The Maker's Series
The Maker’s Series offers in-depth presentations and trunk shows from professional instructors who share their hard-earned knowledge and experience. See how to use your sewing and embroidery machine, digital cutter, laser, 3-D printer and other technologies in fast and innovative ways. Learn about costuming and other critical fitting and sewing techniques as designers and award-winning Cosplayers share their trade-secrets.
If you sew, quilt or craft, The Maker’s Series has something for everyone!
FREE with your General Admission ticket. Attend one or all – no registration required.
Friday in The Spot
| 10:30 |
For the Love of Applique | Dianne Springer for Dianne Springer Designs |
| 11:15 |
Get 'Er Done Sewing | Kathy Ruddy for kathyruddy.com |
| 12:00 |
Sew You Want to Make a Ballgown | Casey Renee for Casey Renee Cosplay |
| 12:45 |
How To Make and Use A Sloper | Lorraine Henry for Lorraine Henry for Conselle |
| 1:30 |
Machine Embroidery and Digitizing for Costuming | Casey Renee for Casey Renee Cosplay |
| 2:15 |
Let's Talk About Wool | Bob Moosa for The Wool House |
| 3:00 |
The Art of Embellishment | Casey Renee for Casey Renee Cosplay |
| 3:45 |
A Pressing Matter | Judy Phillips for Sew déjà vu |
Saturday in The Spot
| 10:30 |
Changing Silhouettes, Bustles, Bodices, and Hoop| Casey Renee for Casey Renee Cosplay |
| 11:15 |
Machine Embroidery and Digitizing for Costuming | Casey Renee for Casey Renee Cosplay |
| 12:00 |
Sew You Want to Make a Ballgown | Casey Renee for Casey Renee Cosplay |
| 12:45 |
Problems with Getting Your Patterns to Fit? | Lorraine Henry for Lorraine Henry for Conselle |
| 1:30 |
A Pressing Matter | Judy Phillips for Sew déjà vu |
| 2:15 |
Let's Talk About Wool | Bob Moosa for The Wool House |
| 3:00 |
The Best Tool for the Job: Choosing Needles for Your Handwork | Richard Kennair for Global Artisans |
| 3:45 |
10 Things You Don't Want to Miss at the Expo | Presented by Jim Suzio |
Casey Renee
Casey Renee Cosplay | facebook | instagram | YouTube
Casey Renee is an award-winning cosplayer focused on craftsmanship and sewing. Casey is incredibly passionate about cosplay craftsmanship, Disney, historical costuming, and creating educational content. In 2022, her first book, “Cosplay Foundations: Your Guide to Constructing Bodysuits, Corsets, Hoop skirts, Petticoats, and more” was published. Casey loves sharing her experience with others and helping the cosplay community learn new things and celebrate craftsmanship.
Sew You Want to Make a Ball Gown
Ballgown guru, Casey Renee is here to share her tips and tricks for making your very first ballgown. Everything from what patterns to use, how to pick out materials to adding embellishments. Casey will share some of her time saving tricks and her favorite tips!
Changing Silhouettes, Bustles, Bodices, and Hoops
Let’s take a deep dive into the garments that make up the foundation of your ballgown or historical costume. Hoop skirts, petticoats and corsets OH my! There’s so much that goes into the silhouette of a gown and I am here to dish the tea. This panel focus’ on undergarments for cosplay but the panelist has knowledge on historical underwear as well and can answer your questions at the end of the panel.
Machine Embroidery and Digitizing for Costuming
Unlock how machine embroidery can help you level up your costume-making game with Casey Renee Cosplay. Casey will cover the process of digitizing from primary sources to the order of operations when it comes to stitching out your design. Casey will offer examples from replicating costumes from popular fandoms to replicating lace and trim details from historical extant garments.
The Art of Embellishment
Learn how to level up your wares by adding rhinestones, sequins, and beads to your garments! In this presentation, sparkle expert, Casey Renee, will share her favorite embellishment techniques, how to get started, and her favorite places to shop for everything that glitters
Kathy Ruddy
kathyruddy.com | facebook | instagram
Kathy is an international sewing celebrity, educator, pattern designer, serger and fitting expert. Active in the sewing industry since 1962, she is the star of 10 Serger and sewing videos and author of 12 Serger and sewing booklets and her enhanced books on CD called Three ways to Learn CDs. Her specialty is to show how to sew and serge fast and easy without sacrificing quality, fit or fashion details.
Get 'Er Done Sewing
When speed is important, Kathy has the techniques for you! Learn how she uses her favorite sewing tools, elastics and interfacing for good results, even on the very first try. Beginners and experienced pros will appreciate her original time-saving techniques, perfect to use with all of your creative ventures.
Lorraine Henry
conselle.com | facebook
Lorraine is a specialist in sewing, fitting and pattern alteration for Conselle Institute of Image Management. With a degree in Clothing and Textiles, teaching pattern alteration and fit is her favorite thing to do. Her Two Easy Measuring tape set has been an aid for achieving good fit for fashion sewers throughout the world. With 40+ years experience as a custom dressmaker/tailor/teacher, she has a wealth of knowledge to share with you about sewing and fit.
Problems with Getting Your Patterns to Fit?
Struggle no more...altering patterns can be easy! With the newest method of pattern alteration it is quick and easy to alter whatever part of the pattern that need to be changed. Come and ask questions, tell Lorraine what your problem with fit is, and see how to alter the pattern to correct it. Learn about the order to do alterations in and how that makes a huge difference in the out come of the fit. Amazing!
How To Make and Use A Sloper
Sloper? What's a sloper? It is the best tool one can use to find out where a pattern needs to be changed to fit you body. Making one is easy! Then see how to use it on a new pattern you haven't made up before to see how your needs are different from what is given in the pattern.
Richard Kennair
globalartisans.shop | facebook | instagram | #AWorldofHandcrafts
Richard has spent over 20 years working with handcrafters across Africa. Global Artisans is the largest North American importer and distributor of House of Embroidery products from South Africa, including gorgeous hand dyed yarns and threads. His personal crafting passion is needlepoint. He has expert level knowledge in all aspects of hand crafting.
The Best Tool for the Job - Choosing Needles for Your Handwork
Handwork is more and more popular. But how do you choose the most appropriate needle for your task. Richard will go through the process of making needles and what the different types of needles are best for different hand crafts.
Dianne Springer
diannespringerdesigns.com
Dianne loves every aspect of craft and art she has attempted, inluding sewing, painting, glass blowing, sculpture and knitting. She acquired a Master's of Fine Arts degree in 1998 and after teaching in the Talented Visual Arts program for 25 years in the public school system, she began a new phase of art...quilting. In addition to teaching various aspects of quilting, Dianne designs fabrics and products, vends at quilting events and is the author of "Scrap-O-Later Quilts and More"
For the Love of Appliqué
Say goodbye to frayed raw edge applique! Dianne will share her best practices for applique that will have your master pieces last a lifetime, even after hundreds of washings.
Judy Phillips
sewdejavu.com | facebook | instagram | pinterest
Ten years ago Judy Phillips opened Sew Deja Vu's doors with a mission to meet the needs of modern sewists. Bringing the newest notions, technical skill classes, and modern trendy fabrics to the hands of sewists and quilters everywhere. The quilt-covered walls and bolts of fabric provide creative inspiration for anyone who enters the store.
A Pressing Matter
Pressing is a crucial step in any project. It is the best way to guarantee your seams are as accurate as possible. This presentation will introduce you to the best products and techniques to enhance your accuracy, providing you with the perfect finishing touches on every project.
Bob Moosa
The Wool House
Let's Talk About Wool
Get some insight into the product of wool from fiber to garment. Learn about the unique benefits, performance and fabric attributes of wool. This presentation will answer the question “What is Wool” and outlines the benefits and properties of wool and detailed uses for wool.
Jim Suzio
jimsuzio.com | facebook
Jim Suzio is an award winning artist, designer, digitizer and sewing instructor (including embroidery software, heirloom, fashion and serger sewing). A self taught sewer, Jim was inspired to try the craft after watching a neighbor's enthusiasm in the art. A new sales position at a machine dealer found him literally "thrown" on stage at an ASG convention where he was discovered by Sue Hausmann, host of the PBS series "America Sews with Sue Hausmann." Jim soon found himself teaching all over the US, Canada and Australia for Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff Sewing Machine Companies. His work has been featured in numerous books and magazines and several ads for Husqvarna Viking and the launch of Ty Pennington's new fabric line. he has been seen on several television programs here ("America Sews with Sue Hausmann,"and "It's Sew Easy") and in Canada ("the Big Breakfast Show").
10 Things You Don't Want to Miss at the Expo
Come rest your feet and take a quick look at these amazing products you may have missed on the sales floor. This isn't a pushy sales presentation, but rather a fun and sassy look at sewing goodies you can't live without.