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Rebeccca
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| Posted: July 01 2013 at 4:58pm | IP Logged
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AMDG
I would like to start a Sewing Club.
My daughter and I have been taking sewing lessons from a truly gifted teacher. She's moving soon, though, and we'll be without a teacher. I think for a while we're happy with the skills we've developed and would like to spend some time using our skills instead of taking more lessons with a different teacher. Knowing ourselves as we do, though, we think having a sewing club will actually keep up sewing regularly and moving forward rather than always getting too busy and then putting sewing to the back burner and then finally never really sewing much anymore.
I need some ideas, though. What do you think would be a good sewing club?
We were kind of thinking this (though we are WIDE open to ideas):
-- Meet once per month
-- One hour of Show and Tell: Each month, each member will show the progress she (or he, I guess) made toward her goal and let other members ooohh and aaahhh over it. Then she'll state her goals for the new month. I rather think we should have a journal/portfolio just to keep our goals written so we will do better about meeting them. This is really important to us. We want to continue to have sewing goals and meet them!
-- Intermission - spent in transition, putting away projects, gabbing, et c.
-- One hour of sewing together.
I can't decide. It could be one of these:
1)We could spend the time sewing for a charitable organization. We could choose an organization and project and each month during this hour, sew the thing. If it were a really simple thing, we could do it in an hour. I would like it to be local but that isn't a deal breaker. If it were more complicated, it would be a problem b/c it would take more than one meeting to finish and someone, ME!, would have to tote the unfinished projects home and store them. I definitely do not like that idea. I love the idea of the projects (preemie gowns, items for Madonna House or St. Elizabeth's Lodge, et c) but NOT the idea of me managing a bunch of unfinished projects. BAH! On the other hand, if it really were a simple, one-hour project, could it really be useful to someone?
2) We could spend it learning (or reviewing since there will be a variety of sewing levels, I suppose) a new sewing skill or technique. Members would take turns leading this activity and they'd be something like french seams or how to make piping or how to sew around a curve or 10 modesty solutions for ready to wear items or something like that.
3)We could spend it completing a one-hour project. This would also be a member-led activity. A one hour project might be a shopping bag or, um, er . . . So there my idea falls apart. I'm not sure I think we can make a project in an hour and have something I want that won't be another piece of junk in my house. What is there that a person would actually want? A scarf, a half apron, a shopping bag, a . . . a . . . a reusable gift bag. I really don't want a fabric covered headband and won't use it. My daughter would, though, so I'd learn to do it, too, and be happy. I just wouldn't use a tissue paper cozie or a cell phone holder.
Really, we'd like to meet twice/month but that is a weird schedule. People would like once per week or once per month, I think, and once per week is too much for this kind of thing . . . yes?
Also, location/machines. If we had it at the library, we could meet for free and no one would have to pay. However, everyone would have to bring a machine in addition to project and portfolio/journal. On the other hand, we could check into using the wkroom in one of the sewing shops. There are at least two that I know of that have them. However, there would certainly be a charge and we'd have to pay. We wouldn't have to carry our sewing machines around, though. Which would be better? Is there an idea I didn't consider?
So, please . . . Would you help me with some ideas that I haven't yet considered? How would you like a sewing club to be? What would you like for it to include? What would you really dislike?
Thanks, guys!
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knowloveserve
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| Posted: July 01 2013 at 6:04pm | IP Logged
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I think it's a fantastic idea! If it were me... I'd be able to commit to monthly meetings but more than that would be too much.
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Ellie
The Bleeding Pelican
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: July 01 2013 at 6:33pm | IP Logged
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For your hour projects.. consider what can be done ahead.. for instance... what about if you have them bring one item that needs a zipper put in.. then during the classtime, you're just learning how to put in a zipper and doing it.. but the rest of the project is up to the individual.
Or a simple item like a pair of sweats (great practise for making pants and more forgiving than slacks or leggings), a skirt, an apron (lovely gifts.. add a fancy cookie cutter and recipe to the package), things that the pattern says take a couple of hours but you have them bring the project already cut out. Then you do the body of the work at classtime and the finishing work can also be done at home.. after all, things like hems are simple and learned fairly early on.
Our Right to Life group here tries to bring a new baby blanket and other things (some new, some second hand, all donated) to each baby born regardless of the mother's income level. A couple of layers of flannel put together and bound and tied make a pretty blanket and you can have everyone bring the layers sewn together around the edges and just work on the binding at the meeting..
But anyway, give "homework" for the next project, use your hour for a complicated section or new technique, and then send it home to be compleated and brought back for the show and tell section (and left if it's a donation).
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: I need help thinking through an idea . .
