For many of us, sewing is as important as breathing. The satisfaction in making, creating, learning and growing is so powerful. Whether you’re new to sewing or have been sewing for many years there’s always something more to learn and the feeling of accomplishment can be indescribable. It doesn’t matter whether we’re hemming a pair of pants (we’ve all done it for a family member or friend), making an apron or piecing a bed-sized quilt. It just feels so good to sew.
I was so fortunate to grow up in a small town in Southeast Kansas in the 1970s and early 1980s where the school system had a robust home economics department and a fantastic teacher. DeAnn Binns. Mrs. Binns was my home ec teacher from seventh through 12th grades. Although my mom got me started sewing at a young age, it was Mrs. Binns who made the biggest impact five days a week during the school year. Most classes had a split curriculum of cooking and sewing and although I consider myself a good cook, it’s sewing I truly love.
I learned so much from those classes over the years. I remember starting out in seventh grade in front of a sewing machine without thread and “stitching” over black lines/designs printed on paper. Starting this way helps you learn speed control, material control, differences in stitch length and simply developing a comfortable feeling using the machine. Hand-eye coordination along with the speed of the foot pedal can be challenging at first but as with anything, the more you practice, the more adept you become at the task. By the time I graduated from high school I was making dresses, men’s shirts, costumes for school plays, curtains, pillows and more.
I also give a lot of inspirational and instructional credit to my mom who was an incredible seamstress. In fact, I usually refer to her as a fine tailor. Her dresses and suits were every bit as well made as anything you’d find in an upscale department store. She worked full-time as a registered nurse and in those days nurses still wore white uniforms, white hosiery and white leather shoes. I have vivid memories of going to the fabric store, Missouri Mills, (in Joplin) and looking at fabric, patterns and notions. Their giant wall of buttons was a wonder! I always thought the smell of the fabric when you walked into the door was intoxicating. Mom would pick beautiful suit patterns from Vogue and Simplicity (rarely from Butterick for some unknown reason) and then the most beautiful white fabrics available to make her own nurses’ uniforms. She was the only nurse at St. John’s Hospital in couture designs. She was head nurse in the neurological department for many years and also looked like a million bucks while on the job. Her attention to detail and sewing ability helped me so much along the way. My mom, Martha, along with Mrs. Binns at school, both made me the sewist I am today.
It’s because of the education I received and the life-long love of sewing I’ve enjoyed that I think it’s important to share the story of The Sewing Labs in Kansas City. I think not having sewing opportunities in today’s schools is a huge disservice to students of all ages. I believe in teaching others to sew and sharing my love of the craft. This short story of The Sewing Labs in Kansas City is truly inspirational and shows how each of us is connected to each other by beautiful threads. We should all embrace sharing the love of sewing and inspire someone who has not yet experienced how good it feels to cut on the straight grain and then stitch beautiful seams.
This first video is an overview of The Sewing Labs in the Kansas City area, a couple of hours north of me. I’m happy to share this video and their message.
The video was shared at their event on June 10, 2022.
This second video is on YouTube and is from May 3, 2022. It’s a great overview of this nonprofit organization.
Learn more about The Sewing Labs on their website by clicking HERE.