2019 CHAPTER EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Join us for Waldemere Wednesdays! 

This year we will be bringing exciting workshops to our members each month. We have a mixture of classes taught by chapter members and by guest speakers. A few are free, some are $25 with advance registration and others are $10 at the door. This is a unique opportunity to sew with chapter members outside of your NG and to go home with completed items or expanded knowledge. Information will be posted below as it becomes available and will be blasted out about a week before each class. 

DEADLINES AT A GLANCE: 

June 21: Conference Deadline

April

Apr 17: Fabric Stamping and stenciling trunk show and fun with Evelyn and Stephanie Kimura at Waldemere. Bring a garment or fabric you want to paint or just come and use fabric provided to try techniques on.

Cost $10 at the door

May

MAY 15th- Embroidery Software with Sandi 

Cost $10 at the door


Bring your laptops and questions to this guided learning session lead by Sandi Dickenson. Sandi uses Stitch Buddy and Embrilliance/DG Embroidery Works. You do not need an embroidery machine for this class. If you are thinking about learning embroidery, this is an excellent opportunity to explore it. Advanced level users are invited to share your knowledge with others. We will touch on the various embroidery machine levels and brands. We will also assess member interest in bringing future embroidery educational opportunities to our chapter. 


Our main discussion will center on embroidery software and it's uses. We will have access to You Tube and the new Craftsy-Bluprint format of video tutorials using various software brands. After lunch (brown bag, Wendys or Grub Hub delivery) we will focus on whatever the participants want to learn such as tweaking designs for certain fabrics, working with hooping different fabrics and working with text.


If you have a laptop, please bring it even if you don't yet embroider or own an embroidery machine so you can explore your embroidery software's features. I have listed a few free trial/demo software suggestions below. Please download the software of your choice and play around with the menu items for a few days so you know what questions you would like answered. 


1.For Mac Users, Stitch Buddy offers a full version (limited to 1000 stitches in the design) which can be downloaded here: https://www.stitchbuddy.de/mac/links/. Stitch Buddy HD is an iPad editing/conversion app capable of printing over WiFi and syncing with your computer via iCloud, Drop Box or AirDrop. Like the computer app, the iPad "free version" app is fully functional for designs with less than 1000 stitches. 


I have worked with this software's creater as a beta tester since 2006 and his support and response time is outstanding. Updates with new/improved features are offered free. The software is intuitive to learn and it's the only native Mac software available. Once installed, all of your embroidery files will be searchable in Finder and appear as icons and images so you can easily organize them. After purchasing Stitch Buddy, you won't need to purchase additional modules- there aren't any because they are all included in this software. Cost: $50 for Mac OS and $30 for iOS. 


2. For PC users, Hatch offers a 30 day demo with complete functionality and exclusive bonuses:

https://digitizingmadeeasy.com/hatch-embroidery-free-trial/.


John Deer and Lyndee Godell both use this "top quality" editing/digitizing/conversion software to teach embroidery classes. Support is excellent with a 30 day money back guarantee and there are many online tutorials, including John Deer's class offering one-on-one support. Hatch has introduced a module purchase concept. Each higher priced module includes the features of the modules below it. They also offer flexible, affordable payments. I have felt tempted to buy a Windows laptop just to explore it! Cost: Entry level editing module is $150, advanced editing is $250, entry digitizer level is $500 and the full program with advanced digitizing is $1,100. 


3. For Mac and PC Users, Embrilliance Express (limited to text fonts in .be format) can be downloaded for free here: https://www.embroidery.com/free-embrilliance.ec. This website also has a link to their free Embrilliance Stitch Artist 30 day Course and to the Embrilliance Essentials Demo . The demo does not allow any files to be saved and has functional limitations. 


I was a Mac OS beta tester for the Essentials module in 2007-8 but over the years the company has grown so much that support can now take 4-7 days. However, the company has put together a number of You Tube tutorials and the Manual has greatly improved. There are Facebook user groups and if you own a Baby Lock, you can input your dealers name on the Baby Lock Class site and order the DG Embroidery Works classes free. It is the same software created by the same person. 


Embrilliance is a native Windows program and even though it runs on Mac OS, it looks like a PC program. Buggy behavior is not uncommon after updates but it is the ONLY embroidery digitizer program available for Mac OS. Embrilliance software gained popularity because it was the first company that allowed users to spread out their software investment over time and buy only the modules they needed. In the end, the price for all of their modules, mirrors or exceeds the cost of Hatch. 


The modules stand alone which mean you can purchase them in any order. Each module has a specific purpose and does not include the functions of the others so if your current embroidery software lacks a feature, you could purchase an Embrilliance module to compensate. Costs: Entry level design editing $140. Design viewer $50. Advanced font editing $95. Advanced design editing $180. Entry level digitizing $170. Advanced digitizing $200. Professional digitizing $290. 


4. For PC Users, Embrid (30 day trial with limited functionality) can be downloaded here:

https://www.embird.net/index.htm . 


I don't have a PC to try it out but my research shows there are a number of forums, Facebook user groups and free tutorials available with many satisfied users of this budget friendly add-on software. Embrid does a nice job of laying out a decision tree to help you decide which plugins best fit your needs. Embrid requires all users to buy their first module for $200 which covers basic editing. Plug in Costs: Design viewer $20. Entry fonts $15. Advanced font editing $145. Cross Stitch $75. Sfumoto stitch $90. Digitizer $150. 



May 12-17: CHAPTER SEWING RETREAT

Location: Chateau Elan Hotel and Conference Center

CANCELLED

Deadline to Register is May 1, 2019

     

June

4-H Summer Sewing Camp.

Jun 19: Fabric Beading techniques on fabrics with Annette Alberta and Donna Verstrate.

Cost $10 at the door

July

Jul17: Xmas in July with Barb Van Beuren....come and make a Xmas tree pillow
Cost $10 at the door

August

Aug 3: ASG National Conference Begins

REGISTRATION REQUIRED - Deadline Aug 10th. Class size limited to 18. Contact Sandi to register. 
Cost $10 at the door

Aug 21: Fitting a knit bodice top with Sandi, Jan and Evelyn using a Connie Crawford pattern designed for realistic woman. Registration is required so we can arrange pre-class consults toaddressyour personal fitting needs. Class is limited to 18. You must have purchased the pattern and knit fabric muslin and consulted with one of the instructors to determine the size to cut. If you do not require help with a blended size, you may be able to cut out your size at home and bring your pre-cut muslin to the class. You will be working in pairs with a sewing buddy.

For those of you that attended Deb Canham's January workshop, this is where you can put those learned serger techniques into use! We will guide you in making a knit top, Butterick number B6334.


This is the perfect opportunity to create a top from your Pennie Challenge fabric using one of their fantastic knits. If you have never sewn a knit top before and want to give it a try this class is a must. If you are experienced and want to elevate your bodice fitting or garment design to that next level, this workshop is for you.

 

In this workshop we will cover length, circumference and depth adjustments. You will learn how to make front and back alterations for your body's neck, shoulder, bust, waist and hip.


The morning will focus on your needed pattern alterations. The afternoon will focus on construction techniques for this pattern. 


Any level of experience on sewing machines or sergers is welcome. This Connie Crawford pattern can be purchased locally or online (https://butterick.mccall.com/b6334 ) and is available in two sizes, XS-XL or 2X-6X.

September

National Sewing Month

Sep 18: Charity Sew with Lou Burns.....bags for teens

October

Oct 16: Quilting 2..(Intermediate)......techniques like curves, squaring up, etc. 
Cost $10 at the door

Oct 25: Annual Meeting and Elections

November

Nov 20: Pant workshop with Susan Angermann
Cost $25  -- Registration Required 
Class limited to 15 people.....please contact Evelyn to sign up for this pant workshop ahead of time

December

December is filled by Neighborhood Groups celebrating with holiday parties - and holiday dates may affect our normal NG meeting times and dates. We will post the luncheon registration and date/time changes to our NG, Calendar and Events pages as they become available. 

     

Mid Dec- Come visit our ASG booth in Manatee Village Historical Park. The Cracker Christmas Event begins with park opening at 11 AM and runs to 4 PM. Visit Father Christmas, Ebenezer Scrooge and enjoy seasonal choral, instrumental and dance performances. Free Parking. Admission is $5 for Adults, Children under 12 are free.  Address is at 1404 Manatee Ave, E.