Novi Expo, more goodies

I arrived pretty early, around 8, my first class: Sewing Sewphisticated Knits started at 8:30, they let us into the hall around 8 but with limited access - not including the vendor hall. But it did give me a chance to hit the ladies' room and determine the lay of the land.
Emma Seabrook was great. She had some wonder suggestions and tips for working with knits. She sews mostly knits and a great deal of slinky - not my thing. But her recommendations and information was for more than just slinky stuff. Starting with purchasing fabric, treating it after, cutting it out. She spent a lot of time talking about stabilizing knits: when, where, with what, how. She's a good spokesperson and her samples and illustrations were very good. Of course, a hands-on class would be better, but this was very good. She crammed a lot into an hour.
Then I had a about an hour to peruse the vendors. I met Depeeka of PR on my way into the hall, then I headed over her booth and picked up my PR button. I saw lots of pretty, pretty quilts, millions of yards of beautiful fabrics - including a faux fur from Emma's booth that I really wanted, made a purse organizer (yes, I serged, see yesterday's post), lots of cool notions and gadgets, patterns and fun stuff.
Sandra Betzina's class was a little disappointing to me. I was hoping for some instruction and techniques. It was more of a presentation of her Vogue pattern line. I will say that I like her stuff MUCH better now than I did before. Vogue really doesn't do them justice on the pattern envelopes. She had some beautiful stuff, her work is beautiful, her eye for detail unique and her renditions are lovely. She's a great speaker, funny and real. It was interesting that, while she enjoys working with Vogue because it gives her the resources and exposure she wouldn't have alone, she had less than complimentary things to say about their fashion sense, pattern drafters, envelope designs and sewests. She often presents 3 or 4 views to a pattern, but they cut it down to 1 or 2. She marks gathering or pleat or seam lines and they remove them. They add extra ease and change proportions. So, while I didn't get what I expected out the class, I got something else: a new eye for her designs and a desire for a faux fur vest (see above for the fabric I DIDN'T buy).
Next time: THE KING , the haul (not as much as I thought it would be), and the fashion show. Not necessarily in that order.