Seamlines from the President February 2024

Welcome to our new President!

Our New president, Eileen

Hello!

The American Sewing Guild is a nonprofit  organization of home  sewers. Its purpose is to  provide information,  education and programs  for its members and the  community.

Welcome to a new year and a new chapter presidency. I can’t  remember when I was introduced to the American Sewing Guild, many  years ago. I was at a mystery quilt class and learned that the Chapter  needed a new Hospitality Chair. I come from a large family and  between that and church service, hospitality came natural to me. I  said yes to the task. Years later I was asked to be Chapter President  and I agreed. So did the chapter membership when you elected me  to the job last fall. I thank you for that vote of confidence. 

As we move into a new year, I hope you are planning to take full  advantage of your membership. This includes involvement with  Neighborhood Group meetings, community service events, classes  and special events. Oh, and don’t forget to review the national ASG  website www.asg.org, for blog postings, classes (some are free) and  information shared by chapters across the country. You never know  where tips and tricks and most importantly, inspiration comes from! 

I do see a challenge before us: communication. The pandemic had  ASG taking the final steps to the digital world with zoom meetings,  email and postings to electronic/social media. The Chapter Advisory  Board uses several tools of communication. GROUPWORKS, emails  and our website, www.asg-mpls-stpaul.org are a few of the ways we  communicate what is of interest locally. Some of these tools such as  GROUPWORKS and email allows internal communication only. Other  social media such as the website and Facebook page allow us to  showcase to the public who we are and what we do. I do hope you  are as comfortable using these tools of communication as you are  with a needle and thread and your favorite sewing machine! Need  help? Please reach out to our Publicity Chair at publicity@asg-mpls stpaul.org and we can get you connected! 

I do want to put in a plug for a major event in our organization, The  Style Show. Details are outlined in this newsletter. I would love to see  you all at the Fashion Olympics, April 27, 11:00 am at Christ Episcopal  Church in Woodbury. I will be having a President’s Challenge for the  event. I have not worked out the final details yet, but I will share a  preview: think bags.

Bags as a fashion accessory such as a purse or wristlet; bags to carry  everything from diapers to tap shoes, yoga mats, pickleball rackets  and hockey skates; and bags sewn for community service such as  backpack and/or totes for those in foster care.. The list is endless.  Look for additional details of the President’s Challenge on  GROUPWORKS or email questions to president@asg-mpls stpaul.org.  

Lastly, I would like to thank those who are volunteering their time to  our Youth Education classes. We have years of experience within our  chapter and I love to see that knowledge passed on to others. In the  last few years, I have helped individuals and families downsize Mom  or Grandma’s sewing supplies. Our “stuff” is easily disposed of and  forgotten, but passing on your skills and your love of sewing is  remembered long after the ‘stuff’ is gone.

-Eileen-