Wednesday 13 November 2019

2019 Sew-Ins

Join us for our two remaining sew-ins for 2019. For November we're trying out a weekday, Tuesday the 19th. The hours will be a bit shorter, from 10am-2pm, and the price is a little less at $10 for OGG members and $15 for non-members. We'll provide the coffee but please bring your own lunch/snacks. 


Knockout a bunch of holiday gift making at our December 7th Sew-in. This one is our standard Saturday format, from 10am-4pm, you bring the sewing, we'll bring the pizza! The cost is $15 for OGG members and $20 for non-members. If you have and dietary restrictions please let us know in advance so we can do our best to accommodate. 


Both events will be held at our standard meeting place, the hall of St Mark's Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Avenue. Space is limited to 15 people, and we need at least 8 signed up to make them a go so don't delay in signing up at our web store. 


November 19: REGISTER

Thursday 17 October 2019

Updates for our 2019-2020 Season

New Meeting Schedule:

For our 2019-2020 season, we wanted to give a slightly different meeting format a try.  We received some feedback that more people would like a quick break in the middle of the meeting to grab some snacks and chat with fellow sewists!  We also know that some people might like to head home a bit early after catching our guest speaker.  We're going to give this a try and see how it goes for our first few meetings and then decide if we'll stick with it for the rest of the season:
  • Opening remarks & housekeeping
  • Guest Speaker and Q&A 
  • Short break & snacks
  • Member spotlight (new! stay tuned for more details!)
  • Sewing SOS
  • OGGPOM
  • Sew & Tell
  • Snacks & Socializing

Name Tags:

A lot of members have told us that they would like a better way to get to know fellow members' names!  Following the lead of our friends at OMQG, we're suggesting that each member gather up some scraps and sew themselves a name tag!  We think it's a great way to use up some scraps and show off your creativity!  You could also make your own lanyard, or use magnets to attach your name tag to your outfit. 

Members-Only Facebook Group:

We've recognized that our current Facebook Page isn't the best spot for online interaction between members, so we'll be starting up a private Facebook Group for OGG Members only!  We're still ironing out the details, but we'll be sure to let you know when it's up & running.

Snack Committee:

We're looking for a handful of members to help out with making sure we have refreshments for each of our meetings.  You'll be given a small budget to work with each month, and the types of treats you bring are up to you!  Please send us an email if you'd be interested in being on the Snack Committee.

Meeting Dates:

Meetings will continue to be held on the second Thursday of each month (**one exception this year) at St. Mark's Anglican Church (1606 Fisher Avenue), starting at 7:30pm.  Dates as follows:
  • September 12th
  • October 10th
  • November 14th
  • December 12th
  • January 9th
  • February 13th
  • March 12th
  • April 16th (**moved one week due to a conflict)
  • May 14th
  • June 11th

Thursday 23 May 2019

June Sew-in



The Ottawa Garment Guild is hosting a sew-in on Saturday June 8th from 10am-4pm, in our usual meeting spot (St. Mark’s Anglican Church, 1606 Fisher Ave). 

Are you attending the OGG High Tea and need some time to work on your tea party outfit?  Have some other summer sewing projects you want to work on?  Come spend a day with fellow sewists and get those projects done!

Cost is $15 for OGG members, and $20 for non-members, with a pizza lunch included!  If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, please let us know so we can do our best to accommodate you.

Space is limited to 15 people, and we need at least 8 signed up to make this a go. The last day to sign up is Saturday, June 1st.  To secure your spot, please pay through our Square Store (https://squareup.com/store/ottawa-garment-guild/item/june-sew-in).

Sign-up deadline: June 1st, 2019.

Monday 20 May 2019

June Pattern of the Month

Since our High Tea event is coming up in June, and many of us have weddings and other fancy summertime events coming up, lets sew some Garden Party Attire!!  While there are all sorts of options for fun things to wear to tea or a garden party, we've focused in on one of the most popular - cotton fit & flare dresses!  There are also some accessories and more menswear-inspired options below, too!
This by no means is an exhaustive list of all the "tea party attire" patterns out there... if you have another one in mind, we want to see it! 
 
If you're on Instagram, don't forget to tag your Pattern of the Month make with #OGGPOM

Wednesday 15 May 2019

Elections for 2019/2020 Season: Meet Your Candidates!

With elections being held for two weeks from Thursday May 16th to Thursday May 30th, we want to make sure you know who the candidates are!  Candidates for each position were asked to provide a photo and a brief write-up on why they would be the best for the position.  Details below!  Candidates are listed in alphabetical order for each position.

Candidate for Vice President:
Kristina Rudnitski:
Why do I want to run for VP of the Ottawa Garment Guild?
Because I’m impressed with the dedication of the current team bringing us a fun evening once a month for the past year, along with special events thrown in every so often. Becoming part of this community of people who love to sew is inspiring, and I am happy to help develop the guild further, give back some of what it has given me. My ideas for the guild are grouped in 3 clusters: 
1) People and Community, 
2) Tools and Resources, and 
3) Programming. 
For People & Community, the objective is to get to know each other better through the use of name tags, member profile pages, sewing play dates and finding a fitting buddy. The objective for Tools & Resources is to capture the information in a searchable format by setting up a wiki which could include an online forum, book reviews, lists of sources, inspiring media, and a tip board. For Programming & Events, I’d seek ideas from the membership via a survey, alternate speakers with activities at meetings, have casual swaps, facilitate socializing for introverts, apply an environmental lens to what we do, look into field trips, and have in-meeting activities and/or workshops on pants fitting, drafting dress shirts, fitting & measurement, dress forms and reverse applique. 

Candidates for Workshop & Sew-In Coordinator:
Claire Kerry:
I’m Claire Kerry aka @Brit_Can_Sew on instagram.
I’ve been a member of the Garment Guild since Kallie and the Exec set it up and I’ve attended most meetings and events put on by the Garment Guild.The Garment Guild has definitely helped and enhanced my sewing skills, as really just over a year ago I hardly had any “me made” garments so with the challenges of #OGGPOM I’ve been encouraged to sew more and I haven’t really looked back. I’d love to be give more involved in the Guild to help with the organization of workshops and sew-ins. I feel well I’m suited to the role as I’ve been on a couple of boards since moving to Canada over four years ago, I am currently secretary for a my Son’s School and have been a Member at Large on a Nursery School Board, so I aware of what being on an Exec Committee entails. I’ve helped organize fundraising events for co-operative organizations. I’ve lots ideas for future workshops and events for Guild members . Also my youngest starts Kindergarten in September so I should definitely lots of time for this role (and sewing!).

Lindsay Macedo:
Hello! My name is Lindsay, and I am recent Ottawa Garment Guild member. I love to travel, there isn't a dog I don't stop to pet, and I'm a big fan puns! When I saw the posting for this position and wanting to be apart of the community, I thought it would be a perfect fit with my love for sewing and my professional background. I work for a National Sport Federation, managing programs and events in high performance sport, and during my free time I have been slowly growing my garment making skills (although my stash is quadruple my production rate!). Given the chance, I would love the opportunity to grow my creative event planning skills by working with the executive and the membership to plan fun and rewarding workshops! Sew looking forward to next year!

Candidate for Social Media Manager:
Leah Stolarski:
Hi, I’m Leah and I’d love to be your social media manager! I’ve spent the past three years as the web manager on the board of my daughters nursery school and now that she’s moving on to kindergarten I have the experience and availability to hopefully join the board of the Garment Guild. I also have over ten years experience as a graphic designer so not only can I post on all of our social media platforms but I can make it look great too. I’ve been a guild member from the first meeting and I’ve learned so much, dramatically improved my sewing, and really enjoyed socializing with other sewists. Although the outgoing board members have left big shoes to fill, I am enthusiastic and ready to continue to grow and improve our guild.

Candidates for Secretary:
Carmen Ali:
Hi I’m Carmen and I’m running for the position of Secretary. I learned to sew at the age of 14 and sewed some of my clothing through high school. After university I stopped sewing garments and occasionally brought out my sewing machine to hem pants while dreaming of sewing my own clothes again. Paralyzed by fear of failure, I didn’t sew for myself for 16 years. All that changed when, through a series of serendipitous encounters, I met Kate and was introduced to the Ottawa Garment Guild. I attended the first meeting last March and it re-ignited my love for sewing. It started with the #oggpom for an infinity scarf. From there I fixed up my serger and learned to sew with knits and I just completed my first pair of trousers! By day I’m an office administrator for a busy real estate team. I live for creating systems, organizing and keeping as much order as I can. Since February I have acted as interim Secretary on the Executive. The opportunity to be involved with the Executive as Secretary for 2019/2020 is an opportunity for me to contribute to the community that has had such an impact on my life.

Laura Gibson:
My name is Laura and I am running for the position of Secretary. I joined the OGG last fall and I something I’ve really appreciated from the start is the diversity of activities we do and the quality of the speakers and events we have. I know to keep all of these parts moving smoothly, a team needs to be organized and accountable. This means having a Secretary who can facilitate clear communication and be an engaged member of the team. I think I’d be a good fit for this position because I’m organized, friendly and enthusiastic. I’m looking forward to helping out the other team members fulfill their duties wherever needed, so we can keep creating awesome meetings and events for everyone. I’m also hoping that acting as Secretary will help me meet more of you!

Friday 10 May 2019

High Tea with OGG

The Ottawa Garment Guild is hosting a springtime High Tea event!

Come join us at Amberwood Lounge and Eatery (54 Springbrook Dr, Stittsville), put on your garden party best, and join us for Sunday Afternoon High Tea.

On June 23rd, from 1-3 pm, come chat with friends, nibble on gastronomic delights served buffet-style, sip tea, and have your photo taken by a professional photographer (!)  Kristen Ireland of Mondays with Mac Photography, will be on site for the full two hours.

We know it can be hard to get out to Stittsville, so we've signed up with a ride sharing site. If you need a ride or can offer one, please sign up here: http://www.groupcarpool.com/t/piygw7

Tickets are limited, so snap up your ticket here!

To RSVP on Facebook, click here!

Saturday 27 April 2019

Elections for 2019/2020 Season

Our season is approaching an end and we're looking for some new people to join our Executive Committee! Do you have ideas about how the Ottawa Garment Guild should be run? Want to get involved in planning guest speakers, workshops and sew-ins for the 2019/2020 Season? Love social media and want to share how amazing the OGG is?!?

If you've been looking for a way to get involved with the Ottawa sewing community, we think this is a great opportunity to do so! No experience is necessary, and you don't need to be an expert sewist! Nominations are open to all. Nominations will close on Wednesday May 8th at 5pm. Nominees will be asked to briefly introduce themselves at our General Meeting on May 9th. Since our last meeting & email, we've had some slight updates to the positions available.

 Nominations for Vice President and Social Media Manager are still open, but we've added a new position - Workshop & Sew-In Coordinator. In an effort to better distribute the workload across our Executive Committee, we've split the Programming Director position in two. Vicki will continue her role on the Executive as our Events Coordinator and will continue to be responsible for organizing larger events like Frocktails and High Tea. Interested in joining the Executive Committee? Position descriptions are as follows:

Vice President:

  • Attends monthly Guild meetings, Executive meetings, and extra programming events as required; 
  • Assists the President with their duties; Steps in when the President is not able run the meeting or fulfil a duty;
  •  Actively promotes the Guild and recruits new members;
  •  Manages the general membership list for the Guild, coordinates with the Treasurer to ensure dues have been paid/ drop-ins are paid appropriately;
  •  Books/ manages speakers for meetings (whether this be a special guest, or a member speaking about a topic of interest);
  •  Books space for monthly meetings (as needed);
  •  Manages the scheduling of “Pattern of the Month”;
  •  Has signing authority on the bank account;


Social Media Manager: 

  • Attends monthly Guild meetings, Executive meetings, and extra programming events as required (or delegates accordingly);
  •  Manages the Instagram account, public Facebook page, blog/ website, and twitter accounts; 
  • Keeps track of the passwords document for all accounts;
  •  Can solicit members for blog posts or content for these pages;
  •  Takes photos at monthly meetings, to be shared on the various social media accounts.


Workshop & Sew-In Coordinator:

  • Attends monthly Guild meetings, Executive meetings, and extra programming events as required;
  • Books teachers or guests for special skills workshops throughout the membership year; 
  • Works with the Vice President to book any space required for extra workshops and programming; Manages fees (working with the Treasurer) for special workshops, based on enrollment; Schedules and manages Sew-Ins throughout the year; 
  • Coordinates with the President to ensure Guild members are aware (via meetings and the email list) of general programming. 


 If you have any questions or are interested in running, please reply to this email! You can also find more information in our OGG Constitution (draft to be ratified at our June AGM).

Thursday 25 April 2019

Fabric Dying Workshop

One spot left in our Fabric Dyeing Workshop!

We still have one spot available!!  The spot is now open to all - if you're interested, please sign-up her
e. 

Workshop details as follows:
When: Saturday May 4th from 10-3pm
Where: St. Mark's Anglican, in the kitchen off Bishop Reed Hall (our usual meeting space)
Fee: $60
About the class: Each student will receive four 19”-square organic cotton hemmed napkins to dye using four distinctly coloured dyebaths that we will brew using both plant extracts and dried raw plant parts.  Further details, here.

There are no extra materials needed, but please bring your own lunch or snacks.

Friday 12 April 2019

Pattern of the Month for May

Pattern of the Month for May!

After the fantastic talk by Susan and James from TaggerWear, and now that the snow is finally gone and the outdoors is much more inviting... it's time to sew some ACTIVEWEAR!  Whether you're super in to tennis or running, or just chillin' on the couch in your activewear, we've put together a great list of patterns below:
This by no means is an exhaustive list of all the activewear patterns out there... if you have another one in mind, we want to see it! 
 
If you're on Instagram, don't forget to tag your Pattern of the Month make with #OGGPOM

Tuesday 5 February 2019

That Sewing Blab Interview - Kallie & Vicki

TONIGHT at 7:30pm!! Our OGG President, Kallie, and Director of Programming, Vicki, are going to be on That Sewing Blab with co-hosts Dawn and Myra!! Tune in to hear about how the Ottawa Garment Guild got started, and more!
You can watch the interview LIVE TONIGHT (Tuesday February 5th) at 7:30pm EST by following this link for the crowdcast site.  Missed the live interview?  It will be available on the Duelling Designs YouTube Channel on the evening of February 6th.