Handmade Detroit

Embellish your sewing, quilting, knitting, home décor and fiber arts prowess, and “sew” much more at the 15th annual American Sewing Expo September 26 – 28, 2008 at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi.

Over 300 vendor booths will be displaying fabrics, sewing machines, notions, threads, patterns, yarn, sergers, technology, embellishments, kits, gadgets, embroidery designs, tools, and more from 35 states, Australia, Canada and South Africa. Showgoers can participate with quick Make and Take projects at some vendor exhibits.

Attendees can learn unique tips and techniques at the Sew Experience Cafe and make their own sewing and embellishing project to take home. Showgoers can recycle their own jeans at the Re-Construction Zone hosted by ‘Jean Queen’ Luveta Nichols of The Junk Jeans People and turn them into different projects from an iPod case to a tote bag with decoration or machine embroidery.

John Murphy of Stupid Creatures Toy Company and author of “Stupid Sock Creatures” will bring his sock monsters to Novi as seen on HGTV and in the Washington Post.

“Sew Everything Workshop” author Diana Rupp, who founded and runs the New York “Make Workshop” that teaches everything from using a sewing machine to spinning your own yarn, will demonstrate how to sew fabric scraps and thread together to create a handmade greeting card for holidays and special occasions and will instruct a class on making designer throw pillows.

Rock Financial Showplace is located on Grand River Avenue between Novi and Beck Road in Novi, Michigan.

Show hours are 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday. Preshow workshops are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 26 and Thursday, Sept. 27.

Expo admission is $12 and children 16 and under admitted free with a paying adult. One-hour seminars are $14, all-day workshops are $98 and special combination packages are available in advance online. Onsite parking is available for $5.
For more information, visit www.AmericanSewingExpo.com or call (248) 889-3111.