Making your own Halloween costume, sewing on patches, or mending a button might sound tricky, but these are all things you can learn in the sewing circle.
The first Sewing Circle meeting of the season had a great turn out. Students and staff shared their positive experiences, and highlighted how the club can be a great opportunity for everyone.
Organized by Mrs. Silverstein and the club leader Gabriela Geronimo, the meeting took place on Saturday, Sept. 6 in Silverstein’s classroom. Sewing Circle can be an influential part of students’ lives and can become a main part of their high school lives.
“I’ve been part of Sewing Circle since my freshman year, so it’s been an important part of my high school experience,” Geronimo said.
Sewing Circle teaches students the ways of a sewing machine without having any prior experience. It also gives them a chance to interact with one another, create new friendships and discover a possible love for sewing.
“I’ve really enjoyed organizing meetings, helping new members learn different sewing techniques, and creating a welcoming environment for everyone,” Geronimo said.
In this meeting, students participated in making stuffed animals. Club members were taught how to thread a machine and how to backstitch. While the club ran smoothly overall, there were minor issues that arose.
Because so many students attended the meeting, the number of attendees to sewing machine ratio was off, causing club members to take turns on a sewing machine.
“The struggle is equipment, because we have more members now than we have sewing machines,” Silverstein said.
Andy Anaya, a sophomore and first time attendee of Sewing Circle, overall had no complaints about the first meeting. However, she too faced some challenges.
“The only challenge I had faced for my first time was having to do back stitching after stuffing the plush I was making,” Anaya said.
Students like Anaya and Geronimo believe that Sewing Circle is a fun and good opportunity for everyone.
“Well I had originally joined Sewing Circle as I’ve always wanted to do sewing as I felt it was a cool skill and overall a nice activity to have and do,” Anaya said.
Geronimo, who is involved in other extracurriculars, believes that being a club leader has helped her develop positive skills for her future.
“I’ve also been involved in other community service programs and extracurriculars, which has given me more experience working with groups and supporting others. Altogether these opportunities have helped me grow as a leader and develop skills I can carry into the future,” Geronimo said.
The next meeting’s turnout seems hopeful, as Silverstein mentioned that most students planned to return.
“Most of them said they’d come back and participate again,” Silverstein said.
The room was filled with laughter and joyful conversation throughout the meeting. This created a warm and creative environment as students connected with new people and enjoyed themselves.
Overall, the first Sewing Circle meeting was a success. Students left with new skills, new friends and an appreciation for sewing!
