Summer Sewing Inspiration

Are you thinking about summer sewing?  We are!  We reached out to a few of our members and asked if they had any summer inspiration to share.  Whether you are looking for machine embroidery, quilting, garments, bags or even beading and weaving, we have a few ideas to get your summer creative juice flowing!… Read the rest

After the Masks

When COVID sent us all inside, our minds were consumed with questions like

WHAT NOW?

We needed something to combat all kinds of feelings.  Fear.  Boredom.  Lack of purpose.  And we had to find the solution to those feelings within the confines of our own homes.

Because we sew, many of us found the solace we needed right inside our sewing room. … Read the rest

Fireside Chat with Emily Hallman about Capsule Wardrobe Planning

We spent about a half hour with Emily Hallman talking about color, style and the joy of sewing your own wardrobe. She publishes a capsule wardrobe blog and has over 40K followers on Instagram, both an enormous source of inspirational eye candy! Emily describes herself as a shoe lover, bookworm, dog mama, fashion enthusiast, and sewist.… Read the rest

Fireside Chat with Suzy Furrer of Apparel Arts

Suzy Furrer is the star of our next fireside chat and she is another delight you won’t want to miss. Suzy is the founder/director of the Bay area fashion design school, Apparel Arts where she teaches classes on pattern making, textiles, sewing, design principles and tailoring.  In addition to teaching at her own school, Suzy teaches at conferences, guilds, and schools around the country, online on Blueprint, and has even taught for big name companies like GAP, Pixar, and Lucas Films.… Read the rest

Plano ASG meets Jenny Rushmore at Cashmerette

When Jenny Rushmore saw a gap in the options pattern companies offered curvy sewists, she didn’t sit back and accept it. She started her own company and filled it! We recently had the pleasure of a fireside chat with her and heard about her journey through building her company, Cashmerette and co-founding the Curvy Sewing Collective.… Read the rest

Plano ASG meets Heather Lou at Closet Case

We recently had the distinct pleasure of spending a half hour with Heather Lou, founder and director of Closet Case Patterns. Heather has taken her business from her first pattern, the Bombshell swimsuit back in 2013 to the extensive line of 23 patterns, 7 supply kits and 4 online classes she offers today.… Read the rest

Behind the Scenes with Claire Cochran at Stitch Buzz

If you are a garment maker, you have very likely either made a cardboard template or wished for one many times. When Claire Cochran of Stitch Buzz felt that way, she invented a permanent one! In 2011, Claire launched her business with just one specialty ruler. Watch this 20 minute interview as she takes us behind the scenes into that journey.… Read the rest

Travel and Fabric and Sewing! Oh My!

If you are reading this article, I suspect you are a lover of fabric. Those of us sharing that love usually have a stash and the individual pieces of that stash sometimes have a story. Here are stories from Karen, Markita and Sheryl, a few of our Plano ASG members who have had the opportunity to wander the globe and love to feed their stash with souvenirs from their travels.… Read the rest

Jeans Making – Grand Finale

Welcome back to this Grand Jeans-Making Adventure! ICYMI, you can read about my search for the right fabric and supplies in Part 1 and my painful journey through jeans fit in Part 2. In part 3, my grand finale, I will share my experience of ….

Making a Wearable Pair of Jeans.
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Jeans Making – Part 2

Welcome back and thanks for joining me as I chronicle my grand jeans making adventure.  I had lots to learn about the various denim weights in Part 1

In Part 2 I found out the big thing to learn was JEANS FIT.  I had no idea when I started this that I would need to make 3 muslins!
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Jeans Making – Part 1

Part 1 – Getting Ready

Two years ago, I decided I wanted to jump on the jeans-making band wagon.  I bought the Closet Case Morgan boyfriend jeans pattern and was ready to go.  Six months later I had done nothing so when our chapter offered a jeans technique workshop, I was excited to attend. … Read the rest

Janelle’s Journey into Kantha

Submitted by Janelle Brantley

My sister Jacki called me on a Monday, from a Tues. Morning in East Texas, telling me about some Kantha throws she’d found and how wonderful they were.

They reminded her of  jackets she’d seen on Pinterest and in magazines and thought the throws would be perfect for a project.… Read the rest