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Sunday, June 29, 2014

Channeling Ernestine (The Britex Event)


The Britex event was yesterday and it was so much fun! The wonderful Jillian took some photos. When I looked at them later, I was surprised at how "expressive" (i.e. weird) my face was. I was positively channeling Ernestine (aka Lily Tomlin), the Switchboard Operator.

I brought several items to show and talked about closures. (It was a 20-minute-ish talk, so I focused on one favorite sewing aspect.)

I was so impressed that folks came from a long way to be there! I met a great couple from Santa Rosa (Yo, Karen & Joey!), and a woman from Sacramento, but Pam (FreshCityFarm) wins the Intrepid Trekker Award, as she drove all the way from Los Angeles (8-ish hours) to attend!

It was an extra special surprise when Sandra Betzina showed up. (I had told her that I was speaking at the event when attending her Power Sewing filming last week.)

And I always love seeing my fellow bloggers like Jillian, Beth, Stephanie, Laura, and Erin, and meeting new ones, like Nicole! (The bison is eager to meet for lunch, Nicole!)

Thanks to Britex for inviting me, and thanks to everyone who came! I hope you found it a worthwhile activity on Pride Weekend, with the crazy traffic and all the Union Square construction that was going on!

(And, hey, have you see the new Jalie how-to videos on Youtube? If you have issues about sewing with knits (or want to make cloth diapers), check them out!)

Edited to add:

Britex has posted a very nice Recap Post.

And they've posted some pics on Pinterest. (The bottom pic here shows Sandra Betzina, in profile, wearing a gorgeous brocade version of her Vogue 1385 blouse-made-as-a-jacket.)

10 comments:

  1. This looked like such a great time!! I wish I could have made it!

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  2. Sharon, you are a maniac! Not 24 hours after giving a wonderful talk (accompanied by even more wonderful as if that's possible garments - wo0T!) you're blogging about it with ***pictures***! whew, i need to lie down just thinking about it ;)

    I had a great time at the event and really hope Britex keeps up with this momentum for having events. I was also glad i wasn't the only person talking about the strangeness of seeing other people whilst involved in a sewing-related event, as my accustomed sewing time is spent in quite hermit-like circumstances.

    The hardest part of the event was trying to balance listening to the excellent speakers with trotting about the store ogling everything! And you didn't sound like Ernestine or look like her - well, you do both have excellently emphatic hairdos. You're just a great speaker - easy to understand, nice emotional range, passionate about the topic. yay!

    And good on you for mentioning your gig to Sandra Betzina, i'm sure every seamstress there was thrilled to be in the same room with her. Go generous Shams!

    I also wanted to thank you for your review of KS 3764, the moto jacket. I wear casual jackets constantly (to the point my old fave is literally wearing thru - at the seams but also THROUGH the fabric at the shoulders!). I've had a horrendous time finding a good, basic but easy to alter for fit and fashion pattern......your review of that jacket, and the great fit you got with the shoulder princess seams, encouraged me to go for it. I made my first jacket from that pattern and wore it yesterday - it's super comfy and practical and i got a bunch of nice compliments on it too. I look forward to making it up in a couple more iterations, for high summer and hopefully winter wear. Your info on that pattern helped me tremendously, thank you!

    Enough tush-smoochin' - for now........;) Have a great day and happy sewing! steph

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  3. p.s. there was a young, quite chic Asian lady at the talk who wanted to buy your coat. Just so you know. steph

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  4. So glad that you had a wonderful time! I would have loved to have heard your talk because I know it was awesome!

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  5. It sounds like it was such a fun event! Wow!

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  6. Oh don't I wish I lived about 1000 miles closer! It would have been amazing to see your talk. (And no, not Ernestine. You're just animated is all!) I was in Britex exactly once many years ago when we visited beautiful SF. Loved it but can't remember if I even bought anything. Must go back again someday soon.

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  7. Oh you are so cute Shams. Wouldn't I love to have been there to see you (I'm a big fan) and Sandra (I'm a big fan )!

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  8. So happy to have met you, Shams! Yes, we must meet up at the bison for lunch--I'll be in touch!

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  9. Joey & I had a great time & really enjoyed taking to you! We loved your examples of closures & it has inspired us to look in unusual places for them. Your garment examples were even more beautiful & interesting in person. Thanks so much from your fellow Santa Rosans!

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    1. Karen! D'OH! I corrected your name in the post. I enjoyed chatting with you and Joey! Let me know if you find some fun new closures!

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