Friday 12:00 noon-12:45 pm
The Exhibitor Meeting will take place in the downstairs 1st Floor Banquet Room Friday, March 3rd, 2023 at 12 noon. Take a "setup" break and join your fellow wholesalers for an exchange of ideas to help strengthen your business. Free to attend. Hosted by Karen McEwan of Meridian Designs, and Cyndy Young of Luhu Stitches. Gary and Ronny of GaRon Stitchery will be the guest retailer, on hand to answer any questions from a retailer's perspective.

Friday 1:00 pm-1:45 pm
The Retailer Meeting will take place at the downstairs 1st Floor Banquet Room Friday, March 3rd, 2023 at 1pm. Hosted by Jean Bendula of Brick City Cross Stitch and Karen Owen of The Cross Stitch Cupboard. Cheryl Granda of Glendon Place will be their guest wholesaler, on hand to answer any questions from a designer's perspective. Store owners are encouraged to attend this FREE forum to gather and discuss questions with other Retailers in our Industry. Your questions and topics will help guide the meeting

Friday March 3, 2023 Classes

Friday 9:00-9:45 am

Red White and Blue - A Pattern Darning Sampler

Teachers: Eileen Bennett, The Sampler House

Sponsors: Sulky of America, Inc.

Class Description: A perfect class project introducing pattern darning teamed with petite point (a small cross stitch). Create additional interest to your cross stitch customers with another form of ‘counted embroidery.’ Shop attendees will be given permission to copy instructions/photo for teaching purposes. As a back-up shop sale, my book, ‘Darn Beautiful’ is available for purchase containing 80-pages of future projects. A copy of this book is given with this class.

Acquiring an antique book of weaving designs inspired this Red White and Blue Sampler. Working on an even weave fabric (linen), these beautiful patterns can be interpreted in cross stitch, pattern darning and other ‘counted’ techniques. Join me as we replicate these old patterns with petit point (small cross stitches), pattern darning, and an area of needle weaving on 36-count cream linen. (Student may supply their favorite count of linen if they find the 36-count an eye strain.) Worked with shades of Red, White and Blue patriotic colors, 9 squares of design will complete this wee-sized patriotic sampler. As a bonus, my 90-page book of weaving designs created for cross stitch and pattern darning ‘Darn Beautiful’ will be included with the kitting. This class is given with a warning . . . Pattern Darning is additive!

Location:  Franklin Room, 2nd Floor

Class Price: $50. Kit contains: Linen fabric, Red-White and Blue Sulky threads, #24 and #26 tapestry needles, needle threader, charting of design, instructions with stitch diagrams, washing instructions and a colored photo.

To Register: Email The Sampler House or phone (Six One Six)-457-8348

Friday 9:00-10:45 am

Teachers: Donna M. Olson, Satin Stitches and Ginny Gustad, The Shanty Stitchers

Class Description: Participants will learn the very basics of the Norwegian art of Hardanger. Students will be exposed to the beauty of Hardanger and how easy it is to incorpoate the craft into their store to generate interest and income. Basic stitches such as: satin stitches, basic motifs, and cutting techniques will be the focus of the class. Students will learn what supplies are required for Hardanger, where to obtain these supplies, and how to enhance sales with this beautiful vintage art!

Location:  Williamson Room, 2nd Floor

Class Price: $30. Students will receive a pattern, fabric, balls of perle cotton, needle, and items to complete a small project.

To Register: Email Shantystitchers@yahoo.com

Friday 10:00-10:45 am

Teachers: Liezbeth Gottschall of Thistles & Marjan vd Graaff  

Class Description: Beautiful cross-stitched projectbag with transparent front, with all the stitching information in a hand-out with pictures. Great for a class when you also have customers that like patchwork or if you sell sewing machines in your shop.  

Location:  Franklin Classroom, 2nd Floor

Class Price: $30

To Register: Email thistles@thistles.nl

Friday 11:00-11:45 am

Teachers: Pam Lewis, Praiseworthy Stitches

Class Description: Learn an easy and fun method to make an adorable pinball. Each student will be given a practice kit to learn on, as well as the Busy Bee Pinball kit. 

Location:  Franklin Classroom, 2nd Floor

Class Price: $30

To Register: Email Praiseworthy Stitches.

Friday 11:00-11:45 am

A Mini Sampler Book Accordion Style

Teachers: Linda Stolz/Erica Michaels Designs
                    Lois Mouriski Bear/Lady Dot Creates

Class Description:  Join Linda and Lois for another fun-filled class with a new Erica Michaels’ design inspired by antique accordion pattern books and other marking samplers. The multiple small panels are finished into an accordion-style format for a unique finish easily translated to other series of small designs. Lois will take the mystery out of making this unique project; your class kit includes everything you need to make your own shop model. Class attendees have sole rights for the chartpak and finishing kit for 30 days. This is a lecture format and class attendance is limited to 38; one (1) class attendee per shop please.

Location:  Williamson Classroom, 2nd Floor

Class Price: $35

To Register: Email: emstitch@charter.net

Friday 2:00-2:45 pm

Teachers: Nicoletta Farrauto, Nikyscreations

Class Description:  A nice, tiny scissors fob to bring everywhere in your stitching bag. Special German black linen banding, silk tassel, and a super tiny wood spool.

Location:  Williamson Room, 2nd Floor

Class Price: $23

To Register: Email: nicoletta.farrauto@aol.com.

Friday 2:00-2:45 pm

Nashville Purse Collection: Queen Bee Victorian Purse

Teachers: Isabella Abbiati, The Primitive Hare

Class Description: During the last 4 years I have reproduced ancient purses from all over the world. This year I offer a new one perfect for your collection—a reproduction of a 19th century purse. Based on several different models, this purse is the typical little bag used during a short walk in the Victorian era.

Location:  Franklin Room, 2nd Floor

Class Price: $35

To Register: Email: order@theprimitivehare.com

Saturday March 4, 2023 Classes

Saturday 2:00-2:45 pm

SEO: Search Engine Optimization and Keyword Research

Teachers: Laura Morillo, RiverviewStitching.com 

Class Description:  Is your website showing up on the first page on google? Come learn how to do effective keyword research and update your website meta data so it shows up on a google search and attract more people to your website! Laura Morillo is a Digital Marketing professional and an instructor for digital marketing bootcamps.

Location:  Franklin Classroom, Floor 2

Class Price: $40

To Register: Email: hello@riverviewstitching.com

Sunday March 5, 2023 Classes

Sunday 2:00-2:45 pm

Content Marketing for Instagram and Facebook

Teachers: Laura Morillo, RiverviewStitching.com 

Class Description: Are you struggling trying to come up with ideas to post on social media? Come learn how to come up with new content, how to schedule posts for later, when to post, and how to keep your audience engaged! Laura Morillo is a Digital Marketing professional and an instructor for digital marketing bootcamps.

Location:  Franklin Classroom, Floor 2

Class Price: $40

To Register Email: hello@riverviewstitching.com

Cost To Rent The Classrooms

Franklin Room or Williamson Room:  $50/hour (or Free)

We will advertise the classes to buyers, but stores will be asked to contact the instructor directly with questions about the class, and to sign up and pay for the class. The instructor will set the price for the class and can sell merchandise in the class. The only charge to the instructor will be the hourly rate for the classroom.

Free use of the classroom. We want to encourage classes that help store owners improve their business skills. For example, maybe you (or your spouse) could teach a short class on bookkeeping, computers, social media, taxes, radio advertising, etc. The room will be available for free for these types of classes. You would still be allowed to charge a fee to attend the class.

After show hours use of the class room. Some classes need extra time to finish up. We also have had requests from buyers that they would like a time and place to get together and visit with other business owners, to relax, and do some stitching. Again this year we are planning on having one of the classrooms (or both, if needed) open after show hours as an informal get-together location. If your class needs extra time to finish, you can use the classroom after show hours for free.

Classes during show hours should last no longer than 45 minutes. Please keep your class to 45 minutes to allow 15 minutes for clean up and move out before the next class starts.

Ideas For Classes

Besides the satisfaction of helping other business owners, teaching or sponsoring a class is a great way to gain exposure for your business.

• Finishing classes (advance homework ok)
• Social Media
• Business Classes (newsletter, teaching, time management, etc.)
• Technique Classes
• Previews of new designs and a start on a class model
• We would like to have classes of interest to exhibitors to attend on Thursday afternoon. This would be a great opportunity to share ideas on marketing, packaging, etc.

You do not need to be an exhibitor to teach a class. We would love to have more classes taught by store owners. Also, while we ask that the classes are sponsored by either an exhibitor or a retail store, the instructor can be with another company.

If you have any questions

Free free to contact us if you have any questions about the show.

Megan Chriswisser at Needlework Retailer at 800-561-5380 or info@needleworkretailer.com

Larry Johnson or Beth Johnson at Yarn Tree at 800-247-3952 or info@yarntree.com