Bree Kasper (left) and Melissa Gilbert opened Sew Together in April.
“There’s three types of zen.This one is called grandmotherly zeN.”
small warehouse classes and space in a mostly meetups on Melissa Gilbert, Co-founder of Sew residential neighborthe calendar. Together hood near North Wells In an effort to Avenue. The property owner balance affordability with temporarily waived the rent as the organization financial sustainability, drop-in classes works to establish financial stability. They operate on a donation basis, with a requested opened their new studio, Sew Together, on April donation of $5-20. 1. Kasper is director of operations, and Gilbert is Kasper and Gilbert intend to host workthe co-founder. shops for recent Encompass graduates who On a recent Monday, Kasper and a volunneed a place to keep sewing, and they want teer named Sebastian Elcano were in a small to build partnerships with various community room running yards and yards of heavy gray groups. One friend who works with homeless fabric through sewing machines. They were veterans is coordinating with young sewers to making blackout curtains for the large, sunny make sleeping bags for her clients. windows at Acro Enso, an acro yoga and circus This type of networking is exactly what arts studio on East Fourth Street that opened Kasper and Gilbert were hoping for. In the earlier this year. three months they’ve been in business, they’ve Adjacent rooms have a cutting table, more already seen people inspired by sewing sewing machines, shelves of fabric, a few together, and to them, it’s about more than just stuffed animals waiting to be repaired and creative clothing and quilts. It’s about how displays of Gilbert’s quilted wall-hangings and making things by hand can affect the soul and Kasper’s furry dress-up hats. A storage room is the brain. already starting to pile up with donated fabric— “That inspiration, to me, can get you much of if from Truckee Meadows Community through a lot of hard times and sorrow,” said College’s recently closed theater facility. Kasper. “I think the act of creation—or mendIn the three months the space has been ing—caring for what you have, or creating open, it’s seen a good amount of traffic. something new, it’s what makes being human “Sewers are just coming out of the woodbearable sometimes.” work,” said Gilbert. Posts on social media— “The act of making things—there’s so much especially on Meetup—have led to a lot of new peace that can come from that,” said Gilbert. acquaintances who want to learn to sew, teach “When you create something, you get not just a class or sew in a social environment instead the emotional boost, but you’re learning skills of at home. that can translate into real life, help you commuSo far, Sew Together has been holdnicate, help you moving forward.” Ω ing weekly meetup sessions like Mending Mondays and Fearless Fashion Fridays. Gilbert, Kasper and visiting teachers have taught workshops in skills such as taking measurements and making patchwork quilts. Sew Together is located at 640 Eureka Ave. Upcoming Ali Conway, proprietor of Strange Bikinis, workshops include “DYI Kitty Ear Class” on July 12 and “Sewing 101: Learn the basics” on July 19. To see the taught a workshop on starting your own complete schedule, visit Sew Together’s Facebook page. garment business. The non-profit welcomes donations of sewing machines Sew Together recently began offering and fabric and is eager to hear from sewing experts who monthly memberships and put several more may want to propose a class or workshop.
07.11.19 | RN&R | 19