SewExpo 2017

I am still processing this last weekend. At the literal last minute (6:43am), I was allowed time off work to attend SewExpo in Puyallup, Washington.

Pencil Girl had been up there since Tuesday and Kyle, from VacuumingTheLawn, was planning to attend. I wanted to go badly but someone else had the time off at work. Miracles do happen - even if the process is too tortuous to watch.

I watched serious sewing inspiration unfold before my eyes and I think I have the last puzzle piece to my future business plan. Since I came home, I have  been busy researching and figuring out how this puzzle piece will enable me to work from home and earn the income I need.

 I met Deb from Simplicity Patterns. She made this dress at the last hour before the show. You would never know how this pattern became this cutie-pie dress from looking at the pattern envelope. She added this denim pleated trim after making the dress and her discerning eye is apparently why she works for Simplicity patterns.

 Here she is holding that pattern up - pardon that lighting. Those were flutter sleeves on the envelope. It's always nice to meet someone shorter than myself who can fit for her figure. --- And then add the pizazz that makes it work.

 The McCall's Fashion Runway Show was amazing and inspirational. Gertie is another blogger who has made this industry work for her. She not only designs patterns and fabric, she is now rockin' the runway.

 Alongside her on the runway was a new to me blogger, Riva LaDiva (washington state). The runway patter was done by Melissa Watson (Oregon!). Her mom helped create the Palmer & Pletch Method of sewing (also Oregon).

These are all people who have made sewing create a living for themselves.

The trends this year are all about the sleeves. From Flutters to Cold Shoulders (shoulder cut-out), anything you do to make sleeves amazing is something to aspire to.

Next to her on the left is Kyle, from Vacuuming The Lawn, who is an amazing technical sewist  from the east coast who I specifically prayed to the gods of vacation to meet up ***in person***.

 Just loved this t shirt knit. I bought two lengths of knit for t-shirts because this show is evolving into garment sewing with vendors bringing those type of sewing materials. Quilting is still huge but it was nice to see some of the sewing notions available to learn about and buy that make sewing your own clothes successful.

I think we all agreed this booth, Style Maker Fabrics, was spot on with trendy fabrics.

 And, of course, the airplane spotting continues. This was in the ByAnnie booth with a ten dollar pattern. I already own this airplane block from numerous historical patterns. Her booth features her patterns and the supplies that make a bag better. Another person who has made sewing work for her.

 A little bit of cute irony. They did have the fabric available from which they fussy cut these little blocks. However, in a fat quarter of material, this was one of 20 sewing quotes.

Irony is the opposite of wrinkly. An embroidery project for the future.

 This piece was a bit overdone with the cut-outs. But I loved it for the inspiration when I make bags - having the under material peep out through cut-outs in the vinyl.

 Babylock's Embroidery machine. It can digitize your designs so you don't have to rely on someone elses designs and fonts. I'm thinking deep airplane thoughts here.

Just peeping out from under my arm is my big Pendleton shopping bag. It holds a million little purchases.

 In the same booth as the squirrel at the start of this post. If I ever quilted - I am in love with this strip applique method of adding texture and depth. 
Thankfully - I don't quilt.

Cuz - they sold kits.

Tempting - so tempting.

 Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) in a dragonfly motif.    Love.

My bag from Pacific Fabrics - with an airplane on it. You have to spend $50 to get the bag which is usually no trouble as this Washington fabric store understands marketing to sewists. They stocked pocket tissues with sewing machines on them. They often have airplane fabric, but also other cool fabrics that you must buy.

So, a funny story::: I went early on Saturday  morning before the crowds hit so I could look at everything in the Pacific Fabric booth. Then I took advantage of the cheap coat/bag check to store my Pacific Fabrics haul for the day so I didn't have to cart around heavy stuff.

I didn't know they closed promptly at 6pm. We were sitting in the food court chatting and eating and Pencil Girl had to go off to her Satuday Night Quilter's Evening Out show. Kyle and  I got up to go and get my bag and the door was locked. Tight. Then we had to find someone with keys. To open it up - cuz my car keys were in my coat. Just a little adventure....

Long post, too busy to figure out how to make several posts. Thank you for reading so far.
SewExpo is the best sewing show out there and I'm lucky enough to live 2 hrs and 40 minutes away from it.

I'm back on overtime, so my free time has been used up thinking deep thoughts about the future which is creeping quickly towards me. I'm happy the Sewing Gods intervened and made this trip possible.

Holiday Baking

I had time this holiday season to do some baking.

I played with Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten free flour.  Most of the time it behaves just like regular flour. It's a straight replacement and works well for people who must avoid gluten.

I can't eat grains without alarming my auto-immune but gluten-free grains are easier on my system than wheat flour.

This is an amazing flour for Biscotti. I made lemon biscotti and the 1 to 1 flour gave them the perfect dryness.  I just used the first recipe I found online - they are nearly all the same. 

I drizzled mine with dark and white chocolate and they were perfect for dipping in our morning coffee. 

My next cookie is an old Betty Crocker recipe that goes by the name of Cream Wafers. 

My sister discovered this cookie when she was baking for a wedding a long time ago. These are little bite-size cookies that melt in your mouth. The wafers are like a pie crust with frosting between. I will say Bob's red mill 1 to 1 flour made them super melty in your mouth.

You roll them out as thin as you can and then cut with 1 to 1 1/2 inch cookie cutters. Then you sluice them through some granulated sugar and lay them on a cookie sheet. With your biggest fork, prick them like saltine crackers. Bake for just 7 minutes.

However, half of them were so fragile, they broke just moving from the cookie sheet to my counter. I made the frosting as loose as I could but still had some serious airplane disasters. The poor little gingerbread men lost legs and heads at an alarming rate.

I had made a couple of batches of chocolate chip cookies with this gluten free flour and noticed that my cookies were drier than usual. More crumbly after a few days. Someone suggested adding more butter, so I kept this in mind when I made the Cream Wafer dough.

The stars lost their pointy bits

 The pile of broken bits were eaten up anyway. This little cookie is a holiday favorite. I get requests all the time. Next time, I might try half Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free flour and half regular wheat flour and see it this helps keep them less fragile but still delicate to melt in your mouth. The ones that survived were a fantastic texture but too delicate for me being in my usual hurry.

 I also made my traditional Danish Puff Pastry - also from an old Betty Crocker cookbook but lost the taste for playing and used regular flour instead. It's difficult to experiment, especially at holidays where the pressure is on to have the usual tried and true delectable treats.

It was fun to play with Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1  flour with several recipes back to back. I have a good sense of how it works for me now. And it's way better than the old gluten free method of combining four or five different flours to get the texture you want (plus the xanthum gum...).

Both my kids came home. I like to think it's my danish puff that brings them home but it's probably the lottery scratch off tickets that Santa gives out in the Christmas stockings.

 In other news, my dear sewing friend Kyle, made a month by month calendar featuring her bags she has sewn in the last few years. I love this idea and the thoughtfulness of sharing. What better way to acknowledge what we make than to celebrate it.


I'm still working long hours after a co-worker suffered an on-the-job injury that the supervisor is trying to bury under the rug and not do workman's comp paperwork.

 
I'll leave you with a beautiful Oregon coast photo that my son took the day before Christmas.
Both of my kids really enjoy photography and get very creative.

Japanese Laundry Hangers

 I received Happy Mail last week on a very difficult day.
It is amazing what a little package can do.

 Kyle, from Vacuuming The Lawn, sent me some labels to sew into a bag.

PLUS, a turquoise leather tassel that she made and some chalkoners - chalk markers that she bought because she likes them- she thought I might too. These chalk markers are to transfer different lines on your sewing pattern to your fabric. As you 'wheel' along, it dispenses chalk in a nice even line. The different colors are for dark and light fabrics. White won't show up on light colored fabric, so you could use the red or blue instead.

I have a white one from forty years ago that is very similar, but now they come in colors!

 Now, I need to sew  up a tote bag to do this tassel proud!

 This is my other happy mail. While I was in Japan, I noted how everyone does laundry there and really liked the portability and the storability of these hangers.

Back in Oregon, can I find them? Only the tiny lingerie sized ones. Maybe 16-20 pegs.

These are around 50 pegs. They both fold up to about 16 inches square by 3" deep. Easy to store by the washer.

I had wanted a clothes umbrella tree for years to dry my laundry outside. This is not usual in the states as we all have electric dryers.

Looking for a place to put a line up, or an umbrella, or anything, it was always gonna be in the way. Of people's heads, of airplane clearance, in the way of the other person in this household.

What I like about these is the small footprint. I can hang them out on my patio and then take them in when the clothes are dry.  They are in absolutely no ones way. Nor are they permanent.

The footprint is much smaller than a fold out laundry tree. My wind tunnel would blow over anything not secured - which just makes you cranky as you pick up laundry off the ground. Since these Japanese laundry hangers hook over something, they won't blow over.

I bought one in an aluminum frame. My friend in Kyoto and I both think this one will last the longest. The second one is plastic and the UV just kills these, making them brittle with age. The aluminum one also has clips that look like I can fix with household parts if they break.

 I finally took the plunge and asked my Japanese friend to purchase two for me and I am so happy I did. Each rack will hold a small to medium load of laundry which is normal in my house nowadays. I can even hang them inside if a case of Oregon rain comes by.

And you get a peek at  my laundry. 


 



***last day......SALE continues in my friend's Etsy Shop;
CraftyTokyoMama on etsy. Use Coupon code AUGUST20 throughout the month of August to get 20% off your purchase.

Don't forget about Etsy Love - even if you don't buy anything - just hover over the heart on each listing and tap on it. (thanks!)

SewExpo Random Thoughts

Jacket from Textile Transformations

SewExpo - in my backyard ( 2 hrs40min from my house) is the best sewing vacation I can have.
It takes two days to get through all the vendors- if you have no friend distractions.
It runs for four days each year at the end of February at the Puyallup, Washington fairgrounds.

I've gradually lengthened my stay from two days to three days. My friend, Pencil Girl, and her mom attend  all four days.

There's a bazillion classes - from 45 minute one-needle classes to four hour, hands on, take something home with you classes.

One is surrounded by other sew-ers. From those who craft, those who are designers, those who quilt, those who sew garments. Even knitters.


Garments are really in this year with most of the classes geared for this topic. In past years, quilting and home dec have been the star.
You can also find fabulous yarns, beads, and related crafty goodness.

Really, the 'mecca' for sew-ers.

This is where you go to be surrounded by new & creative ideas.
 
Its so easy to make new friends at lunch/ dinner, waiting in line, seated next to each other. At lunch the first day, I sat next to a retired worker at my company who knew people I knew. At breakfast the next morning I sat next to some vendors and I went back to their booth and found something to buy - supporting them as well as looking a second time at a booth when you are visually and mentally overwhelmed by all that is  being displayed.

I read with interest several posts from two sewing bloggers.   Sham's from Communing With Fabric, who was flown up for the day by McCalls (Puyallup SewExpo) because of this Vogue Patterns blog post.  Another blogger, Kyle from Vacuuming The Lawn,  was in a focus group put on by McCalls at a American Sewing Expo last September (Michigan).

These two women sew a lot of garments and are heavily into getting the fit correct . A bit of know-how is necessary to accomplish something wearable that you made yourself.

Nancy Zieman signing her new autobiography - Seams Unlikely

It was difficult to be concise (Do I ramble on?) so I decided to go ahead and utilize the questions Kyle recalled as they promised easier reading.



Q.  Pretend there are no more pattern sales.  What is the maximum price you would pay for a McCalls pattern?  We know that indies are charging upwards of $20, and that you are buying them.

I have paid $20 for not only the pattern but a chance to see real garments made from the patterns on someone my size. If the pattern is really spectacular in details, I am more than likely to shell out retail. I tend towards waiting until the sale though.
I'm amazingly lucky at garage & estate sales (25 cents! lol).

Q.  Do you like having the finished garment measurements on the envelope?I had no idea they had gone away!  My kids are grown. While I am sewing for myself, it's been nothing fashionable that required a trip to the pattern books.
Why wouldn't you have those finished measurements on the back?? I utilized them all the time when sewing for my people. Bring 'em back.

Q.  How do you feel about the size ranges in the pattern envelopes?

I like a short range of sizes so it is easier to grade from one size on top to another on the bottom.
Easy fit.


Q.  What is your impression of Vogue patterns, McCalls, Butterick and Kwik Sew?

Slippery slope downwards. The big pattern companies stopped designing for boys & men. The women's styles have nothing to do with RTW (ready to wear). My kids grew up, the day job got more intense - I stopped sewing garments except the basics awhile ago.  Why do you need 20 McCall's patterns for pajama pants? Just trace your old ones and sew. The loose fit hides tragic mistakes like nobody's business. Do I need to spend $16 for a pajama pattern? Now if the pattern had a cool scalloped hem, a inset pocket, a 'detail', hmmm.
I think the 'big 4' might have simplified sewing patterns too much.

Q.  Do you feel the size ranges represent your size?

No, not really. As my auto-immune progressed while I was seeking medical answers, my weight ballooned. I've noticed the patterns I buy for my size fit horribly. One needs to have experience sewing to fit the larger size ranges.

Q.  What independent pattern companies have you purchased from?Jalie, Cutting Edge, Textile Transformations, Pamela's Patterns, Ottobre,  etc.
SewExpo brings these pattern designers to me. I can see the garments, try them on, ask questions. If I have further questions, I have their business card and could conceivably contact them.

Q.  Should there be more craft patterns?  More costumes?  More steampunk?

More Steampunk. More men & Boys, more plus-size patterns. I want more RTW details and sewing inspiration.

Call phone pocket detail.

Q.  If we offered kits that included the pattern, fabric, and all notions (thread, buttons, zipper) to make a garment, would you buy it?

Not me, possibly. But I sure know a lot of people who buy quilt kits, purse kits. Taking the fabric type and color out of our hands works for some people - one less decision to make.
I would be tempted if a extremely flattering fabric was included.

Q.  What do you think of the pattern envelope?  Do you prefer pictures to sketches?
Photos!. I can see the finished garment at SewExpo. I can see the body shape/size/etc. Sketches are nice but they rarely hold up in real life after you spend hours sewing the pattern.

Q.  If we had youtube videos that offered sewing help, like how to insert a zipper, would you watch them?

Absolutely.

Q.  Social media.  Are you on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest?

Facebook, Pinterest. The others are just too much for me right now. Balancing my social media to actual sewing time is imperative to master.

Pacific Fabrics

Q. What sewing blogs do you read?

 Lots. I was surprised by the sew-ers in Kyle's Focus group NOT reading sewing blogs. I read blogs for entertainment & inspiration. How they tell their sewing journey....

Friday Night Live - Polar Fleece Princess.
Saturday Quilters Night Out was with Tula Pink - Fabric designer.

Q.  Do you use the body type ratings system on the Vogue patterns?No. Only because I don't currently sew with Vogue.

Q.  Do you use the ratings system on the patterns (like very easy, easy, advanced)?

I  have seen the ratings. I consider myself to be an intermediate sew-er and because of my day job commitments, I need something quick & easy.

Q.  When you're at the fabric store, how do you approach the catalog?  Do you like to have the yardage and measurements in the pattern catalog?  (we actually started the hour by being told to pretend we're at Joann's and start looking through the catalogs on the table in front of us).
 
I like as much info as possible. Yardage suggestions to finished length of the garment.


I used to sew with McCall's & Butterick all the time. I mostly use them for children's garments now. For my son and husband, there is very little out there in pattern land. I sewed a Hawaiian shirt for my son once  by sizing down an existing pattern I had for a man size. Because there wasn't anything out there. When my kids were little, I ignored the pattern 'sizes' and bought patterns based on their age. That was because of way too much ease and length built into the pattern. Until I got wise, I was regularly cutting out their supposed size and then cutting 8 inches off the hem. This was when I started monkeying around with patterns and making my own. De-constructing their RTW pants that fit so they wouldn't have to wear the pattern company balloons (too much ease).

 Apparently, McCalls is printing all the patterns out there. Just like nearly all the sewing machines are manufactured by one or two companies.

Many of the Indie designers are heavily into PDF file patterns which I have tried and found lacking. I want pattern tissue instead of 91 pages to cut and tape. The Indie designers are finding that while PDF patterns have a place (think International sew-ers and no postage as it's an e-file), many more people are like me and want tissues to cut, copy, slash, whatever.

I understand printing patterns is expensive. I don't understand PDF files for $20 when I am doing quite a bit of computer work to make sure it prints correctly, not to mention taping.

My sewing is very much off the cuff. I want the details and I love the process of figuring out how to make those details happen. The big four sewing pattern companies are a good starting point but I want the RTW (ready-to-wear) details that make it less home-sewn looking.
Last year I made a pair of work shorts with  miles of top-stitching and a two-piece front leg pattern that I have never seen in sewing patterns. I de-constructed my existing RTW pair (that I loved the fit of),  made my own pattern and sewed all the details. I would love that pattern to be published but I don't know pattern drafting. However, it is flattering to someone with a plus-size derriere and ballooning tummy.


Pendleton Booth

The Tilton sisters design for Vogue and I love what they have come up design-wise. However, their designs are a bit more 'dressy' than I want.   I also perceive them to be for women older than me.
I live in simple clothes - I like to garden and I need jeans/shorts and a t-shirt/sweatshirt.
Obviously, I don't get out much - haha. Comfortable clothes that can get dirty. Yes, I am a slob. I invented grunge before it was fashionable.


I see online  a lot of the Indie designers who are young, slim - smaller than size 12's designing clothing that is young, hip for 20 - 30 year-olds.

There are not  many patterns for the 40 - 50 year-olds. Then again, not much in RTW is for the 40 - 50 year-olds either.
I don't want to wear voluminous knit garments, nor do I want to wear gathered tops over my full bust which is definitely lower than younger designers allow for.

I'm looking for pattern designers who have garments sewn up that I can see, touch, get a feel for.
Do they allow for older lady bodies?  Is it flattering to my shape?
I can see quite a few designers at SewExpo. I'm prepared to pay more at Puyallup because I am on vacation. In my everyday life, I am too frugal.
Sewing for oneself is a great skill set, in order to have clothes to fit your age and saggy butt. In my case, my bloated tummy problems from my auto-immune.

This next year, I would like to do a bit more hand-sewing in the Japanese Sashiko style - especially after seeing this inspiring post by Yoshimi, the Flying Squirrel. I was able to find several booths selling sashiko thread and some indigo fabric. I bought a small dragonfly sampler kit to play with.

I had signed up for the Saturday Quilter's night out with Tula Pink who designs fabric for Freestyle Fabrics. She's definitely a quilter - not something I generally identify with. Although I can sew quarter-inch seams, I don't really understand the obsession with cutting fabric in pieces to sew it all  back together again.




Her long-arm quilter person managed to free-style sew a rocket ship with boosters and a ladder on the far left.



I was amazed at how much I enjoyed her hysterical, sarcastic journey of how she got to where is today. Oh my goodness - everyone was laughing- the crowd was fantastic . Her class the next morning was still available, so I signed up to learn how she designs fabric and the process of getting a collection together, fabric repeats, branding, inspiration. Spoonflower, anyone?
So interesting. I don't get on Spoonflower very often because I can spend serious time there designing fabric which is extremely gratifying but time spent on the computer is not time producing something on the sewing machine.

Lots of random sewing stuff in my head. I get very inspired at SewExpo and look forward to it every year.

Next post: photos of what I bought.