Three questions I’m often
asked are:
1. Which machine should I
buy?
2. Which thread should I use?
3. You look great! How much
weight have you lost?
The good news I have for you
today is that 2/3 of those questions are easily answered at the ISS Long Beach
Show this month (and the third is confidential). For those of you who live on
the west coast, it’s easy to get to Long Beach; for those of you who live in
the Midwest and Northeast – it’s gonna be cold, oh so cold, at home but the
temperatures in Long Beach on the weekend of the how are forecast to be in the
low 70s.
So you arrive at the show on
Friday and visit all the machine people: Brother and Melco, ZSK and Barudan,
Texmac (Happy) and Hirsch (Tajima). Just come to the show with some idea of
what you need and want, visit all the booths, ask your questions, watch
demonstrations and request references (for happy, satisfied machine owners in
your neighborhood), make comparisons and possibly a buying decision.
In the afternoon, you can
investigate threads: Gunold and Amann, A&E and Wire & Rapos (Elize USA)
and Madeira. Visit all the booths; ask for new thread cards and samples and
when you visit Madeira (Booth #100 - in
the interest of full disclosure, I work for Madeira USA on the days I’m not
fishing) ask about the new Classic Rayon colors (42 solid) and the new
Polyneon colors (74 solid), as well as some new products to help you be even
more successful. Additionally, ask about the show special. Yikes! What deals!
Be sure we have your current email address so we can keep you apprised of
periodic sales and specials through 2015 and beyond.
On Saturday, check out the
other stuff in which you’ll have some interest: bags, apparel, stock designs,
sportswear, fleece, caps, T-shirts, towels, workwear, backing and stabilizers
(Madeira again).
Then, on Saturday evening,
have a good dinner and a walk along the waterfront. On Sunday, have a hearty
breakfast or brunch and find a raucous sports bar to watch the two NFL
Conference games. My predictions: Panthers vs. Packers at 3:05 PM and then the
Patriots vs. Broncos at 6:40 PM.
Then take the early flight home on Monday
and embroider!
