The Original Sewing & Quilt Expo-Atlanta Day 1

I arrived at the Gwinnett Center 45 minutes early.  Can you say excited?   Anyway, the first order of business was parking.  The Gwinnett Center had plenty of parking and there were nice people directing you to the main parking lot closest to the entrance.  Yay.

When I walked inside, there was someone at the information desk of the Gwinnett Center who directed me downstairs where all the action was taking place.   I’d preregistered and all I had to do was get a wristband so I could enter the exhibition hall. From there, I went to my only class of the day.

Class-Pattern drafting: Tees, Tees, Teeswith Emma Seabrooke.  Cost $25 9am to 11:30 am.

The class description:  Take the “same old” out of your tees and turn them into the garments you dream of.  Try on sample size tees, learn you correct size and cut your pattern.  Draft several new necklines, draw a dress from a tee pattern, attach a tee to a skirt and learn to enlarge a sleeve.

Here’s what you get in the class.

The packet on the left consists of a handout which shows you how to alter a tee shirt neckline into a V neck, modified V, Curved, lowered, soft cowl front neckline,mandarin collar, wing collar placket and how to lengthen the tee shirt.  Also in the packet is colored tissue paper and Pati Palmer’s Perfect Pattern Paper. The pattern paper is great.  I’m going to have to order some!

We used Emma’s Pattern”Claire Tee Top & Cardiagn”.  Each student selected what kind of neckline they wanted and Emma and her helper assisted students.  We traced the upper front of the pattern on to the pattern paper.  Then made the alterations on the traced pattern.  We worked alone mostly while Emma went around the room to each student.  She’d get our attention and show us different fitting techniques when she was working with a student.

I learned a lot from this hands on class.  When I asked about the fitting issue with the shirt I’d been working on at home which wasn’t knit, she said it sounded like I need to add to the back of the shirt.  Hmmm.  This  could be true.  I thought it was the sleeve but I will give her suggestion a try.

The class was informative but I think there were too many people in the class and everyone didn’t get the same amount of attention form Emma.  I would suggest taking her class if you like sewing knits because she knows knits.

I also learned from other students.  I saw two things that I’m going to use.  One student used a large make-up bag to store all her basic sewing supplies including rulers.   Target, here I come!  Another student used a Rubbermaid(TM) container to hold her magnetic pin holder and pins.  Target, here I come!

After class, I went to the exhibition hall.  I had a list of items that I wanted to buy.  With that in mind, I looked at every vendor before I made a purchase.  I test drove the Janome 1000 CoverPro coverstitch machine and the BabyLock Imagine Wave Serger/Coverstitch machine.  I personally liked the Janome CoverPro.  Ashby Sewing Machine Company has an awesome Expo price for this machine.  I wish I’d known this because I would have done my research on cover stitch machines ahead of time.

There were a lot of quilting vendors.  I enjoyed the fashion sewing vendors more.  I didn’t go to the fashion shows.  By 1:00pm, I was ready to leave.  Info overload and hunger.

I did make some purchases:

The bobbin Buddies were 3 for $1.00.  At my local sewing store they cost 3 for $2.39.  I bought six today and I’ll buy more tomorrow if they still have them.

I bought the tailor board from Golden Hands Industries, Inc.  I’d read about them in last year’s review of the Expo on Pattern Review.  I’ve been looking for one of these.  The Expo price was $39.00.  Now, I can take clapper off my sewing wish list because the tailor board is a combination clapper, point presser and other pressing tools that I don’t know how to use 🙂

I also bought Peggy Segar’s Swing Dress pattern Silhouette #4000 for $14.00.  It was out of stock so they will have to ship it to me.

I spent a grand total of  $55.oo plus tax today.  Not bad considering… I didn’t buy fabric because it was too darn crowded in the Vogue Fabric booth.

I left the Gwinnett Center around 1:30pm and went to lunch at my favorite Indian Restaurant.  I’m going to put my feet up and plan day 2.

Stay tuned…