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ASG Honors Claire Shaeffer

Author and couture expert Claire Shaeffer was inducted into the ASG's Sewing Hall of Fame during the ASG annual conference in Houston.

The American Sewing Guild inducted Claire Shaeffer into its Hall of Fame at the 2012 ASG Conference last week. The award recognizes Claire’s role as a respected teacher, a prolific author, and a longtime supporter of the organization and its mission of advancing sewing as an art and life skill.

“Claire has taken the concept of sewing as an art to its highest level,” notes Margo Martin, ASG’s executive director.

Accepting the award, Claire spoke about her involvement in ASG and about the organization’s importance in the sewing world.

Claire has spent much of her career demystifying couture for home sewers by teaching many of the sewing techniques used in couture fashions. “Anyone can develop the skills to make garments that are as good as those sold by couture houses in Paris, and that’s very exciting,” Claire says.

Claire is frequent Threads contributor and has written more than 15 instructional books. Her expertise has earned her behind-the-scenes access to design houses, and she has worked with several museums to identify vintage garments and consult on fashion exhibits. She also designs a collection of couture-inspired patterns for Vogue Patterns. In 2003, she received the Association of Sewing & Design Professionals’ Lifetime Achievement Award.

Currently, Claire has two new books, each packaged with companion DVDs, slated to be published in 2013 by The Taunton Press. Couture Sewing: Tailoring Techniques will be released in February 2013, and Couture Sewing: The Couture Cardigan Jacket, Secrets From a Chanel Collector will be released in October 2013. Each DVD runs 90 minutes. Her latest book Couture Sewing Techniques (Revised and Updated) and DVD Couture Techniques: Workshop Basics are available now.

Have you ever taken a class taught by Claire Shaeffer? Did any Threads readers attend the ASG Conference in Houston? What were your favorite workshops?

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  1. User avater
    LuvThreadsMagazine | | #1

    Oh, the company you keep!!!

    Every contribution Claire Shaeffer has made has been informative as well as inspiring.

    Thank you Threads Magazine for being a forum for top talent in sewing to reach so many interested others.

    Kindly, take this to the water cooler, "More articles from Claire Shaeffer can't appear too soon!".

  2. User avater
    ustabahippie | | #2

    A well deserved honor for Claire Shaeffer. I use her Fabric Sewing Guide all the time!

  3. SewsinOKC | | #3

    Yes, I attended the conference in Houston. It was a great conference and they always inspire me with new ideas, new products and new ways of doing things. I particularly enjoyed the jacket workshop by Rae Cumbie and have just finished her new Tabula Rasa jacket pattern that was personally fitted to everyone who purchased one. The great instructors at ASG conference just keep getting better and better. This was my 5th conference, and yes- I'll be in Washington DC next year.

  4. Carolsewmuch | | #4

    Yes, I attended the Houston Conference. While in the hotel
    having a cup of soup before returning to the home of a new ASG member from Houston, I realized that Claire Shaeffer was
    seated at the next table within talking range. It had been
    several years since meeting her at the Philadelphia ASG conference, but I decided to speak to her. With other ASG
    instructors and board members in the room, I was surprised that no other ASG person was speaking with her. In my mind
    I knew that she was there to receive the Hall of Fame award,
    since she was not teaching at this conference. My friend remembered reading the back issues of Notions, and asked several questions about her recent book. Then on Sunday when she got the award, I went up and spoke with her again.
    It was great to be in the mist of such a great teacher.

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