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.

Let's Spend Three Days Straight Doing Nothing But Sewing! Check Out Our Winter Sewing Retreat!

If you're looking for an opportunity to sew, consider joining the Northern Viriginia Chapter of the ASG on their 3-day Sewing Winter Retreat at the George Washington Hotel in Winchester, VA! 

You'll have a dedicated sewing space and can sew from sun-up to sundown (and into the wee hours and beyond, if you want) without being nagged to do the dishes, walk the dog, feed the cat, or even answer the phone. 

You'll have access to decades of sewing experience if you hit a rough patch, need some hands-on fitting feedback, or want to try something new. 

You'll also have access to the Free Fabrics and Notions table, a massage therapist, and Scissors Sharpening Guy, plus opportunities for tutorials! 

 Let's spend 3 days straight doing nothing but sewing! 

• Spending time with other sewists is just SO fun! (Even for introverts.) 
• You can talk about challenging projects, discuss new-to-you techniques, chat about what patterns you like or what they might like, talk about fabric, machines, notions… the list goes on! 
• It's an opportunity to put yourself first; to do a little self-care. 
• It's a great way to rekindle your love of sewing! 

This blog post provides information on why YOU should attend a sewing retreat!
Why You Should Attend a Sewing Retreat

Event registration closes January 12, 2023 

When: January 27, 28 and 29, 2023 

Where: George Washington Hotel, 103 East Piccadilly Street, Winchester, Virginia 22601 540-678-4700 

Event Cost: Early registration: $180 members, $210 non-members After January 3: $200 members, $230 non-members 

Deadline: Reservations with payment must be received by January 12, 2023 

Hotel Room: Thursday - $99, Friday and Saturday - $109, plus tax. Double or King rooms available. Call hotel for ASG Room Block. Block pricing expires on 12/26/2022 

You don't have to have a hotel room; members have commuted from Fairfax. 

Parking at hotel: $15/day 

Registration Cancellation Policy: Full refund minus 10% before by January 2. Fifty percent refund from January 3 to January 12. ** No refunds afterwards or for no-shows.** **You may offer your place to persons on the wait list who can reimburse you directly. Hotel room should be cancelled separately. 

Event Inclusions: 

• A sewing space, 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners. 
• 24 hour- sewing opportunity. 
• Ballroom will be locked when unattended to secure your property. 
• Ballroom opens at 9:00 am Friday and closes on Sunday at 3:00 pm. 

Payment options: 

1. Check mailed with attached registration form 

2. Check sent by bank and registration form mailed or e-mailed 

3. Credit card through Groupworks (service fees apply). This option is available only for members of ASG. 

Covid Protocols: In compliance with hotel, CDC and local orders. Updates will be sent to registrants prior to the event. Masks available upon request. 

Miscellaneous: Once both the payment and registration form are received, an email will be sent to the attendee to confirm registration. Detailed lists concerning events, suggested packing list, no-no’s and more will be sent prior to the event. Event space is limited. Your registration is only complete with the receipt of application AND payment. 

Contact Information: Registration form and payment arrangements if you are not a member of ASG (https://www.asg.org) are available HERE.