The Orlando Needlework Show

Hoo boy.

I don't like to post online smackdowns here on my blog. I'm about to make an exception.

I learned of the Orlando Needlework Show through Ravelry. Excited, I made plans to attend with a friend of mine who is just getting into knitting. Sitting here this morning, I'm sipping a cup of coffee and feeling a little insulted by the organizers.

My impressions of the show:

1. The parking situation was atrocious. We were directed to park in the Omni parking lot and then were charged for it. Had we entered the same lot through the hotel entrance, it would have been free. They were really charging $10 to park in someone else's parking lot? On the far other side of the convention center? That a shuttle didn't go to? I only wish I had taken my pedometer because we walked... and walked... and walked.
   
   
2. They marketed this event as three separate shows. Scrapbooking, jewelry/beading and needle arts. Scrapbooking was well represented. Not so much for the other two. The other two events seemed to be afterthoughts. Had it been marketed as a single craft show I might not feel so cheated. But taking the Needlework Show as a show unto itself, the show was disappointed to say the least.
   
   
3. There were 3 yarn vendors. That's right. THREE. I purchased from 2 of them, Picasso's Moon from Sarasota and the Local Needle from Macclenny. I really enjoyed the displays from both vendors and chatting with the store owners.
   
   
4. And then... there was Tess's Yarns. Oh Tess. You've earned a special place in my heart. Sadly, it isn't a good place. I stopped in her booth, cash in hand. We weren't addressed at all. The gal manning the booth was more interested in messing around with some sort of a handheld device. We weren't acknowledged by her at all. (There were no other people at her booth at the time.) When I asked her a question, she sighed, answered curtly and then went back to her handheld. Nice. Very nice. Unfortunately for Tess, everyone else who I talked to had the same experience there. That would explain why her booth was always empty when I passed by. I don't care how beautiful her yarn is. I will not buy from people who can't be bothered to show the most basic common courtesy. Alienating your customer base isn't a good business practice.

Final verdict? I wish I had just gone to the Sip and Knit, hung out and used the $20 to buy a skein of Malabrigo.

The day wasn't a total loss though. My friend suggested that we have lunch at Cafe Tu Tu Tango. I only wish I had taken my camera into the restaurant. Cafe Tu Tu Tango is a tapas place. Very eclectic, local art hanging everywhere and local artists doing work throughout the restaurant. It was a lot of fun. We agreed that our favorite tapas selection was the Roast Pear on Pecan Crips. So good! The carne asada and potstickers were tasty also.