April May June 2016 newsletter

Sew
In spring we think of pastel colors, new shoes, and new clothes. It is the time of year to put away winter clothes—don’t forget to make sure they are clean before putting them away. I have a fun time trying on the spring clothes from last year to see if they still fit or if a few alterations are needed. At our general meeting last week, Carol Patrick showed us a pattern she was trying out with the entire fabric on the bias. By putting an invisible zipper on one of the seams, she will be able to wear it frontwards or backwards. Interesting.
Also at the March meeting we made a list of some of our favorite fabric stores. For our June meeting, our Special Events chair, Hannah is planning an outing to visit several fabric stores. With our Austin Chapter covering such a large area, we will not be able to visit all fabric stores from San Marcus to Georgetown in one day. If you have a favorite store, please give Hannah a call.
I recently attended a sewing retreat with the San Antonio Chapter of ASG. Fun, fun. I hope in the near future we can plan a retreat. There are several sewing related events coming up so look through the rest of the newsletter or our website to see if you can attend. And don’t forget every Tuesday is Community Sewing held at the Stitching Studio with Mossy leading the group. When you attend, be sure to bring a friend. Happy Sewing,
President’s Corner
HAPPY SPRING!!!!
April 2016 Issue 2

STASH-BASH
Don’t forget that each month we have a table set up for Stash-Bash. You can bring any sewing -related items (fabric, notions, magazines, patterns, trims, etc.) to put on the table and pick up something that someone else brought. Many beautiful tops, dresses, etc. have been sewn over the years made from items found on the Stash- Bash table .


Monthly meetings are back at
Old Quarry Branch Library,
7051 Village Center Dr. Austin, TX 78731.
1:00 to 3:00 pm April, May and June (check Upcoming Events for dates)
At our regular meetings in addition to wonderful programs, we have Show and Tell and Stash Bash unless otherwise indicated

Upcoming Events
April 16, 2016 Meeting
Jessie Shumake: The Lost Art of Dress by Linda Przybyszewski Hat Parade/Pillow Challenge
1:00-3:00 pm
CAB Meeting 3:00-4:00
Old Quarry Library
Because of the terrible weather during our last October meeting Jessie has rescheduled her presentation for this month. Come and learn about Linda Przybyszewski’s book The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish. “In the first half of the twentieth century, a remarkable group of women--the so-called Dress Doctors--taught American women how to stretch each yard of fabric and dress well on a budget. Knowledge not money, they insisted, is the key to timeless fashion.”
Wear your spring hat and gloves!
April Show & Tell: Pillows
Members are invited to bring a pillow (any pillow made at any time) to share with the chapter. There are no limitations on size, color, shape or year made.
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May 21, 2016 Meeting
Pam Farley: Bojagi - Korean Wrapping Cloths 1:00-3:00 pm
Old Quarry Library
Pam will be giving a presentation on the tradition of Bojagi in Korean culture. Through samples, we will learn the basic techniques of Bojagi and consider ways it can be incorporated into modern American home dec and fiber art, including apparel.
Pam wrote: “It was one of those moments of serendipity. Our son and daughter- in-law had recently moved to Seattle and we were visiting and exploring their neighborhood. I noticed a Green Eileen store http://www.greeneileen.org and poked my head in the door to explore. On a table in the entrance was a flyer telling about a free class on Bojagi. This Korean art of making wrapping cloths had fascinated me for some time and I knew a couple of fiber artists who had created garments and wall hangings through machine stitching, rather than the traditional hand stitching. This class was to be traditional with hand stitching. I was in heaven.
So, since last summer, I have been experimenting with a variety of stitches and fabrics. Fortunately, I found a Korean woman living in the US who teaches Bojagi. Her DVD, “Bojagi Wrapping Cloths – Art of Korean Stitching,” has been an invaluable resource. http://www.youngminlee.com In the Green Eileen class I was introduced to Korean rami and have been able to purchase some from Youngmin Lee. It is a stiff translucent fabric and works beautifully for this technique. The following is from Bojagi and Beyond by Chunghie Lee:
BoJaGi, the traditional Korean wrapping cloth has been handed down through the generations by thousands of nameless ancestral women—precious heirlooms of patchwork stitched by their hands and from their hearts. These women had little education and lived lonely and oppressed lives, rarely leaving their homes. Frugally, they saved tiny scraps of silk and crafted beautiful ChoGakBo (patchwork wrapping cloths) during stolen moments of free time, both for practical use and for the joy of making them. They never realized that their handwork would ever leave their homes, or become precious heirlooms passed down through several generations. They would be amazed to know that their work now inspires artists not only in Korea, but on several continents.
BoJaGi are cloth wrappers made to protect as well as decorate their contents. The cloths are used to cover precious items such as beds, tables, and food items. Their practicality has ensured their survival over the centuries: the square and rectangular wrappers can be folded for compact storage in the
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small living spaces of Korean homes. These wrappers have decorative, religious, and symbolic uses as well.
Traditional Hand-stitched BoJaGi Wrapping Cloth
June 18, 2016 Meeting Fabric Shop-Hop: TBA
Upcoming Events April 15-16
Modern machine-stitched BoJaGi window art
The Yellow Rose Fiber Fiesta at the Seguin-Guadalupe County Coliseum. yellowrosefiberproducers.com
July 16
Community sewing at Old Quarry Library.
Bring your machine and basic sewing supplies, we will construct ready-for-assembly elastic waist shorts and pants for Safe Place.
Questions contact Carol Patrick [email protected] or Mossy Minner [email protected]
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August 20:
August 20- Northwest Sewing Center 5448 Burnet Rd. 78756. Program TBA
Sept 17:
National Sewing Month annual luncheon at Twin Creek Country Club TBA
This year’s our chapter’s sewing challenge is about Tassels, Textures and/or Trims on sewn item. These can include (but not be limited to) clothing, accessories, home- dec, quilts, etc. The sky’s the limit on creativity. As usual, we will showcase our beautiful items at the September luncheon. Have Fun!

New Members and Renewing members
New:
Mary Ellen Bond Doris Miller Gretchen Ahrendt Tanja Helms Debra Young Renewing: Pamela Barger Betty Davis Hannah Hassell
F. Marie Nisson Phyllis Raley
Joan Dickson Margaret Micek Deborah Webb Virginia Egal Brenda Kane Linda Metrick Mossy Minner Hatsuko Armistead Betsy Greak Barbara Widenor
Sew Fun
In January, February and March, Sew Fun made clothing for Safe Place. Hannah Hassell and I delivered 10 pair of flannel pajama pants, 10 pair of summer pants, 6 pair of shorts, 6 skirts, 3 dresses, 2 jackets, 1 polar fleece cape, 2 pair of Capri’s , 1 pair of Capri’s with tops for a total of 42 items.
We were greeted by Mary Leake who gave us a tour of one of the units where a mother and her children live. She was pleased to receive the clothing in time for Easter. We will continue to sew clothing for Safe Place. If you are unable to attend the regular hours of “Sew Fun,” you can still contribute by sewing items at home. I will bring fabric and patterns to the April meeting for anyone who would like to sew for Safe Place. Mossy Minner
Community Service Chair
Neighborhood Group
The Sew Fun Group for Community Service
meets Tuesdays of every month from 1:00-3:00 pm. at The Stitching Studio, 12325 Hymeadow Dr., Austin, TX 78750
Mossy Minner at [email protected] for more information 5


We are on Facebook!
Post comments and questions
• Take part in Discussions
• Show us what you’re creating by posting pictures
• Check Events Tab for meetings and other special events
• Share local sewing related information
• Share hints that make your sewing/crafting life easier http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Sewing-Guild-AustinCapital-Area- Chapter/143056565741693
ANYONE CAN WIN CONTEST
Anyone Can Win is the ASG equal opportunity sewing event because anyone who enters has a chance to win, regardless of sewing expertise or experience. Anyone Can Win is open to U.S. residents only:
ASG “over 18” members and anyone age 18 and under
ASG Junior Member 18 and under
Anyone 18 and under with an ASG sponsor (The sponsor does not need to be involved in sewing the entry)
To enter, make all or part of any of the chosen ASG patterns and then use the entry form on the ASG website, member’s only page. The more garments you enter, the greater your chances of winning!
Deadline for entries is July 1, 2016. So get sewing and enter!
• • •
ASG Mission Statement: Advancing sewing as an
art and life skill.
Would you like an ASG Name Tag?
Please contact Amelia Mettke. They are only $7.25
Are you part of our Yahoo Group?
The Yahoo Group allows every member to share interesting announcements,
tips and other good sewing ideas. If you would already have a Yahoo Account,
you can join our group at this link ASG Austin Yahoo Group There is a blue Join-this- Group-Button in the upper left corner. If you don’t have a Yahoo account, then members may click on the Yahoo button in the website’s member’s only page or contact me for an invitation to join (the easiest way!)or you can email Kathleen Bryan at
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION: A REMINDER!
Any ASG member requesting reimbursement from the chapter must fill out an EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT FORM and the original cash register receipts must be attached. These forms can be obtained from Treasurer Deb Webb.
TRAVELING THIS YEAR?
Check www.asg.org website for newsletters from other chapters, especially in Phoenix and Tucson. There may be events run by the Chapters you may want to attend. Consider checking for newsletters from Chapters in other states when traveling. You may be pleasantly surprised by an event scheduled while you are there!
Managing your ASG Membership Information
ASG National website, www.ASG.ORG, “Members Only” area login has a temporary password until further notice. You will receive this temporary username and password from National when you are confirmed as a member. For renewing members, the username and password are on the back of your membership card. The American Sewing Guild is a non-profit organization of home sewists.
Our purpose is to provide information, education and programs for our members and the community.
Membership in the Guild is open to the public.
Membership in the American Sewing Guild is $50 for new members, $45 for renewing members.
Changes of address Don’t miss an issue!
If we do not have your current mailing and email address, you WILL NOT receive newsletters or other important information.
Membership data is managed at ASG Headquarters. Changes can be made online or by mail using ASG National’s website or mailing address.
Chapter Affiliation
If you wish to change your Chapter Affiliation to one other than the original one you joined, you must notify ASG about the change.
Changes to chapter affiliation, and adding an Email for the first time, must still be done by National ASG.
American Sewing Guild 9660 Hillcroft Suite 510 Houston TX 77096 Phone: 713.729.300 Fax: 713.721.9230 Website: www.asg.org
Chapter Advisory Board
CAB meetings are open to all ASG members. We welcome your participation and input. Date, time and location are available from any CAB member.
The deadline for submitting material for the July/August/September issue of
Sew Austintatious is 7
June 27, 2016
For details, contact the president at [email protected]


ASG CONFERENCE 2016: COMING HOME TO INDIANAPOLIS!
ASG Conference 2016 is in Indianapolis, a city which can rightfully claim the title of the birthplace of the American Sewing Guild.
The idea for ASG was conceived in the late 1970’s by the American Home Sewing Association (AHSA), which at that time was the trade association for the sewing industry. AHSA hired Young & Rubicam (Y & R), an advertising agency who conducted research about the state of the sewing industry. One of the things this research “institutionalized” was the fact that sewers perceived their hobby as a solitary activity, rather than a social one. AHSA set out to change that perception!
Y & R recommended a national consumer “guild” and created the original ASG logo, a pinked-edge fabric patch with “The American Sewing Guild” on it. Based on the areas’ demographics, Indianapolis, IN and Denver, CO were selected as the first two test markets. Although these two chapters debuted almost simultaneously in late 1978 with a series of fashion shows/sewing events, Indianapolis was the first stop for each event. Fabric retailers in both cities (including venerable names like Stretch & Sew, Minnesota Fabrics, Fabri-Centers of America and Cloth World) and local media enthusiastically embraced the idea. Hundreds of sewers turned out for the first fashion show in the Indianapolis Convention Center. Susan McKee, sewing and stitchery editor for The Indianapolis Star, was one of ASG’s biggest fans, consistently writing about the Guild’s activities in the area.
At the very beginning stages, AHSA thought that one of its staff members could oversee the Guild in addition to her existing job responsibilities. It soon became clear that ASG was a major endeavor that needed almost full-time attention. AHSA hired Anne Marie Soto, our current Notions editor, to serve as the consultant national administrator during the start-up years of the Guild. Anne Marie made many trips to Indianapolis and Denver (remember, this was before Facebook, Skype and all the other things that make interaction easier today) to work with a core group of founding members in Indianapolis and Denver. These ASG pioneers helped shape the bylaws and committee structure (including Neighborhood Groups) for our chapters. Although this structure has been tweaked and improved over the years, their early input has proved to be enduring.
In 1980, Houston, TX and Minneapolis, MN joined the ASG family, followed by Orange County, CA and Greater Washington, DC (1981), Seattle, WA (1983), and Syracuse, NY and Boston, MA (1984). Several of these (in particular, Washington, DC- now the Maryland Chapter - and Seattle and Boston) were initially very successful, then petered out to be reborn later as vital ASG chapters.
During the beginning years of ASG, there were still many fabric retailers. The Denver Post and The Indianapolis Star produced advertising supplements with the entire content, including ads, devoted to sewing. When ASG expanded, The Houston Chronicle and The Minneapolis Star followed suit.
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As part of the start-up program, each local guild had a chapter administrator who worked closely with Anne Marie and the AHSA offices in New York. But as ASG grew, it needed a full-time national administrator who worked exclusively for ASG. AHSA hired Edie von Kamecke, who had been Indianapolis’ chapter administrator. Although Edie was employed by AHSA, she continued to live and work in Indianapolis . . . another reason Indianapolis is so important to ASG’s history! Edie served as the national administrator until 1992.
ASG continued to be under the umbrella of AHSA until the early ‘90s. However, ASG’s long-term goal for many years was to be an independent, self-supporting organization with its own headquarters. We accomplished that in 2001 . . . a move that included establishing our national headquarters in Houston, TX.
Indianapolis had another first: in 1996, it was the location of ASG’s first independent national conference. And now, 20 years later, we return to Indianapolis for ASG Conference 2016!
Sewing With a Plan (SWAP)
Sewing with a Plan, or SWAP for short, encourages you to think in terms of wardrobes, not individual pieces, when you sew. The idea is not to end up with gorgeous singles that you can wear to a holiday party, but a closet full of clothes that mix and match. As far as I know, it was first proposed in the magazine Australian Stitches in 2003. Since then, the sewing site Stitcher’s Guild (at www.artisanssquare.com) has made it a yearly challenge. How does it work? Here are some basic ideas: choose simple patterns in styles you wear often; pick a color palette with two basic colors and accent color or two; only buy prints that coordinate with your basic colors. These photos are from the Australian Stitches articles. Stage one—eleven garments—2 pants, 2 skirts, 6 tops, one cardigan jacket. Stage Two: One cardigan, 3 long-sleeve tops in tones that coordinate, 1 long skirt in a print, 1 blouse or top in the same print 1 knee-
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length skirt in a solid color, 2 more pairs of pants. Reprinted from Pressing Issues, Orange County Chapter, California
Chapter Advisory Board
President: Jan Comeaux, [email protected] (512) 963-8371 Secretary: Therese Smith, [email protected] (512) 327-2941
Treasurer: Deb Webb, [email protected] (512) 657-7681 Website: Nanette Lemma, [email protected] (512) 837-8046
Newsletter: Jessie Shumake, [email protected] (512) 459-5137 Programs: Carol Patrick, [email protected] (512) 750-7922
Membership: Kathleen Bryan, [email protected] (830) 627-2174 Community Service: Mossy Minner, [email protected] (512) 258-3891
Hospitality: Loretta Gradek, [email protected], (512) 331-5572 Amelia Mettke, [email protected] (512) 288-1994
Special Events: Hannah Hassell, [email protected] (512) 550-1752

Reminder:
When you receive your renewal card, return it immediately so you won’t forget. You can also renew online and specify automatic renewal online.
ASG HQ must receive your renewal by the end of the month
when your membership expires or you will be deleted from the ASG rolls.
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Austin/Capital Area Chapter of the American Sewing Guild 277 Conestoga Cove
Lago Vista, TX 78645
TIME-DATED MATERIAL
PROMPT DELIVERY REQUESTED
The Austin/Capital Area Chapter of the American Sewing Guild
is a local chapter of a national Non-profit organization. Its officers and leaders are all volunteers. Our purpose is to provide education on sewing to our members and the community. We hope to encourage and inspire people to sew. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in sewing. For more information, contact the President or Membership chair.
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