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President, Susan Kenski-Sroka
I started sewing in Girl Scouts, sewing clothes and made lot of my clothes through college. I remember trips to downtown Chicago to buy fabric and also buying fabric at my local W T Grants and JC Penney. During that time, I also started hand piecing quilts with my mother and grandmother. All of this got put aside with marriage and couple of kids but by the late 90’s the quilting bug had returned, and now sewing for myself is on the horizon.
Deanna Lood, Treasurer
Mary Bowler, Secretary
Stephanie Torres, Retail Liaison
I have been sewing for as long as I can remember! Both of my grandmothers sewed for a living and my great uncle was a furrier in NYC. He specialized in pulling the pelts and designing the fur coats and accessories.One of my most fond memories was my mother and I designing and sewing my wedding dress, ivory satin with a lace overlay and tiny pearl heart buttons from my grandmother. I now design and sew all my own clothing and enjoy blogging about my sewing
adventures at 10sewingmachines.blogspot.
Jane Plass, Newsletter Editor and Education
Jane joined ASG in July 2017 and has served as newsletter editor since fall 2018.
She served as ASG Chicago chapter president from 2020 through 2024 and began as education chair in 2025.
Ashley Jean, Social Media Coordinator
I’ve taken a meandering path on my sewing journey. As a little girl, I remember being in awe of my grandmother’s sewing and making little things for my dolls from scraps. It wasn’t until my late teens that I received my first basic sewing machine lessons from two amazing aunts, where I made pillows for my dorm room and mostly observed and assisted in making a few pieces of clothing items. In my mid-twenties, I purchased my first basic $50 sewing machine and attempted unassisted sewing. Without much hands-on support (pre-YouTube), I stumbled through making a couple of dresses. It wasn’t until much later, after I discovered the ASG Chicago chapter, that I began to think of sewing as a pastime and a way to make useful items for myself and others. Thanks to the knowledge sharing, support, and cheering from my neighborhood group I received the push I needed to grow my sewing skills. I can’t wait to see how far I can go with ASG in my sewing journey.
Sheila Cisko, Webmaster
Valerie Koppenhaver, Member-at-Large
