January Neighborhood Group Meetings

Inclement Weather Policy: If County Public Schools are delayed or closed, meetings are cancelled. Please check with the Neighborhood Group leaders if you have any questions. 

Fairfax Seams So Fun – 1/3, 12 noon

This meeting will be devoted to planning our meeting topics for the upcoming year.  Zoom will NOT be available. 

Woodbridge Sewcial Group –1/4, 10:30 am

Maudine Graham will be here to demonstrate the pillowcase dresses for those who are new to our group.

Please bring your machine (don't forget your cord and pedal!), basic sewing kit, and materials to create either or both the pillowcase dresses for Maudine Graham's charity for girls in Kenya and/or fleece hats and gloves for Lucy Look's charity. We need as many cotton pillowcases, 1/4" elastic, 1/2" double fold bias tape, and fleece as you can bring!

RSVP and we will send you the patterns for the projects.

Sterling Sew N Sews - 1/8, 10 am

The Sterling ASG January's meeting topic will be Travel Jewelry Storage.  Shelia will be demonstrating how to make a pouch for jewelry for use while traveling.

 Springfield Sharing Threads – 1/15, 10 am

We will be making thread catchers.  You will need some cotton fabric and regular hand sewing supplies such as needle, thread, scissors, etc.  Bonnie will include a more specific list in her announcement email in early January.

Kingstowne Clothiers –1/18, 10:30 am

We will be doing fabric reviews and developing a fabric sampler. This will help our newer members with deciphering pattern recommendations and assist our more experienced members with “scary fabrics.” We’ll review one member’s fabric sampler and look at Claire Shaeffer’s “Fabric Sewing Guide” as well as Sandra Betzina’s “Fabric Savvy.” 

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own books, samples, and garments. Show and Tell is always appreciated and enjoyed by all! 

Alexandria Seamsters - 1/20, 7 pm 

We will be showing and sharing our "Tried and True" sewing patterns and notions.  What patterns have you used again and again because they work so well?  Maybe portions of them have become a staple in your sewing or fitting work.  What notions do you absolutely need for your sewing?  We all have some and sharing them may give other people ideas for solving sewing issues they are having.  Please bring a couple (or more) items to show and discuss.  

As always, please bring your show and tell so we can see what you are doing! 

Shenandoah Valley Girls – 1/22, 10 am

The January meeting will be a lunch during the Winter Retreat. 

Wearable Arts Group – 1/22, 1 pm

Our January 22 meeting will have the group starting on the Origami Shirt project.

              

December Neighborhood Group Meetings

Here's what ASG NOVA Neighborhood Groups will be doing this month!

Shenandoah Valley Girls – 12/4

Holiday lunch is scheduled for December 4th, then a luncheon during the Winter Retreat in January.

Location: Clarke County Memorial VFW Post 9760, Berryville, VA

Fairfax Seams So Fun – 12/6, 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Our Holiday Luncheon will take place on Friday, Dec. 6 at Chloez Cafe starting at 12:00.

Chloez Cafe is a veteran owned restaurant in Burke, and highly recommended by Tina. 

Location: Chloez Cafe, 5622 Ox Rd, Unit F, Fairfax Station, VA 22039

Once again, we will have a gift exchange. Please plan to bring a hand-crafted (not necessarily by you) gift in the $20.00 range. If you are planning to attend, please RSVP by December 1, so that we can give the restaurant an accurate count. 

Woodbridge Sewcial Group – 12/7, 10:30 AM

The WSC will be doing a finger/snack foods potluck and white elephant at our December meeting.

Ellen will be doing a Bojagi (Korean wrapping cloth) demo too, with everyone bringing supplies to play with the techniques. We are also doing a snack potluck, a white elephant gift exchange ($15 or less, please), and practicing Bojagi! Please message the group leader for a list of what to bring, including supplies for the hands-on portion of the meeting.

Location: 1st United Presbyterian Church of Dale City

14391 Minnieville Road, Woodbridge, VA

(Corner of Minnieville and Cardinal Drive)

If you are new to sewing, I am happy to take an hour in each of our sew-in meetings to help you build your sewing skills. Bring a beginner project you are working on or reply here, and we can figure out a good first project for you.

Sterling Sew N Sews - 12/11, 10:00 AM

The Sterling ASG December meeting will be our annual holiday party.  Members wishing to participate in the gift exchange, should bring a wrapped gift valued at $12-20.  Members are encouraged to bring a treat (finger food) to share during the meeting.  As always, members should bring their show and tell.

Location: Sterling Substation, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Dept

Alexandria Seamsters – 12/16, 6:30 PM

Alexandria Seamsters will not have a regular program meeting in December.  We will be enjoying our holiday dinner on Monday, Dec. 16 at La Fiamma Italian Kitchen, 6124 Franconia Rd, Alexandria, VA 22310.  Reservations are for 6:30. This location is across the street from our usual meeting location at the government center.    

Location: La Fiamma Italian Kitchen, 6124 Franconia Rd., Alexandria, VA 22310

Effective January 1, 2025, the Alexandria Seamsters new co-leaders will be Lisa Dyson and Susan Lee. 

Springfield Sharing Threads – 12/18, 11:00 AM

Sharing Threads December meeting is our annual lunch on December 18.  This year it is at Milano's, 6230 Rolling Rd, Springfield, VA., just a block away from our regular meeting space. We will gather at 11:00.  Please RSVP.  This is a great time to sit and chat with no time limit.

Location: Milano's, 6230 Rolling Rd., Springfield, VA

Kingstowne Clothiers – 12/21, 10:30 AM

We will work on our sewing program for 2025.

Encore Presentation: Croquis

• Intro to croquis
• How to create your own croquis
• How to use it with your sewing patterns

Bring your show and tells and works in progress! Enjoy a stress-free mid-day break with your sewing besties before finishing up your last-minute sewing projects!

Location: City of Fairfax Public Library, 10460 North St, Fairfax, VA

We'll be in Conference Room 103, just outside the main entrance.

Wearable Arts Group – 11/27, 1:00 PM

The Wearable Art Group will not be meeting as the date falls on Christmas Day and the first night of Hanukkah.  Have a wonderful holiday!

Addendum to #MeMadeMay and Other Inspirations

 Although most of the Neighborhood Groups in the Northern Virginia Chapter are devoted to garment sewing, there are techniques that can be used from other specialty sewing groups, such as quilters (hello, little French jacket). One exhibit in the DMV can employ simple clothing designs as a foundation for creativity, such as crazy quilt techniques. 

The Maryland Center for History and Culture (MCHC) is featuring an exhibit "Material & Memories: Elizabeth Talford Scott and the Crazy Quilt Tradition" featuring the works of Elizabeth Talford Scott through December 2024. Talford Scott's work uses scraps of family members' clothing and decorative household fabrics embellished with topstitching, ribbons, buttons, and stones to create meditative works of art. 

Even better, the exhibit Claire / McCardell is on display through November 2024! Viewing her designs with modern eyes, they don't seem that radical, but "spaghetti straps, the ballet flat, and pockets and zippers on dresses were all McCardell innovations" (The 50-Year-Old Fashion Book That Still Feels Radical Today (harpersbazaar.com)). 

Another innovative designer featured in an exhibit this summer until October 11, 2024, is Mary McFadden. Drexel University's exhibit, "Modern Ritual: The Art of Mary McFadden - Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection (drexel.edu) highlights her signature techniques, "including Marii pleating, one-of-a-kind hand-painted textiles, and opulent beading and embellishment." In a New York Times article, McFadden said, "The effect I'm searching for is to have the fabric fall like liquid gold against the body." Approximately 40 mannequins will be on view, donning some of McFadden’s most intricately crafted gowns, coats and separates, alongside a rich array of ephemera, including design drawings and personal papers.

Looking for a link between song and style? Check out "Instrumental Fashions: Attire and Song," on view through November 14, 2024 at the Shippensburg Fashion Archives and Museum, Pennsylvania. Dr. Karin J. Bohleke, FA&M director, says, “Music and fashion have more in common than one might think. Like fashion, musical genres have their moment of prominence, only to have another style emerge to replace them as newcomers on the scene attempt to differentiate themselves from the current trends. In addition, musicians incorporate keen observations on contemporary society. Naturally, fashions—from the elegant to the absurd—find themselves immortalized in catchy lyrics.” 

Visitors will enjoy seeing historical boots and whether they really were “Made for Walking,” as well as the “Lady in Red,” the “Devil with a Blue Dress On,” a selection of “Sharp Dressed Men", and many other examples of fashions explored in pop songs. But sadly, unless someone has one to donate, the permanent collection has no yellow polka dot bikinis from the 1950s.

Schedule a road trip soon to Columbia, SC, because this exhibit closes on July 7. Sergio Hudson is famous for dressing style icons, and his design philosophy is that fashion should be for everyone and include everyone. He designs to empower the wearer and often includes a nod to the ’90s of his youth. See eight signature garments from key moments in his revolutionary career alongside more than 20 sketches and drawings exploring his career from the early days winning Bravo’s Styled to Rock in 2013 up through the present day.

Continue your trek through the south with an exhibit at the Frist Museum of Art in Nashville, TN. Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-Vous offers a rare glimpse into the life and mind of McQueen and introduces French photographer Ann Ray to audiences in the United States. With a partnership built on friendship and trust, Ray was provided unfettered access to McQueen’s world and captured everything from contemplative moments in the design studio to models posing backstage. In total, she shot forty-three collections over the course of thirteen years, creating a massive body of work and an indelible record of McQueen’s creative process at his namesake label and during his tenure as creative director at Givenchy. This exhibit ends on August 25, 2024.

You can end your summer US tour with a stop in Oklahoma City where the Oklahoma City Museum of Art is featuring will feature 70 costumes that capture the height of designer Edith Head’s career and were worn by stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Ginger Rogers, Shirley MacLaine, Veronica Lake, Barbara Stanwyck, and Kim Novak. 

“Head was famous for wearing sunglasses, but most people don’t realize there’s a reason behind the shades,” said Catherine Shotick, guest curator for Edith Head. “Her trademark glasses had custom, blue-tinted lenses, which allowed her to see how the costumes photographed in black and white: a trick used by costume designers during the Golden Age of Hollywood.”

Are you planning any road trips this summer? If you're near any of these exhibits, let us know what you saw and how you were inspired!

Me-Made May, Museums, and Homemade Inspiration

 Well, we're halfway through #MeMadeMay! How are you doing? We'd love to see your photos and read your comments!

It's also time to make summer plans. When the weather is awful or uncertain, museums are a great antidote for heat, humidity, and rain. If you're in the DC area, we have a lot of exhibits related to sewing, so take advantage of these opportunities! Even if you don't live near Washington, DC, many of the exhibits offer virtual tours and even lectures. 

The DMV:

• Irresistible: The Global Patterns of Ikat. Through June 8 at the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum. 
• Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction. Through July 28 at the National Gallery of Art. 
• Pattern and Paradox: The Quilts of Amish Women. Through August 24 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. You still have time to register for the lecture on May 23!
• Sewn in America: Making, Meaning, Memory. Through December 31 at the DAR Museum. They're also offering Unfinished Objects (UFO) Craft Circles. Check the site for dates and to sign up. 
• UFO Craft Circles (in-person at 3pm) and Tuesday Talks (available via Zoom or in-person at noon EST). Check out the schedule here. 

Beyond DC:

• Weaving Abstraction in Ancient and Modern Art. Through June 16 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
• Joyce J. Scott: Walk a Mile in My Dreams. Through July 14 at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
• Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. Through September 2 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• Dress Up. Through September 2 at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Hallyu! The Korean Wave is also on exhibit here through July 28. 
• Fashioning San Francisco: A Century of Style. Through July 8 at the de Young/Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, CA. 
• Korean Couture: Generations of Revolution. Through October 13 at the Cleveland Museum of Art. 
• The Museum at FIT always has exhibits. Check this link for current and upcoming offerings. 

Passport Needed (or just membership):

• From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana. Through July 31 at the Palazzo Reale.  
• The Biba Story, 1965-1975. Through September 8 at the Fashion & Textiles Museum, London, UK. If you sew with vintage patterns, you might have one of hers in your stash. 
• NAOMI: In Fashion. Opens June 22 through April 6, 2025, at the Victoria & Albert Museum, South Kensington, UK. Free virtual talks are scheduled for members. Incidentally, there is a 3-day workshop on creating a couture cocktail dress in quarter-scale. This would be SO MUCH FUN!
• Barbie: The Exhibition. Opens July 5 through February 23, 2025, at The Design Museum, London, UK. 

Neighborhood Group Inspiration:

Check out Shenandoah Valley Girls in Berryville on Wednesday, May 22, as they offer a 1/2 day workshop on the All Dunn Designs Strip & Serge Top! This workshop was taught at

 the last two ASG Conferences and ASG members get a 15% discount on the pattern. 

The Springfield Sharing Threads and Kingstowne Clothiers have focused their sewing plans on fitting. If you're interested in learning more about fit and desire a supportive and encouraging community of sewists at all levels, join us at our monthly meetings! 

Our newest group, the Woodbridge Sewcial Club, alternates its offerings at the maker space in their local public library. Every other month, they will hold a sit-and-sew (or sew-in) where sewists can bring their machines and projects and get expert assistance. The alternate meetings will feature a presentation on some sewing related topic. 

Bothered by distractions? Need to get away to sew? Check out our upcoming "Taste of Retreat" scheduled for August 24-25 at the Hyatt House, Dulles, Sterling, VA. This mini retreat is modeled after our popular Winter Retreat every January in Winchester, VA. The cost is only $100 for this two-day retreat and you can stay overnight with hotel rooms that begin at $99. Overnight parking is $10, but there are no parking fees for daily attendance. Attendees are responsible for their own meals and drinks.  

Contact information for Neighborhood Groups.

Current meeting locations and agendas for Neighborhood Group Meetings may be found here (email contact information above if no group is listed). ASG members have access to GroupWorks where additional details may be found.

Annual Meeting was a HUGE success!

We're so sorry if you were unable to attend this year's Annual Meeting. We do hope you were able to exercise your right to vote, and we're happy to say that a peaceful transition of power in the Chapter Advisory Board (CAB) occurred, even though the race for Secretary was a tight one! 

We had nearly 100 dresses sewn and donated by ASG NOVA members in support of our charity for 2022, "Dress a Girl Around the World." This was the last day to collect dresses and we will be sending them to Mari for distribution to a missionary for the phase. We also discussed several options for our charity focus for 2023.

Judith Grieg presented information on photographing our makes and projects and even provided expert advice on how to make the initial cut for juried submissions (hint: follow the application guidelines! More is NOT better). 

Mary Parker presented an interactive talk about Instagram as a platform for engagement, education, and excitement. Many members were unaware of ASG NOVA's social media outreach channels, and this was a great opportunity to encourage members to take a look at how ASG NOVA interacts with the community. 

Members had the opportunity to browse the "Free Fabric" corner where a variety of lovely, donated fabrics, notions, and patterns were waiting to be taken home and added to someone's stash or put in the immediate cut pile. (Too bad that 100% silk piece was a color only a redhead could pull off---we blondes and brunettes were totally frustrated!).

Members listened to CAB reports and Neighborhood Group accomplishments and plans. Finally, the silent auction winning numbers were drawn, and everyone went home happy! 

In case you're wondering, ASG NOVA is on Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/asgnova/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqu_K6GYKi9Lh4to_n3CnPA (links to unlisted videos can be found on GroupWorks)

Twitter: @AsgnovaS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1448689475401383

Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/northern-virginia-chapter-of-the-american-sewing-guild/

And, of course, information is available via this blog and on GroupWorks for dues-paying members!