The Orlando FL Craft Super Show

I just returned from the Craft Super Show in Orlando and I have to admit, it wasn't what I was expecting or hoping for. I was counting on there being lots of new sewing resources and young people, but there was very little of either.

There was no shortage of people at the show. Here's the line just for the "will call" window. These are people who bought tickets in advance - the majority did not do this. There were four other lines that were much longer. It's hard to tell from the tiny picture, but there aren't any young people waiting to get in. The median age was about 50 if you exclude babies.

I found virtually nothing for sewers. This was the closest thing to a sewing display. At this tent you could drop $25.00 to stand in front of a camera and make a fool of yourself while pretending to host a TV show. I passed. My own FREE sewing video will be posted on evilneedles.com soon.

Here's a good look inside. Everyone was pretty old. I scouted for young crafters. Each time I saw a young person they had a green "employee pass." I don't mean to sound like I have anything against older folks, it's just that I was really hoping to see lots of fresh, new faces. I feel like the home arts are soon to become the lost arts and the best way to keep them alive and well is to bring new people into the scene.

Those green "employee passes" that all the young people were wearing turned out to be for the green building convention. This expo was a showcase for builders, contractors, and vendors to show their newest eco-friendly products. How cool is that? I really wanted to go walk through but it was $60.00 per person and it was my boyfriend and me.

From what I've read around the web, lots of people are very excited about this craft show. I was really let down. I don't think it's just a case of the grass is always greener. The show was pitched as the ultimate craft show, the biggest in the country; but it was really just one room in the convention center and the room was split in half.

Furthermore, the advertisements say that vendors would be giving out more freebies than you could carry. I got a tote bag and nothing to put in it. Everything was for sale. I guess I'm just a cheapskate with unreal expectations.