Donna has always enjoyed sewing and was fortunate to be taught by her mother and grandmother as a child. Donna recognised that there were lots of young people who were really keen to learn, but there were no classes tailored toward this demand. weSew provides a fun opportunity to hand stitch, use a manual sewing machine, weave and spin. Sewing projects range from designing, making and customising
garments, making toys/accessories or undertaking larger group pieces. weSew works with 8 – 18 year olds through the provision of:
• After School Sewing Clubs
• Birthday Parties
• Holiday Workshops
• School Projects for Key Stage 2 (eg: creating school murals)
• ‘Sensory Sewing’ for young people with special educational needs (eg: focusing on textures)
• Supporting teaching of the Art and Design curriculum for Key Stage 3
Why was weSew set up? Sewing is enjoying popularity with television programmes such as ‘The Sewing Bee’ and people are keen to learn how to do it. Traditionally it was a skill passed on from parent to child but as fewer adults know how to sew, and it is no longer taught to the same level in all schools, it has diminished over recent decades. Children and young people interested in learning to sew look to weSew to support them. The National Curriculum, Key Stage 2, requires that, ‘through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils should be taught the kn.owledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in …designing and making’. Schools may choose to address this objective using sewing/textiles and an advantage of working with weSew is that we can provide all materials (including 10 manual sewing machines and weaving looms) and skills to achieve whole school projects or class based initiatives. Similarly weSew can support teaching for Key Stage 3 pupils.
