This post is an example of how our members move other sewers to go forth and SEW BRILLIANTLY.

Judy Gonzales is an ASG member who personified the ASG mission statement (see banner above) when she issued this sewing challenge first to her Neighborhood Group, then to ASG members of the Houston Chapter. Here was the challenge:

“Find an image of a high end item: fashion, home décor or accessory with a retail value of $1,000 or more. “Re-invent” it, but be true to the intent of the original”. You get Judy’s idea…..

Some members took Judy’s challenge seriously and crafted their project brilliantly. The results were announced & displayed at the annual meeting of the Houston Chapter in December 2011. Take a look at some results. Be impressed & inspired.

Member Ann Leudeman invoked the British Royal wedding extravaganza by creating her own fascinator.

Judy Gonzales' bag and the original inspiration

Member Judy Gonzales took inspiration from a Michael Kors bag and look what she did! And then ………. Judy went bananas.  She did not stop with the MK bag; she made a needle felted bag inspired by a Chanel purse, and then she saw earrings worn by Drew Barrymore in an advertisement and made a pair for herself. 

Judy Gonzales' needle felted bag and the inspiration

Judy's earrings & the inspiration picture

Marilyn Bullen's bag, and image of the original inspiration

Member Marilyn Bullen was inspired by a Ralph Lauren hobo style bag and rocked her own version with hand painted motifs which reflected the colors and spirit of the original. Note Marilyn’s initials in the same spot where the Ralph Lauren company put in theirs!

Member Hazel Holland used a Bottega Venetta handbag as a very expensive inspiration and look what she hath wrought.

Hazel's Bottega Venetta-inspired bag

Barbara Jones was inspired by Brunello Cucinelli

Member Barbara Jones took inspiration from a Brunello Cucinelli bag retailing for more than $3000 and created a bag worthy of the most luxe accessory wardrobe.

Most of the featured projects here are accessories, so how about a “Fashion $1000 Challenge”? Is anyone game? Anyone can participate, just for fun and bragging rights.

Readers, this is how ASG members are inspired to keep sewing whether it’s for themselves, or someone else, or for community service purposes!  We know there are sewing enthusiasts out there who have sewn brilliantly, inspired by a very highly priced item. Let us know and send pictures to our Facebook or to me at saminaATasgDOTorg. Please do comment here — our aim is your enjoyment & inspiration whether you are a member or not!

We know you’re inspired. Right?

Samina

Follow us on Twitter @SewingGuild

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We have a guest post today from blogger/designer/crafter/seamstress/upcycler/mom and ASG member Heather Valentine. I adore the simple, extremely charming projects made  by Heather and posted on her blog site The Sewing Loft. And…. I love that Heather is a graduate of FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York. Read on and make a cozy or two. Even if you are an advanced seamstress, I’ll bet you cannot stop at just one! Send us pictures!  Many thanks also go to Erin Harris of  the House On Hill Road blog where you will find the actual pattern for this cozy.   Samina

From Heather: 

While chatting with Samina at ASG Headquarters, she told me that she would love to share my Coffee Cozie “How To” and I was flattered! This easy tutorial is part of my KISS series on the blog. It is super simple to make and is a wonderful way to use up scraps.

This project is for sewers of with basic skills.

Skill Level 

Materials:

• fabric

• batting (side note- I used a piece of fleece, remember clean out time!)

• hair pony

• button

Basic Instructions:

Since these posts are all about “Keepin’ it Super Simple”, I am not going to reinvent the wheel and create a new pattern. House On Hill Road blog has this easy to follow pattern. Click here for the direct link.

1. To be fair, I wanted more room to “play” and get creative on my cozie. So, I increased the height by 1/4″. Then I outlined my pattern direct onto the face of my fabric. This is now my “canvas”.

2. I wanted to create a fun abstract figure. So, after a quick sketch, I began cutting and layering everything up until I was happy with the outlook.

3. Then over to the machine to stitch everything in place with a straight stitch. This is where you should have fun! Consider using contrast thread or even a decorative stitch.

4. Then return back to the directions from House On Hill Road and you are all set.

How cute are they! My girls wrap them around glasses instead of hot coffee. It helps reduce the number of half filled glasses at my house.

**Need a gift- no problem! Add a few boxes of flavored tea and you have a super simple yet personalized gift!

Remember, Keep It Super Simple!!

Happy Crafting!

~Heather, The Sewing Loft

Readers, do make this coffee cozy & send us your thoughts in the comment section. You can post pictures on the ASG Facebook page. Is this an awesome cold weather PSD (perfect sewing day) project or what!

Samina

Folow us on Twitter @SewingGuild

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I had the opportunity to attend a lecture by Dr. Carolyn Weber of Columbia University. The subject was Marie Antoinette, the unfortunate queen of eighteenth century France. The lecture was based on Dr. Weber’s fascinating book “Queen of Fashion, What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution”. It painted a picture of a dauphine (princess) obsessed with clothes and fashion. When she became queen that obsession contributed not only to her rise as a fashion icon of her time, but also to her violent demise.

Marie Antoinette wearing a "gaulle"

She became a trendsetter whose attire was widely copied by all European women. It is also fair to say that some of the fashions she started pretty much rolled over into women’s fashions for hundreds of years. I found specially interesting the reference to a white muslin dress which Marie Antoinette and her contemporaries called the gaulle. The Queen and her female entourage  wore the gaulle at the Petite Trianon, a retreat where she wanted to relax, away from the formalities of Versailles. It was a white muslin tunic with a ruffled neckline, tied at the waist and the sleeves with pretty ribbons, and caught on like wildfire in 18th century France and the rest of Europe.

You can see various versions of the gaulle in paintings of women in subsequent years. Depictions and photographs of the all-American Gibson girl show another heyday of the white muslin dress in the western world. Do you have pictures of your ancestors from this era wearing pretty white clothing?

And, who can forget the white Travilla halter dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in the iconic grate photograph!

Dear readers, please feel free to comment on your quintessential piece of white clothing! Do you live in white dresses in the summer? Have you sewn any white garments which are now your favorites? I did!

Samina

Follow us on Twitter @SewingGuild

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Two more ASG staffers reveal their innermost sewing ambitions to be accomplished before they go to that big sewing room up in the sky:

 Maria Trevino, ASG Conference Administrator:

“To curtail my activities in other groups such as the pond society, rose society, beekeepers society so that I can spend more time in the sewing room. I will work hard to downsize my sewing stash by sewing or gifting my fabric, tools, patterns and notions.  I also would like to refresh my workbook of fine sewing techniques”.

Anne Marie Soto, Editor of Notions: 

“My resolution for 2012 is to make some sort of headway in my huge fabric stash. Of particular concern:

1) Finally transforming that perfect tone-on-tone yellow striped fabric (bought a whole bolt on sale!!!) into living room curtains. I do NOT love naked windows.

2) Then there’s that yummy red velour that I bought on Fabric Row at ASG Conference 2002 in Philadelphia. Would be nice to make it into a robe while the “cozy” season is still upon us.

3) And of course, there’s the luscious wool tweed that I bought in London in 19??. I could take my own editorial advice and “Channel Chanel” with a great jacket.”

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Now that you’ve read this post, it is your duty to comment about it. No excuses.

Samina

Follow us on Twitter at @SewingGuild

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Guest post by Anne Marie Soto, editor of “Notions”, the ASG publication available with membership in the American Sewing Guild:

Winter 2012 Issue of Notions

If you’ve never been to an ASG Conference, you’re really missing out on lots of fun and sewing inspiration. And, for me, it’s also a source of inspiration for Notions’ articles. During my wanderings at ASG Conference 2011 in Los Angeles, I dropped in on a workshop full of enthusiastic participants, all playing with a new product: deColourant.

Rosemary playing wth deColourant!

Then, a few weeks after returning home, we got an e-mail from Rosemary St. Clair telling us what fun she was having experimenting with this new product . . . and wouldn’t it make a great article for Notions? A cover story was born!

Gale Grigg Hazen

And more ASG Conference serendipity is responsible for the “A Thread by Any Other Name” article by Gale Grigg Hazen. Gale and I had a during-conference chat about her current sewing enthusiasms and Bulky Nylon overlock thread was high on her list . . . generating the seeds of yet another article.

In this issue, we’ve also introduced an occasional Sew ‘n Tell feature, “Inspired by Notions.” It showcases two very different inspirations: Chicago, Ill. Chapter member Pat Wilfinger’s generous sewing contributions to the One Dress at a Time program and the ASG blog that you are reading today. Pat’s sewing venture was inspired by an article by Phoenix, Ariz. Chapter member Rachel Soza, which appeared in the Winter 2009 issue of Notions. This ASG blog, which is shepherded (and mostly written) by ASG Headquarters staff member Samina Mirza, is an outgrowth of her Summer 2011 cover story, “The New Sewing Enablers.” If you’ve been inspired to try a new technique, create a special garment, enter a sewing contest, use your sewing skills to help others, or embark on any other sewing-related adventure thanks to something you read in Notions, I’d love to hear from you. E-mail me at editorial@asg.org with your story. Send photos, too!

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Simplicity’s American Sewing Guild pattern collection. The collection came into being as part of ASG’s 25th anniversary celebration and was the genesis of our first Creativity Contest. This year, in lieu of the Creativity Contest, we’ve developed the “Anyone Can Win” event, which is open only to ASG members and anyone age 18 and under who is sponsored by an ASG member. If you can sew, you could win! For complete details, go to the Members Only section of www.asg.org and click on the Contest 2012 banner . . . or read all about it in your current issue of Notions.

Anne Marie Soto

ASG Members, and everyone else, have you used deColourant? If you have, comment here! If you have any question, ask in the comment section below.  Come on — you can do it   – Samina. Follow us on Twitter @SewingGuild

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