A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

Online registration went great! Although there were certainly some issues on the first morning -- most of you found the system to be intuitive and are delighted to know IMMEDIATELY if you got the classes you signed up for. GREAT JOB to our wonderful ticket office staff. Janet York was the point person -- and I forwarded every single problem, issue or glitch to Janet. On Facebook, I said Janet was doing "registration triage"...Again, if you had trouble -- please email Janet:  jyork@wsu.edu.  That is your QUICKEST way to get assistance.  The phones get very busy, and then you have to leave a voicemail, which somebody will have to listen to...then try to call you back...well -- you get the idea.  Emailing Janet is a much more efficient way for you to get help and for her to keep track of who needs what done.  Include your name, phone number, order number (if you have one)...

It is very satisfying that online registration was smooth sailing for Charlotte -- when she posted about her excellent experience -- my heart swelled with happiness! On Yahoo chat, Charlotte talked about a picture of her I'd posted on this blog -- (I am always delighted when anybody reads my blog posts) -- I searched high and low to find this picture of Charlotte and Sandra Betzina. ( Charlotte is wearing one of Sandra's blouse patterns...)

While looking for this photo -- I found MANY WONDERFUL PICTURES of you -- our attendees -- the best sewing audience in the world. I love it that you plan your outfits, challenge each other, use the patterns or fabrics you purchased at last year's Expo...

Obviously, I don't know all your names...but I do hear from many of you throughout the year. Linda makes me laugh on Facebook... Sharon sends thoughtful notes and cards...and Vicki, Bonne and Jan, Helen and Wendy, Claire, (of the zebra jewelry case) Pat, Carol (the cake balls were fabulous!), Laura, Marsha, Jolene, Sammy, Barbara, Chris and Judy (the Ya Ya stalkers!), Krista (thanks again for the new totebag AND THE SALMON)...Cindy (no more chocolate, babe -- really!!)...

Women who sew are the BEST.  You are the most thoughtful, caring, kind, generous people in the whole wide world.  I believe that.  But, of course, I don't know everybody who comes to the show.  I WISH I COULD.... Sometimes, I'm just struck by the GREAT OUTFIT...this woman probably didn't even know I was taking her picture...

Lorraine Henry is a teacher...

I remember talking to the woman wearing this creative skirt --  she is a doctor...

This beautiful blonde participated in the IPCA Midnight Magic sewing challenge....right??

These pictures remind me about our new photo policy. In the past, attendees were not encouraged or allowed to take pictures. We used to put up a lot of signs that said "NO HOTOGRAPHY". Well -- THAT WAS THEN AND THIS IS NOW...

NOW -- we WANT you to take pictures of your time at Sew Expo. We WANT you to share those pictures with your friends and family -- on social media, via email, Pinterest, Facebook or on your favorite blogs.
 
With a few common sense limits, of course. Out of respect for the teachers and other students -- please don't take pictures during a class. AND because our vendors are independent businesses -- their booth space belongs to them and whether or not they encourage photography is their decision...so please respect their wishes.

So -- CLICK AWAY!! Because the reason it's a cliche is because it's true. A picture REALLY IS WORTH a thousand words...and if you take some wonderful, fun pictures at the 2013 Sew Expo -- we look forward to seeing them on your Facebook page, your Pinterest boards and your favorite sewing blogs.

AND -- if you are a sewing/quilting blogger -- THIS IS YOUR SPECIAL YEAR!! For starters -- Be sure to check out the Schmetz Sew-cial Bloggers Bootcamp

AND on Sunday -- the Coats and Clark Charity event is a live audition, "Sew You Think You Can Blog". Some lucky blogger is going to win a trip to Golden, Colorado -- to tape an episode for the Sew It All television show!!

Limited Space Available

GOOD JOB, YOU...

As we look back on the first day of online registration -- we learned some lessons -- and tomorrow the system will be running smooth as silk...(yes, people, that is a Rita-mix-of sarcasm, optimism and metaphor all rolled into the same bolt...er...sentence)

However, the heartbreak for many of you is that you COULD NOT GET IN TODAY -- and now you are worried that the class you wanted will be SOLD OUT.

I hope not. But, of course, some of the three and four-needle classes DO sell out very quickly. That's because there are only 30 seats available to begin with. THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO to prevent this from happening. Those seats are so limited -- it's always our biggest problem.

One woman suggested we go to a lottery system next year -- and she's right -- we should look into that.

Here's the deal. The hands-on classrooms set up with sewing machines (or sergers) only have 30 spots. 10 seats will go to snail mail registrants, and 20 seats will go to online registrants. As always -- those tickets go on a first-come, first-served basis.

But it's such a tiny number to begin with -- they're gone in a flash. We end up making 30 people happy -- but another 130 are ticked off because they couldn't get into the class...

And, of course, there's no way we can add more sessions because those rooms are already COMPLETELY, TIGHTLY BOOKED...and there are only so many hours in the Sew Expo day...

And we are SORRY, SORRY, SORRY...

But here's the really, really good news -- NOTHING ELSE IS SOLD OUT. Honest. You can register for hundreds of One-Needle classes (the heartbeat of the show)...and a dozen Two-Needle classes (more in-depth topics with extensive educational hand-outs)...and the finest Special Events in the sewing industry. These classrooms SEAT HUNDREDS -- not one score and ten (that's how Abraham Lincoln would have said 30)...

Again...if you had issues with your online registration -- read the post right below this one. WE WILL FIX IT FOR YOU. Promise...

First Day of Online Registration....

First of all -- thanks for your patience. YOU ARE THE BEST SEWING AUDIENCE IN THE WORLD...and we appreicate your enthusiasm and your willing spirit...

IF YOU EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS TODAYWITH YOUR ONLINE REGISTRATION-- please be assured that we WILL FIX THEM.Here's what you should do:

Email Janet York:  jyork@wsu.edu

She will forward your email to the appropriate person. In many cases, yes, you did order several times. One customer placed a $356 ticket order...three times...so we're pretty sure she önly intended to place that order ONCE -- and we will refund her money...
(right?)
There are many, many individual situations that were problematic today.  Some of them were our fault and we apologize. Because we opened in the early morning hours, our computer experts believed we would not encounter a huge traffic jam. Clearly -- they don't sew...lol...

When 300 people come on to a site at the same moment -- the system starts to spin and orders are processed very slowly... As soon as they saw what was happening (at about 9:00) -- they moved to a much bigger server and things started to move much faster.

If you call the #800 number, you'll have to leave a message on voicemail, because our real people have been SLAMMED WITH PHONE CALLS...

So, it is very likely that Janet and her staff will have to listen to the dozens of voice mail messages, and then they'll have to call you back,  (that is -- IF you remembered to give them a phone number)...well -- you see where this is going, right?

IT IS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT FOR YOU TO EMAIL your problem. Put "Registration problem"in the subject line. Then please include the following information so we can check out the problem and GET BACK TO YOU:

Name
Telephone number (where you can be reached during the day)
Email (we'll have that because you're using your email to send us an email, right?)
Transaction number
Approximate time you placed your order.

THEN WE PROMISE TO FIX YOUR PROBLEM...whatever it is -- really....it will be handled as quickly as possible.

Janet and her staff of thousands are answering each and every email:

jyork@wsu.edu

Online Registration is OPEN

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS OFFICIALLY OPEN.

Go to the website:  sewexpo.com and click on the Registration icon...

Because there are always THOUSANDS OF EAGER sewing enthusiasts -- the system is moving really, really slowly...

Please be patient.  The classes are NOT sold out...we are just experiencing a very volume of traffic and we are aware of the problem.  Experts in three states are working on it...

Remember -- we are posting on Facebook -- and carefully monitoring the comments there. So that's your best, almost-real-time way to know what's happening...

SEE YOU AT THE SHOW...we appreciate your patience...

PLEASE USE MOZILLA FIREFOX...

The Countdown Begins!!

If you've visited the website -- you know we posted the goal date for online registration. January 3. See -- we improve EVERY YEAR!! And the truth is -- with the timing of Christmas (which I understand cannot be changed) -- this is really the best we can do.

As soon as it is official -- I WILL POST IT HERE AND ON FACEBOOK...

I AM GETTING SO EXCITED about the 2013 Sewing & Stitchery Expo. I look forward to seeing some of my sewing-sister-friends...Charlotte and I met for the first time many years ago in Michigan -- right? I ran into her last year at the Yahoo dinner -- it was a cold and miserable night...but we were so excited about the show -- the weather didn't matter!

Charlotte found a verb tense problem on the website -- (did we correct that yet?)And I got a GREAT picture of you with Sandra Betzina, too...

She was reading the page about the Pillowcase Patrol -- and YES -- the Mary Bridge Children's Hospital is the official charity for the 2013 Sewing & Stitchery Expo.

Linda B. is one of our avid fans. She posts regularly on Facebook -- and ALWAYS brings a smile to her sewing, whether it's sock monkey's, aprons or pillowcases...

AND WHAT A NICE SURPRISE! Claire made a jewelry case for me -- and I have used it SO MANY TIMES. I don't know if Claire and Jolene will be coming to the show this year -- will you be there?

Last year was such a special year for me -- with my actual very own sewing sisters -- Deborah, Ronda and Barb. (she is adopted, not biological)..

They're not coming this year and I miss them already...thank goodness there are nearly 30,000 other fun-loving sewing sisters coming to Puyallup!! I am sure you will keep me busy, inspired and entertained.

It's going to be a GREAT SHOW this year...