Welcome to SAGA Online

The purpose of the Smocking Arts Guild of America is to preserve and foster the art of smocking and related needlework for future generations through education, service, communication and quality workmanship.

Log in to your Member Area to register for the 2013 SAGA Convention in Frisco, TX.   The Registration link will be in your Member area and will open at 10AM Central time on Wednesday, May 1.

Select your class choices, fill in your information and check that you have read the cancellation policy.  Continue to the next page, which is the Confirmation page.  All of your class choices are listed - once you confirm these, there are no changes.  When you confirm, it will take you to PAYPAL so that you can pay for your registration.

***Once you click confirm, you CAN NOT go back into your registration, so make sure you check all information before you confirm!

PAYPAL is our credit card processing company for online registration.  ALL ONLINE REGISTRATIONS are paid through PAYPAL.  You can pay through PAYPAL even if you do not have an account.  If you prefer not to use PAYPAL, you can register by calling in or faxing your registration to Karen VanWert, our convention registrar.  Contact information is available in the SAGA Convention brochure.

Once you have registered and paid, your status will show as 'PENDING' - please give Karen a week to verify all of the information.  Once that is complete, your status will show that you are Registered (this will be in your member area).

2013 Convention T-Shirts can also be ordered when you are registering for convention.  T-Shirts MUST be picked up at convention - they will NOT be shipped!

Smocking fundamentally is the manipulation of fabric using needle and thread. In its simplest form, smocking is decorative needlework stitched over pleats to embellish the item. However this does not define its limitlessness. Smocking can be used to create texture, design or flexibility in fabrics. When a more sophisticated technique is employed the color and weight of the fabric can be influenced and the folds of the fabric become the focus rather than the embroidered stitches. SAGA is your resource to over 20 different forms of smocking.

Join us for a week of Two Step Stitching in Frisco, TX, for the  National SAGA Convention, October 23-27, 2013.  Registration opens May 1, 2013 at 10:00 am Central time!

For Hotel reservations, click on the following link!

http://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/groups/personalized/D/DALFSES-MOC-20131019/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

With this exposure Grace and Yolanda decided to start their own chapter with 3 of their friends. They have have more friends who are anxious to join.   
Grace has sent First Mexico's Smocking Chapter first picture of their chapter officers and members, In order of appearance, left to right Graciela Flores, President Yolanda Fernandez, Vice President , Olivia FLores, Treasurer, Damaris Guajardo, Newsletter, and  Elisa Chabrand, Secretary.

All of us want to take the oportunity to welcome this trailblazer new group!

Elaine Berry

Region 5 Rep

elaineregion5rep@yahoo.com

Great News – SAGA is now on Pinterest! Check out our site for your one stop source for the best smocking and construction tutorials, everything Wee Care, free smocking plates, heirloom and embroidery “how to’s” as well as quick sewing gifts!

We have just begun to build the site in the last month or so, so be sure to “follow” us so you can see each pin as it is added. Never checked out Pinterest?  – now is the time! Pinterest is an online bulletin board full of pictures. If you see something you like, just click on it – you will get a bigger picture of the item. Click on it again and it will take you to the site where the picture, tutorial, or smocking plate lives on the web. Best of all, if you are unsure about this whole Pinterest thing, unlike Facebook, there is no need to sign up. You can go to any site on Pinterest, just browse and click.  You only have to sign up for a Pinterst account if you want to be able to save the “pins” to your own boards.

Take your time to check out our boards and if you have any suggestions for a great tutorial or free plate that isn’t on our board, email your suggestion to Lisa Hawkes at regionone@smocking.org and she will do her best to get it up there! Remember, start following us so you can keep up with all the latest inspiration!

You'll find the latest info about upcoming events and programs including Education Programs, Grant Workshops, and more.

Join SAGA on Facebook! go to www.facebook.com, log in (you can get a free facebook account) and search for Smocking Arts Guild of America, and join! See you there!

SAGA Board of Directors

Susanne Brisach President Tawn Hunka President Elect Lisa Reidland Vice President Evaluations Jane Briscoe Secretary Shirley Ganske Treasurer

Lisa Hawkes Region I Rep Cathy Reinhardt Region II Rep Region Rep. Coordinator Susan Van Houten Region III Rep Becky Horton Region IV Rep Elaine Berry Region V Rep