Keeping Kids in Stitches

April 22, 2014

Crystal Tancak, children's librarian at Cleveland Public Library's Lorain branch, shows a group of children how to feed cloth into the library's Husqvarna Viking sewing machine. Photo by Olivia HogeYoungsters learn how to navigate a sewing machine courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library’s Lorain branch “Sew Lorain Kids” program. Debuting this past fall, the low-tech drop-in maker class has students producing finger puppets, lunch napkins, and hand warmers.

At the suggestion of one boy in the program, kids are also experimenting with upcycling older garments (see below), a process in which students modify the design of existing clothes to make them more fashionable. The results will be shown at a library fashion show in early May. The classes were made possible by the library’s purchase of two Husqvarna Viking sewing machines last summer.

Rock-righteous fashion from “Sew Lorain Kids.” Photo by Crystal TancekLove-and-chains-adorned shorts from the “Sew Lorain Kids.” program. Photo by Crystal Tancek

Examples of upcycled fashion crafted in
the “Sew Lorain Kids” program.
Photos by Crystal Tancak

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