Fashion Illustration - Student Highlight - Alisa Clements

This month I wanted to highlight one of our former adult illustration students who is putting out some amazing work. Here is a little bit more about Alisa in her own words:

In 2019, I started an online search for sewing, fashion, art.

I found The Sewing Room! I would look through the classes and feel super excited thinking when I was going to take a class! Then one day while perusing Jennifer's website, I saw Fashion Illustrating with instructor Julie Ann. "WOW," I thought to myself, "gosh, that's so cool- fashion illustrating!" I cannot express how thrilled I was about this class offering. I felt so lucky to have found this opportunity at The Sewing Room.

Fashion StudiesJennifer SerrMarch 16, 2021The Sewing Roomfashion illustration, fashion classes, fashion studies, fashion program, fashion sketching, drawing, drawing fashion, sketching, student highlight, student of the month, fashion studentComment

How to Sell at Craft Shows and Artisan Markets Without Spending a Fortune

Sewing BusinessJennifer SerrFebruary 5, 2021The Sewing Roomartisan craft market, craft shows, Visual merchandising, credit card readers, logo generator, product pricing, how to haggle, handling hagglers, selling crafts, selling your wares, how to sell at a craft showComment

Too Cold to Play Outside? Try One of These Fun Family Activities Instead

When you’re spending most of your time at home, being able to send the kids outside to play can relieve boredom for them and provide a much-needed break for you. If it’s snowing or raining outside, or simply much too cold, you may need to come up with some alternative ways for your children to have fun and stay occupied. In fact, you may want to prepare for the colder months ahead by keeping these ideas in mind to keep those blustery days less stressful.

Working with KidsJennifer SerrDecember 14, 2020The Sewing Roomkids activities, entertaining kids, family activities, cold weather activities, sewing camp, online classes, online sewing camp, online crafting classes, the environment, environmental education, indoor funComment

6 ways to be Sustainable while you shop for Groceries - Eliminate Single Use Plastics

And the Zero Waste Saga Continues. This week, I want to talk about the grocery store and grocery bags. It really rubbed me the wrong way when we had to give up our reusable bags over Quarantine. I'm so glad we can use them again. Here are a few ways you can do your part to avoid plastic bags and single-use plastics while you are shopping:

EnvironmentJennifer SerrDecember 8, 2020The Sewing Roomsustainability, grocery shopping, ways to be sustainable, zero waste, zero waste tips, zero waste lifestyle, how to be zero waste, tote bags, lunch bags, shopping in bulk, shopping, where to shop in bulk, how to shop in bulkComment

Fashion Illustration - Interview with artist Velicia Gourdin

Recently, our very own Julie Ann Brown reached out to fashion illustrator artist Velicia Gourdin for an interview. She asked ten great questions. We hope you enjoy Velicia’s answers and her AMAZING illustrations below. She is such a talented artist and illustrator!

Fashion StudiesJennifer SerrAugust 27, 2020The Sewing Roomfashion Illustration, fashion studies, illustration, people of color, poc, representation in fashion, creative process, fashion design, fashion art, fashion jobs, illustrator artistComment

How Much Is An Embroidery Machine?

Embroidery is an age-old art that has existed as early as 5th century B.C. It is the process of adding accents to clothing for design and aesthetic purposes. Once a delicate craft that can be done only by hand, thanks to modern technology, embroidery can now be completed using an embroidery machine.

With an embroidery machine, you can do different kinds of stitches and choose pre-made designs or accents. Similar to a sewing machine, these tools have a bobbin and a spool placed inside a hook which is used to form the stitches. Machine embroidery designs are responsible for some of the breathtakingly beautiful accents we see on towels, pillowcases, sweaters, and other items made of cloth.

Sewing BusinessJennifer SerrJuly 24, 2020The Sewing Roomhow much are embroidery machines, machine embroidery, buying and embroidery machine, sewing machines, embroidery machine price, mid level embroidery machine, embroidery designs, digital embroidery designs, digital designs, digital embroidery, computerized embroidery, computerized embroidery machines, high end embroidery machineComment

How To Design The Ultimate Craft Room For Beginners

Originally posted on Porch.com

June 8, 2020

Evan Dunn

Whether you love to sew, embroider, or paint, having a craft space is a great way to get creative at home. From a spare bedroom to a spot over the garage, you can create the crafting area of your dreams with a few tips and tricks. Of course, if you don’t have an extra room, you can always create a “craft station” in your office or living room. Read on to discover some easy ways you can transform a part of your home to make it a crafting getaway you’ll love.

Fashion SewingJennifer SerrJuly 7, 2020The Sewing Roomcraft room, sewing room, ultimate sewing room, diy sewing room, sewing space, diy sewing and craft space, diy sewing and craft room, professional sewing space, professional sewing room, craft lifestyle, sewing is self care, crafting is self care, self careComment

Sewing and Stem - How are they related?

It may be hard to imagine how STEM, (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) can have much to do with the mundane experience of Sewing. Upon further investigation, you might be surprised. Sewing directly involves Math, Engineering and Science. And, technology can be incorporated into the sewing process with the use of circuiting and led lighting effects as well as computerized machines and programmed embroidery. But even on a more basic level, Sewing encompasses a myriad of STEM principles.

Working with KidsJennifer SerrJune 30, 2020The Sewing Roomsewing, stem, steam, sewing and stem, stem activities, stem project, cool stem sewing activity, cool stem sewing project, science technology, math engineering, science technology engineering mathComment

How to Keep Your Kids Entertained When They’re Stuck Inside

With school closures in effect because of the coronavirus, most parents are scrambling to find activities for their children. And depending on where you live, the weather might not always be cooperative so your children can get out to play. Don’t worry though, there are still plenty of opportunities to keep them entertained while they’re inside. Better yet, you can even sneak a few educational moments into these playful tasks.

Working with KidsJennifer SerrMarch 26, 2020The Sewing Roomentertaining kids, kids activities, indoor activities for kids, stuck inside, coronavirus, covid 19, kids education, home school fashion program, home schoolComment

How to Be Sustainable in your Sewing Practice

Sustainability is a word that's been getting flung around a lot in the past few years. It's definition is: Noun, The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level. In terms of fashion and sewing I'm looking at Sustainability as the "avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance" (quoted from Siri after I asked her). We are in a Climate Crisis. It's real and it overwhelming.

Responsible FashionJennifer SerrMarch 9, 2020The Sewing Roomsustainable fabric, sustainability, sustainable, sustanable fashion, sustainable fashion, thriftshopping, thrift shopping, sewingComment

Fashion Studies: Student Update - Kelly

8th grade Fashion Studies Student Kelly H. has been coming up with amazing designs over the Fall and Spring. In the fall, Kelly draped a bodice and skirt and then created flat patterns from the drape. She also learned out to use a block or sloper to create the dress she's wearing. The embroidery she's holding is based off an illustration she created for the the dress she's wearing.

Student of The Month, Fashion StudiesJennifer SerrMarch 2, 2020The Sewing Roomfashion studies, fashion design, pattern making, embroidery, teen students, teen designer, fashion illustration, fashion classes, fashion classComment

Best Sewing Machine Threads Reviews 2020

If you are up for any sewing project, then you better gather some ideas about threads. There are tons of different threads on the market, but you have to pick the one that is most suitable for your project. Threads are long interlocking fibers (natural or synthetic), which can be used for multiple purposes. Sewing threads are exclusively produced to fit needles and make stitches.

Fashion SewingJennifer SerrFebruary 24, 2020The Sewing Roomsewing, thread, sewing thread, best sewing thread, button thread, polyester thread, cotton thread, cotton covered polyester thread, sewing threads, sewing advice, best thread review, 2020 thread reviewComment

Fashion Careers: What is a Fashion Designer?

When I was growing up, all I wanted was, to become a FASHION DESIGNER. I wanted the glamorous life of being famous as well as the daily activity of making clothing that started out in my mind and then became a physical garment. I think that’s what most people think of when they think of a fashion designer. In reality, the glamorous life of a fashion designer is few and far between. That kind of designer is the one that many of us all look up to, but isn’t the actual job that most designers have.

Fashion StudiesJennifer SerrFebruary 14, 2020The Sewing Roomfashion design, fashion studies, fashion jobs, fashion, swimwear, swimwear designer, julie ann silverman, swimwear design, fashion careerComment

Fashion Careers: What is Pattern Making?

This is the start of a new blog series about Fashion Careers. I’m starting with Pattern Making or Pattern Maker, because that’s the job I’m most familiar with . I’ve been pattern making and pattern fixing for the last couple of decades and it’s something that gives me great personal satisfaction as well having been a skill I’ve used to earn a living.

Fashion StudiesJennifer SerrJanuary 16, 2020The Sewing Roomfashion Design, pattern making, pattern design, fashion jobs, fashion school, fashion student, patterns, pattern, pattern maker, fashion careerComment

5 simple ways to make your wardrobe more sustainable

So you want to become a more ethical shopper?

Change isn’t going to happen overnight and the journey ahead isn’t always going to be easy. However, if you make some small changes to your shopping habits, ethical shopping is sure to become second nature and you can feel great about the good you’re doing for the planet (as well as your bank balance).

Here are five simple tips on how to make your wardrobe more sustainable, without compromising style and fashion:

Responsible FashionJennifer SerrSeptember 5, 2019The Sewing Roomfashion education, fashion, fashion design, ethical fashion, sustainability, sustainable fashion, sustainable fabric, sustainable, sustanable fashion, thriftshopping, thrift shopping, shoppingComment

What You Should Sew If You Want To Start A Business

Sewing BusinessJennifer SerrAugust 20, 2019The Sewing Roomsewing business, what to sew for business, sewing for money, how to sewing business, make money sewing, personalization, embroidery, embroidery machines, pop culture, trends, trending, downton abby, little women movie, embrace trendsComment

Student of the Month - April

This month we highlight Kelly H. who is one of our Fashion Studies Students. Only 12 years old with a fairly developed sense of style, she is learning the craft of clothes making and cultivating her design skills. She's even doing it with a cast on her RIGHT hand. Yikes! She will be an ambidextrous designer by the end of the school year! That shows a lot of commitment and determination, if you ask me!

Fashion Studies, Student of The MonthJennifer SerrApril 12, 2019The Sewing Roomfashion studies, fashion program, fashion school, fashion education, Fashion Design, fashion sketching, fashion student, student highlight, sewing student, student of the monthComment

How to Start a Clothing Line

A lot goes into Starting and Manufacturing a Clothing Line and I love how this spells out each step for our readers.

EXPLORING (Responsible) FASHION - Local Fabric Mill in California

Responsible Fashion is a term presented to me by fellow colleague, Janice Paredes from FIDM (my alma mater). It's a new way to look at Clothing and the Fashion Industry. It's about choosing a responsible way to wear your clothes and a responsible way to spend your money. It involves deeper thinking beyond just looking at the style and price. Responsible Fashion is looking at the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND HOW your clothes get made.

Responsible FashionJennifer SerrMarch 28, 2019Huston Textilesresponsible fashion, Fashion Design, fashion studies, fashion sewing, fashion program, sustainability, sustainable, sustanable fashion, sustainable fabric, fabric mill, vintage fabric millComment

Student Of The Month - February

Uma started taking classes in Fall and has been sewing up a storm ever since. I love her style and creative enthusiasm. for instance, she wanted to make the Bonjour Teaspoon Lilli Sailor cap but thought it was too pointy, and then thought that the points looked like cat ears. So she was determined to add cat ears and she did it! I also love this amazing camp she designed made while visiting her dad's work, where they have a sample making room. So cool.

Fashion Studies

Join Our Email List

Services

Resources