Toronto Needlework Show - review

I was at the Creative Sewing and Needlework festival yesterday and I was
not impressed with this year's show. There were fewer booths with
needlework, knitting or crochet, although there seemed to be a good
number of quilting booths, but there were all sorts of non needlework
related 'craft' booths. I would say at least 25-30% of the booths were
for 'miracle polishing cloths' and that sort of stuff (shoe polish,
aroma therapy candles, etc.). Since it was Thursday and relatively
uncrowded, I walked the show floor in about an hour. Even the number of
booths related to sewing (machines, supplies, patterns) seemed fewer.
Swarowski crystals, as one of the sponsors, was fairly prominent.

Now, if I didn't have an enormous stash and access to several good
shops, I might have found it more useful. There was one booth, from,
IIRC, Ottawa, that was carrying Stef's silks and other wonderful silk
felting products, and another (The Bead Lady) where I picked up some
lovely stuff.

The cost of a day pass is $15. I'm in the fortunate position of
assisting one of the folks (Tatiana Kowryga of The Sampler) giving
classes at the Toronto Needlework show, so I have a show pass. And I
did get to visit for a minute with Jennifer Aikmann-Smith who is doing
classes.

In the future, the show will be an add-on for me - I'll go for classes,
not the marketplace.

Marg

On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 10:27:44 -0400, Bob & Marg Whittleton
wrote:

I was at the Creative Sewing and Needlework festival yesterday and I was
not impressed with this year's show. There were fewer booths with
needlework, knitting or crochet, although there seemed to be a good
number of quilting booths, but there were all sorts of non needlework
related 'craft' booths. I would say at least 25-30% of the booths were
for 'miracle polishing cloths' and that sort of stuff (shoe polish,
aroma therapy candles, etc.). Since it was Thursday and relatively
uncrowded, I walked the show floor in about an hour. Even the number of
booths related to sewing (machines, supplies, patterns) seemed fewer.
Swarowski crystals, as one of the sponsors, was fairly prominent.
Same with the Calgary Creative Stitches show. I didn't go this year, but my
sister reported it was basically the same as last year: sewing machines,
knitting machines and those damn quilters.
Dora

Bungadora wrote:
Same with the Calgary Creative Stitches show. I didn't go this year, but my
sister reported it was basically the same as last year: sewing machines,
knitting machines and those damn quilters.

Now wait just a durn minute! HUGE grin here Some of those quilters
are really artisans - as are those who can whip up the most extravagant
confections on a sewing machine.

But if it was only ho-hum machine quilting, then I agree. :-)

Dianne

X-No-Archive:yes
"Dianne Lewandowski" wrote in message
...
But if it was only ho-hum machine quilting, then I agree. :-)

Them's fightin' words, Dianne! ;-))
Quilters are made, not born, and it takes a lot of ho-hum quilting before
you are good enough to manufacture masterpieces! Even then, just like
stitching, not everything's heirloom quality. Some of us make easy quilts to
be happily ruined by active children.

As regards the shows, though, I do agree that the markets are overflowing
with quilty stuff, not to mention all that other so-called "craft" stuff, at
the expense of much of the handwork. Even the name on our nearby show has
been changed to include the word "Crafts".

emerald

Dianne Lewandowski
Now wait just a durn minute! HUGE grin here Some of those quilters
are really artisans - as are those who can whip up the most extravagant
confections on a sewing machine.

But if it was only ho-hum machine quilting, then I agree. :-)

There's just too many of them. They're taking over. And they've driven up the
cost of remnants.(Actually I'm not a sewer and don't care about this last point
but DSis gets very passionate about it.)
Dora

Tara D wrote:

On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 10:27:44 -0400, Bob & Marg Whittleton
wrote:



I was at the Creative Sewing and Needlework festival yesterday and I was
not impressed with this year's show.

It's been gradually going that way for years. The last time I went
was the 10th anniversary one, and that was only so I could get
Charland's sampler.


Oh - we must have been in the same class!!

I'd stopped going a few years before that for the
very reason you described. I pretty much was only going for classes
by then, with the marketplace being a fill in between classes. Then
they changed the way the classes were set up (seems I was one of the
few that actually liked the 1 hour, learn a technique) to project
based. The change was more obvious to me after having missed a few
years.

Tara


Got a fair bit of feedback from folks who were there - most of them were
quite pleased with the classes they took, but I can understand why you
liked the one-hour sessions.

Marg

I've heard the same thing over the last few years. I know some
beaders who don't go anymore. They are in touch with alot of vendors
and some of them do go anymore because of lousy venu. Heck, I know
lots of people who don't go anymore for the same reason.

BTW, did you know the Toronto Needleworkshow actual originated in
Ottawa? But moved to Toronto. Guess they figured we weren't a big
enough place.

Here in Ottawa, last weekend of the month. Inspirations Needlecraft
Show. It started a few years ago. Seems to be growing. Lots of
everything. http://www.inspirationsneedlecraft.com/id17.htm

Lynne (in Ottawa)


Dianne Lewandowski wrote in message ...
Bungadora wrote:
Same with the Calgary Creative Stitches show. I didn't go this year, but my
sister reported it was basically the same as last year: sewing machines,
knitting machines and those damn quilters.

Now wait just a durn minute! HUGE grin here Some of those quilters
are really artisans - as are those who can whip up the most extravagant
confections on a sewing machine.

But if it was only ho-hum machine quilting, then I agree. :-)

Dianne

I guess I wouldn't think that "ho-hum machine quilting" would be
featured at a show. :-) I think of a "show" as the cream of the crop.
Since I've never been to a show, I may be mistaken.

Dianne



emerald wrote:
X-No-Archive:yes
"Dianne Lewandowski" wrote in message
...

But if it was only ho-hum machine quilting, then I agree. :-)


Them's fightin' words, Dianne! ;-))
Quilters are made, not born, and it takes a lot of ho-hum quilting before
you are good enough to manufacture masterpieces! Even then, just like
stitching, not everything's heirloom quality. Some of us make easy quilts to
be happily ruined by active children.

As regards the shows, though, I do agree that the markets are overflowing
with quilty stuff, not to mention all that other so-called "craft" stuff, at
the expense of much of the handwork. Even the name on our nearby show has
been changed to include the word "Crafts".

emerald

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but these are mostly commercial shows, more
like a trade show than an exhibition. There are usually classes attached, but
for the most part not much needlework is actually showcased. If there are
needlework venues, one can usually pick up unusual patterns or materials not
available locally. About 10 years ago, there were free workshops etc. The
sewers usually put on a fashion show.

I suspect that over time the smaller needlework vendors, who tend to have the
more unusual wares, have been pushed out by booth rental fees. Many of the
sewing machine exhibits are put on by large companies, who tend to have larger
budgets for that sort of thing, and don't really have to sell enough to cover
the booth fee. I'm not quite sure how the quilters fit in, unless it is because
they are numerous, sew and buy/sell fabric stash like crazy.
Dora
Who will go back to watching the kids trying to get momentum sliding down a 2
foot snow covered hill.

Dianne Lewandowski


I guess I wouldn't think that "ho-hum machine quilting" would be
featured at a show. :-) I think of a "show" as the cream of the crop.
Since I've never been to a show, I may be mistaken.

Dianne



emerald wrote:
X-No-Archive:yes
"Dianne Lewandowski" wrote in message
...

But if it was only ho-hum machine quilting, then I agree. :-)


Them's fightin' words, Dianne! ;-))
Quilters are made, not born, and it takes a lot of ho-hum quilting before
you are good enough to manufacture masterpieces! Even then, just like
stitching, not everything's heirloom quality. Some of us make easy quilts
to
be happily ruined by active children.

As regards the shows, though, I do agree that the markets are overflowing
with quilty stuff, not to mention all that other so-called "craft" stuff,
at
the expense of much of the handwork. Even the name on our nearby show has
been changed to include the word "Crafts".

emerald

Tara D wrote:

On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 19:43:17 -0400, Bob & Marg Whittleton
wrote:




Oh - we must have been in the same class!!



It's funny, I don't remember attending a class for it. But I must
have, because I can also remember Charland's comments on why things
were included, etc.



Got a fair bit of feedback from folks who were there - most of them were
quite pleased with the classes they took, but I can understand why you
liked the one-hour sessions.



I noticed a few more of these types of classes this year. No
needlework ones that really turned my crank, a few of the knitting one
piqued my interest. Alas, not enough to register and attend.

You mentioned Stef threads. Who had them? I still have a few I got
at the needlework show in London, but would love more.


Wish I could remember - they were from Ottawa (IIRC), and carried silk
rovings and other supplies for felting. They also had a number of
different silk perles, ribbons, etc. In the end (although I was very
tempted) I didn't buy anything from them, so I don't have an invoice
with the company name. I've looked on the CSNF website, but
unfortunately, they don't list the exhibitors.


Tara
P.S. The needlework show in London has similar problems; but it's
predominantly knitting and yarn rather than quilting and sewing.

What worries me is that the fall show is usually the better of the two,
so I'm not encouraged that the spring show will be an improvement.

Marg