The Creative Sewing and Needlework Festival always gives
the public exactly what it wants! That promise alone should entice
stitchers to attend this gala event. For 14 consecutive years
this festival has been showcasing the latest tips, trends and
techniques from the sewing, needle art and crafting industries.
In more recent years, it has achieved international recognition
attracting visitors from across Canada and as far away as the
Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Australia and just about every state
in the USA.
Armed with a single idea and an abundance of determination,
former banking executive Rita Gramsch launched the Festival in
1988. Starting with an attendance goal of 10,000, the first Creative
Sewing & Needlework Festival attracted some 18,000 enthusiastic
consumers who lined up on a cold October day, long before the
doors opened, all eager to see, try and buy the latest sewing
and needlework techniques, equipment and products. And that was
just the beginning!
Today, this event is held twice a year in the Toronto area,
has more than doubled its initial attendance and expanded the
ever popular and growing Conference component. Hence the need
to relocate this year's festival and future fall events to the
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in the heart of Toronto's entertainment
district. Here they will offer over 235 classes as well as an
information-packed lecture series by world-class instructors.
A distinctly different and new format will be introduced at future
spring events at the International Centre, Mississauga, beginning
with the Festival scheduled from April 19 - 21, 2002.
While growing every year, the emphasis of this event has remained
on sewing, knitting, quilting, needlework and crafts for both
personal fashions and home décor. Showcased is
what's hot and new in: Fabrics, Yarns, Notions, Trims, Accessories,
Patterns, Machines, Kits, Books, Videos, Supplies, Tips, Tricks
& Techniques for: Appliqué, Bargello, Beadwork,
Battenberg Lace, Bear Making, Blackwork, Bobbin Lace, Bowmaking,
Brass Embossing, Braiding, Bridal Lace, Calligraphy, Canvas Work,
Ceramics, Colourwork, Crafting, Crazy Patchwork, Crewel, Crocheting,
Cross Stitch, Decorating, Doll Making, Embellishment, Embossing,
Embroidery, Entrelac, Fabric Dyeing, Faux Finishing, Fashion
History, Florals, Folk Art, Knitting (Hand & Machine), Hardanger,
Heirloom Sewing, Intarsia, Interior Design, Jewelry Making, Lace
Making, Lampshade Making, Leather, Needlepoint, Needlework Designing,
Paper Arts, Paper Piecing, Paper Tole, Pattern Drafting, Pergamano,
Petit Point, Pressing, Pulled Work, Quilting, Ragged Rugs, Ribbon
Crafts, Rubber Stamping, Rug Hooking, Scissor Sharpening, Serging,
Sewing, Silk Ribbon Embroidery, Scrapbooking, Smocking, Soapmaking,
Software for Crafts, Spinning, Stenciling, Stumpwork, Surface
Embroidery, Tatting, Weaving and Sewww Much, Much, More! Whether
it's traditional handwork or the latest in high tech computerized
software, equipment & techniques, you'll find it there! There's
truly something for everyone beginners & experts alike!
The Festival includes over 500 displays, hundreds of presentations
and more than 200 classes by celebrity instructors from all over
the world. Also presented will be as many as 10 different fashion
shows, all sorts of door prizes, media sponsors and much more.
The Fall Festival is the world's largest consumer show of its
kind. It has become a forum for expert advice and instruction
in all the traditional needle arts and crafts as well as featuring
the newest in computerized technology and timesaving tips.
Special Attractions at this Year's Fall Festival:
Teresa Wentzler of TW Designworks
Celtic Inspiration Band Sampler
Teresa has prepared a class teaching her exclusive new design, Celtic Inspiration Band Sampler. In this class you will
explore techniques and fibres as you cross-stitch this captivating
miniature band sampler. Using Caron Watercolours fibre, Kreinik
metallic cord, Mill Hill glass beads and DMC rayon thread, try
various specialty stitches including Satin stitch, Lazy Daisy
and Eyelet to create interesting Celtic inspired motifs. In another
class, Teresa will share secrets to stitch complicated-looking
cross-stitch designs. From de-mystifying the chart, floss organization,
blending, fractionals, using metallics, adding beads, tips for
stitching over-one to basic specialty stitches, discover this
and more. Never be intimidated by a design again!
For the October show, for the first time ever,
attend an exclusive co-presentation by 3 internationally acclaimed
needlework fantasy designers.
Legends of the Dragons
An exciting collaboration of the 3 top dragon designers:
Teresa Wentzler of TW Designworks, Jennifer Aikman-Smith of Dragon
Dreams and Karen Weaver of Black Swan Designs have combined forces
to create this design, an undertaking that has been 2 years in
the making!
Tatiana Kowryga of The Sampler
Presents a special EVENING FANTASY TEA
What is it like to create worlds of wonder with your imagination?
Join three legendary fantasy designers; Karen Weaver, Jennifer
Aikman-Smith and Teresa Wentzler for an evening of
wit and whimsy as they share their experiences over tea and tempting
sweets. Learn to customize and alter patterns, create your own
designs, approach editors, self-publish your own patterns and
much more. Receive a memorable keepsake, a chart of a tiny dragon
"Spot," peaking out of it's teacup, designed just for
this special event!
QUILT OF BELONGING SPECIAL BREAKFAST... Bridging
Stitches
The Quilt of Belonging, a national Invitation textile
art project, is the brainchild of visual artist Esther Bryan of Ontario. Born of the recognition that the Canadian fabric
is a patchwork of aboriginal peoples and immigrants from every
nation of the world, when completed, the quilt will contain some
280 individual blocks. Join Esther for a light continental
breakfast and slide presentation. For centuries, textiles have
expressed an individual's and country's history, culture, traditions,
geography, philosophy and faith. Discover how unique traditions
from around the world will form this Canadian tapestry!
Sue Warden, popular host of the hit TV show
"Sue Warden CraftScapes"
Will appear on the Festival Main Stage Friday, October 19th at
2:30 p.m. You can also meet Sue back at Booth #1000 at 3:30 p.m.
where she will answer your craft and decorating questions, and
personally sign copies of her best selling book, Sue Warden
Creative Decor
The Creative Sewing & Needlework Festival
In Partnership with
The Waterloo County & Area Quilt Festival
This partnership is dedicated to promoting the art and heritage
of quilting. It will be a rare opportunity to admire the remarkable
quilt styles of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. On display
will be the quilt art of various textile artists among them European
Quilter of the Year, Authors, and World Class Teachers. The quilts
use many different fabrics and materials from chiffon to horsehair
to fun-fur and are both machine and hand-quilted. "The quilts
are a mix of contemporary and traditional quilting and other
techniques and applications. The collection is truly one-of-a-kind,"
comments Carolyn Dysart, Waterloo County & Area Quilt Festival
Chair.
Be one of 20 lucky people
To win an intensive 3-day special workshop with Kenneth King
San Francisco Designer to the Stars
Kenneth King will teach the winners a workshop on The Moulage:
French Couture Pattern Drafting. The moulage is a form-fitting
pattern that precisely duplicates the figure. Designed for the
experienced sewer or custom dressmaker, this exclusive presentation
promises to be lots of fun, as well as a rare learning opportunity.
Kenneth began by making Barbie clothes as a child and today,
designs clothes for the likes of movie star Geena Davis and pop
singer Elton John.
And don't miss the most talked about event of the
Festival:
Star-filled Gala Evening...
Reception, Dinner & an Inspiring Presentation:
KAFFE FASSETT presents "Fresh Ideas from the
Past"
Kaffe Fassett, awe-inspiring artist and colourist, is the
first living textile artist to have a one-man show at London's
Victoria and Albert Museum. A visual presentation that
epitomizes Kaffe's mastery of his craft, through the use of vibrant,
intense colour will be one of the outstanding highlights of the
festival. Be it mosaic, collage, theatre design, fabric, needlepoint
or knitting and his latest passion - patchwork... witness his
rich and daring use of colour. Featuring slides of past designs
and highlights from his latest book - Passionate Patchwork!
Rita Gramsch is constantly adding exciting new elements to
the festival line-up. She pays very close attention to those
attending the festival, seeks out their views and is always prepared
to change with the times. She works hard to present a broad range
of needle art categories, ensuring the right mix of sewing, knitting,
quilting, spinning, weaving, embroidery, needlepoint, petit point,
cross stitch, crocheting, lace making, paper arts, rug hooking,
florals, stenciling, crafting and more. She has also expanded
the needle arts categories with special displays, crafts and
more stitchery. She has continuously encouraged exhibitors to
present more demonstrations, attracted new national media sponsors,
added Celebrity Expert lectures and workshops, and in the early
'90's took the festival to six other cities across Canada: Vancouver,
Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Halifax.
"The key to our success," says Gramsch, "is
that consumers know there will be a huge range of products all
together under one roof. My greatest challenge is to continue
to meet the high expectations of consumers and exhibitors by
ensuring that the festival is fresh, alive, exciting and new!"
Whether it's traditional handwork or the latest in high
tech computerized software, equipment & techniques, you'll
find it there! Don't miss this opportunity to experience a show
unlike any other!
For more information, contact:
The Creative Sewing and Needlework Festival
15 Wertheim Court, Suite 502
Richmond Hill, Ontario Canada L4B 3H7
Telephone: 905-709-0100 or 800-291-2030 Fax: 905-709-0079
General Information: info@csnf.com
Exhibit Information: exhibit@csnf.com
http//www.csnf.com
We would like to credit and thank International Showcase
Associates, Inc and the staff of The Creative Sewing and Needlework
Festival for providing the information for this feature story.
™Creative Sewing and Needlework Festival and its design
are registered trademarks of International Showcase Associates
Inc. Copyright © 2001
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: No part of this feature story nor
the included designs can be reproduced or distributed in any
form (including electronic) or used as a teaching tool without
the prior written permission of the CARON Collection Ltd. or
the featured designers or contributors.
