Quilt Expo - Part 2

This past Saturday, Quilt Bug and I went to the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo. We had a good time. We took a free-motion quilting class with Sheila Finklestein, which was very helpful. I had many questions that she was able to answer. I felt bad for Quilt Bug because she kept having trouble with her machine (not her fault). Finally she was able to get the ball rolling. I would have to say we both did pretty well for first-timers. Speed seems to be the key.

We also took a binding class with Connie Spurlock. I have to say, I think I got more out of her batting lecture then her binding lecture. The binding finish didn't look "finished" to me. It was just overlapped and then you had to whip-stitch it closed. I don't know about you but I prefer to make mine look like you don't know where the beginning is. I prefer the Liz's Lumpless Finish method myself.

At the end of the Expo, they had a big drawing for 4 new machines and other miscellaneous prizes, so of course we had to stay and see if either of us would win (you needed to be present to win). Well, neither of us won a sewing machine. :( However, I did win something!! It was funny because when they were calling names, you could hear groups of people cheer because they all seem to come in big groups. Quilt Bug and I came together so when the called my name it was very quite except for me screaming "That's me!" and they didn't hear me! I was really afraid that they would pull another name before I got there to get my prize. Finally I made it up to the stage and picked up my prize... a magnifying lamp (like it), a CD for creating a blazer (like it), a booklet for measuring accurately for garment creation (handy to have), and this pattern....

I'm really sorry but I'm sure I'm going to offend someone in saying this.... This thing is beyond words. Who would make this? I'm offended in the fact that someone would use a sweatshirt and put velvet on it thinking it would work well. You pay half as much for the sweatshirt than you do for the 1 yard of velvet. I am skipping over the fact that this is just not pretty. I would say that someone was trying to do a "Renaissance" feel with this but went a little bit in the wrong direction. Okay, I'm going to stop before I say something even worse...it's just bad. It almost reminds me of a blog I read a while ago about the 1977 JCPenney's catalog.