The Fashion Show experience

I first entered a Fashion Show at Midwest because my friend and mentor, not to mention weaving instructor: Mary Sue Fenner was teaching at WOW and she got a request from the 2005 planners to enter some of her clothes in the Fashion show. I am not sure, but I think they encouraged her to have some of her students enter too. So being a good student of 'Weave, Cut and Sew' taught by Mary Sue at Kele Alpaca near Kewaunee, Wisconsin of course I entered 3 items.

I have to say it was exciting seeing my garments worn by models on the stage. They even made us sit in the front rows of the auditorium, just in case we won something and had to go up on stage. It was exciting! of course I did not win anything - but got many compliments on my garments. I was only a beginner at weaving and more of a beginner at sewing handwoven fabric into a garment.

In 2007 I went to Roots in Nebraska and decided since my garments got in the Fashion show at WOW 2005 I should enter again. Only 2 of my 3 garments were accepted so I sent them off and I went to Midwest Weavers Conference for the whole 5 or 6 days. Entering all the exhibits and taking a pre conference workshop as well as the other 2 or 3 sessions that came with Registration. Again I enjoyed seeing my garments on the models, although they did not fit the young girls modeling very well, since I am a size 18. I relaxed in the audience and watched. To my surprise I won the Prairie Award. I had to go down to the front with my flip flops on. Flip flops I brought for the shower were the only shoes I had along that went with the outfit I wore to the style show. I now have a framed certificate with a beautiful handwoven ribbon and a picture of my Jacket hanging in my weaving room as a reminder, and a new bench for my weaving loom that I bought with the cash.

Then comes Heartland 2009 - no one could go with me, so I drove off to Pre conference alone - my co chair Jean Lind came for the conference with others from the UP so at least I did not have to drive home alone.

For the Fashion Show in Iowa it was not juried so whatever you wanted to enter was accepted.

I had to model my own stuff, which was different, a little scary, but the behind the scenes experience was also an exciting time. Here are some of the behind the scenes photos for the Heartland Fashion Show 2009. Seeing Anita Mayer's and Daryl Lancaster's beautiful Garment close up was well worth walking across that stage.

Some of the beautiful garments that walked the Runway in Iowa in 2009.

and the winner was Christy Berry from Missouri who wove and modeled this 'Victorian Walking Skirt' out of 20/2 perle cotton with a gray warp and yellow weft. She wove 8 yards of fabric and used every bit of her fabric to make this skirt. Christy was also the recipient of one of the MWA scholarship awards for Heartland 2009. Congratulations Christy! hope you can make it to Northern Wefts 2011 in Hancock Michigan.