What is Sew Sew Guild?
Join us! We're a creative, kind and supportive group of enthusiastic sewists! We're curious, want to learn, or maybe just want to sew occasionally and be inspired.
The Guild will have lots of resources to build your skills, have fun, and connect with other sewists. It's really going to be a unique space you'll get skills to last a lifetime!
- We've got polls, prompts, posts, and questions that can bring more people into conversation in a space that's all our own.
- We've got Topics to organize our activity, Search to find what we're looking for, and Save Post for you to quickly come back to your favorites.
- You can direct message. You can also post and have threaded conversations.
- We can organize virtual sessions and events.
- We can keep conversations and messaging going before, during, and after our events.
- If and when we want them, we can also organize smaller groups and/or our own online courses.
In other words, we've chosen a spot designed to grow with us over time.
Who is Sew Sew Guild?
The Sew Sew Guild was borne out of the Sew Sew Live Community on YouTube aka Saremy Duffy, a veteran of the sewing and garment industry. Saremy brings a unique perspective to home sewing that allows you to be YOU and still get the results you want.
Fitting, Sewing, Designing and Drafting are all aspects of making ourselves clothes. In the Guild you can learn and get better at all of them.
This is not all about Saremy! It's about you! The Guild isn't a pressurized space nor are their challenges, social pressure, or competition. You can be very involved or low-key. It's not a space that will make you feel like you cannot keep up or you need to achieve. It's supportive where you are at in your sewing journey. I think you're going to find it very fun.
What to Expect?
When you first open up the Guild, you'll find a pleasing and simply designed space. It's similar to a Facebook group where you can create a 'post' with likes and comments-but so much easier to keep up with and less confusing.
But please don't think of it like Facebook!
It's so much more! There are no ads and nobody is mining your data. It's private and only people who belong to the Sew Sew Community are welcome. You can message others, follow ONLY the Topics you're interested in, and spend time in the Guild on your iPhone, Tablet, Android or Desktop-whatever you like. The Guild is new (January 2022) so it's a work in progress and all input is welcome as we finally make a space for the wonderful community we have already designed.
Groups: Are you a Member, Apprentice, Journeyist or Master?
Just like in a traditional Guild, there are different levels or groups. But don't let the names fool you. They have nothing to do with your ability; they're a fun way to expand on the idea of a Guild.
You can join at a Free level that allows you to share your makes, be a part of Events, swap fabric, and more or pay a subscription amount that unlocks things like:
- Monthly Zoom Sessions in a small setting (Master Group),
- Bi-weekly Workshops (every other week) where you can work and get help if you need in an open-ended workshop environment (Master & Journeyist Groups).
- A monthly call-in opportunity to Ask a Sewy Question, sort of like a radio program where you can ask YOUR sewy question. (All Groups)
- And a favorite: Skill Building Projects where you're provided with pattern pieces, instruction, and live guidance to build your skills to truly make sewing easier and more enjoyable. (Master & Journeyist Groups).
- There is also access to Events and Courses and special Topics concerning those wanting to learn about the commercial side including the garment industry or running your own commercial sewing operation. (All Groups)
- And so much more! Truly! Wait until you see what it's like inside- there are free trials and a free trial period of each Group. Read more about some of these Benefits below.
The Groups are ordered this way:
- Guild Member (Free)
- Apprentice ($5.99/mo or $59.99 annually)
- Journeyist ($15.99/mo or $159.99 annually)
- Master ($20.99/mo or $209.99 annually)
Annual plans are discounted 17% (which equals two months free each year)
What Happened to Patreon?
Patreon was a great place to start the Sew Sew Community and gauge the interest of folks who want to support the work that Saremy Duffy is doing.
The Guild takes this to a far superior level allowing folks to interact, finally give members useful information in an easy-to-navigate space, and keeps the Sew Sew community growing and active in a way that gives you ownership. Patreon will phase out to be replaced by the Guild. (and all Patreons will be gifted access for the remainder of their Patronage at or above their current level).
The Guild was created to financially replace Patreon and hopefully there is a Group that suits your needs. If you had an annual plan, don't worry! It'll all be still in effect and your benefits still active through the remainder and you'll get access to a comparable Group in the Guild so you can see what you think before your renewal comes up. You're getting much more for your dollar in the Guild than on Patreon since the space is designed for community building as well as Courses, Events, and Workshops.
If you're not ready to commit to the Guild but still want to show your support, Donations are still enabled on the SewSew.Live website and they're very much appreciated! There are still other ways to support too...nothing has changed except the addition of a community space now known as the Guild.
There is also a Free Group so you can still be in the Guild with us! See what you think and if a Group sounds good to you- we hope it does- join and expand your knowledge and presence in the Guild. You can always try one out for Free for a month.
Skill Building Sessions
(Journeyist and Master Groups)
The Skill Building Sessions are probably the most exciting part for most Guild Members. A list of upcoming Skills will be available and suggestions are welcome. Some examples:
- Seam Finishes: French seaming different seams (maybe pockets or sleeves); Flat felling, binding, etc.
- Pockets: Side Seam different styles, Patch, positioning, welt, and more
- Collars: There's a lot of different styles! We'll pick one and get really good at it
- Zippers: Fly, Side seam, invisible, etc
- Buttons and Buttonholes
- and so much more.
Each month there will be a specific skill we'll be diving in to. There will be:
- Pre-Recorded Material: A lesson with chapters you can always refer back to.
- Printable Material (for example pattern pieces with instructions to cut out a certain quantity of particular fabric)
- And Live sessions for multiple time zones: We'll practice together and refine our technique, so much so that you will wonder how it ever was hard.
These skill will be a dive in to the nitty gritty and we'll work together to practice, practice and practice experimenting along the way sometimes to get really good at a particular skill. So good, you won't need instructions! And you when you see that skill on a pattern you'll zip straight through that part with no fear! I believe in you and I'll show you how I got good. Eventually you'll be able to tackle anything with barely any instructions. Want to sew like me during a live stream? You will!
Ask a Sewy Question
(Apprentice, Journeyist and Master Groups)
Another fun monthly adventure will be a new radio-like talk show where you can call in and Ask a Sewy Question (or send one by a recorded voice memo).
I'm super excited about this project and I hope you will have some fun with it. I'll have my machine handy to try something out if you need it. But maybe you want to ask about a fabric choice, or something you saw on the internet, or maybe you have concerns about a pattern you want to buy.... we'll check it out together and Live!
The Workshop
(Journeyist and Master Groups)
Bi-Weekly (every other week, time zone sympathetic)
Every other week there will be a live Workshop space for you to attend. You can work quietly along side us, or ask a question. It's an open ended workshop- sort of like a lab. You're welcome to socialize if you like but maybe you just like having company while you sew and the possibility of assistance if you're at a tricky spot.
Free Guild Member Overview
If you're not ready to dive in to a Group (further outlined below), you can always join and get to know the community at a social level. With the Free Guild Membership, you get things like posting your makes, access to polls, messaging, Events, Courses, Topics, social stuff, fabric swaps and so much more- and you can choose to follow or not follow whatever you like- it's completely customizable. There may even be opportunities to purchase Skill Building Sessions.
We hope you'll try one of the Groups out since you'll really be able to sink your sewing teeth in to some good stuff that you will forever have in your basket of skills.
Here's another way to see the different Groups:
Master Guild Group
Besides everything in the Guild like posting your makes, access to polls, messaging, Events, Courses, Topics, social stuff, fabric swaps and so much more- and you can choose to follow or not follow whatever you like- it's completely customizable. You also get:
- Monthly Meetings (via Zoom)-look at the Events to RSVP each month.
- Workshop every other week. Bring a project to work on, get help or socialize. It's up to you!
- Monthly Skill Building Sessions: these will have a recorded component, a printable component, and an interactive live component.
- Monthly 'radio' show: Ask a Sewy Question- There will be a number to call and leave your question- maybe sometimes live- and Saremy will answer, ponder, philosophize, or research your Sewy Question. Let's make this a fun 'podcast like' experience that you direct with your questions and comments! And maybe even a live guest from time to time!
Journeyist Guild Group
Besides everything in the Guild like posting your makes, access to polls, messaging, Events, Courses, Topics, social stuff, fabric swaps and so much more- and you can choose to follow or not follow whatever you like- it's completely customizable. You also get:
- Workshop every other week. Bring a project to work on, get help or socialize. It's up to you!
- Monthly Skill Building Sessions: these will have a recorded component, a printable component, and an interactive live component.
- Monthly 'radio' show: Ask a Sewy Question- There will be a number to call and leave your question- maybe sometimes live- and Saremy will answer, ponder, philosophize, or research your Sewy Question. Let's make this a fun 'podcast like' experience that you direct with your questions and comments! And maybe even a live guest from time to time!
Apprentice Guild Group
Besides everything in the Guild like posting your makes, access to polls, messaging, Events, Courses, Topics, social stuff, fabric swaps and so much more- and you can choose to follow or not follow whatever you like- it's completely customizable. You also get:
- Monthly 'radio' show: Ask a Sewy Question- There will be a number to call and leave your question- maybe sometimes live- and Saremy will answer, ponder, philosophize, or research your Sewy Question. Let's make this a fun 'podcast like' experience that you direct with your questions and comments! And maybe even a live guest from time to time!
We're super excited to have you and happy sewing!
Please don't hesitate to ask any questions by emailing: [email protected]
