Chicago Sews Newsletter: June 2025
Issue No. 24
For the past two years the month of June has been filled with excitement for the sewing community because of Chicago Frocktails. Even though we are not the organizers, we participated in the fun of the event in a few different ways, making new connections and new memories along the way. Whether you got directly involved in Chicago Frocktails or observed from the sidelines, we hope June was a great sewing month for you!
For the month of July, Chicago Sews takes a break, so we also want to wish you another wonderful month of sewing adventures, and we look forward to hearing about it when we reconvene at our August Sip & Sew.
Looking Back
June Sip & Sew
The topic of the evening for our June Sip & Sew was Frocktails, of course. We chatted a bit about this year's theme, House of Chicago, and the types of styles associated with the House Music genre. Alejandra, a member of the Chicago Frocktails organizing committee, shared about her plans to use denim for her outfit this year. Candyce showed us the corset she designed for a course years ago and is finally getting a chance to wear. Brittney also shared about her plans to use Ankara fabric in her design. There was definitely a lot of excitement about Chicago Frocktails and sewing plans!
We also had a member share the exciting news about a new fabric shop that opened in Chicago this month, Tailor Bird Fabrics, which is located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. We were thrilled to get this news and would love to hear about it if you've stopped in!
Pre-Frocktails House Party
To kick off the Chicago Frocktails weekend, we hosted a House Party to welcome out-of-town guests and bring together our sewing community. We had a fantastic evening enjoying pizza, drinks, music, and sewing stories. Events like this really highlight one of the unexpected blessings of sewing—it's ability to bring together people from different regions, backgrounds, and experiences. I don't think any of us would say we picked up sewing as a hobby because we were hoping to meet new people through it since it's usually a solo activity, yet it has allowed all of us to do exactly that. I'm confident that I'm not just speaking for myself when I say that sewing has enriched my life in numerous ways!
Also, we want to give a special shout-out to Laurel for her help with planning and setting up for our House Party, and to everyone who helped us clean up afterwards.
Chicago Frocktails
While Chicago Frocktails isn't a Chicago Sews event and I (Beth) wasn't able to attend Frocktails this year, many of our members did and here's what they wore and what they had to say:
Christine: The theme was "House of Chicago" and many people were in gorgeous designer inspired looks, but I was happy to find someone who also used Chicago's house music scene as their inspiration.
Laurel: Even though the number of attendees was lower this year, I think I spent more time chatting with other attendees and talking more about our projects.
Alisha: It was so nice to see people that I met a year ago at the first Chicago Frocktails and pick up right where we left off!
Mia: I was really glad to be there and hang out with all my sewing friends, reconnect with people I met last year, and meet even more amazing people.
Looking Ahead
Sip & Sew: Friday, August 1st
After our summer break in July, we'll be ready to get back to our regularly scheduled programming on August 1st (virtual Sip & Sew) and August 2nd (in-person Pattern-palooza). Keep an eye on your email, and our social media and Meetup page to get notified when it's time to RSVP.
(If you have a sewing-related event that you would like featured in the Chicago Sews newsletter, please email chisews@gmail.com)
Other News
Our fearless and lovely co-organizer, Mia, was featured in Sewn Magazine! Check out the look she designed and sewed.
Concluding Snippets
Become a CS INSIDER and enjoy extra perks!
Other Ways to Connect with Chicago Sews