La Vega intermediate school student Marqwae Willis squinted his eyes and leaned in close to the sewing machine as he began to stitch together brightly colored fabrics to form an Easter egg.
His right foot on the pedal, Marqwae delicately pressed down as he fed the fabric through the sewing machine, stopping only to remove the pins holding the pieces of fabric together.
Marqwae, a sixth grader, is one of many students at the La Vega Intermediate H.P. Miles Campus participating in the school’s first sewing club. Sixth grade math teacher Elizabeth Kahn and math interventionist Jeannie Stafford started the club this year to teach students not only how to sew but the importance of giving back, Stafford said.
For Marqwae, he loves learning new things.
“I like coming to the class because it’s the first time I got to sew,” he said.
La Vega intermediate school students Gael Hernandez (from left), Alan Lara, Chauntel Carmichael, Marqwae Willis and teacher Elizabeth Kahn present hand sewn totes for cancer patients to American Cancer Society representatives Madison Douglas and Amy Jordan. Staff photo — Jerry Larson
The students made colorful cross-body bags for breast cancer patients to put their chemotherapy pumps in or just to use as a small tote. They donated the bags to the American Cancer Society last week. They also made aprons for school administrators for Christmas.
The club also is working on making Easter eggs for nursing home residents to brighten up their rooms, as well as coloring books with a fabric cover for children in the hospital.
On average, about 25 students attend the sewing club each week, but it varies by day because the students are involved in other extracurricular activities, Kahn said. The club meets from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and everyone is invited.
Stafford said the club has as many boys in it as girls most days. The teachers decided to limit the club to sixth-graders for safety reasons, although many of the fourth- and fifth-graders in the intermediate school have expressed interest in learning to sew, too.
Sixth grader Jemiyah Babbs joined the club because sewing is a good hobby. She said she bought a sewing kit from Walmart on her birthday and has worked on handbags that turned out well. She was relieved to learn the club would not be sewing by hand but using a sewing machine instead.
La Vega intermediate school student Marqwae Willis pins ribbons on an Easter egg he is preparing to sew together. La Vega’s new sewing club plans to present the Easter eggs to nursing home residents. Staff photo — Jerry Larson
On the Thursday afternoon before winter break started, special education aide Jennifer Landfried, who also helps teach students in the club, showed the eight students who showed up the Easter egg design she created. The students then picked out their own materials to use, imitating the same pattern Landfried showed them.
The students then cut out the pieces of fabric for each element of the egg, using a template. Stafford said the district bought five sewing machines for the club, and others have donated fabric and thread. The club always accepts donations of any items that will help the students learn to sew.
Landfried stood over Marqwae as he pinned together the various pieces of fabric and prepared to sew them together. She told him to pull the machine close to him, where it felt comfortable and to place his foot on the pedal. She patiently walked him through each stitch.
“Sewing is a learning experience,” she said. “It’s the thought that counts.”
La Vega intermediate school student Jemiyah Babbs examines materials she wants to use during the after-school sewing club program.
