Zentangle®, is where art and craft meet meditation and careful thought. Zentangle®, founded by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, is a method of creating complex art from repetitive lines and easily sketched forms, all while enjoying a relaxing state of thoughtfulness. It’s a lot like the doodling we’ve all done while waiting on a phone […]
Could You, Would You, Make a Vest for Dr. Seuss Day?
March 1 is Dr. Seuss Day. Every year when it comes around, I am reminded of this experience. I am fortunate to have a son who is always willing to help me out. When I needed to have my large embroidery machine serviced, he carried it in without a hint of annoyance. He never complained […]
The French Jacket Experience
The allure of the classic French jacket – its mystique has captivated for years. Long before rediscovering garment sewing several years ago, I admired this garment for its timeless elegance on the outside, never understanding that the magic on the inside is the real story. Quilting lofty bouclé to silk lining with rows of stitches […]
Community Service Around the Country
It’s a forgone conclusion that if you are a member of the American Sewing Guild, you obviously love to sew. Why else would you be a member? But in addition to a general love of sewing, one of the hallmarks of ASG has always been a love of sewing for the benefit of others. Over […]
Celebrate National Embroidery Month with ASG
High Top Sneaker Bags When American Sewing Guild member Donna Fleming brought her “high top sneaker” bags to an ASG Princeton Chapter meeting, she certainly caused quite a stir among those who were there. Everyone wanted to check out these adorable bags she created for her granddaughters. The bags feature great detail, yet are very […]
The Dior Exhibition
On a beautiful, sunny day in January, the Colorado Springs ASG garment group toured the Dior exhibition held at the Denver Art Museum. I had heard glowing reviews from other friends who had attended, but I was not prepared for the scope of the offering. A selection of more than 200 couture dresses was on […]
An Easy and Precise Technique for Hand Quilting
This easy technique for hand quilting requires limited skills and mimics the precision of machine quilting. 1. Load the machine, both top and in the bobbin, with water soluble thread. 2. Set the machine stitch length for the desired hand-stitch length. For the stitches to show up in this demonstration, the stitch length will be […]
The Story Behind the Notions Story-Fall 2018
Guest post by Anne Marie Soto, editor of Notions, the ASG publication available with membership in the American Sewing Guild ASG members are intrigued by all things having to do with fabric. Those who started out as garment sewers occasionally delve into the art of quilting while, for others, it was quilting that first drew […]
ASG’s 40th Birthday
We’re celebrating 40 years of ASG! Take a look back in time to ASG’s beginning.
The Story Behind the Notions Story – Summer 2018
Last summer, I was fortunate to spend some time in Estonia, where I attended Craft Camp, a multi-day exploration of Estonian crafts. There I met sewers and fiber artists from around the world. Our shared passion created some instant bonding! This wonderful experience was the inspiration for the cover story in the latest issue of […]
The Story Behind the Notions Story – Spring 2018
Does a white shirt have to be boring? No way! And certainly not according to ASG member Ellen Miller, author of this issue’s cover story as well as of the new book, “Creating Couture Embellishment.” Ellen turned her talents to four basic store-bought shirts, but her ideas would work equally well on a variety of […]
Sew Fun Tour: Go to Hong Kong? Are you kidding me?
I’d never been to more than four states and I was thinking about going to the other side of the world, all by myself. Was I crazy? The caveat was that I ‘d be with other sewers and two experienced guides. What was the worst that could happen? Maybe I’d get lost in a foreign […]
Make Your Own “Sampler” Pack of Sewing Favorites
Like most sewing enthusiasts, I have sewing and embroidery supplies that I use over and over because they work well for many different applications. This is especially true for interfacings and embroidery stabilizers. To keep track of my supplies, I normally take the label off the outside of the roll and insert it inside the […]
The Story Behind Notions – Winter 2018
Our cover story, “A Bomber Bonanza,” explores the many fashion options offered by this formerly utilitarian jacket. It’s showing up in so many interesting fabrications and with all sorts of embellishments. It also presents a new canvas for wearable art techniques. And because we are seeing it in everything from fake fur to organza, it’s […]
My 2018 Calendar
Happy 2018! It’s a new year, which means a lot of new opportunities…doesn’t it make you wonder how this year will unfold and what new experiences are awaiting you? At the end of every year I purchase a new calendar. To me it is like starting with a whole new slate. Any personal sewing project […]
