Children's Sewing Camp at ASFD

Since Project Runway shined a light on the world of sewing and design, we have a new generation of kids that want to learn to how to make their own clothes and designs. Ironically, many of their moms don't know how to sew....we were all out there getting liberated and it left little time for this skill. But, nevertheless, the current youngsters want to learn.

Generations in the past learned from their mothers or grandmothers, but, the last few generations opted out of learning any skill that would continue to label them the "inferior species". So typing, cooking, sewing...out the window. Get your own coffee!

The children today are crazy to learn....everything. My niece knows how to cook, how to sew, how to skate, swim, play soccer AND make great grades! She is 13, but learned these skills when she was very young. She is driven to learn ...already wants to work in Australia with sharks!

She is not that unusual, from what I see here at the school......the children leave our classes wearing their skirts (or tool belts, for you guys).....proud to show off what they learned. They sew their garments over and over, wanting to get it right! Every once in a while, I will get a day dreamer, yawning and sleepy throughout the class....but usually it is because of too much sugar. It is almost always their diet...so I try to talk to them about what they are eating in the morning. ....and we talk while we sew.

I just realized that it is sort of like the old time quilting bee, women talking about their lives and sewing. These kids talk about everything while we are sewing....and in the end, they have learned a few things about themselves, and they get to wear their new garment out the door! I can always see a change in their self esteem. I try very hard to notice the shy kids, and pull them out to help teach the class. It is always always amazing to watch the change!

The drawing classes are really the most fascinating. People have such a mental block about learning to draw. But the students that took my first class had no prior drawing experience....the were all around 10-11 years old. We learned a new lesson every day for five days straight, and at the end of the week, all of the kids were drawing beautifully! I was flabberghasted! I hated for the week to be over....I had learned so much from that class. I really cried the day they finished. When people learn to draw, it is so exposing, and you cannot help but get really close to the student. As, you can see, I love this class.

In the summer, starting June 9th, we have one week classes for the kids....sewing, intermediate sewing, purse design (they love this class), and hatdesign. Just check the class schedule, and register your children early...the classes fill up quick! Mary Margaret

Austin School of Fashion Design Fashion Show!

May 18, 2008

First things first!

The Austin School of Fashion Design Annual Fashion Show will be held June 7th at the beautiful Mexican American Cultural Center at 600 River Street. It is on Town Lake and is just a wonderful building, with plenty of room for our event. The exhibit of the illustrations and draping will start at 7pm and the fashion show starts at 8pm. We will be showing the students work. Please come!

Back to the blog......

Since we are now officially into summer, I thought I would use a summery text color just to brighten up the page a little. I have to stop myself from going any farther, for fear I will start decorating the borders and adding all sorts of "pretty things"! Stop me.

My best friends, Beth, Judy, and Laura have made it an annual thing to get together during the easter celebrations and decorate something....eggs, shoes, etc. They are not your normal easter eggs...I will try to download a few to show. Mainly, we just laugh ourselves into oblivion, getting together and pushing our "artsy fartsy" talent far as it will go! A few years ago, we decided to decorate shoes...we all went to walmart and bought a pair of open heel sling back shoes ($8.00)...did I mention the heels? $8.00 heels...ouch!

We all brought every box of craft stuff from our homes that we could carry, threw it all on the table, got out our favorite glue guns, and poured the wine. On your mark, get set, go!

Now, I want you to know that all of us are pretty good artists, all of us make our living at art, so you can imagine the potential here. But put four good friends together, and a box of glue guns, some fake flowers and plastic beads, and stand back, Ellie!

After a couple of hours of trying to outdo one another, we had our finished masterpieces....but the best part was actually putting them on our feet and walking out the door to go to dinner!!!!We all decided to wear our shoes out that night, and take a walk down Congress Avenue after our dinner. Man, oh, man....those were the most painful shoes that any of us had ever worn, but we hobbled along, laughing and crying at the same! But what a fun day!

My point in telling this story.....how did everything get so busy in all of our lives that we just don't have time for these get togethers? I hardly have time to look up, much less find my glue gun! But our friendships are so treasured...there is just so much love and laughter!

In the last two years, the school has take all of my free time...I'm not complaining, I would rather be there than almost anywhere else. I love watching the students learn and coming up with new ideas in fashion. Everyone is so driven to learn. But I forget that I have not seen my friends in ages and I miss playing with them. Judy, Beth, Laura, Jan, Virginia,Barbara, Connie, Carol.....my friends who have supported me every step have all taken a back seat to my school.

Hopefully they will all be there on June 7th, and some of you can enjoy them as much as I do.

Now that summer is here, the kids are out of school and we start all of the summer programs for the kids.....beginner sewing, intermediate sewing, illustration, hat design, purse design. The kids have a great time, and I am so impressed at how focused they all are. The classes last five days each, one week, for two hours a day. So the kids have an opportunity to take several classes if they wish. Kim Allbright and Ashley Raines have done a wonderful job in creating great classes for the kids...and the kids seem to really appreciate the creativity of the courses.

The adult classes stay the same, however, we don't teach the morning sewing classes, because there is not enough room with the children's classes. So, for just the summer the morning sewing classes change. We do still teach flat pattern in the morning.

I hope to see many of you at our fashion show, wearing your designs, or showing your illustrations, or just being in the audience supporting the students and admiring their creations.

Regards, Mary Margaret