EGA seminar report

For the most part, it was absolutely fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!! Louisville was
hosting an ironman triathlon last Sunday and had very poor traffic control in
the downtown area. It took us almost 2 hours to go 5 blocks. I hopped out of
the car thinking I could get us registered at the hotel while my friend was
stuck in traffic ... not so good idea -- there was no record of me sharing a
room with my friend so they wouldn't give me a key ... plus they were totally
overbooked and we were going to get a smoking room with a king size bed instead
of non-smoking with 2 doubles ... D. finally made it in and we had to wait
online for another 30 minutes for her to get the keys. Then we went to get our
stuff from her car and had to 'fight' for a luggage cart. After finally getting
one, the valet tried to move the van and it wouldn't start ... I'm thinking
really bad thoughts but D. was so rational and calm... The elevators were
mobbed but we finally got to the room where we tossed around ideas about
getting the car fixed. D. gave permission for the valet parker to jump start
the car but unfortunately that didn't work. D. decided to call AAA in the
morning after they gave us permission to leave the van to the side of the entry
way. Triple A came during a lunch break, installed a new battery, and we
crossed everything that could be crossed to ensure that the car was cured. We
also got moved into a non-smoking room.

Monday morning, we began our classes -- D. took a 4 day (Wednesday off) what
sounded like a personalized stitch guide for painted canvases. I had signed up
for 2 2-day classes (nothing on Wednesday). My first class was Knots, Fur, and
Turkeywork taught by Meredith Willett. It was a 'notebook' class -- instead of
a project, you learn techniques-- and was fantastic!!!!!!!!!!! Meredith is a
hoot and kept us in stitches (pun intended) as we experimented with different
threads. The cost of the week was worth it when she taught us the pinhead
stitch which is a way to anchor starts and ends on the top of canvas or fabric,
minimizing the need to turn and faux bullions. The other techniques were good
too g For those of you who like to add dimensional elements to your projects,
I highly recommend taking one of her classes or buying her book "Knots, Fur,
and Turkeywork"

Each day after class, my roomie and I shopped in the boutique operated by
stitchersworld.com or a reasonable facsimile and the bookstore(Ruth Kern
Books). We barely glanced at next year's seminar offerings or the Fiber Forum
exhibit, until Wednesday which was a free day for both of us. Although the
pieces for next year are good using a wide variety of techniques, I didn't feel
like making a committment.

Wednesday was market day -- the hotel ballroom was filled with people selling
stuff. Several EGA chapters had donated items that were very very cheap.
Several of the vendors were also clearing out their stashes and I got some real
bargains. I 'splurged' and bought a Tanja Berlin dragonfly kit which is
described as 'modern Jacobean crewel' and 2 stumpwork things by Marsha Papay
Gomola. Her work is phenonmenal!!!!!!!!!!!

I picked up some kind of bug as was feeling really crabby and crappy but went
to my Thursday class, Gorgeous Gardinias, a punchneedle class taught by Patty
Smith Gardner. The class was conducted in EGA HQs, rather than in the hotel and
convention center ... the works on display are phenomenal!!!!!!!!!!! Pictures
don't do them justice... oh yeah, the class was good too g Patty is a good
teacher and her design taught us all things we didn't know before. I thought
punching with ribbons would be easy -- boy was I wrong!!! One has to be very
careful not to pull tight previous loops of ribbon while making new ones.

The seminar committee did a great job, assisted by hundreads of volunteers. The
hotel staff were very helpful but the long waits for elevators and seating in
the restaurants were annoying. Given the problems checking in, we were a little
apprehensive about the check out process which went super smooth!! A bellman
came within 10 minutes of our call and we were on the road by 8:30 a.m.

On the way home, we stopped at the Kentucky Art Center associated with Berea
College. Several other groups of stitchers had the same idea. It's a good thing
I was feeling bad or my wallet would have been even thinner than it already
was. When I got back yesterday afternoon, I crashed big time!!!
--
another anne, add ingers to reply

Anne -

Thanks for the report and hope you feel better!

I enjoyed the seminar vicariously!

sue


--
Susan Hartman/Dirty Linen
The Magazine of Folk and World Music
www.dirtylinen.com

"anne" wrote in message
.net...
For the most part, it was absolutely fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!! Louisville was
hosting an ironman triathlon last Sunday and had very poor traffic control
in
the downtown area. It took us almost 2 hours to go 5 blocks. I hopped out
of
the car thinking I could get us registered at the hotel while my friend
was
stuck in traffic ... not so good idea -- there was no record of me sharing
a
room with my friend so they wouldn't give me a key ... plus they were
totally
overbooked and we were going to get a smoking room with a king size bed
instead
of non-smoking with 2 doubles ... D. finally made it in and we had to wait
online for another 30 minutes for her to get the keys. Then we went to get
our
stuff from her car and had to 'fight' for a luggage cart. After finally
getting
one, the valet tried to move the van and it wouldn't start ... I'm
thinking
really bad thoughts but D. was so rational and calm... The elevators were
mobbed but we finally got to the room where we tossed around ideas about
getting the car fixed. D. gave permission for the valet parker to jump
start
the car but unfortunately that didn't work. D. decided to call AAA in the
morning after they gave us permission to leave the van to the side of the
entry
way. Triple A came during a lunch break, installed a new battery, and we
crossed everything that could be crossed to ensure that the car was cured.
We
also got moved into a non-smoking room.

Monday morning, we began our classes -- D. took a 4 day (Wednesday off)
what
sounded like a personalized stitch guide for painted canvases. I had
signed up
for 2 2-day classes (nothing on Wednesday). My first class was Knots, Fur,
and
Turkeywork taught by Meredith Willett. It was a 'notebook' class --
instead of
a project, you learn techniques-- and was fantastic!!!!!!!!!!! Meredith is
a
hoot and kept us in stitches (pun intended) as we experimented with
different
threads. The cost of the week was worth it when she taught us the pinhead
stitch which is a way to anchor starts and ends on the top of canvas or
fabric,
minimizing the need to turn and faux bullions. The other techniques were
good
too g For those of you who like to add dimensional elements to your
projects,
I highly recommend taking one of her classes or buying her book "Knots,
Fur,
and Turkeywork"

Each day after class, my roomie and I shopped in the boutique operated by
stitchersworld.com or a reasonable facsimile and the bookstore(Ruth Kern
Books). We barely glanced at next year's seminar offerings or the Fiber
Forum
exhibit, until Wednesday which was a free day for both of us. Although the
pieces for next year are good using a wide variety of techniques, I didn't
feel
like making a committment.

Wednesday was market day -- the hotel ballroom was filled with people
selling
stuff. Several EGA chapters had donated items that were very very cheap.
Several of the vendors were also clearing out their stashes and I got some
real
bargains. I 'splurged' and bought a Tanja Berlin dragonfly kit which is
described as 'modern Jacobean crewel' and 2 stumpwork things by Marsha
Papay
Gomola. Her work is phenonmenal!!!!!!!!!!!

I picked up some kind of bug as was feeling really crabby and crappy but
went
to my Thursday class, Gorgeous Gardinias, a punchneedle class taught by
Patty
Smith Gardner. The class was conducted in EGA HQs, rather than in the
hotel and
convention center ... the works on display are phenomenal!!!!!!!!!!!
Pictures
don't do them justice... oh yeah, the class was good too g Patty is a
good
teacher and her design taught us all things we didn't know before. I
thought
punching with ribbons would be easy -- boy was I wrong!!! One has to be
very
careful not to pull tight previous loops of ribbon while making new ones.

The seminar committee did a great job, assisted by hundreads of
volunteers. The
hotel staff were very helpful but the long waits for elevators and seating
in
the restaurants were annoying. Given the problems checking in, we were a
little
apprehensive about the check out process which went super smooth!! A
bellman
came within 10 minutes of our call and we were on the road by 8:30 a.m.

On the way home, we stopped at the Kentucky Art Center associated with
Berea
College. Several other groups of stitchers had the same idea. It's a good
thing
I was feeling bad or my wallet would have been even thinner than it
already
was. When I got back yesterday afternoon, I crashed big time!!!
--
another anne, add ingers to reply


It sounds like a wonderful time was had by all. Oh, how I wish I had been
there with you.

Thanks for this great report.

I do hope you're feeling better.

Lucille

On 9/7/08 9:46 AM, in article
, "anne"
wrote:

For the most part, it was absolutely fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!! Louisville was
hosting an ironman triathlon


First - sounds like you had a blast and the courses sound great. I had a
stab of sympathy over the traffic/hotel problem. DH and DS always run into
some similar issue when they head to or from Lake Placid for hockey camp.
And despite online registrations, hotels have said "we don't have your name"
because in our case, they "corrected the spelling".

Someday, I'm going away to something like that and have a blast like you
did.

Cheryl

On 9/7/08 9:46 AM, "anne" wrote:

For the most part, it was absolutely fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!! Louisville was
*snip*

Responding late, but, glad it was fab- I've felt the same way with each of
the nationals I've gone to. Next year hoping to hit both ANG & EGA!

Monday morning, we began our classes -- D. took a 4 day (Wednesday off) what
sounded like a personalized stitch guide for painted canvases. I had signed up
for 2 2-day classes (nothing on Wednesday). My first class was Knots, Fur, and
Turkeywork taught by Meredith Willett. It was a 'notebook' class -- instead of
a project, you learn techniques-- and was fantastic!!!!!!!!!!! Meredith is a
hoot and kept us in stitches (pun intended) as we experimented with different
threads. The cost of the week was worth it when she taught us the pinhead
stitch which is a way to anchor starts and ends on the top of canvas or
fabric,
minimizing the need to turn and faux bullions.

LOL - the pinhead start is something that Shay Pendray uses a lot, as well.
I learned it about 10 years ago at some seminar class, and have been hooked
ever since. It's a great thing in particular for canvas, so that the first
stitch of whatever you're doing lays in the same angle as all the ensuing
ones. I teach it to all my canvas classes.

The other techniques were good
too g For those of you who like to add dimensional elements to your
projects,
I highly recommend taking one of her classes or buying her book "Knots, Fur,
and Turkeywork"

Great reference.

Each day after class, my roomie and I shopped in the boutique operated by
stitchersworld.com or a reasonable facsimile and the bookstore(Ruth Kern
Books). We barely glanced at next year's seminar offerings or the Fiber Forum
exhibit, until Wednesday which was a free day for both of us. Although the
pieces for next year are good using a wide variety of techniques, I didn't
feel
like making a committment.

I'm with you in general on that topic. I like to see the pieces as the time
goes on, but rarely have made an early commitment. Although, I did once
pick to do a Ro Pace piece of canvas work (2 layers, one cut and acts like a
spaced mat over the other - it was so gorgeous in person I knew I'd have to
take it. (I had to cancel going to seminar the next year, and the project is
in a box, waiting to be started - of course).

Wednesday was market day -- the hotel ballroom was filled with people selling
stuff. Several EGA chapters had donated items that were very very cheap.
Several of the vendors were also clearing out their stashes and I got some
real
bargains. I 'splurged' and bought a Tanja Berlin dragonfly kit which is
described as 'modern Jacobean crewel' and 2 stumpwork things by Marsha Papay
Gomola. Her work is phenonmenal!!!!!!!!!!!

Good for you. I love the Tanya Berlin pieces.

*snip*

On the way home, we stopped at the Kentucky Art Center associated with Berea
College. Several other groups of stitchers had the same idea. It's a good
thing
I was feeling bad or my wallet would have been even thinner than it already
was. When I got back yesterday afternoon, I crashed big time!!!
LOL - when I was at ANG National in Lexington, we spent the Wednesday off
going to Berea (not doing any organized tours). I did open the wallet - tee
hee - and got some lovely hand carved boxes, toast tongs - very important -
and a gorgeous scarf from Churchill weavers. The best part - I got a woven
silk chenille cloak from Churchill- that was in the "seconds" room. We
couldn't find anything wrong - but the price was fabulous compared to
retail. It does a lot of duty at Ken Ctr.

Glad you had a fabulous time, and thanks so much for sharing. I'm really
hoping to go to both EGA and ANG next year - the locals and $ may just work
out (as I'm planning on dragging Donna along - we can drive to Pgh easily,
and well, we'll figure out something for Milwaukee).

Ellice