pattern and I will be copying Gaylen!

We spent the afternoon watching the Red Carpet Arrivals. Ummm forgot that since I was on the same coast with them that they come on in the afternoon and not the evening like at home.  

My favorite dress of the event was Jennifer Lawrence's Dior dress:

We made an early night of it since I had a 6am flight back to the East Coast. I had a fantastic trip and want to thank everyone who I met at Expo, the vendors who spent time with me, the sewists who came up to talk to me, my West Coast Posse and most especially Gaylen ~ the hostess with the mostest! I am so thrilled to call you friend!

...as always more later!

SewExpo 2016 ~ Saturday

Now that I'm home and I'm thinking back on my weekend, I flew cross country to fabric shop!  That's it in a nutshell...

Yes, I got to meet other wonderful sewists. Yes, I got to spend time with my West Coast Posse. Yes, I got to spend quality time with Gaylen but the essence of my trip is that I flew 2,841.6 miles to fabric shop. I've got a problem! *LOL*

So let's start at the beginning. I've already detailed my Friday fabric shopping in Seattle.  Saturday we got up bright and early cause Pulluyap is quite a drive from Gaylen's and we had to pick up Niema too. The three of us headed off to the Sew Expo.

I had a mission. Seriously, I wanted to touch and buy fabric from Marcy Tilton's booth. We get to Pulluyap and enter through the Blue Gate and what is before my eyes?! The Marcy Tilton booth! I kid you not it was destined...

First some instructions...no drooling on your keyboard cause there is some serious fabric p*rn coming up. Two - I've linked to pieces that are still on Marcy's site but I am not responsible for you spending your mortgage money there! Three - this is a judgment free zone...cause I bought a lot of fabric. Okay let the show begin.

When we stepped into the booth this is the first piece we saw...

...and I had to have it. It wasn't until we got to the cutting table that we saw the inside which I like soooooooo much better!

It's a panel print. I bought two panels to make a topper. See I have a plan!

Next are two linen prints and these are prints! Such a difference from the staid professional prints I use to buy. Don't forget this is where I bought the fruit salad print last year which I used to make this outfit...and there was still some in the booth this year!

I love florals and this is just a luscious all over midweight floral linen

This linen print starts out black & white and ends up colorized! 

Love, love, love this piece!

I will make shift dresses with these. Casual dresses that I can throw on with a pair of keds or my slip on wedge sandals to look put together but not too fancy for my day job. 

Gaylen and I were digging through the bolts when Niema showed us this silk charmeuse panel print.  Be still my heart!

Niema bought some and is using hers to line a coat...that girl has outerwear on the brain! Me, I want to make a tunic like bow tie blouse with the print around the bottom. It should be simple but stunning!

More there is more...these two fabrics were laying side by side in the back of the booth and I had to have them...

In my head I see a high low top in the white print and slim pants in the black print. I don't know if I'm bold enough to make it but wouldn't that be an awesome outfit!

A couple yards of this and the fabric pile was getting high! However, there was a woman standing near the cutting table pulling remnants out of a box under the table. She was pulling out the most interesting pieces of fabric. Now this isn't the basket that Marcy had of 3 pieces that would work together to make one of her creative tops.  No this was just a remnant basket and I stopped to riffle through it and of course I touched something I didn't want to leave behind.

While this was a total impulse purchase, it is a simple knit that will make a great short version of McCalls 6559. You know I plan on adding a few more of these to my summer wardrobe because they wore so well last year.

I was done because I was on such a fabric high that I was bouncing off the sides of the booth but I then laid my eyes on this...

Now I'd seen it on the website prior to coming to Expo but I didn't realize it was a reversible panel...so 2 panels had to come with me too! Okay don't make piggy noises at me. I flew 2,841.6 miles on United to shop...so shop I did! *LOL* But c'mon aren't these amazing pieces of fabric?! Won't they just elevate my sewing to the next level! Cause simple shapes deserve amazing pieces of fabric...I got a million of these rationalizations for the fabric I bought!

In the midst of this fabric orgy, I spoke to Marcy and we took pictures together...I was S-E-R-I-O-U-S-L-Y fangirling!!!

I'll be honest at this point I was ready to leave. Hey I wanted to go back to Gaylen's pet my fabric and dream of what they could be...but I'd promised a few people that I would stop by their booths and see them.

So our first stop was the Simplicity booth to say hi to Deb!  I have no idea how I have no picture with her...must be that lingering fabric hangover! hahahahaha!

Along the way we also stopped by the Smuggler's Daughter and saw Susan the owner.

Yeah I bought a piece here too but it's all Michele's (That Black Chic) fault. She made this awesome trench coat from this fabric so I had to have some!

I'm making a cute summer skirt with mine since I only got two yards! I have to tell you it was awesome meeting Susan and talking to her about how she started her fabric business. Also, it was really nice to see some of her wares in person!

Tired yet? Overwhelmed? Well think about me carrying all of that Marcy fabric around! *LOL*  Niema and Gaylen wanted to see the Vogue Fashion Fabrics booth. I was game - hey it was more fabric! I have to admit that when I got there nothing was calling my name. So I was standing around the cutting table and I saw a woman cutting some of this ~

...and I had to have a piece! But c'mon it's an amazing border print eyelet. Seriously that is fabric nirvana! I was lurking so hard to get the bolt when the woman was done that the cutter was getting nervous. *LOL* However, I ended up with the bolt - yes! Gaylen then saw it and wanted a piece so it made it's way down the line of waiting women. I don't think that bolt made it back to the racks!

I'm still lurking because Gaylen and Niema are still shopping. I mean I can't complain they waited while I spent ALL of my money at Marcy's...and I see one of the Vogue guys disappear into this curtained area.  Then he comes back lugging like four rolls of fabric. Miss Johnny on the spot asks if they are new bolts going into the rack....ummmmm no! They belonged to a waiting woman who explains to me that she'd put them on hold the day before. Wait, what you could hold fabric?!  Stop the presses...I got some issues with that UNTIL she says I don't want it all you can have some.

That's how Gaylen and I ended up with this luscious polyester print...

Now don't judge because this is one of those amazing polyesters that feel like a silk. It has a great hand, great colors, and a great price...so we bought it.

The final piece I bought at the Vogue booth was this cute little rayon print that called out to me "take me home and make a peasant top out of me!" So who was I to dash it's hopes and dreams...plus it will make the cutest top.

The best thing about these pieces were that all three were only $3.99 a yard. Can't beat that right?!

We had lunch with Gillian from Vogue Pattern Magazine and then we took in the fashion shows - The Tilton Sisters show which is up on Marcy's blog and Patti Palmer & Melissa Watson presented the Vogue Patterns show. Of course, I saw a few patterns made up that I'd passed over and now want. The show always does that to me!

After the show we went by the McCalls Pattern booth ~

Kathy Marone, Gillian and myself

Me and Kathy!

We also visited the Pendleton Wool booth but since I still have last year's pieces unsewn in the collection, I didn't purchase anything here.  I did, however, touch the new Baby Lock sewing machines - oh man they were beautiful! I avoided the Janome booth because of that!!!

One other fabric spot that we visited was Billie's where Niema and Gaylen purchased fabric.  Very pretty pieces but I really was done fabric shopping at this point. I had no imagination left for new purchases.

But I wasn't the only one fangirling! We stopped in Pamela's Patterns booth and Gaylen had a moment with Pamela. I can't blame her because she looks amazing in Pamela's Magic Pencil Skirt.

After that, it was time to leave to get ready to attend the ASG banquet where Carolyne Cafaro, Senior Vice President, Creative Director at McCalls, was the guest speaker.

She gave a great talk about the process of designing patterns across all four brands and she answered every question that was posed to her during the question and answer portion with humor and grace.

It was a great way to end the day.  Yes, if you've made it this far you've come to the end of the fabric orgy...but I had an amazing time! It's an awesome experience to be around so many people who are compelled to cut flat folded fabric up to either make a quilt or a garment. It's wonderful to see all of the vendors in one place and to meet readers of the blog!

Becky was so sweet she stopped me to introduce herself!

Thank you to everyone who introduced yourself. It truly was a pleasure to meet you. But most especially thank you to Gaylen and Niema who put up with me once again...y'all know what I mean! *LOL*

I'm not sure if I will be going to Sew Expo next year...not because it isn't an amazing experience more because it's been crossed off my bucket list. Now I need to cross a few other sewing related things off of it!

There is one more post about Sew Expo. I split them in two because this is super long and post heavy as it is.

...as always more later!

Fabric Shopping In Seattle

I flew into Seattle on a Thursday evening flight. As an aside, that's the only way I'm ever flying to Seattle again...you don't lose the day and when you arrive everyone wants to go to bed - not just you! *LOL* I flew in early because Gaylen promised to show me ALL of the fabric stores in Seattle (besides Joann's) on Friday.  So we spent all of Friday trooping through fabric stores ~ in the sunshine and the rain. 

Oh and be forewarned this is a picture heavy post!

Hancock's ~
The tour started with the Hancock's in Kirkland. This was my request. I'd had such an amazing experience with Hancock's in Houston, I mistakenly thought that all Hancock's were that wonderful.  Nope not wonderful and I'm not sure if it's the store or Hancock's financial situation. Whatever, we looked for some patterns, looked at some of the fabric sale tables and bounced.  However, since I really want some bias binding in blue and yellow gingham, I did get a yard of each to make some. I also bought a yard of ribbed knit.

* * * * * 

Pacific Fabrics Sodo ~ 
Next on the tour was Pacific Fabrics Sodo. It's a warehouse with an entire floor of fabric, notions, and yarn. It has an interesting selection of fabrics - some on bolts and some on tables. A full and extensive selection of notions, books (both sewing and knitting/crocheting), indie and Big 4 patterns.

I bought some cotton knits here because they had some basics (white & gray) and they were running a 20% off sale.

Although, it was fully stocked, it was just an okay experience for me.

* * * * *

Dry Goods Design ~
We headed to downtown Seattle for the next stop on the tour - Dry Goods Design. This store has a large area for teaching right in the front of the store. You can clearly see the Bernina machines and the cutting tables, so they practically invite you to come in and ask about sewing classes.

I thought of this store as a sewing boutique because it had a little bit of everything and no depth in any product. Yes you could find thread there but not the selection of say a Joanns/Hancocks or even Pacific Fabrics. Yes, they had a great sewing phone cover but do you go to the fabric store to purchase one of those?

I named it a sewing boutique because I really hope the sewing classes are paying the rent because they use valuable real estate that could be used for more of everything. And if the classes are that important than I appreciate the service this store does to encouraging others to sew.

We stopped for lunch at Collins Pub - down the street from the sewing boutique and I can highly recommend them.  The burgers were awesome, the service good and the atmosphere cool.

* * * * *

Stitches ~
This was like the neighborhood fabric store...you know the place you run to when you need a zipper or a spool of thread and while there you see a cute piece of fabric so you buy it. Places that don't exist any more because of the big bad chain stores...

I liked the atmosphere here.  You could tell the owner of the store cared about sewing and making sure sewists had the opportunity to go to the local fabric store...and while I didn't buy anything here...I could see myself doing so.

I loved this sign!

Gaylen checking out a piece of fabric - great buttons in the back right?

* * * * *

Nancy's Sewing Basket ~
I walked through the door and felt like I was home. This is what fabric stores were when I was growing up, when I became a mother and into my 40s this is the type of fabric store I always felt comfortable in.  

There was a bridal section ~

Rows of beautiful fabric...and a store window featuring fabric and a book the store was promoting ~

The Ribbon Room ~

...and awesome sales people...

This was Jeannie who reads both my and Gaylen's blog!

The sad thing is that this treasure may go away because the owner is quite elderly.  If I lived in Seattle I would visit this treasure as much as possible. Believe me when I say that fabric stores like this don't exist anymore! What use to be the norm is no longer...and even if the prices are a little higher for fabric...you are sewing with the best! Okay off my soapbox! I will end with a picture of the sign...

* * * * *

District Fabrics ~
Gaylen saved the best for last! This is a small store slightly larger than the sewing cave but the fabric is artfully displayed and there is a depth to the collection. I have very few pictures of the store because I bought fabric here. But I loved this shop! The fabric is well displayed and the collection well curated. There is more fabric than notions or patterns but there was a display of indie patterns (Cashmerette, Grainline Studio, Named, etc.) A small display of notions, in case you need something to finish a garment and a great section of clearance fabrics.

I didn't buy a lot because hey I was going to Expo the next day but this is what I did buy...

This is a rayon panel print knit!

If I lived in Seattle honestly this would be my spot. I would shop here and at Nancy's since they both carry different types of fabric but both appealed to me. 

Conclusion ~
Seattle is not a fabric desert - there are options - I'm sure a lot more options than for some other sewists. I don't think it's fair to compare the NYC Garment District to the Seattle Fabric Stores honestly I could sew happily here. I'd need a car (LOL!) but I could sew many beautiful garments from the resources in Seattle! 

So when I stop petting my fabric (it arrived today from the West Coast - thanks Gaylen!) I will write up my Sewing Expo experience. A newsbreak - I bought A LOT of fabric!

...as always more later!