DWM: Sewing Expo, a finish, and simply scrappy

On Saturday my friend Irene and I went to the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo at the convention center in northwest suburban Schaumburg. We'd never been to the show before. According to the website (www.sewingexpo.com) it's been around since 1995. As I recall it used to emphasize garment sewing, with a wave to quiltmaking. The website says that the brand/company is now owned by Creative Crafts Group, which also owns Quilters Newsletter, McCall's Quilting, Fons & Porter, and their "easy/quick" offshoots, as well as the Keepsake Quilting shop. New ownership + market changes (more quilters than fashion sewers) + the departure of the Quilts Inc. show (which used to be at Rosemont/Chicago, this year again in Cincinnati) = more emphasis on quilting. 

Admission was just $10.00 and parking was free. There were several quilt exhibits  -- quilts from Quiltmaker and Fons & Porter magazines; art quilts by Susan Shie; art quilts about racism (thought-provoking) <http://www.fiberartistsforhope.blogspot.com/>; ; a selecton of 'modern' quilts; and a PAQA (Professional Art Quilt Alliance) series of small quilts on different kinds of science (mitochondrial DNA to oceanography).  [There were big signs warning, "No photography."] 

What we both noted was how uncrowded it was compared to the Rosemont show. We had lunch at the concessions stand on the exhibit floor and had no trouble getting a seat. We didn't sign up for any classes. There were more than 100 vendors but the aisles were not jam-packed. The traffic seemed so light that I asked a couple of the vendors how business was. They did not seem to be disappointed, though they both said Friday was busier than Saturday. 

Lime and other bright green; gray and black

Batiks and some that I just had to have

I don't need another t-shirt but I do like this slogan

We did our part to keep the vendors in business. I spent under $200 -- 15-7/8 yds of fabric, a t-shirt (see photo), and a jacket pattern (Tabula Rasa by Fit for Art Patterns ). (This is the third "last jacket pattern you'll ever need" I have; maybe this one will be.)  I was a piker compared to Irene who reckoned she spent nearly $800. I need to go to more quilt shows with her. :) 

I finished the Kaleidoscope quilt Saturday evening -- quilted and bound!  While tidying up I found three panels of 2.5" (2" finished) squares sewn as leaders-and-enders.  I considered sewing more squares...but got to thinking.  I went to the 2.5" HST box and here is what resulted.  When I add the bottom rows of HSTs this will be 64 x 56. (Or 56 x 64 when it's vertical. )   

See what other quiltmakers are working on thisDesign Wall Monday.