Here’s a quiz for you. If you were to tell your friends how frustrated you are with a sewing challenge, such as keeping your bias bindings from rippling, would they:
a. Ask what you’re talking about?
b. Roll their eyes and ask why you spend your time on such things when you can buy ready-made?
c. Give you a great suggestion, draw a diagram to explain it, offer to email you a link to a blog that gives a step-by-step tutorial and tell you to call them if you have any questions?
If you answered c, you’re probably an active member of ASG. If you answered a or b, see what you’re missing!
When I finish a project (a pretty rare occurrence for someone suffering from Paralyzing Perfectionism), there is nothing like the feeling of showing it to my sewing friends, who appreciate all the work that went into it. When I’m stuck on something I just can’t get right (see the reference to Paralyzing Perfectionism above!), I know I can count on my sewing friends to come up with helpful suggestions, offer encouragement and, yes, even suggest ways to turn mistakes into design details. Where did I get all those great sewing friends? Do you have to ask?
Walking into a an ASG Neighborhood Group meeting or Chicago Chapter event is always a treat. We come together as a community. We inspire one another. We learn together. We share our knowledge freely. We encourage one another. We enable our mutual obsession. We reassure one another that there are worse fabriholics out there, or someone else has more UFOs (white lies are absolutely acceptable). We speak a common language. And many of us become lifelong friends.
In almost any given week, at least three ASG Chicago Neighborhood Group meetings are held in and around Chicago. Each of these groups has its own unique personality. Each is a sewing circle that welcomes newcomers and long-time members; those who quilt; those who sew home dec and crafts; those who sew garments; and those who think about sewing more than they actually sew. If you are already a member of ASG, you are not limited to any one Neighborhood Group. If you are thinking about joining, you are welcome to attend two Neighborhood Group meetings as a guest before joining.
