The Sew Expo Fabric Haul

The first year that Tera and I went to Sew Expo (2023), vendors were in the Showplex and Pavilion. The machine classrooms were in a third building. Classrooms not needing machines are at the back of the Showplex and I taught my knitting classes there last year.

I did not get a photo of the Pavilon. That building is not quite as large. Last year and this year, the machine classrooms were located in the Pavilion and the vendors were in the Showplex. The third building was not used. Part of that was because there was some construction happening around the third building last year but also because there were fewer vendors. The cost to have a booth is not insignificant, and if the sales aren’t covering travel, lodging, food, and booth fees, many vendors won’t come.

Mood Fabrics did have a booth, which consisted of racks of hanging 12" x 12" swatches. There was a QR code on the back of each swatch, so if you found fabric you wanted to buy, scanning the QR code would take you to the website to purchase. I get it. That setup is a cost-effective way for them to bring a lot of fabrics to Expo, but it felt so sterile to me. I looked at a few fabrics but was not inspired to buy anything. I went to Amanda’s Bundles instead, where I have done a lot of damage to my wallet in the past. 😇 Amanda and her mom come up from LA with literal bins of fabric in plastic zip bags, and customers stand around the bins and look through the offerings. Shopping there is fun and I always find something good. This year, I got two fabrics:

I love love love that blue quilted fabric on top. Unfortunately, most of their fabrics were in two-yard cuts and I could only find one bag of this one. It’s 54" wide and I may be able to squeeze a jacket out of it, but I may have to combine it with something else. The black-and-white fabric is a stable textured knit, possibly also destined for a jacket. The Tremont Jacket has become a staple of my wardrobe and I could see myself making a few more.

I went to Billie’s Designer Fabrics—a Washington state store—and was only planning to get the hot pink ponte, but the lady in front of me was buying the denim blue-and-white sweater knit and I succumbed. Harper Cardigan or possibly a Toaster Sweater?

I had a pair of hot pink Renee ponte pants, but the ponte was the horrible polyester stuff from Joanns and they were so uncomfortable to wear. I would like to recreate them in this nicer high-quality rayon ponte.

That was all I bought at Sew Expo. I bought more fabric at Pacific Fabrics:

The grass green baby wale corduroy was a fabric I looked at the last time I was there and didn’t buy. The bolt had significantly less fabric on it and I decided I had better get some while I could. That may end up being an Elmstead Pinafore. The white is some lightweight woven interfacing. The dark green is a stretch twill for some pants. They were giving away the zipper bags and I also got the scissor hair clip because it was so cute. Everything was 20% off for the sale.

That was it, and that was enough.

*****

It’s raining today and looks like it may rain for the next week or so. I will not complain because we desperately need it. The husband set up the brooder box for me and I will get chicks soon. I also need to make ham and chicken stock and can beans. The house is a mess and all my Sew Expo supplies need to get put away.

[All of you who are wondering how I get so much done—something has to give and it’s usually housework. The husband drags in so much dirt that I could, quite literally, have a full-time job doing nothing but cleaning constantly. That I will not do. We live with a moderate level of messiness and we’re both okay with that.]

As far as sewing, I need to make a list. We shall see what shows up on it.