From: Marina.Salume@corp.sun.com (Marina Salume)
Subject: Re: Spirit of Cross Stitch Festival
Organization: Cornell University, Ithaca NY
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 00:32:23 GMT

A friend of mine posted this info about the National Cross Stitch Festival
on our local stitching alias, and agreed to let me re-post it
.
She is going to the one in Sacramento, November 5-8, 1992. (for info, write to
Spirit of Cross Stitch Festival, Dept. CSSO, 819 South Marshall St, Winston-
Salem, NC 27101. Send a 52 cent SASE.) She attended the festival last
year, but I didn't, so these remarks are all hers :-)

--marina

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There are some terrific classes! And they have extended classes to
include Thursday night and Friday night as well as the daytime.  They
also extended the hours for the mall.  But...the prices are higher this
year than last (but isn't that always the way?) It was really rough
choosing which classes to sign up for.

For those who didn't go last year, I'll make a few suggestions.

1.  Don't over schedule yourself!  I took classes constantly last year
(as in from 7:00 a.m. until 5 or 6 pm.)  I loved it and learned alot,
but by the end of the day my eyes were killing me. This year I
scheduled two classes a day (except Sunday where I signed up for
three.  I did this because, quite honestly, I'll be surprised if I get
all three.  This is still pretty ambitious, but then I figure that the
competition to get into the classes will be greater.

2.  Stretch yourself!!  Over 95% of cross stitchers learn from other
cross stitchers and are self taught.  Take classes that will teach you
new stitches or use different fibers or material.  I had never stitched
on linen before last year's festival.  After taking classes, I was
amazed that I was so intimitated!  Stitching on linen is really no more
difficult than aida.  I also stitches with balger and other fibers that
I had not tried before.  Now, I use lots of other fibers than just my
dmc to produce different effects.

3.  Sign up early!!!  If you have a mastercard or visa, I recommend
using it and faxing in your order.  I did this last year and got my
first choice classes for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and got my
second choice classes on Sunday.  I learned at the festival that
California was the quickest to fill up last year.  Those who took their
time to send in their application missed out.

4.  Pick alternatives!  If I hadn't last year, I wouldn't have had any
classes on Sunday.  Many who didn't get into any classes last year (or
hardly any) admitted that they only listed their first pick for each
day.  There were many disappointed women.

5.  Don't wait until Sunday to shop at the mall!  And allow time during
the day to do some shopping.  Those who waited until Sunday to go to
the mall lost out.  By Sunday afternoon the booths were picked clean!
Also, if there are some stitching supplies that you want to find while
you are there, I suggest you make yourself a list.  Sometimes the
shopping is so frenzied that you can forget what you are looking for!

6.  Take food with you!  There was little offering of food at the
convention.  Many of the women went without eating all day...not good
when you are in learning mode.  I took lunchables and fruit that I
could munch on in class.  I was glad I did!

Hopefully, there will be more of us there this year.  One observation.
When I went last year, it was the very first time I had ever taken a
vacation with no kids.  I can't begin to tell you how luxurious it
was.  Even my daughters commented when I returned that they don't think
they had ever seen me so relaxed!  Just think...no kids, no work, no
phone.  Just stitching with fellow stitchers with instructions from
your favorite designers.  I don't know about you, but it is heaven for
me!

If anyone has any questions about the festival, don't hesitate to ask.
Margie and I both went last year and loved it!  I can't wait for this
one either.  In fact, I think I'm even more excited this year, because
I know it's gonna' be fabulous!

Jan


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