Which convention is best? They all are different. They all are good.

Dollmaking conventions come and go. Dollmaker's Magic and Dollmaker's Fiesta are gone. Rocky Mountain Festival keeps changing its name, location, and date (now Portland in October, 2000). Usually you pick which convention to go to based on one or more of the following reasons:

• Which one is closest to you?
  or where do you have relatives you can visit
  or friends you want to visit?

  • We Folk of Cloth is near Baltimore, MD

  • Doll University is near San Francisco, CA)

  • WOW (Week of Workshops) is in Concord, NH

  • NIADA is in a different city each year

  • Santa Fe Doll Art is in Albequerque, NM

  • Portland Quilt and Doll Festival is in Portland, OR

  • Wichita Quilt and Doll Festival is in Wichita, KS

• What classes do you want to take?

  • I teach at several of these. Check the schedule for teachers you want to study with.

• When do you want to go?

  • We Folk of Cloth is in the Fall of even years, usually on Columbus Day weekend.

  • Doll University is in the Fall of odd years, usually the 3rd weekend in September.

  • WOW is in May every year, usually starting the Tuesday after Mother's Day.

  • NIADA is in the Summer every year, usually in late July or early August.

  • Portland Quilt and Doll Festival is currently in October.

  • Wichita Quilt and Doll Festival is currently in June

Each convention also has a different "flavor," but this is hard to put into a few words. Try talking to the people who have gone to the convention you are interested in to get a feel for this "flavor." You may also want to read my Diary of a Mad Dollmaker in the The Cloth Doll Magazine, and check Let's Talk About Dollmaking On-Line Magazine Feature Articles. I report on convention that I attend with lots of "flavor" and lots of pictures.

Private workshops and classes (not held in a convention) also have a different "flavor." They are more intensive because there is less distraction, and the hours are frequently longer or extended. You may get a better chance to know the teacher because of common meals, or evening hours spent together.