Free Stage – Shop. Learn. Experience.

Free Stage Classes are included with your Expo admission ticket. Learn simple tricks and tips, find solutions to your sewing problems, or get inspiration at a styleshow. The Free Stage is located in the southwest of the Showplex building.

Class Title	Teacher Name	Schedule	Description	Student Supplies	Class Level
Know Your Knits!	Amanda Carita	FRI, 2/28, 10:00 - 10:45 AM (Showplex Free Stage) SUN, 3/2, 10:00 - 10:45 AM (Showplex Free Stage)	Amanda has a wealth of knowledge fueled by her lifelong passion of sewing. Come learn all the fabric knowledge that Amanda has to share and see all the possibilities for you to create! You will leave the class prepared to select the pattern and appropriate fabric for your next project.		Free Stage
Embroidery Stabilizer Tips & Tricks	Ashley Dell	FRI, 2/28, 11:00 - 11:45 AM (Showplex Free Stage)	Join expert Ashley Dell to learn the stabilizer tips and tricks used by the professionals, and change the way you embroider forever! To get great embroidery results every time, you must begin with proper stabilization. This class will offer information on what type and how much stabilizer should be used for each kind of fabric or project. You can visit Ashley at the Quality Sewing & Vacuum booth.		Free Stage
Innovative Tools for Quilting Designed by Alex Anderson	Ashley Dell	SAT, 3/1, 4:00 - 4:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Ready to make your quilting even easier? The right tools will set you up for success! Alex Anderson has designed a line of tools to make your quilting more efficient, accurate, and ergonomic. Join expert Ashley Dell to learn how just a few tools can make anyone’s quilting hobby more enjoyable!		Free Stage
Ironing and Pressing Tips with Laurastar	Emily Dunlap	THU, 2/27, 1:00 - 1:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Ironing is such a crucial part of sewing and creating! Learn how to get to get the most pristine and clean pressing on your seams. Join Laurastar educator Emily Dunlap for all of her hot tips on ironing and pressing.		Free Stage
Discover the BERNINA 990: The Ultimate Sewing, Quilting, and Embroidery Machine	Connie Fanders	THU, 2/27, 11:00 - 11:45 AM (Showplex Free Stage) SAT, 3/1, 8:00 - 8:45 AM (Showplex Free Stage)	Join us for an exciting 45-minute presentation where we unveil the BERNINA 990, the ultimate sewing, quilting, and embroidery machine designed to elevate your creative projects! Whether you’re a seasoned sewist or just starting out, this innovative machine combines cutting-edge technology with user-friendly, practical features to elevate your sewing experience. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the BERNINA 990 and ask questions about how it can transform your sewing journey! Perfect for all skill levels, this presentation will inspire you to unleash your creativity and take your projects to the next level.		Free Stage
New and Fun Sewing Notions and Accessories	Reva Flood	SAT, 3/1, 11:00 - 11:45 AM (Showplex Free Stage)	Join Reva Flood from Quality Sewing Centers as she shares all the new and exciting notions that will help make your craft more fun. With innovative products for sewing, quilting and embroidery there is something for everyone.		Free Stage
Beginner Thread Doodles	Melissa Galbraith	FRI, 2/28, 2:00 - 2:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Have you ever wondered how to do a specific embroidery stitch? Or do you just want to try a bunch of them? Well now you can! Join Melissa Galbraith of MCreativeJ for a hands-on demo. We’ll cover embroidery basics to get you started, like placing fabric in the hoop, splitting thread, threading the needle, and knotting the thread. This class will also cover beginner embroidery stitches like the satin stitch, back stitch, running stitch, whipped back stitch, French knot, and reverse chain stitch.	If students would like to stitch along with the demo, please bring: an embroidery hoop, cotton fabric, an embroidery needle, 6-strand cotton embroidery thread, and a pair of embroidery scissors	Free Stage
The Singer Featherweight Renaissance	Darlene Girton	FRI, 2/28, 1:00 - 1:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage) SAT, 3/1, 3:00 - 3:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	This informative lecture will take you through the history of our favorite sewing machine, the Singer Featherweight. We will discuss rare models as well as light cleaning and maintenance information.		Free Stage
Swivel Our Seams: Pattern Alteration SOS	Lorraine Henry	THU, 2/27, 4:00 - 4:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Tired of slashing your pattern into puzzle pieces and trying to put it back together to “kind-of fit”? Have you ever wanted to just pull out your seam allowances and magically fit your figure? It is almost that easy with the seam method of pattern alteration! Have an “Ah-HA” visual experience as you watch how seams can swivel to enlarge for the bust, widen (or narrow) for the back, shorten or lengthen wherever needed, and work in combinations without causing any distortion in the pattern. Come and learn how to create hinges and swivel your seams to meet the needs of YOUR personal shape. Bring small scissors and scotch tape!		Free Stage
Grid Magic for Easy Fit	Lorraine Henry	SUN, 3/2, 11:00 - 11:45 AM (Showplex Free Stage)	Unlock some of the mysteries of fit by using a grid such as that cardboard cutting board that may have been hiding in your closet! Never have an uneven hemline again! Learn how to use this useful tool to help in altering skirts, pants, and tops. Gain an understanding of how working from the floor up in both taking measurements and doing alterations can show up some “hither-to” hidden figure variations that may have been the cause of many of our “fitting fits.” Puzzlement turns to clarity as the secret of the grid and floor are revealed. This technique even helps in finding the amount of droop in the dropped buttocks syndrome. An ah-ha moment indeed in this fun and fact filled class!		Free Stage
Don’t Be Afraid to Sew with Laminated Cotton	Tracy Krauter	THU, 2/27, 3:00 - 3:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage) FRI, 2/28, 4:00 - 4:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Get ready to be introduced to your new favorite fabric! Our soft laminated cotton has the weight and drape of plain cotton, almost like magic! It’s also waterproof on the front with soft cotton on the back, food safe, non toxic, machine washable and ironable. And it’s sew easy to sew with! People fall in love at first touch. Many gasp because they think it’ll be hard like the old oilcloth. It’s not. It’s laminated with a soft matte biodegradable finish to ensure it can stand up to years of wear and tear. It’s sophisticated, feels like plain fabric, and is built to last. Come touch and feel it for yourself. I’ll show and tell you all the tips & and tricks to sew with it.		Free Stage
Waxed Canvas: Rugged, Water-Resistant, and Versatile	Ellie Lum	THU, 2/27, 12:00 - 12:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Ellie Lum will gives us you the lowdown on this old school classic fabric that has made a huge comeback in recent years. This versatile, water resistant fabric has a unique blend of style, functionality, and durability that makes it a favorite for bag making. The waxy finish helps it stay put at the machine, making it a dream to sew with—not to mention that it develops a beautiful weathered patina over time.		Free Stage
Make High-Quality Bags at Home with Canvas, Leather & Rivets	Ellie Lum	FRI, 2/28, 3:00 - 3:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Learn how to make your own professional- quality bags, on a home sewing machine. Bag making is different from other types of sewing, like quilting and garments, in that we sew with heavy-duty fabric (waxed canvas is our favorite!) and work with leather and hardware, which requires learning how to use a few specialty tools. With some basic sewing skills and a sense of adventure, it’s totally possible to create durable, professional-quality bags at home, without industrial equipment. Ellie will talk about waxed canvas, the best leather for straps, and two types of rivets, double-cap and tubular, as well as setting tools, best practices, removing rivets, how to pair leather thickness with rivet size, and more.		Free Stage
Using Rivets in Bag Making	Ellie Lum	SUN, 3/2, 1:00 - 1:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Ever found yourself in a battle with crooked rivets, or wondering why your leather straps aren’t as secure as you’d like? It’s like sewing the most visible topstitch on your bag, only to realize your bobbin ran out halfway through and your seam is held together by hopes and dreams. This lecture is packed with pro tips on setting rivets, from choosing the right size and type to setting the strongest rivet.		Free Stage
Kids Can Sew Showcase	Laura Mendoza	SAT, 3/1, 1:00 - 1:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	See the next generation of sewists and their creations! Be amazed at the talent and creativity of these young sewists. Ages 8-18, these kids have all spent the past year sewing their award-winning projects and are excited to show them off for you.		Free Stage
What Size Am I? An 8 Step Guide to Pattern Fit	Laura Nash	FRI, 2/28, 12:00 - 12:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Working with one audience volunteer, Laura will demonstrate how to get a great fit in 45 minutes with her 8 step fit to perfection method. Using key measurements, she will take you from beginning to end to create a custom fit pattern for our volunteer. Learn how easy 8 steps can be!		Free Stage
Thread Mastery Institute (TMI)	Bob Purcell	THU, 2/27, 10:00 - 10:45 AM (Showplex Free Stage) SUN, 3/2, 12:00 - 12:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Become a Thread Master at Thread Mastery Institute (TMI). Bob Purcell will draw on his 26 years of thread experience and explain thread, needles, and tension in simple terms. You will learn: thread types and characteristics and when to use which types, the easy way to remember thread weights, what needles to use with what threads, tension settings and problem solving. We will solve 98% of thread/needle/tension issues. Bring your questions.		Free Stage
The Boro & Sashiko Free Stage Takeover	Shannon Roudhán & Jason Bowlsby	THU, 2/27, 2:00 - 2:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Embrace the creative chaos with us and prepare to discover exciting new applications for the traditional techniques of boro and sashiko. Born of a necessity to preserve and reinforce clothes and fabric goods, boro and sashiko have become ubiquitous in the crafting and fashion worlds. From the runways to department store racks to the homes of makers and creators all over the world, boro and sashiko provide a visually stunning alternative to regular patchwork and mending. journey with us as we wonder down the boro and sashiko rabbit hole exploring the complex and captivating patterns and textile creations from our book Boro and Sashiko: Harmonious Imperfection.		Free Stage
A Scrappy Wonky Quilt Block Extravaganza Free Stage Takeover	Shannon Roudhán & Jason Bowlsby	SAT, 3/1, 2:00 - 2:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	Welcome to the world of Scrappy Wonky Quilting! Join us for a scrappy wonky takeover of the Sew Expo Free Stage and we will open your eyes and your mind to a world of quilting without templates and harsh guidelines. It’s time to take back our fabric scraps and make something exciting and original… and we’re going to show you how we did just that. Born from the need to be able to park our car in the garage again (scraps take up a lot of space!) and the desire to make quilts without following “the rules,” Scrappy Wonky Quilt Block Extravaganza will free your mind and your creative spirit with vibrant, wonky, wonderful designs. Come one, come all! View the glory that is the Scrappy Wonky Quilt Block Extravaganza way of quilting!		Free Stage
American Sewing Guild Style Show	Alice Tarby	SAT, 3/1, 12:00 - 12:45 PM (Showplex Free Stage)	The American Sewing Guild is open to all and the only national organization dedicated to advancing sewing as an art and life skill. Attend this style show and be inspired to create! Members from many ASG Chapter Neighborhood Groups will show their most recent creations. You’ll see real people of all shapes and sizes modeling their garments, showing quilts, and perhaps there will be some surprises on the runway.		Free Stage