Baby Lock Tech: Famous for BREAKS and SERGERS!!! Part 3

Rita Farro continues with her report about attending Baby Lock Tech in St. Louis.

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Of course, any sewing machine convention is ALL ABOUT THE SEWING. But Baby Lock also understands how important the EATING can be.  The dealers are working hard, attending classes from early in the morning until late at night. THEY NEED A BREAK. So, every day, at 10:00 AM and again at 3:00 PM -- the food is phenomenal....

 

 

 

 

 

But, of course -- as extraordinary as the food was at BLT -- the thing Baby Lock is most famous for is their INCREDIBLE SERGERS. And the real reason everybody was so happy in St. Louis was the launch of Baby Lock's brand new, ground-breaking serger -- the OVATION.

It was SO EXCITING to be a part of this exciting event. And words and pictures really don't do it justice. So in my next post, I hope to share a video demonstration...YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE IT...

Sew SCHMETZ!
Rita Farro

www.SCHMETZneedles.com
www.babylock.com
www.RitasSewFun.blogspot.com

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Baby Lock Tech: Look Who's at Baby Lock!!! Part 2

Guest blogger -- Rita Farro, has a lot more to say about the 2013 Baby Lock Tech in St. Louis, Missouri...

Rita continues.... One of the BEST THINGS about Baby Lock Tech is seeing all the great outfits!! Baby Lock dealers from all over the country come to BLT -- and they can be kind of competitive. But THIS OUTFIT stopped me cold. I was trying to take a secret picture of the back of her jacket when I realized I knew the woman wearing the embroidery!!

The woman in the great embroidered outfit was Margaret Moorhead. Rhonda Pierce (who normally writes this blog) was recently a guest at Margaret's Virtual Sewing Guild webinar...

Margaret Moorehead Virtual Sewing Guild

Margaret was so interesting, and our visit was so animated -- I wanted to do a video...I am sorry that I talk too fast...but Margaret did a GREAT job...

Sew SCHMETZ!

Rita Farro

www.SCHMETZneedles.com

www.Babylock.com

www.margaretmoorehead.com

www.RitasSewFun.blogspot.com

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Baby Lock Tech: Party in St. Louis!!! Part 1

Welcome to Rita Farro, our guest blogger for a few upcoming posts.  Rita recently attended the annual Baby Lock Tech in St. Louis -- and this is her unofficial report...

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The opening night of Baby Lock Tech is a HUGE PRODUCTION. The Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Hotel in downtown St. Louis is a beautiful venue. Steve Jeffery, President of Baby Lock Sewing Machines, used to be a member of Up With People. So he ACTUALLY DOES SING AND DANCE...

Baby Lock takes over the Hyatt Hotel. They set up tons of classrooms and bring in the finest teachers in the industry. Eleanor Burns was there, Mary Fons, Sue Hausmann, Mary Mulari and many more. It really is a STAR STUDDED event.

Baby Lock headquarters is in St. Louis -- so the entire staff moves to the Hyatt Hotel for the dealer training.

They COMPLETELY SOLD OUT of the limited edition 2013 Baby Lock Tech t-shirts.  There were TWO different designs...and I think they should have a t-shirt-recreation contest!!

My job was to set up the SCHMETZ needles booth in the vendor hall. Of course, Rhonda sent a beautiful, perfectly organized pallet from Chicago which made my job EASY. See the posters hanging in the back of the booth? THAT WAS SO EXCITING..

You can't quite read the poster -- but the big news was that SCHMETZ will be COLOR CODING needles. And the dealers were all delighted to hear that because customers have wanted it for a long time...

The dealers were very busy during the day taking classes. But when they came into the vendor hall, they all wanted to have their picture taken with the giant SCHMETZ "SUPER" NEEDLE...

From Sew News -- Beth Mauro (in blue) visiting with one of the Baby Lock reps at the reception

It was fun to hook up with some friends I've known for a long time -- like Sue Hausmann.  And then, too, making NEW friends. Here, Sue is smiling with my favorite vendor neighbors (who I called Marie #1 and Marie #2.)

Kris and Terri, the original DIY Dish duo, insist they are not related to Marie Osmond.  But it really is hard to believe!

SEW SCHMETZ!
Rita Farro

www.SCHMETZneedles.com

www.BabyLock.com
www.RitasSewFun.blogspot.com

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Social Media Lounge

Fall is finally in the air, well at least today with cooler temperatures.  So that means that one of my favorite sewing shows is just around the corner - The American Sewing Expo.  I love this show with all the creative energy of sewists from around the country, Canada and other far away locations converging just outside of Detroit to beautiful Novi, MI.   

This year Janet Pray, the founder and owner of American Sewing Expo, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of this fabulous show.  Janet is always on the look out for new talent and delivers venues through ASE to further develop and promote creativity in our wonderful world of sewing.  This is where I come in - this year Janet and her team have created a Social Media Lounge on the show floor.  Most importantly while you are blogging, Facebooking, doing Instagram or charging up your device, you can meet with representative of McCalls patterns - especially if you are looking to create your own patterns;  Meet the lovely Ellen Marche of Sew News and SewItAllTV; Talk with sewing expert and blogger Gertie along with Tiffiany and Shannon of Create Kids Couture.  There is so much to see and learn!  And . . . . I will be greeting you at the Social Media Lounge.  Yahoo!  Plus I can answer any SCHMETZ needles questions you may have.

So get ready. . . finish your sewing projects and meet me along with 1,000's of sewing friends in just two weeks in Novi at the American Sewing Expo!  It is not too late to sign up for classes, but do it now by visiting www.americansewingexpo.com

Swatches September 2013-3        New! 2013 ASE  Social Media Lounge

Don't Miss Out!   The following classes have less than 6 seats left:      Thursday Workshops The Perfect Fit Friday Seminars Basics of Pattern Drafting      A Place in the Sun Placemat Saturday Seminars     Sleeve Drafting and Fitting Two for One/Knit Jacket Sunday Seminars  Beyond Seam Finishing Sample Wonderful World of Paintstiks Last day to pre-register - Thursday September 19th.   Happy 20th Birthday ASE! To celebrate our 20th year we will be posting trivia questions about ASE logos, events and special guests. Prizes will be awarded!    Who provides sewing machines prizes for contestants and the audience at the Passion For Fashion Finale? Three people who get the answer correct will win the prize. Winners will be chosen at random.   To send your email answer (include full name and mailing address) click on Diane.   Last weeks question: In the all day workshop, Fitting the Four B's; What do the four B's refer to? Answer: bellies, boobs, backs and butts  Winners: Mary Gillette, Hannah Troupe, Roberta Hoag    Teaser Alert!   The ASE birthday celebration begins at 8:00 AM Friday and Saturday.         Registration Brochure    Download by clicking on cover above.         To go directly to registration click above.

To support our friend Simon Haskins, ASE is sponsoring an exhibit of Sunshine 4 All quilt blocks. You can send us your quilt block, bring it to the expo or you can even sit down and sew a block when you attend ASE this fall. Please read below and follow the link to learn more about this very special project to help find a cure for this  dreadful disease! Join us in the Sew Party Cafe' to sit and sew a block or two. Fabric provided by our good friends at Coats and Free Spirit!

And bring several pairs of comfortable shoes and tote bags to fill with all the enticing fabrics, trims, patterns  - lots of goodies to take home.  Yes, the shopping will be very good!  I look forward to seeing you!
Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda
www.SCHMETZneedles.com
www.americansewingexpo.com

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SCHMETZ App

Have you tried the SCHMETZ App yet?  Sara of Heirloom Creations did this terrific video on the features of the SCHMETZ App that was released earlier this summer.  Check it out! 

Sara's website is www.heirloomcreations.net.  She has videos on sewing tools, techniques, fabrics and even more.  Here video library is growing!  Sara is a wealth of sewing knowledge and I am soooo glad she shares it with us all!  Thanks Sara!
Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda
www.SCHMETZneedles.com
PS:  Android is still in development.  Hang on............  :)

www.heirloomcreations.net

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PatternReview.com Natural Fibers Contest

If you enjoy fashion sewing, checkout PatternReview.com.  Deepika started sewing in 2001 and founded PatternReview.com the same year.  Her big "why" in creating PatternReview.com was just as the name suggests . . .  to review patterns on-line - to help remove some of the mystery around garment patterns - and has since grown to include reviews of notions, stores, sewing machines and so much more.  PatternReview.com also has contests throughout the year. 

This spring SCHMETZneedles.com sponsored the Natural Fibers Contest.  And the winners are...
First Place Winner .  . .

Anne K. . . . . Anne created this comfortable StyleArc Stella Coat of Italian double faced cotton twill from Mood Fabrics  She especially loves the mandarin collar and the lack of closures on this wrap coat.  She stitched the body of the coat on a Seiko STH-8BLD-3 with a SCHMETZ DPx17-100/16.  For the lining she used a Janome 6500P with a SCHMETZ Universal 70/10.  Anne is a frequent contestant in PatternReview.com contests.

 Second place . . .



Katrina B. wins with this delightful vintage inspired medium weight silk charmeuse dress.  She combined two Burda Style patterns for just the "right" look.  This was Katrina's first win with PatternReview.com.  Katrina sews exclusively with SCHMETZ! On this project she used a SCHMETZ Microtex size 60. Katrina says, "SCHMETZ Microtex is invaluable for silk!"  Check out her blog post for more details on this demur dress.

There were 86 entries in the Natural Fibers Contest.  Competition was tight!  Congratulations to both ladies!

It is not too late to enter the current PatternReview Sewing For Children Contest also sponsored by SCHMETZneedles.com.  Entries are due August 31st.  I can hardly wait to see all the adorable outfits!
Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda
www.SCHMETZneedles.com

www.patternreview.com

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Talkin' Needles

Next week is a big talkin' week for me.  On Tuesday, August 13th, I am the guest of the Professional Quilter PQ Café Virtual Coffee Break hosted by Morna McEver Golletz.  My topic is SCHMETZ needles.  Yes, I will give some basic needle education, but my topic is expanded to included marketing, social media and good business practices.

If you are not familiar with PQ Café, check out the International Association of Professional Quilters. I love this organization founded and created by Morna McEver Golletz.  This is a dynamic group of creative professionals dedicated to honing their creative and business skills.  In March I attended the two day Creative Business Seminar in Washington DC along with 30 creative quilt and retail professionals and found the pool of knowledge shared among us was priceless!  If you are a creative professional and need to jump start your business or reset your business goals, this group rocks!

 

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Margaret Moorehead Virtual Sewing Guild

 

On Thursday, August 15th at 8:00 PM CST, I'm excited to be the guest instructor at Margaret Moorehead's Sewing Guild.  I'll be giving an in-depth class on SCHMETZ needles.  Four years ago, I visited the SCHMETZ factory in Germany to view needle production.  So I'll cover basic needle production - and there are some fascinating facts here - needle anatomy and review the full line of SCHMETZ needles available to the home sewist.  Plus I will have useful sewing tips.  Attendees will have a whole new appreciation for SCHMETZ needles!  Register direct at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/703999966 .  Margaret's Virtual Sewing Guild is FREE!  Register now!

It is true that I love to sew and quilt and feel very fortunate to combine my professional career with my personal interests.  I hope you can join me through one of these two very dynamic organizations.  If you are not already a member of International Association of Quilt Professionals or Margaret Moorehead's Virtual Sewing Guild, join now so you can be part of the fun.
Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda
www.SCHMETZneedles.com

www.professionalquilter.com
www.margaretmoorehead.com
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/703999966

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