Brooklyn Sewcial founder Alexa Ward discovered her love for sewing at the age of 12 because of her grandmother. As a result, she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and graduated in 2006 with a fashion design degree
Ward began working in Pins & Needles, a small Upper East Side sewing shop. There she taught the craft and was inspired to start her own studio in DUMBO in the summer of 2014. She moved to her current location in Greenwood Heights in Oct. 2016. Now Ward is a full-time teacher at the studio, where she helps children and adults alike hone their sewing skills.
When not teaching, Ward’s currently learning how to dye fabric using natural products like avocados and turmeric. She also likes to make dresses that can be created within a few hours.
“If I’m going to make myself a dress, I’m going to be doing it on a machine,” she said. “But there’s something really special about adding little details that are hand-stitched.”
Her next personal project is a hand-dyed, hand-stitched and machine-stitched robe, using all of her skills.
Classes and Workshops
The children’s afterschool classes and summer camp sessions (geared toward ages 6-13) are the most popular. The studio also offers adult workshops like the introductory one-day ‘learn to sew’ class that has participants making handmade napkins.
“Everybody wants to sew for a different reason, whether they want to make themselves clothes, make presents for people, or even to make stuffed animals,” Ward said.
With so many personalities, interests and types of students in mind, Ward’s created a variety of schedules and themes for anybody who enjoys sewing or wants to learn for the first time. She’s previously held a widely popular Mermaid Tail workshop; Fashion Week classes; and the annual Back to School workshop where kids have made their own backpacks and pencil cases for the new school year.
“I love projects where I can allow the kids to have creative liberties like a t-shirt they can design or a create-your-own stuffed animal,” Ward explained. “It’s really fun to see where their minds go, have them get creative and let go a little bit.”
The Lost Art of Sewing
Ward calls sewing a “lost art” because long gone are the days of learning how to sew in home economics classes, or even maybe learning from family members like she had.
“With the computers and everything nowadays, kids don’t get to make things with their hands; that’s something … so tangible because it’s your clothes or something you can cuddle with at night,” she explained. “It’s something personal you’re making to learn.”
Ward added that sewing instills patience because students might have to spend three weeks on one creation, especially if they’re coming in once a week for a few hours at a time.
“There are so many parts of sewing that can be hard and you have to work through it, so I think it gives kids a lot of skills that are necessary growing up,” she said.
At the end of the day, Brooklyn Sewcial is all about learning, experimenting and helping one another out in a friendly and social environment.
A Sew Cool Seasonal Schedule
For spring break (April 22-26), there will be a Harry Potter camp for kids ages 6-13, where they can make Sorting Hats, basilisk body pillows (which Ward’s personally looking forward to) and more.
Compared to this time last year, Ward has seen an upswing in kids’ desire to sew. As a result, she had to add more classes to the upcoming summer camp series, which had sold out before mid-March. Harry Potter Week, which will be in early August and is for kids ages 6-13, currently has a waitlist. Kids can also make sleepover bags during Sleepover Week (currently sold out), and can make matching outfits and accessories with their dolls during Doll Week, June 24-28 (still open as of mid-March). Aside from sewing, there will also be arts, crafts and rock candy making in July and August (currently waitlisted). The three-day Summer Beach Fun workshop (still open as of mid-March) will include making a bathing suit and bath robe, decorating flip flops and making beach-inspired crafts.
For more information, visit Brooklyn Sewcial at 87 19th St. in Brooklyn or at brooklynsewcial.com.
Top photo courtesy of Ward
Author
George Fiala has worked in radio, newspapers and direct marketing his whole life, except for when he was a vendor at Shea Stadium, pizza and cheesesteak maker in Lancaster, PA, and an occasional comic book dealer. He studied English and drinking in college, international relations at the New School, and in his spare time plays drums and fixes pinball machines.
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