New Smock Along

A new Smock Along for SAGA Members Only has begun. 

Kate Westlake will lead an adaptation of Evelyn Philip's Plaid Smocking. 

This class is open to members only.  You will need to sign up through Constant Contact so lessons may be emailed to you.  The introduction is posted on the SAGA website. Go to www.smocking.org and sign in as a member. You can see this announcement, and the link to the sign up page and the introduction download on the Home Page. This class is for members only, and requires a sign up because we need to know the number of participants as part of the copyright agreement with the originator.

One lesson will be emailed to you each Monday in August.  If you complete the lessons, including a practice piece and a project of your choice, and post a picture in the Facebook Smock Along Group or send it to Smockalong@smocking.org or show them to Kate Westlake at the Convention, you can earn two Artisan Points for your participation.

Participate in the discussion with the Facebook Smock Along group.  Individual questions or non-Facebook users can contact Kate at smockalong@smocking.org.

Please pass this information on to your SAGA friends who are not on Facebook.

SAGA Wee Care Grady Gown Stitch Along!

Visit the SAGA Wee Care Facebook page to join the Grady Gown Stitch Along.

Wee Care chair, Marlene Mehn, is leading the Stitch Along with detailed directions. Pick up some tips and tricks to make these little gowns.

SAGA Members who complete the Stitch Along and post a photo of the completed gown will receive 1 Artisan Point.

Just Pin It!

If you completed your Just Pin It! smocking sampler by October 15^th and you have not yet posted a photo on the Smock Along Facebook page, please send your photo to Carol Kick at artisan@smocking.org.  

You will be awarded two Artisan points; you do not have to have completed the construction, but all smocking stitches must be completed.

Carol Kick's Just Pin It! Example

Don't forget your Wee Care and Trees for Troops Ornaments

Don't forget to bring some Wee Care items and ornaments for the Trees for Troops to the SAGA National Convention in Winston-Salem.

You can find ideas for both is back issues of SAGANews as well as on the SAGA website , Facebook pages and this blog.
                                          


All donations qualify for a special raffle ticket that can be placed in the box to win the Wee Care basket.

Wee Care items will be donated to local hospital NICU's.

New SAGA Smock Along

A new SAGA Smock Along will begin on June 15, 2018.

This Smock Along will be open to SAGA Members Only and if completed qualifies for 2 Artisan Points.

The project is designed and lead by Artisan Chair Carol Kick, also a Master in Smocking.

For a list of supplies, visit the SAGA Smock-Along Facebook page:
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1554532568114047/?multi_permalinks=2142613449305953&notif_id=1527915777690388&notif_t=group_highlights

or the SAGA website  www.smocking.org

SAGA Discussion Facebook Page

There is a new SAGA Facebook page -SAGA Discussion. 

This page is the page to go to with any questions and discussions regarding smocking, heirloom sewing and embroidery.

This page will mean that the discussions on the SAGA Smock Along page are just about the current project and make it easier for people to follow the threads.

So come and join the new group!

                                https://www.facebook.com/groups/153190182020422/.

Silk Ribbon Tissue Cover

Are you participating in the SAGA Silk Ribbon Tissue Cover Stitch Along?

The first two lessons have been posted on the SAGA Smock Along Facebook page.

If you complete your project by May 1, 2018 you can request Artisan Points!

What are you waiting for?

New SAGA Stitch Along

Are you following the new SAGA Stitch Along?

The information is on the SAGA Smock Along Facebook page.

This Stitch Along is a silk ribbon embroidery project and you will end up making a travel tissue case!

The case will be similar to this one, with a different embroidery design.

The Stitch Along is being lead by Wanda DeWitt. Wanda has made many of these cases to match the many sewing reticules she has made over the years.

This Stitch Along should be another fun one! Why not join in?

SAGA Smock Along Completed

Are you participating in the latest SAGA Smock Along?

A big thank you to Vaune Pierce for her wonderful directions both for the smocking and the construction elements.

My completed bag

This is actually quite a quick project from start to finish-the hardest part of it all is picking your fabrics and the colour of your threads!

The inside of my bag

If you want to receive Artisan Points for your participation, you must post a photo on the SAGA Smock Along Facebook page by November 1, 2018.

A New SAGA Smock Along!

A new SAGA Smock Along is about to start!

This Smock Along is designed and lead by Vaune Pierce and is a bag designed to hold your rotary cutters which has a smocked insert.

The list of supplies to get ready for the first lesson is available on the SAGA Smock Along Facebook page.

I see lots of other uses for this bag such as a cosmetic bag, travel bag, small clutch bag with an added strap.

Region One Meet-Up: Visiting McCall’s Pattern Company

Today's post has been written for me by Past SAGA President, Lisa Hawkes as I was unable to attend the Meet Up due to events beyond my control. My thanks to Lisa and I hope you enjoy the virtual visit!

SAGA members were treated to a wonderful day of visiting with good friends, eating delicious food, and given a glimpse into the wonderful world of sewing pattern creation as they toured McCalls pattern company at the Meet-Up hosted by Region 1 Rep, Kim Gimblette. Members from as far north as Boston, to as south as Virginia met in New York City’s Financial District at the Trinity Place Restaurant to enjoy a delicious luncheon in what used to be an old bank vault. They then walked across the street to the historic Equitable Building and McCall’s offices for their tour.

The SAGA Group at Trinity Place Restaurant Vault.

 

Picture taking opportunities were limited since the staff is busy working on patterns that have not been released yet, but the members were excited to learn about the company and its process. It takes about a year and half for a pattern to go from concept to a printed pattern that one can purchase. The designers had recently been into the offices to begin work on the 2018 spring line and the photoshoot for the Vogue Patterns Holiday issue was starting tomorrow!

Our ladies were full of questions as we walked through the offices and heard about the process. McCalls is the home to McCalls patterns of course, but also Vogue, Butterick, Kwik Sew and CosPlay. Between its offices in New York, and printing center in Kansas, it produces over 250 patterns a year, the pattern books that we peruse in the fabric store, and Vogue Pattern Magazine. With just around 70 employees in New York, it was amazing to realize the volume that this company produces.

We were surprised to hear that you can call McCall’s customer service and they will be happy to assist you with a difficulty you are having with a pattern. The lady who mans the phones has all the patterns there at her disposal so she can pull out the pattern and answer your question. McCall’s would also appreciate hearing if you find a mistake so that they can fix it for a future run. Upper management daily reviews their Facebook page and Pattern Review and appreciate feedback on styles that you like, and want to see what you are making with their patterns!

The SAGA group at the McCalls Offices NYC

We all left with a goodie bag from McCall’s, that included the new issue of Vogue Pattern Magazine and some free patterns. Some ladies headed off to the Fashion district (via the maps provided by Kim) to purchase fabric for their next creation, but all were inspired and impressed with the work and detail that goes into producing a sewing pattern. We also appreciated all the hard work and time of Kim Gimblette who put together this amazing day!

Thank you Lisa and I hope to return to normal service very soon!

Pentagon Star Ornament

In response to a request on the SAGA Facebook age for the pattern of the star ornaments posted on the Blog a few days ago I am publishing the pattern and directions.

Pentagon Star Ornament     

       

Draw a pentagon (mine had sides of 8 cm) onto heavy card stock to make your pattern.

Cut two pentagons in fabric and one in light weight iron-on interfacing.

Press the interfacing to the wrong side of one of the pentagons.

With right sides of the fabric together, stitch four of the five sides together with a ¼ inch seam.

Trim the seams to 1/8 inch.

Turn to right side, making sure the corners are out.

Turn the un-finished edge in and press in place.

Top stitch around the pentagon, closing the open seam.

Fold the points of the pentagon into the centre and stitch in place (you could sew a bead here by hand, but I machine stitched them as I was making 25!).

Add a ribbon loop to one point.

Enjoy!

New SAGA Smock Along!

Are you participating in the new SAGA Smock Along, Argyle in Perle?

It is a Christmas ornament designed and lead by Maggie Bunch.

The pleating instructions and supplies list can be downloaded from the SAGA website (www.smocking.org) and the project is open to everyone, not just SAGA members.

You can also follow along on the SAGA Smock Along Group Facebook page. This group page has some wonderful tips and tricks for smocking the ornament (and other items too) as members ask questions and share their replies.

I am off to pleat my fabric and find the supplies!

Wee Care Smock Along

Have you joined the latest SAGA Smock Along?

It is a Wee Care gown designed by Tess Ellenwood and is a great easy smock project. Tess has already shared the materials list and pattern on the Smock Along page on Facebook. You will find the list of materials needed and the pattern under 'files' on the Facebook page

You can join the Smock Along at any time, but why not be ready to start when Tess posts the first lesson on February 29th? After all, that is a bonus day, it being a Leap Year!

Mystery of the Five Diamonds Smock-Along!

 

That's the title of the next SAGA Members Only Smock Along which will start with the first clue- the supply list, preparation and pleating instructions- at the end of May.

The first stitching clue will be posted June 21st.

All this will take place on a special Facebook group page and will also be available in the 'Members Only' area of the SAGA website (www.smocking.org). Details on how to join the Facebook group will also be on the website.

This Smock Along will be lead by Barbara Meger who has been smocking since the 1980s and attended her first SAGA seminar in 1984. She wrote several series of articles for Creative Needle magazine and designs and sells smocking kits and supplies through her business, Classic Creations (www.classiccreationssmocking.com). She has been teaching smocking classes at SAGA conventions for over twenty years and is excited to bring this class to you via Facebook.

This Smock Along will have some intermediate smocking stitches and be a little more of a challenge-are you up for that? Of course you are!

A New Year and time to renew old friendships.

Many of us make New Year resolutions and within a month, week and even few days have forgotten them, but renewing an old freindship is one that can be done very easily and prove very rewarding.

So have you renewed your friendship with SAGA by paying your dues for 2015?

SAGA has so much to offer:

Retreats in 2015 (Las Vegas, Chicago and Valley Forge) where you can take classes.

Local Meet Ups planned.

Chapter meetings to attend.

Correspondence Courses.

SAGA Stitches programmes.

SAGA website.

Facebook page.

Artisan Programme.

Wee Care.

Friendship.

And lastly, SAGANews which if you do not renew you will not receive as it is a Members Only publication.

Think of all you might miss- so visit the SAGA website (www.smocking.org) and renew your membership today. You will be renewing a friendship that keeps on giving!

Another Give Away on the SAGA Facebook Page

Visit the Smocking Arts Guild of America Facebook page and enter to win two Oliver + S patterns.

                                                                   Contest ends May 7.

                                                                         Good Luck!

SAGA Give Away

Visit the SAGA Facebook page for a chance to win a book by Kenneth King- 'Cool Couture'!

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/SAGA-Smocking-Arts-Guild-of-America/182382071803763

Join us at the SAGA Sewcation in Florida to take a class with Kenneth. Visit the SAGA website for details: http://smocking.org/

SAGA is now everywhere!

So have you found out that SAGA is everywhere these days? By everywhere I mean everywhere you can get Internet access.

SAGA is on Pinterest -www.pinterest.com/smockingarts

SAGA is on Twitter- @smockingarts

SAGA is on Facebook- SAGA-Smocking Arts Guild of America.

You can find out what's going on and what will be happening. Connect with SAGA today and see what's new!