“From Start to Stitch: The Secrets to Flawless Sewing & Embroidery”

Say goodbye to frustration and hello to beautiful results! Join us for a FUN, informative discussion that unlocks the secrets behind beautiful, lasting results. You’ll learn how to confidently select needles, stabilizers, and threads, handle tricky fabrics, and learn techniques for embroidery placement and appliqué. This session is perfect for both beginners and experienced makers looking to refine their craft. You will leave feeling inspired, confident, and ready to tackle your next project!

Join Kay and I at the Fiber and Fabric Show:

From Start to Stitch: The Secrets to Flawless Sewing & Embroidery

Dates & Times:
Thursday, April 30, 2026, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM Room 22
OR
Friday, May 1, 2026, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM - Room 49

Ricky and Kay Brooks, Hands On Sewing School by RK Consulting Description “From Start to Stitch: The Secrets to Flawless Sewing & Embroidery” Say goodbye to frustration and hello to beautiful results! Join us for a fun, informative discussion that unlocks the secrets behind beautiful, lasting results. You’ll learn how to confidently select needles, stabilizers, and threads, handle tricky fabrics, and learn techniques for embroidery placement and appliqué. This session is perfect for both beginners and experienced makers looking to refine their craft. You will leave feeling inspired, confident, and ready to tackle your next project! Teachers: Industry Icons: Ricky & Kay Brooks Inducted into the Sewing Hall of Fame, Ricky and Kay Brooks of RK Consulting have spent over 60 years shaping the Sewing, Quilting, and Crafting Industry. From launching Hands-On Sewing Schools in the ‘90s to founding RNK Distributing and creating Floriani Embroidery Products, their innovations have inspired thousands.

Why You’ll Want a Front-Row Seat for Ricky and Kay Brooks

Ricky and Kay Brooks of RK Consulting are not just educators—they’re legends. Inducted into the prestigious Sewing Hall of Fame, this dynamic duo has spent over 80 combined years transforming the Home Sewing, Quilting, and Crafting Industry from the inside out. From running retail stores to launching bestselling product lines, they've seen—and shaped—it all.

In the 1990s, they noticed a major gap in embroidery education and didn’t wait for someone else to fix it. They created Hands-On Sewing Schools, a groundbreaking national (and international) program that didn’t just teach embroidery—it inspired a generation of makers.

But they didn’t stop there. Seeing another industry-wide void—stabilizers—they went on to found RNK Distributing and created the now-iconic Floriani Embroidery Products, helping elevate the standard of quality for an entire market.

Alisa Paoletti

I had a great time at the Hands On® Sewing School Event! Thank you for bringing it to Binghamton NY! Even though I live in the Town of Binghamton, just :20 from the Hotel, I opted to stay because of the weather. I am so glad I did! I learned so much:

1. I really needed a class on stabilizers!

A. Kay Brooks was so helpful! I never know which stabilizer to use with certain fabrics!
B. I didn’t know there were that many stabilizers or how to use them! They gave us a DVD of her class that we can always go to as well as a nice chart of stabilizers and how to use them. I Now, can confidently, embroider better with this knowledge.

2. Ricky Brooks IS the Candy Man! As he would literally dump handfuls of candy in front of you on your table! When I told him that I couldn’t eat chocolate, he came back with a substitute for me! How very thoughtful and kind! Thank you again for having this event!

See other comments: Testimonials

If you want the real secrets to success in sewing, quilting, embroidery, or crafting—from people who’ve built the tools, trained the teachers, and written the playbook—you won’t want to miss what they’re sharing next.