ASG Conference

March 6, 2024

2024 Conference Fashion Show Entry

Fashion by the Bay

Dive into a colorful tapestry of creativity as you join other ASG members on the grand stage at this year’s Conference. Whether you’re into everyday chic, athleisure comfort, vintage vibes, upcycled treasures, ethnic flair, lounge wear, or special occasion wear, the spotlight is yours. Let your imagination run wild because there’s no limit to the magic you can create. Garments, quilts, accessories, cosplay, or fiber arts — all projects are welcome. Show us everything you’ve got and let your creativity soar! No previous experience necessary.

Rules for entries:

Open to ASG members, 2024 Instructors at the ASG Conference, and 2024 Conference Vendors
Limit of two (2) items. Use one submission form for each item submitted.
Please include a photo or drawing of the item. Fabric swatches are not required, but you may include a separate photo of the fabric if desired.
Include a written commentary of no more than 75 words for each submission.
Deadline for submissions is June 15, 2024.

If you prefer, you may complete a paper form to mail in.

January 27, 2023

Sewing Get-aways & Retreats

It goes without saying that we love to sew with friends—after all, that’s why we’re members of ASG! But getting away from your usual locale and sewing with friends is twice as nice. Think about attending a sewing retreat.

A sewing retreat can be organized by a group of friends, by your chapter, by a business (think fabric store, quilt shop, etc., or by a teacher) and it can be at the business location or some other beckoning destination like the coast, mountains, etc. Sewists can fly or drive to the destination, depending on proximity. Before you sign up for a sewing adventure though, be sure you know exactly what you’re getting. Another great “retreat” option — albeit on a larger scale and full of education, social events, tours, and more — is, of course, ASG Conference.

What is the cost of the retreat?

Are you paying a single fee for an all-inclusive package, or are you paying individually for things on-site? If it’s the former, be sure you know exactly what the fee includes, and the cancellation policies of the group or person organizing the adventure. Is full payment due at the time of sign-up, or can you pay multiple payments over time?

How will you get there?

If the retreat is away from your home town, how you get there can greatly influence what you might be able to take with you. Transporting a large sewing or embroidery machine on a plane can be troublesome for both you and the machine. If you’re going cross-county for a getaway, check with the event organizer to see if a machine can be rented or borrowed on-site.

Drivable events offer more flexibility in what you can bring with you, as you can pack as much as space allows, though if you’re carpooling, space may be limited.

Image provided by stitchinggirlssociety.org

What is provided at the destination?

This could include lodging if it’s a far-away location. Can you opt for a single room (usually with an up-charge), or specify a roommate, or are the sleeping arrangements dormitory style? You may have a different comfort level with each of those options.

If lodging isn’t included, how close is the nearest hotel or motel to the sewing destination? Is there a shuttle offered between the locations?

What is the plan for meals? Is food provided by the host, or does everyone take turns cooking for the group, or do you just fend for yourself for each meal? If it’s the latter, does the location have individual cooking facilities, and how close is it to restaurants and markets? Restaurant outings for all meals can add a considerable amount to the cost of a retreat.

It’s very likely that tables and chairs are provided in the destination sewing area, but what about cutting mats, mirrors (for fitting if you’re making garments), irons and ironing boards? Perhaps there are bulletin boards or design walls available, if needed. Sewing space may be limited, so check what your actual space and table size will be so you can judge how many things to take.

Of utmost importance could be proximity of the nearest fabric store. Not only to acquire something you might have forgotten or run out of, but also in case someone else’s project inspires you.

It seems that most sewing retreats always have a large snack table. It’s hard not to stop on your way to the ironing station or coffee pot, but keep in mind that you’ll likely be there for several days, so show moderation. Or, promise yourself to stick with fruit, nuts, etc., with only an occasional sugary indulgence.

What is the format of the retreat?

Some get-aways are structured around a specific topic, like fitting, a single garment pattern or a mystery quilt, while others are a free-for-all and everyone sews whatever they want. If it’s a single project, often kits are provided for participants—perhaps included in the retreat fee, or for an additional fee.

For retreats featuring a noted teacher, there may be a scheduled time when he/she is demonstrating a specific technique, so be sure you know the timetable and plan accordingly to keep up with lessons.

Are there designated sewing times, or do you simply have access to the sewing area 24/7, like with an individual key to the room?

What else is there to do nearby?

Although most of us are excited to be able to sew uninterrupted 24/7, sometimes you just might need a break—like a walk on the beach or a stroll through a summer garden. Or for some, shopping at quaint shops or an outlet mall. Be sure you know what’s near the retreat location if you need a diversion.

Making memories and new friends at sewing retreats is priceless, so check online to find one that entices you to get away!

~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .

September 25, 2021

2021 ASG Conference Update

With deep disappointment, we share the news that the 2021 Conference in Newport Beach has been cancelled.

We all worked extremely hard to move the conference to October and could not have imagined the ongoing issues that would ultimately prevent the event from happening, including:

Many of our educators have been uncomfortable with the idea of participating under current circumstances.
Understandable member concerns with travel and gathering have resulted in low registration numbers that wouldn’t allow us to cover the cost of the event.
The hotel is still undergoing a remodel and remains understaffed and without an open restaurant on site.
Due to staffing concerns with local decorators that set up the booths, we have been unable to contract with anyone for this and were resorting to tabletop displays.
With limited display area, low attendance numbers, and ongoing shipping issues, many of our traditional vendors have been choosing to wait until 2022 to participate.

Registrations will be refunded and we understand most airlines are waiving change fees to allow those who have scheduled now to reschedule to next year’s event.

ASG Conference 2022
June 30-July 3 | San Antonio, TX

We are very hopeful that things will improve and our members will be able to safely and happily travel and join together at Conference again.

As with every negative, there are positives. We have now become quite proficient at pivoting to address ongoing changes. Our intentions for moving forward are to work with many of the teachers who would have taught in Newport Beach to convert their classes to virtual events over the coming months. In addition, we will look to work with virtual vendor events as well.

We give our heartfelt appreciation to everyone whose hopes were as high as ours and had planned to attend this year, along with those who were rooting for us to proceed. Sincerest thanks to everyone involved in the planning, especially the Orange County Chapter President, Geri Guerra, and Special Events Chair, Diane Jakubowski.

I wish to personally thank our staff who have struggled to meet and overcome so many challenges throughout this process, along with our Directors whose guidance and support has been so valuable. An abundance of gratitude goes out to the educators that have worked with us to provide class offerings for this year’s conference.

Finally, we send our thanks to each of you, our members, for your patience and understanding as we navigate these waters and once again begin the process of creating new plans. We will continue to keep you updated as new information is available.

Sincerely,
Margo Martin
Executive Director

March 12, 2020

Meet Patty Dunn with All Dunn Designs

This month we are pleased to turn the spotlight on a very special independent designer, Patty Dunn of All Dunn Designs and part of the Corpus Christi Chapter.

Many of you may already know the All Dunn Design line from ads in sewing magazines, from her nine years of sewing shows on PBS, or from her many classes she has taught at our ASG conferences. But did you know that it was just such a class that gave birth to the Corpus Christi Chapter 24 years ago? Patty taught a fitting and tailoring class at the local junior college and the students wanted to stay in contact and continue to see each other after the class. Patty explained, “So I agreed they could come to my house once a month. The group started with 9, and there were 20 in just a couple months. So we rented a space at the art center. It grew real fast. I had heard about ASG, presented it to the group, and we signed up. I think we had been going for about a year when we decided to join.”

It started with a Christmas gift

And how did Patty develop her interest in sewing? She credits it to the Christmas she turned 9 when her parents bought her a child’s, metal, hand cranked sewing machine. That started her sewing clothes for her bride doll that she still has today. By the time she was in 8th grade, she was making her own clothes with a little help from her Home Ec. Class.

Patty was also inspired by a friend of her mother’s who had a sewing room. She says, “When I saw everything she was creating and the machines all set up with fabric everywhere, I was amazed! I was probably around 7 years old, but it really impressed me.”

In the 1980’s, Patty became a certified mechanic for Bernina, Viking, and Janome sewing machines and was trained in sales for those machines. She continued her sewing education by taking classes at various conferences.

From dolls and bags to something more

When asked how she got started in her own business, Patty explained, “I began by selling dolls and bags at craft shows. Then people began to want me to sew for them. Many of my clients wanted me to copy something they loved or something they saw in a magazine. Many had unique fitting issues, so I began making a basic shell that fit them, and then I designed from that. In the late 1990’s, I began making patterns for clients to sew, and from there I began my own pattern line.”

Her patterns are simple, easy to make designs that differ from the big four. She explains, “I use a more realistic base pattern that starts narrower at the shoulders and gives more room in the hips. My patterns are not for the models on the New York runway, but then, who really looks like that? Our bodies have changed to much fuller proportions.”

Patty offers a 15% discount to all ASG members. See the Special Offers page in the ASG members area for more information.

Patty credits her inspiration for her designs from clothing in stores, catalogs with creative clothing, and internet browsing. She says, “You never know where you might find inspiration. There is a shop in the Houston airport I always love to go in when I’m there. It might be the embroidery or the color combinations, sleeves, or collar. Just one thing can be incorporated into something I might try. Designing is my favorite aspect of sewing, but teaching is also a favorite. I’m thrilled when I can help someone be successful in what they create. And I love to problem solve, just NOT with math.”

Like most of us who sew, Patty laments the changes in local fabric stores with so many of them going out of business. “The fabric stores change with the trends, now believing that people aren’t sewing clothing anymore. I hate the concept that people don’t sew because it is cheaper to buy clothes already made. Although this is now true, it is discouraging. Thread can cost as much or more than we used to pay for a yard of fabric.”

An eye to the future

Looking to the future she says, “At some point, and I already see it changing, people will respect you if you are able to sew. We have become a society of ‘get everything quick and easy.’ Knowing a skill like sewing will be valuable because EVERYONE wears clothing and no matter where they get it from, someone ran a sewing machine through the fabric. I believe someday there will be more recognition for the value in knowing how to put a garment together from beginning to end and people will pay well for that service. More independent designers have become respected for their expertise.” She went on to praise the blogs and sharing that are so popular on the internet and noted the fabulous new machines and sewing tools that have made it more convenient to sew.

We are pleased to have Patty as a part and know she has much more to contribute to her craft, for after all, she is not “done” yet. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

To see Patty’s designs and to get fitting and sewing information, she provides two links:

Patterns: www.alldunndesigns.com/
Fitting and sewing: www.patternmd.com

Patty offers a 15% discount to all ASG members. See the Special Offers page in the ASG members area for more information.

~ Rosemary Fajgier

The American Sewing Guild is truly fortunate to be able to count many gifted sewing designers and instructors among our friends, members, and supporters. Throughout this coming year we will be featuring some of them in our Notions Blog. We hope you will enjoy reading about them and take the opportunity to get to know them better and explore their many talents by visiting their websites, taking their classes, and discovering the wide variety of designs they bring to the home sewing market.

September 20, 2019

2019 Fashion Show

Enjoy the video from the One if by Land, Two if by Sea Fashion Show from the 2019 ASG Conference in Boston. The show was emceed by Nick Coman from Dragonfly Dyeworks.