Quilts of Valor Quilting Bee

Our finished quilt!

On August 31, the NOVA ASG hosted a quilting bee benefiting Quilts of Valor.  Quilts of Valor provides quilts to military veterans.  The 16 makers who attended made 36 Quilts of Valor squares that we joined and then passed on to Billie Barbour from the Fredericksburg QOV chapter.  Billie says the request list is always longer than the donation list, so we hope to do this again in the future.

All of the lovely ladies to helped out!

Barbara H. could not stay, but she brought this quilt top to donate!

Making a QOV star

Northern Virginia Chapter Annual Meeting: Desserts, Social Media, Jacket Attack, and Show & Tell!

Presentations, Show and Tell, Trades, Voting, Drinks and Desserts at our Annual American Sewing Guild Northern Virginia Chapter meeting!

About this Event 

Join us on Saturday, October 19, from 1:30-3:30 pm for desserts and drinks (coffee and tea) at the ASGNOVA Annual Chapter Meeting.

We will be meeting at the First Presbyterian Church in Arlington. If you attended the annual meeting a few years ago, this is the same location.

Please bring your smart phones and your tablets or laptops! This is going to be an interactive session as we learn how to navigate Groupworks and Instagram! A subject matter expert will help you learn how to take photos, write captions, and hashtag your sewing projects so virtual and IRL (in real life) sewing buddies will ooh and aah over your beautiful creations!

You’ll learn how to follow others on Instagram, “like” and bookmark photos, use filters, and gain inspiration from fellow sewists through the Explore Tab.

There are some great and useful sewing videos on Instagram. Instagram is where the young and up-and-coming sewists are hanging out.

There are a couple of reasons why it’s important to document our sewing projects. First, if you’ve seen the sewing projects posted by inexperienced sewists, you know they are hungry for advanced sewing, quilting and embroidery techniques that will take their skills to the next level. Second, you know we HAVE those advanced sewing, quilting and embroidery techniques that we’d love to share with them---if they only knew we existed! That’s how we can transition their sewing from a solitary activity to one filled with a supportive network of sewists. This is where we have to be to grow our membership.

Stand by for the Jacket Attack! Not only will we learn technical skills, but we’ll have the opportunity to view—up close and personal—the beautiful jackets sewn over the past year in the various neighborhood groups. These range from the classic French–style jacket ala Chanel to the casual restyling and upcycling of sweatshirts plus everything in between.

Bring your show and tells, your items for trade, and things you want to give away! You’ll be able to pick the brains of members who attended the Sewing and Quilt Expo and those who were able to attend the ASG Conference in Boston! There will be lots to catch up on!

Here is another reason why you should attend the Annual Chapter Meeting. This is where we vote on the new leadership for the chapter and ensure we’re moving forward as an organization AND in support of our mission to recognize sewing as an art and life skill. “Many hands make light work,” “it takes a village to raise a child,” and “it takes two to tango,” all mean the same thing: we can’t do it alone. So, if you’ve been on the fence about serving in a leadership role (or leading in a servant role!), here’s your opportunity to throw your hat in the ring. You can vote at the meeting as an INFORMED CONSUMER because everyone there will let you ask any questions you need about the chapter positions. (If you can't attend the meeting, look for a ballot to come your way.)

Please RSVP so we’re prepared with plenty of desserts!

Croosh Deets:
What: ASGNOVA Annual Chapter Meeting
When: Saturday, October 19, from 1:30-3:30 pm
Where: First Presbyterian Church, 601 N. Vermont Ave, Arlington, VA (Ballston area) Enter the building from the parking lot entrance under the covered walkway. Go down the stairs to the Social Hall. If needed, an elevator is available from the entrance on the Carlyn Springs Drive end of the parking lot near the handicapped parking spaces.



What to Bring:
• Your smart phones (fully charged) and/or your laptops or tablets
• Your neighborhood group projects for the Jacket Attack
• Your show-and-tell items
• Things you no longer want (patterns, fabric, notions, and/or tools)
• Cool things you got or learned at the Sewing Expo or the ASG Conference

Before the Meeting: Download the Instagram app to your phone or tablet before the meeting so you can get started right away (Look for Instagram in the iTunes or Google Play Store)! You won’t want to miss this meeting!

Fifth Saturday- Classmate Tote, June 29,

Our June 5th Saturday event saw Adrienne Bennett, Kathy Saladino, and Diana Warmann leading NOVA ASG members through making the Classmate Tote by Atkinson Designs.  The class was held at the Centreville Regional Library in Centreville VA.  The Classmate Tote is perfect for carrying all of your supplies when you are going to classes, like at the upcoming Sewing and Quilting Expo.  We hope to see you at out next event!

New Meeting Location for Springfield Sharing Threads Neighborhood Group!

With the loss of Bonny's Sewing & Fabric Store as a meeting place for the Sharing Threads Neighborhood Group, the leaders were keen to find something similar. Fortunately, they think they have!

The meeting planned for September 18 will be held at the Michaels Craft Store in Springfield across from the Springfield Town Center (formally Springfield Mall).  The meeting room is in the front of the store.  Best of all, it is set up for messy crafts!  We now have the opportunity to do more hands-on programs without worrying about the consequences. 

The address is:

6717 Spring Mall Drive, Springfield, VA 22150

It is a stand-alone store on the same side of Loisdale Road as the mall.

The time remains unchanged - 10:00 to noon.

We hope to see you there and provide feedback on this new meeting location!

Fairfax Seams So Fun

September 6, 2019

Laurene explaining a stitch

We had a very nice turn-out at the meeting today with 17 members attending. Laurene Jones gave an excellent presentation on beading. She had prepared kits with beads, thread, fabric and directions for us to learn several beading stitches. Some of us found it fun, but a bit of a challenge to work in this medium. Thank you Laurene for making up the kits and the directions and giving the presentation.


The Valor Quilt Fifth Saturday was a success, with a quilt top finished. Several of our NG members are interested in working on a quilt top as well. I will get details and hopefully have something to share at our next meeting.

A few reminders:
1. We need volunteers for the Sewing Expo in Fredericksburg in Oct. Check the latest Full Seam Ahead for details.
2. Our Chapter meeting will take place on October 19, from 1:30-3:30 at the First Presbyterian Church in Arlington. Bring your jacket to show off and also your smart phones and tablets or laptops to learn more about Instagram and Groupworks.
3. Consider running for a CAB Position. See the Full Seam Ahead newsletter for details.
4. SUPPORT OUR LOCAL SHOP. WE ARE LUCKY TO A VERY NICE SPACE TO MEET IN FOR FREE! THE QUILTER’S STUDIO CARRIES A WEALTH OF HIGH QUALITY SEWING SUPPLIES. PLEASE CONSIDER PURCHASING ITEMS FROM OUR LOCAL MERCHANTS.

Working on the stitch sampler

5. And last, but not least, we will meet next month on Friday, October 4. Our topic will be sewing problems and solutions. So if you are stuck on a sewing problem, bring it to the meeting and we can use our collective expertise to solve it. If you have come up with a good solution to a sewing problem, a handy technique or other skill come prepared to share that as
well.

Recommended needles

Several members brought items for show and tell:

                               

Joyce Buker, our newest member, brought two quilts to show. Welcome Joyce!


                                                       
Melissa Hayman showed a pair of shorts and the jacket she is working on for the Oct. Meeting.


                                             

Sandra Wishart modeled a muslin that is good enough to wear! Nancy Cooper cloned a favorite dress and Sue Murphy made a darling skirt.


                                           
Michele has been working on a blouse, a yoga skirt and a new pair of pants.


Sally Bibro finished the “quilt from Hell”.


And I know I missed getting photos of other show and tells…I’ll try to get all of them next time.

Our next meeting is October 4 at 10:30 am at The Quilters Studio in Fairfax.