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Group Sew – So Fun!

Welcome to Sew! Let’s Get Dressed, a weekly blog that encourages you to sew successfully.

Sewing can be a very solitary hobby so it is fun to sew with friends on occasion.  Whether you attend a retreat, a conference, or visit someone’s sewing room for a day sewing communally,  sewing by committee can really inspire you to try new things.

These SC friends made their tops at the 2017 ASG national meeting Tabula Rasa Knit Class

A few weeks ago, we had the privilege of sewing with a group of very talented ASG stitchers in South Carolina.   The two-and-a-half-day event, in a spacious church hall, started with inspiration – a Fit for Art Trunk Show – to get the design energies flowing as we moved into a two-day Tabula Rasa Jacket (TRJ) class.

Trunk show moment. Hard to capture them on film.

Our first sewing day was devoted to fittings and mock ups.  Even with friendly banter and delicious lunch and snacks, all 20 gals set up comfortable sewing stations and made great progress.  We ended the day discussing the unlined jackets each would start on day two.  I love this part of a jacket sewing event.  Participants encourage each other to design uniquely personal TRJs.  Most plans were established and some sketched before we all ended the day at a locally owned restaurant nearby.

One jacket group ready to go.

Our second day of sewing started bright and early.  Patterns were adjusted, new jackets cut, samples made, interfacing and finishes planned.

A wonderful selvage used in the back support.

It was a busy day, but we found time to pose a mock up photo and “ooh and aah” over everyone’s emerging jackets.

A detail sample and the piping prepared.

As the afternoon wore on, one by one the stitcher’s packed up their stations and headed home, with promises to finish their jackets and share photos.  We hope to have them all modeled on our Facebook page where you can see the first two finished jackets already.

You can see this finished jacket on Facebook.

This week we will host a 5-day retreat here in the Baltimore area.  We are excited to welcome sewing friends from near and far who each have a list of goals and projects.  Some will stay all 5 days and others just a couple days.  We always make sure that lunch and snacks are available every day so no one has to spend time worrying about when and what to eat.  They can concentrate on designing and sewing fun clothing and improving their skills.

The talented sewing writer and teacher Cheri Dowd worked on this complex TRJ during the SC event.  It is a perfect retreat project.

One of our regular retreat participants, Judith, who used a retreat last year to finish a wonderful TRJ featured in our blog, called last week despondent.  She and her husband are preparing to move so, as she said,” there is no space in my brain for creative pursuits.”  But she also said, “give everyone a big hello from me, and tell them I will be back.”

I can assure you that by the end of our 5 days, new sewing friendships will have been made and e-mail addresses exchanged so these #fitforartpatterns friends will continue to encourage each other to #sewsuccessfully.

Our SC stitchers in their Mock Ups

If you want to arrange a retreat or sewing class for your ASG group, quilt guild, or other sewing club, read the suggested class descriptions in our teaching tab and contact us directly for availability and fees.

Want to join us for some sewing fun at a class or retreat?  Our next retreat will be August 21-25 in Baltimore at Woodbrook Baptist Church.  Registration will begin in a few weeks, but why not reserve these days on your calendar if you plan to join in the fun.

Happy Sewing, RAE

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4 thoughts on “Group Sew – So Fun!

  1. When I tell non-sewing friends that sewing is my hobby I think they picture me hunkered down like someone in a factory just putting the pedal full speed and never looking up. What I really mean is that I love the creativity and friendships that I form when I meet and spend time sewing with others. Fondling fabric, drawing sketches of proposed garments, selecting embellishments and techniques, coordinating the new planned garment into my wardrobe, all of those stages are enjoyable on my own and even more fun with others. Great post to describe the process, Rae.

  2. I am interested in more info-price, do I bring my own machine, etc for this ” Our next retreat will be August 21-25 in Baltimore”
    I live north of Tampa FL.
    Thanks!

  3. We don’t have all the details worked out yet, Barb, but we’ve reserved the dates at our church fellowship hall, a nice big space where we’ve held several events. You would need to provide your own machine and basic supplies, though we could put you in touch with a friend who rents loaners. Hope that helps! Save the dates and watch for more info to come out through our newsletter.

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