Altacocker Expo 2011 (AKA Original Sewing & Quilt Expo)

Though the fact that I look forward to going to the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo every year makes me feel old as hell, the actual experience of attending makes me feel like a spry young whippersnapper. After 3.5 hours of wading through a sea of walkers, geriatric elbows, and a thick cloud of Clinque perfume, I've just made it home from Expo '11. This is my third year attending. It's my annual birthday gift to myself - and quite a pricey one for a cheapskate like me after $8 to park, $10 at the door, and $2 to check my coat (a splurge), and that's before making a single tangible purchase, the first of which was a $2.50 small coffee. What a racket!

The heap of goodies I brought home from the expo. Deets & pics after the jump.

I got there as early as I could manage (had to finish my new bag first) so I could catch the 1:15 presentation by Valerie Mayen of Yellow Cake & Buzz & Growl. (Oh, and a lil TV show called Project Runway.) I missed the first few minutes, but caught most of it. Just like on TV, she was personable, funny, and adorable. I so envy her for being so comfortable in her own skin and at ease in front of a crowd. And her talent. I wouldn't mind a tablespoon or so of that either.

For me, the highlight of her talk was when she shared that she didn't use a sewing machine until 2006. That's 5 years ago! Only 4 years before she was on PR. Wow. She was 25 or 26 at the time, which really resonated with me since I was about that age when I began sewing circa 2001. (Yeah, if you do the math I'm about 6 years older than her & she has clearly lapped me in the get-up-and-go department, but that's not hard to do.) So, all those friends of mine who tell me they can't learn to sew because they weren't taught at mom's knee, shut the fuck up and get to it already, mkay? Times a wastin.

In past years I only purchased notions and tools at the expo, with the exception of some handmade felt  last year. This year, all I bought was fabric. Lots of fabric. I had hoped to find some batiks or hand dyes with tonal gradations for use in a reverse applique technique I've been trying out. Here's a peek at my first such effort, Nice Pooper. (That's a story for another time!)

Nice Pooper, shown in Boys are Stupid, part of an anti-Valentine's Day show

So you can see why I wanted tonal gradations, yes? And I found what I was looking for! A few times over. Plus a bunch of fat quarters, which I've never bought before, and a few full & half yard cuts. Here's the haul:

 50& off fat quarter bundle from Pins & Needles in Middleberg Heights, OH (or "Middleberf Hts," as printed on their credit card receipts)

A fat quarter stack, half yard stack, & one solo fat quarter from Quilts & Kreations in South Amherst, OH. (Aside: I HATE intentional misspellings under the guise of cuteness, as in "Kreations." It's not cute. It makes your shop look like a place to buy supplies for sewing KKK robes & hoods.) The stack on the left is faux batik, the first pack of related fabrics I came across that I found suitable for the applique process mentioned above. Kinda wish I'd held out because I found exactly what I had in mind later. Oh well. I couldn't resist the red & black stack of half yard cuts. I'm thinking aprons. The blue dots were giving me the stink eye when I put them down, so I had to buy them, right?

Exactly what I needed! Each of the batiks in this stack are gradated from one edge to the other. The lighter toned strip is light end of the fabric, and it gradually intensifies across the piece. Nice! These are from Sew Batik of Mayville, ND.

Though they're the most sedate of my new fabrics, I'm really excited about these. They are hand dyed by Color by Hand out of Newport, KY. On top is a bundle of five 10" square cuts of sateen, which I'm envisioning as a skin tone. The purple stack is 45% silk, 55% cotton and it is beautiful!

Best find of the day: A local source OTHER than JoAnn's! These beautiful Moda cottons were the best priced, most up-my-alley (for non-art quilt purposes), and highest quality cottons I pawed all day. At $6.99/yd, they were a great deal compared to the other vendors. (Extortion compared to my usual source, the thrift store!) These were purchased from Anna's Sewing Center in North Olmsted, OH. I was already super pleased with my purchase when the woman who rang me up handed me a 25% off coupon. Anna, I think I love you.

Super cute fat quarters from Best Friends Quilt Shoppe of Cincinnati, OH

Last but not least, an indulgence for the crossword geek in me, plus a vintage style print from Vogue Fabrics. C'est tout!