A Trip Down Memory Lane…
As we enter into the fall season, I’m reflecting back on the past nearly 15 years and the joy it has been. And as I continue to look ahead to Jolene’s Sewing School’s 15 year anniversary, I have been thinking back to the years the school was started.
In 2009, in the midst of the Great Recession, I lost my job and searched and searched to find a new one. Finally, a friend said I should teach people to sew. I thought she was crazy, but I didn’t have many other options, so I decided to give it a try. I figured, what did I have to lose?
Doing research online, I found KidsCanSew, and they made the process of getting started straightforward and affordable. So I cleaned out my front bedroom, bought four tables, chairs and sewing machines, and started with camps that first summer.
Later in the summer, I had a booth at the Woodstock neighborhood fair and tried to sign kids up for classes. That was where I got my very first regular student! Soon three more joined. After running a series of Christmas workshops, I had 15 students by January! No wonder I was tired that first year! I haven’t looked back since, and the rest is history.
Then I did summer camps and I fell and broke my leg, which you heard all about last month!
As I reflect back on that season, I am totally amazed. Originally, I thought I would do this until I found something “better”. I did not think it was going to work. But here I am 15 years later and it’s still working, and I love it! I wish I had kept track of how many students have come through over the years…it’s been a privilege to teach hundreds of students and pass along my love of sewing to so many.
Stay tuned for the next installment next month! I hope you’ll continue to follow along in the coming months as we go down memory lane…