It's been a few days since mom and I attended the Expo, quite possibly for the last time (or at…read moreleast the last time until they improve things). Every year I try to leave constructive feedback in their suggestion box and via social media. I share the good and the not-so-good. And I share ideas for how to make things better. And nothing ever changes. Not that I think anyone there really cares about my specific thoughts and ideas. But when these feelings and helpful suggestions from dozens if not hundreds of attendees are pretty much ignored it makes me wonder if the organizers of this once-great event even want it to improve. The crowd shrinks every year, and with it the variety of vendors. This year, vendors were outwardly proclaiming what a bust it was for them. And this was on Saturday, which should have been their busiest day of the weekend. Especially with so many younger folks getting into sewing, cross-stitch, and embroidery it seems like this expo should be growing and thriving. I just don't understand what's going on. But first, the good: - This was my daughter's first year attending and she really loved it, especially the hands-on demos and projects at vendors such as The Remakery from Tacoma. - It was great to see some of our old favorite vendors, such as Bo-Dee-Oh, Fireweed Stitches, More Me Know and Sassafras Lane, along with Mood Fabrics and Renton's Wyldewood Creative doing their very first expo. - Always love visiting the Kai Scissors booth and picking up a new "must have" for my sewing exploits, as well as checking out the beautiful new machines from Quality Sewing and Bernina. - I always leave the expo with some fun new fabric and supplies, and that feeling like I want to go home and lock myself in my sewing room for a few days. - Finally, there were several new stitchery vendors - especially embroidery! I spotted some cross stitch here and there, too. Yay! And then, the things that just need to be fixed. - The lack of actual fabric vendors is absolutely crazy to me. Yes, there were a few and yes, they were selling a lot of kits and pre-cuts. But where were the folks selling fabric by the yard? Where was Pacific Fabrics? They exited the expo years ago and we need them back. If I were in charge of the expo, luring Pacific Fabrics (and other much-loved, long-departed vendors - like Vogue Fabrics) would be my #1 priority for next year. It's inexplicable to me that you'd plan a sewing expo and not have an over-the-top number of fabric vendors to choose from. - This probably relates to my previous point. But for heaven's sake there has GOT to be a way to lower the cost for vendors to attend. Several vendors from last year posted A YEAR AGO that they would no longer be able to attend because of the cost to attend (not just booth fees, but getting their product there, bringing enough staff to run the booth, etc). One example is More Me Know, who set up a giant booth in 2024 and 2025, hauling an amazing amount of bag making supplies (and tons of staff) all the way from Indiana. This year, her booth was tiny, with barely any selection and a sign to order online with free shipping. It was a nice gesture but I also heard several customers complaining. I guess they don't follow her on social media, where she basically went through last year's expo expenses and said they simply could not afford to have a big booth there (even with brisk sales). - Some of the really cool stuff (like the free stage, Project Linus, fabric de-stash table, and social media lounge) are hidden in the back like they don't even WANT to be found. For goodness sake, move them to the FRONT of the expo (or put them in the middle). They are almost like an afterthought, and yet these are the areas that give life to the social aspects of the expo. Imagine walking in the front doors, or eating your lunch, and getting to watch the kids' fashion show or see your favorite influencers hanging out with the crowd in the social media lounge. Imagine an area buzzing with happy sewists and crafters, making projects at the demo tables, getting inspired to visit all the vendors or taking a break between walking the rows. - Speaking of influencers: INVITE THEM! Where was the meet 'n greet photo sesh with my favorites? I would have loved to get a pic with Lauren Mormino in front of the official Sew Expo backdrop and post it all over social media. Where was Karen Brown from Just Get it Done Quilts? Sara Lawson from Sew Sweetness? Jenny Doan (or one of her family) from Missouri Star Quilts? Vanessa Vargas Wilson aka the Crafty Gemini? Evelyn Wood? Alicia from Thoughtful Creativity? Bernadette Banner? Do they know about the expo? Are they invited? Imagine giving them a heavily discounted booth fee or covering some of their travel expenses in exchange for spreading the word about the expo among their followers? This is very common nowadays and yet...crickets. This review is too long. If anyone from the Expo reads this: what's your end game?!

I have gone for several years now, driving from California, and enjoy all the classes, and the…read morevendor hall. I never attended when it was a bigger show, so I have nothing to be disappointed about. It is worth the fun every year.

Big Foot Quilt shop is an amazing place to shop, to sew, to take classes, to make friends. There…read moreis always help available, whether for color choices or ideas for patterns. Very knowledgeable and helpful staff, and so me many fabulous fabric collections! Any time at Big Foot is time well spent.

If you are looking for drab, old fashioned fabric, don't come to Bigfoot quilts. The fabric is as…read morebold and bright as the owner. There is always something new to discover. The only problem is narrowing down what I am going to purchase. The staff is always friendly and helpful. They are always willing to help me find just the right fabric. I have learned so much from the classes. Last year I branched out from quilting and took a bag class. I discovered a passion I didn't know I had. No matter how many bags I have made I always learn something new in class.

Nice quilt shop. Custom quilting done there. I bought a really beautiful pattern. Customer service…read morewas good also.

Sue, the owner, is known as the fabric Yota. She has a keen eye for color combinations and is happy…read moreto help you "audition" some fabrics together. Her employee, Tracy, is very helpful as well and has lots of how to knowledge she's happy to share. The selection of batik's is wonderful. There's a large selection of blenders and whites on white. I always end up finding something in the Sale area. She has a long arm machine rental too. My friend and I love this store and drive from Olympia to visit Sue.

My friend and I traveled to the area for other reasons, and decided to fit in a little yarn…read moreshopping. Unfortunately, the hours posted on Google were not correct, and when we arrived, the store was officially closed, although a class was going on. Win, whom I am assuming was not just sales but perhaps the manager, was extremely apologetic. Rather than turn us away, she let us browse , saying that she was teaching the class but wouldn't have time to help us in real time. She let us know that we could flag her down if we had questions. We really enjoyed ourselves. The store is much larger than any local yarn store I have been to previously, and there are many unique and different yarns. Win came to help us after her class, and could not have been more wonderful. What started out as a browse, turned into some nice purchases. It's a gem of a store, and I look forward to going back on my next trip up north.

Great yarn store. They cater to all kinds of fiber arts. The selection is fantastic - you've got…read moreyour staples (Noro, Malabrigo, Manos del Uruguay etc) as well as the fanciful and rare, in all weights, fibers and types, and neatly organized too. It's located in an old industrial space. Light industrial brickwork. The sign is a little small and hard to spot. You enter through a small door and go up a few stairs, and voilà - Alibaba's cave. The staff is helpful, friendly, and very knowledgeable. They'll help you as much as you want them to, without being pushy. In my case, there were some yarns that I liked, and they found the right projects for my taste and skill level, made sure I was kitted out, and taught me the techniques I'd need. In case you need patterns, they've got them. There's a full room dedicated to books. Don't miss the clearance section! They also do knitting workshops during week days by reservation, for a very modest fee. They also have classes, though they do fill out fast!

This place is as essential to my life as gas in my car…read more The joy of getting from point A to point B, finding something, building something, creating something is priceless. The coffee shop is a bonus. I had never been in Bonney Lake before meeting my now husband of 5 plus years, and I have developed the habit of coming here whenever anything happens in my life. Everything is expensive these days, but I come to Ben Franklin to walk the aisles and feel my feelings. I come here when I am sad, scared, happy, excited. Through celebrations and losses, milestones and ordinary days, it has been a constant place of comfort, creativity, and possibility. I do not usually let staff at any store affect my day one way or another. They have their own lives and stories that I know nothing about... every employee I have encountered here has been kind, helpful, and genuinely pleasant. My child is growing up with paintbrushes instead of iPads, with crochet hooks and yarn, fabric, puzzles, sewing machines, and handmade keepsakes that become symbols of memory. She is learning how to create, imagine, and build with her own hands. A big part of that is because this place exists. We truly love Ben Franklin Crafts. Please do not go anywhere.

Very disappointing customer service experience…read more I stopped by Ben Franklin Crafts in Bonney Lake today looking for some stretch or jersey-type fabric that I could use for a backdrop. Unfortunately, my experience with the customer service in the textile department was very disappointing. I asked the sales associate if they carried any stretch fabric. Before I could even finish explaining what I was looking for, she cut me off and told me that they didn't have any stretch fabric. As I continued looking through the fabrics, I found several materials that clearly had some stretch, including crushed velvet and other fabrics in different textures. I pointed out the few fabrics that I found to her and said that there were a bunch of stretch fabrics, and her response was, "You call that a bunch?" I then explained that I was looking to use the fabric for a backdrop, rather than clothing. She responded, "Oh, I thought you needed it to make clothes or something." The interaction continued in a way that left me feeling like I was more of an inconvenience than a customer who was simply asking for assistance. At that point, I walked toward the exit but decided to speak with a manager because I felt uncomfortable leaving without addressing what had happened. I asked for a manager but was directed to a supervisor. I explained the situation, and her immediate response was essentially that they didn't have any stretch fabric. I told her that I had actually found several examples myself. She then said, "I guess they're new." Unfortunately, I didn't feel like my concern was really being heard or that anyone was interested in helping me find what I was looking for. I ultimately gave up and left without purchasing anything. It's not the fact that they may not have had the exact fabric I wanted--that's understandable. It's the way the situation was handled. A simple, "I'm not sure what we have, but let's take a look," would have made a huge difference. I wanted to support a local business, but based on today's experience, I left feeling very disappointed and uncomfortable. Hopefully management takes this feedback seriously, because customer service matters just as much as the products you carry.

In-home service request to fix a separated seam on our favorite couch. Paul was great! Extremely…read moreskilled. Honestly, you get what you pay for.

Wow cannot say enough good things about Paul and Dimension Upholstery. Husband was disappointed…read morethat the upholsterer he used was no longer in business in Olympia. We had very stylized 30 year old dining room chairs I wanted to replace but my spouse opted to reupholster. He thankfully found Paul who transformed the appearance AND rejuvenated their cushion. Paul's service is professional and his attention to detail is impeccable. He provides in home consultation--with a wide range of sample material, pick up and delivery for a fee. His reupholstery work is reliable, affordable and next to none I've experienced. Give him a try.

Visited this store two times in the past 3 months and noticed a lot more sales and seasonal items…read morein inventory. They moved things around from aisle to aisle. But it seemed more organized than before. The employees were friendly, greeted us as we entered the store. Checkout time was good, as the employee who worked as a cashier was amicable and pleasant to deal with after our shopping experience. Will be back next time for more intriguing items!

This place has racist people working for you!!! She called 911 on me for no reason and was very…read morerude to me. She could've talked to me polite that simple. She called 911 for no reason and I will never shop here again. She said I was trespassing because I was on my cell phone. This is so embarrassing!! She call 911 cops came to the store and were super nice to me. He said this employee always calls 911 on the customers.

These guys completely dropped the ball on a deadline and shipped product that was not sellable for…read moremy client that cost me over $4,500! Owner (Cory Dean) claims to me "thats the risk you take"! They claim to give you 100% money back if you're not happy, however, what they don't explain is that they will ruin thousands in garments and shipping at your expense too. I demanded my money back after a poor embroidery job, refund for ruined hats, refund for rushed shipping and in return, I lost a great client that no longer trusts me. My client received product that was not trimmed and could not be sold. For 4 consecutive days promised to ship and never did. Then the manager went dark all week and returned to say sorry she was in meetings all week. OK, right! This shop has gone down hill. Communication sucks as they now think a CMS platform solves their issues with customers, manager isn't engaged with event deadlines or scheduling, and quality is far below other premium embroidery shops. I have been in the print and apparel industry for 20+ years, this is not how you sustain business with your local partners in this industry. These guys are not a loyal vendor. Nothing but ridiculous excuses. DO NOT DO BUSINESS HERE.

Total mess, zero customer service, stocking carts blocking every aisle yet nothing in stock.read more

If the rumor is true, that Michael's is going to take over for JoAnn Crafts, we're in trouble…read more Someone needs to teach the staff how to cut material/chords. I obviously wasn't paying attention at the time or I would've noticed she measured 2 yards of cord that had been spliced together. Unfortunately, by the time I realized what she had done I had thrown away the receipt. They obviously didn't take the cord back and refund my money. They will obviously never be a JoAnn Crafts