SYNCOPATED THREADS EXHIBIT Field Trip

While GRASG Chapter meetings are on Zoom for the winter, Neighborhood groups are meeting regularly.  The SWNG (based primarily in the Kzoo/Battle Creek area) will take a field trip to The Battle Creek Art Center for the Syncopated Threads exhibit. The group focuses on art quilts and will be delightful.  Add lunch to the mix and it proves to be a great day!

GRASG had a fun experience while dialoging with Diane from Style Falcon.   Many older ladies in the chapter wondered how to dress with class and yet not look silly.  Diane’s interactive presentation started with the history of where we have come from with the navy business suit for work and today’s typical work wardrobe and transition to a retirement wardrobe.  She had three strategies: uniforms, classics and the “third-piece.”

After discussing color, drama, proportion, style and age-appropriate clothing, a personal uniform, more or less clothing for power, and more, it boiled down to what works for you. Start with what you like and feel-good wearing, keeping in mind that well-fitting garments look and feel the best.

Well fitting garments take us to the next step of looking over the Style Falcon patterns that are designed for the mature figure.  Diane offered a two day discount to GRASG members for patterns from her collection.  Many of the issues that are dealt with in the Style Falcon patterns are the same issues many of our older population struggle with.  My personal fitting issues, in my ongoing fitting saga, were all mentioned in her list of mature fitting issues.  Will Style Falcon patterns give me a perfect fit?  Of course not, but it gives me a great starting point.  What more can I ask for?

We like each other soooo much!!!…

That we find ways to be together.  GRASG has numerous meetings per month with different focuses but our small Neighborhood Groups and random get togethers can’t be beat.  It gives us an opportunity to get to know each other much better.  Pictured are two small groups, one an official Neighborhood Group and another small group of Sewing Guild friends who just like to spend time together.

Although GRASG Chapter does not meet in December, it is a busy month none the less.  Some members met to perform their community service at Paws with a Cause.  Several Neighborhood groups continue meeting in December.  Several groups were having special meal get-togethers to celebrate their friendship and love of sewing.  Among those sharing a meal were the NE Neighborhood group with a potluck lunch and the CAB with their annual Christmas Brunch.

CAB BRUNCH

Speaking of the CAB, Brunch, this appeared recently on Facebook:   

A very special group of ladies from the GRASG got together this past weekend to celebrate GRASG and each other.  They are the BACKBONE of a fantastic chapter of the American Sewing Guild.  This small group of people, members of the CAB (Chapter Advisory Board,) do many of the tasks that make GRASG so dynamic.  Their tasks can be project based, ongoing or domestic & tech help where help is needed or through committees.  Many hands make light work.

Well done ladies and THANK YOU!!!    GRASG would not be what it is without you.  

GEL PRINTING for Fabulous Quilts

Nancy Roelfsma, the speaker for the November 2024 GRASG meeting. demonstrated her method for gel printing.  She started with paint, a silicone plate, and a brayer.  Gradually, tools from around the house, stamps and stencils were used to add embellishment to a simple square of muslin.  She explained the easiest method to get the most beautiful one of a kind fabrics, even some with sparkles.  It was fascinating watching a piece of muslin come to life to be one little part of a gorgeous quilt.  Even her least favorite fabrics and color combinations became a stunning nine patch quilt.  Along the way, she delighted us with a trunk show of different gel print quilts.  Thanks Nancy, for showing us a delightful evening.   

Don't forget to check out the Photos page to see all of the great Show & Tell our members brought in.

•  The earnings of the Fulton Street Market Rummage Sale through September yielded, about $1700.   Leftover items that did not sell were displayed at the meeting and were available to members for a donation.
• While we still have reservations for Retreat at Blue Gate Inn for 2025, Nancy Jackson spoke to the possibility of changes to retreat in coming years.  She distributed a short survey about retreat preferences to determine what things are important to retreat-goers for the future.
• Dawn & Barb gave a very informative presentation on Buying  Fabric Online.  They reviewed a number of online fabric stores and their strengths and weaknesses.  They emphasized the importance of the ‘hand’ of the fabric.  They mentioned the importance of knowing the weight, fiber properties, knit properties, texture, fabric finish, drape, opacity, and stretch.  Having a swatch book with properties of each swatch help to indicate what a fabric will be like.  Dawn donated a swatch book to the library.  Barb showed a monthly color-coordinated sample book of swatches that she gets from an online swatch club. The monthly swatch sample booklet gives detailed info about the properties of each swatch and an opportunity to ‘feel’ the fabric. They told about some sew-along kits to help customers define what fabrics are best for what types of projects.  Some stores are offering interesting perks and clubs to gain customer loyalty and provide learning opportunities for their customers.  Well done, ladies!
• Even though the meeting time was up, we still had more activities to go.  After a very short break, we gathered into a circle to play a game to distribute the Orphan Fabric Challenge fabrics.
• The meeting ended with some very beautiful Show-and-Tell items.
• Check out the Photos page of the GRASG website www.GRASG.org/Photos to see more pictures of the Annual Meeting activities and the beautiful pieces made by our talented members. 

GRASG’s 2024 Fall Season is gearing up for a great year! 

Many exciting events are scheduled for the fall. 

• September 10, 2024 Jessica Rabbitt will show us how to make London Leggings.  She has her own sewing business, mostly making children’s clothing. 
• September 16, 2024, SWMI Garment group will meet.
• September 17, 2024, GR Evening NG Meeting
• September 19, 2024, Coopersville Museum Road Trip.   We will be going to see “Quilts and their stories”.  Lunch will follow at the Champs Bar and Grill in Coopersville.
• September 23, 2024, SWNG will have a Community Service meeting to cut fleece hats & mittens to be donated.  Members will sew them at home.
• September 29, 2024, Fulton Street Market GRASG Sale and Craft event.   Shop for all kinds of sewing tools, thread, fabrics, unfinished projects, artsy jackets and other sewing surprises.  Join us in sewing a small craft item in the Market building.
• September 30, 2024, GR Morning NG meeting.

As you can see, the events for this month are way too numerous to list all the details, but you can see details at the GRASG website and calendar.  www.GRASG.org/Calendar and www.GRASG.org/SpecialEvents .

If you are not a member and would like to see if we are a good fit for you, we invite you to join us for up to 2 meetings for free.  We would LOVE to have you join us.

Who would have thought that so much could be packed into one event?    The day began with thirteen guild members participating in a Tour at Paws with a Cause.  We were welcomed to Paws by Michele Suchovsky, CEO.  She spoke about the future building changes that will be happening in the next year.  Becky Canale, Client Relations Manager, took over the tour explaining the different areas of the Paws facility, like the apartment set up area and our sewing space.  She told us about the process of being chosen to receive a dog and all the specific training a dog receives to serve its person.  Puppy training starts with a foster home then moves onto one of the Michigan prisons for more training and socialization.  After prison training, the dog comes back to the Paws facility for specialized training.

The next segment of the picnic was a Community Sewing Session at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings.  Twenty three very talented guild members worked together to make 20 fleece blankets, and over 35 tote bags for Safe Haven Ministries.  

Throughout the day donations were collected for the Rummage Sale to be held on September 29.

The Potluck Dinner was enjoyed by 25 ladies.  Our guild members are excellent sewers but are also great cooks.  What a treat!

We ended the day with the Retreat Challenge Show and Tell. Participants were given fabric to make into something.  There were 10 participants who showed their creativity with bags and jackets and even a gardening smock.

A huge thank you to Rita Brown, Nancy Jackson, Rita Reimbold, Pam Smith, Kris Kurtis, Kay Solsbury, Dawn Tarr and Judi Pulver for making the day a great success.  Many hands made for light work and a great fun filled day.  

More pictures available on the Photos page.

Most GRASG Meetings traditionally are suspended for the summer.  That would make one think that nothing is going on.  But that is far from the case.  All kinds of things are happening to enrich the summer and the fall.  Plans are in the works to make the 2024-2025 season better than ever.  The 4H classes have been going well with young people loving the opportunity to learn how to sew.  The Kalamazoo/Battle Creek/SouthEast Neighborhood group has been busy moving into and furnishing their new quarters and even has had sew-in-day meetings.  The SWMI Garment Group has met at their regular meeting times throughout the summer and will continue without a hitch.  The Paws with a Cause Community Service sewing days haven't skipped a beat.  So...GRASG has been busier than ever.

Fall is quickly approaching with a lot of exciting events:

·       August 13, 2024:  The Annual Picnic will take place in Hastings.  We will have Community service projects to work on and a wonderful Potluck dinner.  But before picnic, we will tour the Paws with a Cause headquarters. 

·       August 26, 2024:  The NE Nbhd Group will resume their monthly meetings at Faith Lutheran.

·       September 10, 2024:  GRASG Chapter Meetings will resume at the Northview Senior Center.

·       September 19, 2024: Road Trip to Coopersville to attend the Coopersville ‘Quilts and their Stories’ and have lunch together.  

·       October 17-20, 2024 is the annual Shipshewana Retreat

Check the Website Calendar and the website Special Events Page for details. at www.GRASG.org .

The May meeting was full of juxta positional contrasts: A grandmother, Sheryl Miller, and her granddaughter showing 2 very different styles of sewing. Sheryl, owner of Miller Bridal, is a traditional sewist using her impeccable skills to create one-of-a-kind bridal gowns. She has frequently showcased her work in the Newago and Fremont Bridal Shows.  She could create any dress she envisioned without worrying about a bride. She even used the bodice of one dress and designed a whole new skirt for a completely different look.

 Her granddaughter, on the other hand, who was taught by Sheryl, uses her sewing to destruct and upcycle garments into an entirely new vision. Evidently, the more holes, cuts, and ravels, the better it is! She has an Etsy Shop called Koi Fish Fashion Design. She even sold a custom pair of jeans for $500. Way to go!

As an added bonus, Esther Carlson demonstrated a quick way to fix a broken zipper. When she was in high school working as a tailor’s assistant, she learned this technique as she did alterations on men’s and women’s suits. Thank you, Esther for sharing!

Show & Tell photos are on the photos page.

The April 2024 GRASG meeting was fantastic!  Rita started out explaining that tech goals for the chapter now include live streaming on Zoom for those who cannot drive the distance to attend in-person meetings.  The collaboration with Dawn, Ingrid and Tammie made it all happen!  A few technical difficulties were quickly resolved and the meeting continued.  Way to go, Ladies!!!

The speaker, Jill McCloy, came to us via a live streaming zoom connection because of date misunderstanding.  Her presentation on sewing machine feet was excellent.  Sewing machine feet might be described in a user manual, but nothing like all the detail that Jill shared about these feet that make our everyday tasks look so professional.  The quarter inch foot and the blind hem feet both have guides that help feed fabric evenly and result in very straight stitching lines for hems, quarter inch seams, topstitching, tucks and other uses, (way more ideas that what is in user guide.)  Nineteen people registered for an all-day workshop to learn the specifics of numerous feet.  What a wealth of knowledge!

Show and Tell items were very interesting, but the most impressive were service project quilts made with scraps and a creativity way beyond ‘just-another-service-project-quilt’ to be donated to Sleep in Heavenly Peace.  Check out the Photos link above for more pics.

Can you Name all of these Feet?

Check below to see how you can become more foot savvy.

GRASG has all kinds of EVENTS coming up. Check them out.

Tuesday, April 9 at 6:30 pm is the CHAPTER MEETING at Northview Senior Center. The speaker, Jill McCloy, will talk to us about sewing machine feet.

The annual SOCK DRIVE will begin at this meeting as we provide socks for the ‘In the Image’ Back to School Shoe Giveaway. So BRING those socks for the benefit. Sock deadline is the June meeting.

Wednesday, April 10 9am to 3pm, at St Paul Lutheran Church, 8436 Kraft in Caledonia, Jill McCloy will lead an all day WORKSHOP called FEET FEATS, where participants will learn all kinds of cool things to do with their sewing machine feet. There are a few spots left, so hurry to the website and get your tickets and supply list.

Friday, April 12, 9am to 3pm PAWS WITH A CAUSE SEW-IN at 4646 Division, Wayland MI.

Three NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP MEETINGS are scheduled for the rest of April as well. Check out the GRASG calendar for times and places and agendas. https://www.grasg.org/calendar/

The March fascinator meeting was a big hit!  After 3 months of holidays and zoom meetings, it was so exciting to meet with GRASG friends in person again.  After a brief business meeting, we sat together, talked and made fascinators.  What a fun time! We had great Show ‘n Tell and a wonderful social time.  There are pictures on the Photos tab on this website.  Check them out.

Set your GPS to Northview Sr. Center

5255 Grand River Dr NE,

Grand Rapids, MI 49525 

Tuesday, March 12th at 6:30 p.m.

6:30 Social Time

7:00 Meeting

7:15 Fantastic Fascinator Fun! 

After a long winter's absence, this should be a fun and very social event!

Tuesday, March 12, we will each make a Fantastic Fascinator!

Check the GRASG Calendar page for what to bring for the fascinator.

Neighborhood Meetings and Service Sew-ins.

The newly formed Planning Committee has been busy setting up all kinds of fun and educational events and/or speakers for the coming year.  

February Meeting:  

February 13, 2024 on ZOOM,  Susan Burns will tell us about her Upcycling Business.  Zoom links will be emailed to current members on Monday.  Interested non-members who would like to visit can email gridamonette@gmail.com  requesting a zoom link to join us.

March Meeting:

March 12, 2024 at the Senior Center, we will be getting together for an extended Show & Tell (bring your winter projects (one or two per person) but the highlight will be the FUN FASCINATORs Project.  Check the calendar for all the details.  You won't want to miss the fun night!

April Meeting:

April 9, 2024 at the Senior Center,  Jill McCloy will present about all those mysterious feet that came with your machine.  

SPECIAL EVENT:

April 10, 2024 is an all day workshop with Jill McCloy where we will learn techniques for our feet and then apply those newly learned techniques on a project.  

1ST MEETING of 2024 - KAI SCISSORS

What a great way to start off the new year.  The new president, Rita, started off with a simple trial/lesson on using Chat in Zoom.  Those little tips along the way will help us improve our skills in the long run.

Our speaker Devin, from Kai Scissors, was fascinating!  He brought up little things that the average sewist may not have previously thought of. 

·       He spoke about the leftie scissors with leftie blades and why that could be a disadvantage. 

·       He mentioned the purpose of curved blades and different shaped handles. 

·       He also discussed pinking and serrated scissors. 

·       He mentioned that polar fleece is a plastic fabric and will dull blades more quickly, just like paper will. 

·       He mentioned how to take care of your scissors to keep them sharper longer.

·       He even showed us a pair of scissors with a lazer engraved blade, which is a little extra that is available for free when you order Kai scissors online or send your Kai scissors in to Kai for sharpening.

So… Check out the Kai website at https://kaiscissors.com/.

To send your Kai scissors to be sharpened for $10, email: kaiscissors@gmail.com for the form and instructions on how to send your scissors. And…if you would like your blade lazer engraved, just ask!  They aim to please.

SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE PROJECT

GRASG has recently added Sleep in Heavenly Peace to their Service Project (SIHP) list.  By partnering with SIHP, children without a bed are given their own bed, and warm bedding to snuggle up in.  SIHP provides the beds; we provide some bedding. (See our Photos tab for some pictures.) This December, GRASG has donated 11 quilts, 12 blankets, 4 sheet sets and 21 pillow cases.  Added to that, the Faith Lutheran quilters, where the NE Neighborhood group meets, has decided to join our efforts and add 8 quilts to our donation.  (What wonderful partnerships we make along our way!)  Thanks Faith Lutheran ladies and our own members who so generously donated to the cause.  But wait!!! We are not done.  When these donations were dropped off, we were told that SIHP had received requests for another 150 beds just last week.  So…QUILT AWAY!!!!  There is a real need out there just waiting for the fruits of our talents.  And…by the way, if you are a quilter with extra new never-used quilts that you would like to share, why wait?  Check out the SIHP website ( http://shpbeds.org )  for a location near you that would love to help reduce your quilt stash.  

New SW MI NEIGHBORHOOD Group -BC & KZOO NG Merge

Beginning in January 2024, the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Neighborhood groups will merge.  That means there will no longer be meetings at St. Ambrose or Westlake Presbyterian Church.  The new meeting spot will be in the Galesburg area at the Congregational Church of Galesburg.  Whitney Brown, the pastor at Galesburg Congregational Church was extremely welcoming.  This space is available for as much time as we want on the 4th Monday of each month.  The kitchen is ours to use.  The room will readily accommodate sewing, cutting, and crafting projects.  Storage space might be available if we need it.

The first meeting as the Southwest Michigan Neighborhood Group will be Monday, January 22nd, 1:00 pm, at the Galesburg Congregational Church, 22 S. Church Street, Galesburg, MI.  Access to the parking lot is slightly southwest of the church on Battle Creek Street.  We will enter through the door marked "Office".  The meeting room is straight ahead.  January has traditionally been Battle Creek's planning meeting for the new year.  We will continue that tradition. If you have questions regarding the meeting's location or access to the church, feel free to contact Brenda Petrow.  Brenda and Joann Hyde are the leaders.

MEETING  Nov. 14, 2023

What a great ending to take our chapter from 2023 to next year. Nancy, our outgoing president, gave the STATE OF THE CHAPTER REPORT.  It was fascinating listening to and reminiscing all of the wonderful projects, meetings and events we celebrated in 2023.  We certainly made up for the covid doldrums.  If you are curious about all of the great things we did, check out our calendar on this website.

After the report, Tammie Pontsler gave a very energetic presentation about TISSUE FITTING PATTERNS.  She presented samples of what we don't want to see in a garment and then what a nicely fitted similar garment looks like.  She showed us the tissue pattern with all of the adjustments and mentioned some of the steps to get it there.  The members were mesmerized.  When Tammie thought she was running out of time, members in the audience said they wanted to hear more.  Way to go Tammie!  We enjoyed your presentation immensely and look forward to your sharing more with us later!

SANTA CLAUS GIRLS SERVICE PROJECT  

Nine members braved the cold warehouse at the DeltaPlex green building to wrap gifts for Santa Claus Girls.  It was ever so rewarding as they are short on help and it is always fun to think of the faces of the kids on Christmas morning.  Go to the photos tab to see some of our volunteers in action.

ROAD TRIP TO NOVI

The active Battle Creek Neighborhood Group took a field trip to the Novi's Sewing and Quilting Expo on Thursday, Nov. 9.  Some of the Grand Rapids members went independently with friends from the guild.  great fun was had. 

MORE PAWS WITH A CAUSE

If you missed it before, our monthly Paws service project will happen again soon.  Check the calendar for future dates. Be sure to contact Pam Smith to tell her you are coming.  Because of the popularity of this project, scheduling may be necessary to limit the number of helpers at sessions.  The location is 4646 Division, Wayland MI.  We look forward to seeing you and having you participate in such a great cause. 

2023 Shipshewana RETREAT

 Shopping and Sewing, Learning and Sharing, Meeting and Eating pretty much sums up the fantastic weekend GRASG members spent in Shipshewana.  But wait…being with each other for four days and getting to know each other better, made the weekend super!  Newcomers to retreat were blown away with the camaraderie and friendship.  They could not believe the skill and knowledge shared during our very special time together.  That is one of the best kept secrets around. to see more retreat photos click the Photos tab.

Road Trip!!!

 GRASG’s Battle Creek Neighborhood Group took to the road to visit a Charlotte member’s machine knitting studio.  With little idea what to expect, we were simply blown away!  Shirley’s studio was filled with yarn, patterns, garments, samples.  It simply spoke creativity and passion!  She designed patterns and sold knitted articles commercially for many years.  Now she gravitates to her knitting studio for pure pleasure, sharing her talent with friends and family.  Now, if we can just talk Shirley into doing a trunk show in Grand Rapids…

September 27, 2023 the ladies from the Kalamazoo neighborhood and one member from GR met to make fascinators, a fancy headpiece.  The end results were very striking.  

October is shaping up to be a very busy month.  

October 7, 2023 was our first Fashion Show in many years.  Almost 100 people attend the event and were intrigued with many entries including coats, dresses, wedding dresses, doll and vintage displays, and upcycled jeans jackets.  Prizes were great with many gift certificates for entertainment as well as to fabric stores.  Check out the photos tab on this website to see pictures of the many beautiful entries.

October 10.2023, at the October Chapter meeting, we elected a president, secretary and treasurer for next year.  Rita (President), Ingrid (Secretary) and Sarabeth (Treasurer).

The October speakers were ladies from Smith Owen who showed us how to assemble and use a Ditto pattern projection machine.  

FIELD TRIP TO CONSCIOUS CLOTHING

Seven people carpooled to Conscious Clothing to see how the whole operation comes together to produce soft sustainable, organic clothing, made right here in Michigan.  Arriving at a beautiful hidden spot, Liz DeBraber welcomed us with a smile that radiated the happiness of the people that work there.  The first things we saw after the windows with a beautiful woodsy environment outside, were the huge cutting tables.  Hannah was laying out twenty yards of fabric to cut and be folded into sewing bundles. 

As we progressed through the large workroom, we met several ladies that were sewing.  The workstations were set up for maximum efficiency, with a straight stitch industrial machine, a serger and a worktable to layout a garment. The background window columns displayed pegboards full of beautiful colors of cone threads.  

A photo shoot was scheduled for the time we were there, so Hannah quickly switched from her work clothes to model one of the season’s casual but elegant paprika dresses.   Moving on we saw racks of lovely clothing of various sizes and colors, waiting for orders to be shipped.  We even saw the laundry room where all fabrics are prewashed and then pressed on a huge ironing machine.  Sustainability shines there even in the scraps that are carefully placed into makers boxes just waiting for the right sewist to create a work of art. 

It certainly was a happy fun place to visit.

Lunch followed at the Peppermill restaurant in Rockford.  It was so nice to enjoy the company of like-minded sewists who are true sewing friends. A fun time was had by all.

FASHION SHOW

Fashion Show is almost here and tickets are going fast.  This exciting event is shaping up to be one of a kind you won't want to miss.  We have unique entries and displays, are serving light refreshments, and there are door prizes and over $1400 in raffle prizes.  Bring your checkbook or cash to enter the raffles.  scroll down to see more about Fashion Show.

     WHEN:  October 7, 2023, 1:00-3:30.  Doors Open at 12:30

     WHERE:  Whistle Stop Byron Township Community Center,  2120 76th st. Byron Center MI

     HOW:  Buy Tickets online. ( https://www.grasg.org/special-events )Non-Members $30, Members $25

We hope to see you there!

CONSCIOUS CLOTHING - An Eco Friendly, made-in-America, sustainable, clothing manufacturer and distributer.

On Tuesday, September 12, 2023, Liz DeBraber from Conscious Clothing presented the history and purpose of Conscious Clothing.  Their emphasis is to make and sell all natural plant based clothing without toxic ingredients.  They grow their own colored cotton and seek out the best organic linen for their clothing line.  being the high quality they demand, the fabrics are soft and wrinkle less.  She had many tips along the way like always prewashing fabrics with vinegar before cutting with weights and a rotary cutter.  They have their own very talented patternmaker, who creates and tests her designs on employees.  The employees  often second as models and come in all shapes and sizes, perfect for testing the real fit of their patterns.  Their clothing line is basic but timeless and fascinating.  Their patterns are graded to go all the way from junior small to 4X.  A great fit for almost everyone.  What an intresting and eye opening evening.  

A field trip to the Conscious Clothing Studio is planned for October 4.  Check the GRASG calendar for details.  www.grasg.org/calendar

GRASG is making up for lost time during COVID.  Coming on stronger than ever, our fall 2023 was great!

September 12 at the chapter meeting, Liz DeBraber told us all about eco friendly fashion made in Michigan.  This is a really cool story. 

September 18, is another Community Service day at Paws with a Cause.  You gotta love those dog vests we are making for a wonderful purpose.

October 4, we took a field trip to Conscious Clothing's studio in Belmont for a tour.  After the tour, we had lunch at the Peppermill Grill in Rockford.

October 7, a fantastic Fashion Show thrilled us with vintage and new fashions accompanied by other delightful surprises as well.  Raffle baskets were filled with prizes galore. 

Not to mention Neighborhood groups that meet monthly in Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids areas and our annual Santa Claus Girls service project.   Stay tuned on that one.

For more details on any of these events, visit the calendar and click on the event.   www.grasg.org/calendar

PICNIC

A wonderful picnic was held in Hastings to accommodate members from all over the region.  The day started with Community Sewing for cancer patients.  Over 100 chemo caps were made.  The sock drive for "In the Image" was a huge success.   In all we made two deliveries with 526 pair of socks. (Woo Hoo!) Reservations for the Shipshewana Retreat were solidified and paid for and tickets were sold for the October Fashion Show. 

Potluck time was no disapointment with many many different dishes to choose from.  The day was wrapped up with a Tomato Pin Cushion craft led by Debra Schaap. 

Picnic kicks off another year for sewing friends to gather for fun, friendship and learning. 

(This location is between Kzoo/BC and GR, so we are hoping for a great turnout, where we can meet

new friends from our extended chapter area.) 

MAY SPEAKER - Lauri Faulkner

The GRASG Chapter Meeting for May had another awesome speaker. Lori Faulkner, International teacher of the year and Professor and Chair at the Kendal School of Design, told us about the fantastic program at the school of design she put into place and still leads today. She started out by explaining the process of each student that attends the school, starting with mood boards. She talked about patternmaking, the Studio lab, the standards in the fashion industry, the community involvement with various Civic organizations in and out of Grand Rapids, the international student trips and the exposure students have to the world out there that need and use the skills they are learning. By the time students graduate, they have created their own fashion lines, traveled to some fantastic garment and textile regions and have some idea about how and where they want to use their new skills, in a large industry or a small shop. All in all, ASG members were very interested in auditing the phenominal classes and events the students experience along their journey to become fashion designers. Thank you Lori for the wonderful eye-opener. We LOVED your presentation and look forward to the next time we meet, at the GRASG Fall Fashion Show.

BATTLE CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP MEETING FOR MAY CANCELLED

At our April meeting it became abundantly clear that many of our members would miss the May meeting.  It seems that traveling...and family...and many other things...would mean low attendance.  We couldn't even come up with a topic for May.  Therefore, we are cancelling our May 22nd meeting. 

We will meet again on June 26th.  The topic will be Serger Exploration.  This will be a hands' on meeting.

GRASG committees have stepped up the pace since Covid has released its grip.  Many exciting things are in the works for this month and months to come.  Always check the GRASG calendar (tab on this website) for the latest updates.  Hovering over a date will give details in more depth.

Here's what's in the works:

• Tuesday, April 11, Erin Milbrook will share her presentation at the Northview Senior Center about the Underground Quilts story  Come at 6:30 for social time.   
• Monday, April 17, at 1:00 pm, the Kalamazoo Garment Group will Meet at Nan Windsor's house. Brainstorming, a.k.a. problem-solving, is the primary activity. So bring your current project to share, or a recently completed one. Questions are always welcome. Call Nancy with questions.  Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
• Tuesday, April 18, at 6pm, the NE Neighborhood Evening Group meets at the Senior Center.   Bring whatever project you are working on. 
• Monday, April 24, at 1 pm, the Battle Creek Neighborhood Group meets at Westlake Presbyterian Church to bring a closure to the Safe Sleeper Community Service project.
• Wednesday, April 26 at 6:30 pm the Kalamazoo Neighborhood Meeting will be held at St. Ambrose Catholic Church.
• Monday, May 1 at 10 am the  GR NE Neighborhood group will meet at Faith Lutheran Church.  Bring a lunch and $1 and whatever project you are working on.  This group has several focuses; quilting, fitting, and lots of sharing.  New faces are always welcome.

AND as if that wasn't enough...APRIL is National SERGER MONTH.  Battle Creek Neighborhood is planning a Serger Exploration Meeting in May. Check the calendar on this website for more info.

PICNIC on August 8 is in need of planners.   We are looking for a site between GR and Kzoo/BC to be accessible for all chapter members to come together.  If you have any ideas, please contact Nancy Walenta or any CAB member.  

Not far behind, is the GRASG FASHION SHOW on October 7 at 1:00 pm at the Whistle Stop Byron Township Community Center. The planning committee is working overtime to make this a very special, memorable event.  Tickets will be $25 for members, $30 for non members.  Members can reserve a table for 8 for $200.

RETREAT in Shipshewana is scheduled for October 19-22.  Stay tuned for more info.

As always, visitors are welcome anytime to attend any two meetings free before joining to see if GRASG is a good fit for them.  We have so much variety.  There is something for everyone.

So there you have it friends.  We are sewing strong!

For GRASG, the New Year has begun with a jump start!

• The Monday morning NE Neighborhood Group met to work on their projects for 2023.  Fittings, quilts, and discussions about some new events for the year kept the room buzzing. 
• (Second Tuesday evening,) at the CHAPTER meeting, some of the new chapter members from the former Kalamazoo chapter, participated in the Zoom meeting featuring Angela Wolf.  Angela literally blew us off our feet with a wonderful presentation.  Her focus on jackets and embroidery mesmerized us all.  Stories, beautiful samples and tips on how to polish a garment kept our attention. We could have listened almost all night.  Everyone was inspired and ready to kick off 2023 with more ideas than we know what to do with.   
• The (third) Tuesday Evening Neighborhood group saw seven ladies bring various projects to the Plainfield Senior Center.  Consulting with each other was the main activity.  How to use a certain fabric for a coat was a topic that drew attention.  Several people were cutting out a new project and one was knitting.  So…While the stated focus of this group is fitting, it really has to do with ‘getting together’ to discuss the sewing topics of the day.  
• The Battle Creek Neighborhood group, that meets the fourth Monday, has yet to meet under the GRASG umbrella.  Hopefully, we will have something to report after that date.    
•  The Kalamazoo Neighborhood group, that meets the second Tuesday of even numbered months, is voting to consider a different time to meet so they will be free to attend GRASG Chapter meetings that on the second Tuesday if they choose.  Stay tuned for more about that later. 

At any rate, GRASG is off to a great start for 2023!  We are certainly making up for lost time with Covid.   YAY!

Welcome to incoming members from the former Kalamazoo ASG Chapter. We look forward to expanding and meeting new sewing friends.  Since the distance can be difficult for former Kalamazoo members to travel for Chapter meetings in Grand Rapids, they plan to meet in their established Neighborhood groups.  However, Grand Rapids is happy to welcome them to Chapter meetings (especially our Zoom meetings), CAB meetings, special events , field trips and retreats.  Grand Rapids members are also welcome to attend Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Neighborhood meetings too.  

It has been a busy fall 2022 for GRASG.

A whole album of photos were collected from these events. A few are posted here, but the rest can be seen on the photos tab of this website.

November 15 - November’s Chapter meeting 

A Night to Remember

Oh, What a Night! for members who braved the first snowfall of the season to celebrate the 25^th Anniversary of the Grand Rapids Chapter of the American Sewing Guild.  ‘Celebrate’ is too mild a word for the wonderful time had by all.  Nancy started the meeting saying, “It takes a village”…  Then the memories began.  She started with recognitions and stories of those who served in the past 25 years and the many events and field trips we have shared along the way. She reminisced the meetings of the past year, remembering the wide variety of topics covered by our speakers. We reviewed the Community Service projects and recapped so many things we learned from the many national speakers and the sharing of knowledge that passes so freely between us. 

Renee mentioned that tonight was our annual meeting and we voted for and elected our officers for 2023.  Kate won the ‘silver anniversary drawing’ for the $25 gift card.  Then we took a break to celebrate the ‘silver anniversary cake’ and gluten free carrot cake cupcakes and punch.

The ‘silver activity’ had everyone in stitches, or should I say, ‘in foil.’  Everyone received a long piece of aluminum foil.  We were given 10 minutes to make a wearable.   Oh what a night!!!  Pictures do not do justice to the creativity, laughter and fun in the room. The wearables were priceless.

We had Show-and-Tell with some delightful creations crafted by our members.

Judy Ritz concluded the meeting with another walk down memory lane with her delightful sewing antique display.  There were antique patterns, a cherished button catalog, a tiny working sewing machine, sock darners and many more treasures too numerous to mention.  The walk down memory lane for the night was complete.

Thank you to Nancy and all the helpers behind the scenes who helped make this night such a huge success.

October 14-16 – Twenty four ladies gathered at the Bluegate Inn in Shipshewana for the Annual Sewing Retreat.  There was a lot of sewing and shopping going on.  Everyone accomplished more than they could have at home and had a great time doing it.  Show and tell had a wonderful assortment of projects including aprons, pillows, pajamas, bathrobe, bras, placemats, bowl cozies, cute stuffed frogs, door and wall hangings, clothing in various stages of completion and more.  There is never a dull moment at retreat.

October 11 -  After an icebreaker game, Jo McGavin presented a program on Ergonomics and Sewing Room Organization.  We learned all about how ergonomics is ‘fitting a workplace to the user’s needs.’ That involves furniture and other sewing room fixtures that are adjusted to accommodate the height and comfort of the sewist. Posture is an important element.   She tied that concept into sewing room organization.  Everyone took at least one idea home to help them sew more comfortably.

September 24 – A number of our members shared their love of sewing at Camp Anna Behrens with Cadet Girl Scouts.  Rita Reimbold organized an event to Teach Another Generation to Sew.  Nineteen girls made string backpacks and LOVED it!  In fact, it was the most mentioned event in the evaluation at the end of the Cadette camping weekend.  And…they want us back again!

September 13 – Our Chapter meeting welcomed Judith Rasband and Lorraine Henry.  Judith an image consultant from Utah, presented a program on She discussed the body shapes from the triangle, rectangle and hourglass, to the round, diamond, tubular and more, showing the different styles that are worn by people with those figure shapes.   It turned out to be a very popular topic with the GRASG audience.

August 20 – The Monday Morning NE Neighborhood Group met at Faith Lutheran after a summer break.  How nice to get back together again.   They met the end of August because the first Monday of September is Labor day. 

August 9 - Our Annual Picnic Potluck looked a little different this year.  We didn’t meet to sew, but did meet at Faith Lutheran Church to share a meal and drop off socks for the ‘In the Image’ back-to-school sock drive.  After dinner, we all settled in for show and tell to hear the stories of success and lessons learned as we viewed an array of summer projects.

GRASG has enjoyed many events since the last posting in April. 

CHAPTER MEETINGS have resumed and fascinating speakers have presented.

•  In May, RagTops Hat Maker, Nate Bont Intrigued our membership and became an instant hit with his personable stories about his hat business.
• In June,  Bonnie Brooks spoke about her bjb business. Bonnie makes custom bags.
• The September meeting will feature Judith Rasband, from the Conselle Institute of Image Management in Orem, Utah.  

In summertime, meetings take a break, but many other local events have drawn members out on FIELD TRIPS.

• April 7, Ingrid arranged for a trip to see Fashion in Nature at the GR Public Museum.  What some thought would be a ho-hum event turned out to be really great!
• July 12, Dawn hosted a field trip to the Muskegon Art Museum to see the "Dressing the Abbey" exhibit from the Downton Abbey show.  What a great event!

August 9 is the day reserved for the annual PICNIC / POTLUCK.  This year it will be at Faith Lutheran Church.  See GRASG calendar for details.

In September, GRASG will participate in the ASG movement to TEACH ANOTHER GENERATION (TAG).   Members will travel to Greenville to Camp Anna Behrens to work with Girl Scouts.  They will be making string backpacks.  A lot of enthusiasm and surprises are planned for the girls attending that special event.

October 14-16, we will go to Shipshewana for our annual RETREAT.  That weekend is packed full of sewing, camaraderie, theatre, shopping and great fun!  This year, non-ASG members are invited to join us.  

April Magic was in the Air!

Spring is here and the Grand Rapids Chapter of American Sewing Guild finally met again in person.  What a treat to be with our sewing friends and have Beth Usadel come to teach us how to draw a croquis!  Besides using the 8 circles of height as a guideline, she discussed different methods of getting a proportional croquis for each individual.  She had marvelous handouts that will help us long after the meeting is over. It was a fun exercise and found the room quiet as we all got into doing our sketches. 

After break, we gathered around for Show and Tell.  We have not been able to see projects in person for quite some time due to the pandemic and Zoom meetings, so stories and precious projects entertained us for a while. 

•        Aileen was pleased to try something new during the pandemic. Mary made a new shirt, a lovely bag and an in-the-hoop bear.
•        Connie showed us her layered fiber art projects.·       Mary made a shirt, a purse and an in-the-hoop bear.
•       Rosemarie made a fun chef hat for her sister and a bag for others for a special upcoming event.
•       Nancy B. created a beach bag and matching hooded towel for her grandchild. 
•        Nancy W made a blouse for a display at Fields and also made seasonal covers for an antique high chair. 
•        Pam did a beautiful quilt.
•        Sarabeth made 4 quilts we haven’t seen before.
•       Starr did a unique pillow. 
•       Our new member Sue, made a great jacket and also a lovely appliqued dish towel. 

Go to the photos tab and see all of the creative ideas and projects our wonderful friends have made.

We also welcomed new and returning CAB Members:

Rita Reimbold - Taking on the TAG Project (Teach Another Generation)

Ingrid Amonette - Organizing a fieldtrip to the Gr Public Museum to see the "Fashion and Nature" Exhibit.

Dawn Tarr - Organizing the fieldtrip to the Muskegon Art Museum to see the Downton Abby exhibit, "Dressing Abby" in July.

Nancy Jackson  

The Evening Neighborhood Group is starting up again.  Renee Fries and Rita Reimbold will be leading the group on the third Tuesday evening of the month from 6-9pm at the Northview Senior Center.  For the first meeting on Tuesday April 19, 2022 you are to bring whatever you want to work on.  We will be meeting in the large meeting room where Chapter meetings take place.  After the first meeting, the focus will be on FITTING.   So grab a project, sewing tools and even your machine if you like, and join us for the evening Neighborhood meeting.

Upcoming Community Events:

March Meeting:

The March GRASG Zoom meeting was another great learning adventure. Before the meeting, we received an email with notes highlighting the process. Dawn Tarr, from our local ASG chapter, demonstrated how to copy a ready-to-wear garment. She used clear plastic bags, exam table tracing paper, a sharpie marker, a straight ruler and a hip curve ruler. She made it look so easy! She showed the process, taking care to show how to get a good copy of the back, that folds under when flattening the garment to copy. She traced every feature: pockets, fly front, belt loops, seams, the whole thing on clear plastic. Then she traced the plastic drawing onto pattern tracing paper marking every detail and adding side seams and notches.

When finished with the demo, she showed finished garments she had copied. They were amazingly perfect replicas of the original fit and style! Voila! It was a great learning experience and a method a number of us members will be trying soon.

January Meeting:

Thus far, 2022 has presented itself via Zoom meetings.  In January, Susan Lighthart, who works at Jos A Banks, spoke to GRASG members about tailoring construction.   She started with an explanation of the layers that help shape jacket fronts. From the inside out, there is lining, a cotton fabric somewhat like a thin batting, a shoulder pad, canvas and the outer layer.  At the lapel fold, there is a ribbon of something like either twill or grosgrain to make the fold roll naturally.

Questions rolled in and Mary Anne's husband, Roger, was kind enough to model to make the whole thing more visual.  Pants questions varied from a front bubble to the differences in alterations between Men's and Women's pants.  Thank you Julie for all the valuable information.

February Meeting:

RC Caylan shared his story with GRASG members like we were sitting in the room together just having a casual conversation.  He explained his background and how he got where he is today at RC Caylan Atelier in Breton Village.  He is a fashion designer with true class who has done runway shows in Los Angeles and New York.  His designs for celebrities and for anyone who needs a special garment for a special occasion are truly phenomenal and made to reflect and complement the person he designs for.  His presentation for ASG included a wonderful tour of his studio. The front entryway chandelier to the sewing and design areas including his fabric stash and racks of beautiful creations were all on the tour and a thrill to see with a video of his former runway shows playing on a screen in the interview area.  It was truly a FUN evening!  Thank you RC.

2021 SERVICE PROJECTS

After Covid 'Stay-at-home' restrictions were lifted,  members started returning to GRASG events.  Pam Smith, Community Service Project Chair, began setting up new service projects for members to work on:  Santa Claus Girls Mitten Project and 'Sleep in Heavenly Peace' Quilt Project.  As of December 1, over 100 mittens were donated and 4  Quilts.

November 2021 Chapter Meeting

Joe Vecchiarelli, on his way to Novi for the Sewing Expo, stopped in at the November Chapter meeting to teach us tips and tricks. His stories were very entertaining. His fitting demos, draping with a dress form, and samples of things he had made, kept the audience very engaged. What a treat to have a known national sewing celebrity join us!

September 2021 meeting

Smiles walked into the room as more and more members spotted their long unseen sewing friends. It was wonderful to meet back in our normal space at the Plainfield Senior Center to kick off the 2021-22 ASG year.  We were happy to greet and meet visitors who came to see what we are all about. 

The speaker was a charming young lady named Ellen Leegwater, granddaughter of long time member, Barb Leegwater.  Ellen delighted everyone with her heartwarming story of learning to quilt and really getting hooked during the COVID shutdown. But she didn’t end it at that. She displayed a trunk show of quilts, she calls her babies. As she went from quilt to quilt, she shared new techniques that she learned with each one. One of her quilts is called “Two Elephants.”  She loves elephants and appliqued endearing representations of her and her Grandma randomly throughout the quilt.  Ellen used social media to learn techniques and often called Grandma for advice.  She is definitely a winner and a keeper in our GRASG family.

August Picnic

Fun and camaraderie filled the room at St Paul Lutheran Church in Caledonia where a group of busy ladies worked to make mitten kits for our Santa Claus Service Project.  A tasty potluck and games followed the service portion of the day. For more photos, visit our Photos page.

July 2021 meeting

Tomorrow, July 13, GRASG will be meeting at the Plainfield Senior Center (5255 Grand River Drive, Grand Rapids, MI 49525) for games and Show and Tell with lots of time to catch up. Social time starts at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will run from 7-9 p.m.

Since we missed so many meetings last year, we decided to get together instead of skipping the month like we normally do. We would love to see the things you made during the pandemic. Even if you showed the item on a Zoom meeting, please bring it in person to share so everyone can enjoy.

Please come! Wear your nametag! We miss you. 😊

June 2021 meeting

On June 8, GRASG will have a social sew-in. It will be the first time we have been able to meet in-person, so we hope to have a lot of chatter among old and new friends.

While we visit and catch up on everyone's stay-at-home activities, we will be working on a community service project making mitten kits for the Santa Claus Girls/Toys for Tots program. Members will meet at the St. Paul Lutheran Church, 8436 Kraft Ave. SE in Caledonia. (Please note this a change in location from the previous announcement, when we initially thought we'd be meeting at D.W. Richardson Park in Plainfield Township). You can find patterns and instructions for the mittens we'll be making on our Patterns page.

An email will be sent with a supply list of things to bring for the first outdoor in-person meeting since last summer. If you are not yet a GRASG member and are interested in attending, please contact us for the supply list; we'd love to have you join the meeting!

As usual, the meeting will conclude with Show-and-Tell, so be sure to bring projects you'd like to share with the group.

 April 2021 meeting

The GRASG April Chapter met again on Zoom. The business meeting was followed by a lively group of our own members sharing. This meeting was the end of the Wool Challenge and definitely had some beautiful pieces that our members made.  One item by a new member of our chapter was a most impressive wool coat styled after the red coat of Nancy Pelosi. We definitely have a lot of talent among our members.   

Along with the display of wool items, members shared their favorite sewing tools. We had a lively display of many different items that make sewing easier. Seam rippers, in their various styles and shapes and functionality were mentioned the most. But, all in all, everyone took away at least one tool idea they had not thought of before. 

The American Sewing Guild is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sewing as creative, rewarding activity for all. 

Advancing sewing as an art and life skill