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Sewing Workshop Fits All Sizes
Sewing Workshop Fits All Sizes
By
Carol
Spence
LEXINGTON, Ky., (Sept. 27, 2006) – Some women had never read a
pattern or threaded a sewing machine. Some were merely rusty,
wanting to brush up on skills they’d neglected for decades. They
all came together recently at “Come Sew with Us,” a workshop
held by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
in central Kentucky.
 The
two-part workshop for adults focused on basic sewing techniques
for both clothing and home décor. Jennifer Klee, family and
consumer sciences agent in Woodford County, said Extension
offers a lot of sewing programs for 4-H, but that not all
counties have the same capabilities for teaching sewing to
adults.
“So we decided to work together as a district, with the Master
Clothing Volunteers and Extension personnel to teach a variety
of basic sewing classes,” she said. “There are so many
do-it-yourself shows on TV now and they make it look very easy,
but you need those basic skills. So we’re trying to provide that
base so folks can go home and sew up a storm.”
Though the workshop was designed to attract beginning sewers,
Klee said the term “beginning” could include those who have
never sewn before and those who have, but want to refresh their
skills.
“’Beginner’ is in the participant’s mind,” she said, “but we’ll
try to give them those skills to create some confidence.”
Workshop participants could enroll in one or both of the
afternoon and evening sessions. In each session, participants
could choose from four options: Sew-n-Wear, Home Décor, Tooling
Around (becoming familiar with a sewing machine or serger) and
Etcetera (creating personal accessories).
Interest in this second-year of the program was high, with 50
people registered for at least one of the sessions. Klee
attributes the strong enrollment numbers to a general rise in
interest in the craft.
“I think a lot of folks have trouble with fit with ready-to-wear
clothing, and when you sew your own you can really refine that
fit,” she said. “A lot of people don’t like the cookie-cutter
things that you buy ready-to-wear, ready-made. So that really
gives you an opportunity to make your home unique or your
clothing and your accessories unique.”
The “Come Sew with Us” program is expanding. The workshops were
offered in two Kentucky districts in 2005 and in four districts
this year. Next March, the program will be offered on a
statewide level, in a retreat-like setting at the Kentucky
Leadership Center at Jabez. Klee said that participants in local
workshops would still find things to interest them at the
multi-day state event.
“It, again, will be geared toward beginners,” she said. “The
statewide program will have the same focus areas of clothing and
home décor and those kinds of things, but will offer different
classes.” |
Contact: : Jennifer Klee, 859-873-4601 |
|
The UK College
of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission, reaches across
the commonwealth with Teaching, Research and Extension
to enhance the lives of Kentuckians. |
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