2017 Beaver Dam Sewing Weekend

Our topic for the Thursday Night program:

"Car Tripping and Gifting with the Midwest YaYa Sisters"

Join Mary and Rita, the Midwest YaYa Sisters, for an evening of fun with ALL NEW, NEVER BEFORE SEEN sewing projects.

Rita is obsessed with Frankensewing. (like -- using the placket from a man’s shirt to create the closure for a new duvet cover.) She used her Frankensewing skills to create an Athleisure wardrobe. Because -- believe it or not -- Rita went to Fat Camp! She says, “The challenge was to make clothes that weren’t skin tight, and didn’t show my belly button.’’ The Ya Ya audience at Sewing Weekend will be the first group to see Rita model her new workout wardrobe.

Mary's jumped on Rita's T-shirt bandwagon with gift ideas made from the family's T-shirt stash, including a new spin on that old favorite -- the t-shirt quilt. But she's also working on sweatshirts and not willing to give up the "Sweatshirt Queen" title. Oh, and don't be surprised if she shows up with her favorite swimming pool accessory.

Their Challenge project for this year is a girlfriend trip accessory for motoring to Sewing Weekend. The Midwest Ya Ya Sisters love to focus on projects that recycle and repurpose to create one-of-a-kind memory gifts. Use your sewing skills to make gifts that can't be found in any department store or Amazon--in another word, PRICELESS.

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It is my HUGE PLEASURE to blog about the wonderful time we had in Beaver Dam. THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT stories to tell!!

Because I haven't had a chance to download the Sewing Weekend pictures off my camera -- I grabbed a few off Facebook.

I'm going to start with THESE TWO FAMILIAR FACES...

This is a picture from the 2012 Sew Expo in Puyallup!! 

Judy and Chris earned their title of "the Ya Ya Stalkers" because they came to EVERY SHOW WE DID. One year, they attended the Ya Ya Seminar FOUR TIMES. (although we were doing the same show over and over again, they said it was different every time!)

Two years ago, they surprised us by showing up at our show at Sewing Weekend in Beaver Dam...

And, this year, they went out of their way to keep their trip to Wisconsin a secret. They even LIED ABOUT IT ON FACEBOOK.  (could this be an episode on Catfish?)

But -- on the very first day -- we spotted Judy and Chris in Nancy Zieman's booth. I squealed...they screamed...it was such a big moment!!

At the same time, Rhonda was arriving from Chicago -- so the five of us went to Applebee's for lunch...

Rhonda put this pic on Facebook, because she BOUGHT THE FABRIC at Sewing Weekend two years ago!! (great jacket, girl!)

Judy and Mary

Chris and Rita (Rhonda was taking the pictures)

At our show that night, the Ya Ya Stalkers had seats right in the front row!!

Our first row was full of special guests!!  (more about that later!)