Have you ever flipped through the pages of a magazine and admired
an outfit that your kids would adore? Instead of buying that outfit, Sewing Machines
Etcetera offers classes that can teach you how to make your own outfits for
kids that will save you money while indulging your creative flair.
A baby sling for example, can sell for up to $100 in some
magazines, but Erika Kottelenberg from Sewing Machine Etcetera made her own.
“It’s very simple and straight forward and would be a great
project for a first time sewer,” she says. For someone interested in learning
how to make a specific item, like a baby sling, classes can be created to
accommodate a group of friends who want to learn. “If you come in with a group, we would love
to put a class together for you,” explains Kottelenberg.
There are a lot of great sewing projects that kids and
adults can enjoy. Special fabric allows you to print a picture of your
favourite cartoon character or photo and iron in onto a piece of clothing. Kids
can colour on fabric that is set with the iron, creating a keepsake to
treasure.
“One of our customers does fashion design with her
grandchildren all the time. She loves to come in for felting tools, special
paints and fabrics. She spends the whole summer crafting with her grandkids,”
Kottelenberg says.
For tweens and teenagers, learning how to sew can be a
valuable and enjoyable hobby that will allow them to create their own cloths
that express their individuality.
“I think sewing can be a huge outlet for teenagers,”
Kottelenberg says, adding the kids and adults can take classes to learn many
different sewing techniques.
For younger children interested in learning how to sew and
make their own clothes, Sewing Machines Etcetera offers a summer sewing camp.
“We had a fantastic summer camp this season that went really
well,” recalls Kottelenberg. Kids ranging in age from 6 to 16 enjoyed a week learning
different sewing techniques. They were able to complete three projects, a tote
bag, pyjama pants, and a kite, which the kids embellished with decorative
stitches.
“The tote bag is the same bag I learned to sew when I was
eight and my sister was six. It was the very first project that we learned to
sew and I used it as a gym bag throughout high school,” Kottelenberg says.
For information on classes offered at Sewing Machines
Etcetera, visit
www.SewingMachinesEtcetera.com.
