About Stitching Girls Society

About the Retreats

Lorraine Kimmel, Founding Director
Retreat/SGS Founder:
Lorraine Kimmel
Affectionally known as Mother Superior
Retreat Director 1985-2008 (23Yrs)
Penny Kimmel, Executive Director
Retreat/SGS Executive Director:
Penny Kimmel
Affectionally known as Daughter Superior
Retreat Director 2008-2021 (13 yrs)

Under the auspices of the Seattle Chapter of the American Sewing Guild In 1985, Lorraine Kimmel said, "There are plenty of quilting retreats, why not a Sewing Retreat?" and the Vashon Island Sewing Retreats  were born.  Even though the Seattle Sewing Guild disbanded that year, Lorraine kept the Sewing Retreat idea going, holding the first Retreat that September.
(See 1985 Retreat photos.)

Gradually, over the years, Lorraine's daughter Penny took on more and more responsibility for coordinating the Retreats, so that sadly in 2008, when Lorraine passed, Penny was ready to keep the Retreats sewing.

In 2009, after twenty four years of hosting Sewing Retreats, Camp Burton insisted that they could only continue hosting our Retreats if we became a nonprofit.  So the Stitching Girls Society was founded as a registered 501(c)(3), tax exempt nonprofit.  We took our name from our favorite theme song: "We are the Stitching Girls!" Although our name says "Girls" we are open to all who want to share the joys of sewing.  Penny served as both our Executive Director and President until 2021.

When we were no longer holding Sewing Retreats at Camp Burton on Vashon Island, we changed the name of our Retreats to the Stitching Girls Sewing Retreats !
Since Penny's retirement in 2021, the Stitching Girls Society Sewing Retreats have been coordinated by the members who attend them.  And to come full circle, in 2022, new Retreaters joined us from their reconstituted American Sewing Guild local chapters.  We continue to grow with new members every year.


MISSION

Stitching Girls Society  promotes sewing, quilt making and other needle and fiber arts skills by providing inspiration, fellowship and educational opportunities through events, classes and sewing retreats; and encourages and facilitates the donation of created items to other charitable organizations.

For more information, contact President, Cheryl Scheeler
4306 NE 22nd Court
Renton, WA 98059-3647
Phone: (206) 300-0533
Email: SScheeler@sprynet.com

To become a member,  send $30 annual Dues to:
Stitching Girls Society
c/o Cat Shepherd
14506 1st Ln NE #105
Duvall, WA 98019-6460

Or pay with Zelle from your own bank.
Follow these easy instructions:
"How to Pay SGS with Zelle."

Or pay with PayPal here.

Membership PayPal Button

Stitching Girls Society  Board of Directors

Penny Kimmel, President
Cheryl Scheeler
President
Sandy Hancock, Board Member
Mary Hoagland-Scher
Secretary
Peggy Garber, Treasurer
Cat Shepherd
Treasurer
Cheryl Scheeler, Board Member
Sandy Hancock
Membership
Penny Specht, Secreatry
Penny Specht
Retreat Coordinator

Vashon Island Sewing Retreats
20th Year DVD

  • 20th Retreat Year DVD

Our first 20 Years of Sewing & Fun in a 50 minute DVD video plus 20 years of photos accessible on computer

To Order DVD, email request to Peggy Garber
(Requires Acrobat Reader)

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Peggy Garber, Treasurer

Peggy Garber
Web Master

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Stitching Girls Society.org