Sewing finds new interest from teens

Fourteen-year-old Katie McCreary recently discovered a new talent. During her first-ever sewing class this fall at Sewtropolis in Minneapolis, McCreary received high praise for perfectly lining up the corners of the tote bag she was making. Nikol Gianopoulos, instructor and store owner, offered the encouraging words.

"She said corners are hard to do when you're first learning and that it takes natural talent," said McCreary with a smile.

The Washburn High School freshman has always enjoyed doing what she calls "crafty stuff," such as making bracelets and painting.

"I learned to sew in high school in home-ec classes, but I haven't done it since, and we don't have a sewing machine at home," said Cindy McCreary, Katie's mom. "It's great that Katie has an opportunity to learn to sew here because they don't teach it in school anymore."

Gianopoulos, who began sewing when she was 9 years old, has been surprised by the growing number of kids and teens enrolling in classes and school vacation camps at Sewtropolis, which opened last fall. The shop offers classes for all ages and skill levels, in addition to selling patterns, sewing essentials and fabric.

"When I was doing my business plan for the store, I never even considered kids and teenagers, but they are definitely interested," she said. "I think it is a creative outlet for them."

Classes are geared for ages 8 and up. Gianopoulos said kids need to be able to have the patience to work on projects and be able to use a sewing machine, since the first lesson always covers machine basics.

With attention to detail involving measurements and fractions, it is no coincidence that sewing and math skills often go hand in hand. Roloff is an eighth-grader who takes 10th-grade math; McCreary also has very high aptitude in math, says her mother.

The cool factor for sewing may have been heightened in recent years by the "Project Runway" TV show, which features up-and-coming designers creating their own fashions.

"There was an 8-year-old girl that came to one of my classes with four sketchbooks full of clothing designs. It was amazing," said Gianopoulos.

Sewing is experiencing a resurgence in part because of the growing interest in repurposing clothing as a way to make popular teen accessories such as tote bags and comforters.

"When I was in fifth grade, I had a teacher who had a quilt on the wall that was made of all these old pairs of jeans that belonged to his brothers and sisters," said McCreary. "His mom made it for him and I always thought it was really cool." McCreary would like to try a similar project, she said.

"There's a whole subculture online dedicated to sewing. People link sites on projects to their Facebook page and they read blogs by other sewers," she said. "I feel like technology has helped get the sewing movement going again."

In McCreary's view, there is no reason to give up one hobby for the other.

"I like Facebook, but I like crafts, too," she said.