August, 2015

This Month’s Meeting

Our monthly meeting will be Tuesday, August 11 at 7:00 pm. We will meet at McAllister’s for dinner at 5:30. All are welcome! Please join us!

Kit’s Korner

Hello ladies,

Hope this finds everyone well as we all try to survive the summer heat! Seems August heads us into fall and just maybe cooler temps are not too far behind.

 I guess our most exciting news is all the things happening with Lace Cottage. The girls, myself included, have been busy getting things ordered, painted, shelves built, and organized to open August 15th!!! They have been checking out other shops, to take the best of all, to make sure they can offer you the most fun, pleasant shopping experience you can have. 

On a quick visit to Children's Corner, Viv and Phyllis found out that a new pattern will soon be introduced. Need to keep checking the shop about that. Some of the fall fabrics are in already and more on the way. 

Classes are already in discussions and sit and smock on Thursday evening has already begun. Pack up your hand projects and join us for that!! 5-7 p.m. 

So come together and let's support our members Vivian and Phyllis, and local shop!! It promises to be exciting!!!

Calling all Wee Care gowns!

Please remember to bring your Wee Care gowns - ready or not - to our July 14th meeting. It's time to gather the gowns together to share with our "littlest angels". Thanks!

Program and Refreshments

Our August program and refreshments will be provided by Kristen Benjamin. She will be teaching us to make a Ribbon ruler case. You can find it in SAGA News Vol 35, Issue 2 (May, 2014) page 22-23.

Kristen will furnish the grosgrain ribbon. Please bring the following:

1 skien variegated stranded floss

1 yard floss for the flower centers

1 yard green floss for leaves

One 7/16” shank button

6x1 gridded ruler

Size 8 crewel or embroidery needles

Size 9 betweens

September Program – Special Request

Please start saving selvages for a program Debbie doing in September.  More information to come.

Wee Care Gowns – 4^th Tuesday of Each Month from  January – October

Please bring in any finished (or unfinished) Wee Care gowns and be prepared to take home some new ones! Our next Wee Care workday at Lord of Life Lutheran Church (Poplar Pike) will be Tuesday,  August  25 from 9:30 am – 2:00 pm.

If you can come for all or part of the day, it would be a great help. We need folks to bring sewing machines to sew the outfits that have been pinned.  

Show and Share:

Our July meeting with salad/dessert was relaxing and fun! We had 16 gals there!

Media Announcements:

Memphis Area Smocking Guild Group - Facebook.  Be sure to Join and follow the latest news from our members and other interested smockers and sewers!

Lace Cottage – Facebook Grand re-opening August 15^th!

Sew Classic For Children – Facebook - Sew Classic for Children is a group for all levels of sewing children's clothing. We love classic, tailored and heirloom designs. Share your Children's Corner Pattern creations along with your comments. In addition we are delighted to answer questions.

Classic Sewing Magazine Group - Facebook…..Classic Sewing will have 132 pages of glorious sewing ideas, patterns, tips, techniques and will include at least two full size patterns in each quarterly issue. The magazine will feature heirloom and everyday sewing projects to delight the most discriminating sewist. Patterns will come in a separate envelope along with the magazine. No more tearing out pattern sections……all of the patterns will be easy to read and store! Unlike anything you have seen before, Classic Sewing will feature designs from top designers in the industry. There is something fabulous for everyone in the magazine.

August Birthdays

Aug 23 – Jane Soffos

Aug 26 – Kittie Hadskey

See you Tuesday!

Susan

July, 2015

This Month’s Meeting

Our monthly meeting will be Tuesday, July 14 at 6:30 pm. (We will not meet at Panera this month due to our annual salad supper meeting.)

Current signup includes the following – please bring your favorite dish

Kit – Grape Salad

Vivian - Drinks

Amy – Chocolate Dessert Delight

Susan – Applesauce Salad - Rolls

Kit’s Korner

Dear Ladies,

I'm hoping everyone had a happy and relaxing Fourth of July! Is it me, or does everyone feel like this sort of marks the halfway time for summer? Seems like it just got here, and now it's halfway over! However, it also marks some exciting things happening in our sewing world!! 

Hopefully you know by now that Lace Cottage has been purchased! If you don't know the good news, let me be the first to tell you!!!!! Our own Vivian Sturks and her partner Phyllis have decided to keep the legacy going! They are in the process of restocking merchandise and changing locations. 

As of now, it looks like Lace Cottage will be relocated to a space off Exeter off Poplar. The driveway right after Germantown Rehabilitation Hosp. and straight to the back on the right. Previously a hair salon. It is all freshly painted and remodeled and best of all, has classroom facilities!!!! So it's basically just at the opposite end of where we were before. I believe the target date is mid-August, but I think this will be posted on the Lace Cottage Facebook page.

This is a huge step in anyone's life, so let's not forget to support our local shop when they re-open!!

So, Just when we think all is lost, it seems miracles do happen!! Thanks to Vivian and her partner!

kit

Calling all Wee Care gowns!

Please remember to bring your Wee Care gowns - ready or not - to our July 14th meeting. It's time to gather the gowns together to share with our "littlest angels". Thanks!

Program and Refreshments

Our July meeting will be our annual salad/dessert supper. Please note the time change is 6:30. Bring a salad or dessert to share and your current sewing project. See you there!

September Program – Special Request

Please start saving selvages for a program Debbie doing in September.  More information to come.

Wee Care Gowns – 4^th Tuesday of Each Month from  January – October

Please bring in any finished (or unfinished) Wee Care gowns and be prepared to take home some new ones! Our next Wee Care workday at Lord of Life Lutheran Church (Poplar Pike) will be Tuesday, July 28 from 9:30 am – 2:00 pm.

If you can come for all or part of the day, it would be a great help. We need folks to bring sewing machines to sew the outfits that have been pinned.  

Kudos to those 9 ladies who helped at June’s workday: Amy Johnson, Regina Sanford, Jane Soffos,  DiAnne Drennen, Jane Gross, Glynda Whitlow, Marty Cobb, Connie Scott and Susan Batson

Show and Share:

Our June Wee Care Workday was really productive – see our ladies hard at work!

We celebrated Regina’s birthday!

Connie shared her finished quilt project - 6 months in the making!

Susan’s granddaughters in Baltimore, Molly (8) and Leah (5 ½), are taking sewing lessons from their mom (Susan’s daughter), Jen, this summer. Here they are concentrating on sewing samples during Lesson #2. Both girls are sewing on actual sewing machines!

"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy fabric, and that's pretty close." – Unknown

Media Announcements:

Memphis Area Smocking Guild Group - Facebook. 

Marty Cobb has created the MASG Facebook page. Be sure to Join and follow the latest news from our members and other interested smockers and sewers!

Sew Classic For Children – Facebook - Sew Classic for Children is a group for all levels of sewing children's clothing. We love classic, tailored and heirloom designs. Share your Children's Corner Pattern creations along with your comments. In addition we are delighted to answer questions.

Classic Sewing Magazine Group - Facebook…..Classic Sewing will have 132 pages of glorious sewing ideas, patterns, tips, techniques and will include at least two full size patterns in each quarterly issue. The magazine will feature heirloom and everyday sewing projects to delight the most discriminating sewist. Patterns will come in a separate envelope along with the magazine. No more tearing out pattern sections……all of the patterns will be easy to read and store! Unlike anything you have seen before, Classic Sewing will feature designs from top designers in the industry. There is something fabulous for everyone in the magazine.

Lace Cottage – Facebook Watch for information about reopening

July Birthdays – None known this month

See you Tuesday!

Susan

June, 2015

This Month’s Meeting

Our monthly meeting will be Tuesday, June 9 at 7:00 pm. We will meet at Panera for dinner at 5:30. All are welcome! Please join us!

Kit’s Korner

Hello Friends!

This month's Kit's Korner is somewhat bittersweet for me. As most of you know by now, Lace Cottage is closing at the end of June. This has been a 15 1/2 year endeavor between lots of people.  When my sister Diane and I opened Lace Cottage in 1999, there were several Smocking shops to choose from. Today there is basically just one and that is Lace Cottage. It saddens me to think there will be nowhere for us to go and visit, touch, look and just simply enjoy the ambience of a Smocking shop!

Something about sharing your projects with like-minded people, whether you even know them or not, is so gratifying. Many, many times, I have stood working in the shop and a new sewer had received praise and ideas from an experienced sewer, just standing side by side ready to check out! I will miss that kind of mentorship. I will miss not seeing the customers as often, helping them through their ideas and projects. But most of all, I will miss the routine and friendships that Lace Cottage forged, a reason to stay involved!

Thank you for allowing me this bit of self-indulgence- SEW ON!!

P. S. Lace Cottage Sale……..fabric 30%, lace 25%

Program and Refreshments

Our program will be provided by Marty and refreshments will be provided by DiAnne.

For Marty’s program she will be making a baby bonnet. It will be a demonstration session, so be sure to bring your notebook to take good notes from the discussion!

You can also 1) bring your sewing machine with basic sewing kit and make the bonnet at our meeting or 2) take the instructions and try it at home. She will have one made up to show the finished bonnet and then go thru the steps with us. 

Materials and Supplies

• 14" X 8-1/2" Bastiste 100% cotton or synthetic fabric 
• 46 inches of 3/8" wide satin ribbon 
• 36 inches of 1/2" wide satin ribbon 
• Embroidery thread to match fabric 
• Spray starch 
• 60 weight thread to match fabric 
• Wing needle  

September Program – Special Request

Please start saving selvages for a program Debbie doing in September.  More information to come.

Wee Care Gowns – 4^th Tuesday of Each Month from  January – October

Please bring in any finished Wee Care gowns and be prepared to take home some new ones! Our next Wee Care workday at Lord of Life Lutheran Church (Poplar Pike) will be Tuesday, June 23 from 9:30 – 2:00.

If you can come for all or part of the day, it would be a great help. We need folks to bring sewing machines to sew the outfits that have been pinned.  

Show and Share:

Thanks for this cartoon, Amy! So true!

Sewing on Wheels! - Debbie

Thread Spool Holder - Amy

This is an antique spool holder from late 1800's. It belonged to Mark Twain (Samuel Clements) mother. It was in his childhood home.

Dress from Stitchers Playhouse Class - Glynda

Wee Care Design - ALLISON LEIGH.....Ellen McCarn –  Facebook  Sew Classic for Children

Happy Birthday!

Kellie – June 17th

Regina – June 26th

See you Tuesday!

Susan

May, 2015

This Month’s Meeting

Our monthly meeting will be Tuesday, May 12 at 7:00 pm. We will meet at Panera for dinner at 5:30. All are welcome! Please join us!

Kit’s Korner

Hello ladies,
     I sent Susan a picture of a Bib Dress that I just completed for a customer. The original pattern came from an older Sew Beautiful Magazine. I must admit, I was somewhat surprised at the lack of instruction that came with the pattern. Now I consider myself a fairly knowledgeable sewer, but even this one threw me several times! It had no instruction for the skirt, so one just fumbles thru that part by oneself!! Finally complete, I was very pleased with the end results. Now in review, I do believe you could make this dress from a yoke pattern by merely extending the yoke down some about an 1 1/2 below the armhole. I also think the yoke can be a palette for a number of different ideas, from vertical Smocking with insertions, to heirloom techniques, embroidery to hand loomed fabric as I used. Even silk ribbon is an option. The original pattern is not lined, but I chose to do so. This dress is adorable, but only goes to a size. 4. Happy to answer any further questions on Tuesday night!! 
See everyone then! 

Program and Refreshments

Our program and refreshments will be provided by Kittie.

September Program – Special Request

Please start saving selvages for a program Debbie doing in September.  More information to come.

Wee Care Gowns – 4^th Tuesday of Each Month from  January – October

Please bring in any finished Wee Care gowns and be prepared to take home some new ones! Our next Wee Care workday at Lord of Life Lutheran Church (Poplar Pike) will be Tuesday, May 26 from 9:30 – 2:00.

If you can come for all or part of the day, it would be a great help. We need folks to bring sewing machines to sew the outfits that have been pinned.  

Show and Share:

 DiAnne Oliver & s garden party dress size 8

Photo from Easter from Jane Soffos -  suits I made for my grand niece's boys for Easter

From Kit:

Something I recently made!

 Amy from Stitchers Playhouse Class

This is the dress we made in class.  We all had a wonderful time. Ann and Jeanie are so much fun. It is the Bonnie Blue Ashley pattern with Jeanie's own ruffle creation. Also, the lunch was worth the drive. Great!!!

DiAnne – Dress from Stitchers Playhouse Class

Happy Birthday!

Laura - May 14th

Debbie - May 29th

See everyone Tuesday night!

Susan

April 2015

April, 2015

This Month’s Meeting

Our monthly meeting will be Tuesday, April 14 at 7:00 pm. We will meet at Panera for dinner at 5:30. All are welcome! Please join us!

Kit’s Korner

Happy Spring Ladies!!

Hopefully we have turned the corner from winter and are on our way to more great weather! I hope everyone had a great Easter and Passover. Along with the obvious at this time of year, I must say I still love to see if any little ones are wearing any of "our favorites" at church, brunch or egg hunts!!! 

I guess I still have too many fond memories of my own little ones on Easter morning, sometimes dressed alike, sometimes dressed nothing alike. Some years we had bonnets, some years they were torn off our heads in screaming fits! Nope, not gonna happen! Some years I can remember being too short of time, and Sylvia White or Florence Eismann came to the rescue!!! Now quite a few of you ladies from the old days will remember these brands, as well as Ance' K and Monday's Child!!! 

It was in these days our guild was numbers strong!! Our children were little, young mothers were smocking like crazy, sewers were plentiful! As often happens with a loved art, it comes, it goes and then it comes back again. While our guild right now is not as large as it once was, it's still great memories, great friends, and the love of the ART!

Keep Coming Back!

kit

Program and Refreshments

Vickie will present a program on pleating and DiAnne will bring refreshments.

Grace Knott Business Closing

Grace Knott's grandson is closing her business. Here is the web site http:glksmocking.com/index.html, if anyone is interested. Jane Soffos can bring her book and anything else she has from her to the meeting, in case we have some members who don't know about her.

May 1 – 2 (Friday – Saturday):  Trip to Stitcher’s Playhouse for Class

Join us for a fun trip to Stitcher’s Playhouse in Smyrna, TN on May 1 – 2. We will leave on Friday, May 1 and have lunch in Nashville. We’ll shop at Children’s Corner; then buy our supplies for the class at Stitcher’s. We will stay at Comfort Inn in Smyrna.

The class on Saturday will be from 9 am – 3 pm. The cost for the class will be $35 plus $10 for lunch.

To join others on this trip will be on a “first come, first serve” basis. The class size is limited to 7, and a few ladies have already made plans to go.

Feel free to contact Amy Johnson to answer any questions.

Wee Care Gowns – 4^th Tuesday of Each Month from  January – October

Please bring in any finished Wee Care gowns and be prepared to take home some new ones! Our next Wee Care workday at Lord of Life Lutheran Church (Poplar Pike) will be Tuesday, April 28 from 9:30 – 2:00.

If you can come for all or part of the day, it would be a great help. We need folks to bring sewing machines to sew the outfits that have been pinned.  

Local and National Dues Reminder

Please remember to bring your local MASG dues of $15. Please make out checks to MASG. You can also mail them to Susan Batson at 7071 Riverwood Street, Germantown, TN 38138.

Also please remember to pay your National Dues by going to the Smocking Arts Guild of America website http://www.smocking.org/

Show and Share:

Marty Cobb: Here is an Easter dress that I made for a child at Sherwood Elementary. It was mostly sewn on my serger (not heirloom).

DiAnne made these for granddaughters Hazel and Clara (Australian Smocking issues 95 & 99)

Susan’s grandkids Emily and JJ wearing Easter outfits again this year

Amy’s latest creations

Miscellaneous

Kellie and a friend are having a massive yard sale May 7-9 to fund raise for their adoptions. They are collecting donations for the sale. If anyone is spring cleaning, Kellie would be glad to come by and take discards from you.

Happy Birthday !

Judy - April 4th

Meryl - April 5th

Cat - April 9th

Leslie - April 22nd

See you Tuesday night! 

Susan