Home Economics class (or Home Ec) is not offered in many public schools any more. When I was growing up, girls in Junior High School took Home Ec and boys took Shop class. I loved my sewing class, but not cooking, and when I asked if I could take Shop, I was told only boys could. When my son was in Middle School, both the boys and girls took Home Ec (there was no Shop class), though I can't remember what they called it. It might have been "Life Skills" or something like that. At the time, they taught sewing and cooking.
Because sewing is not taught in many schools any more, the age of people who sew is getting older. Younger generations do not have the skills to do simple sewing skills, such as sewing on buttons or hemming pants, let alone make their own clothing, curtains or a quilt, to name a few projects.
I was very interested in reading "Enriching fabric of their lives, Teaching the lost art of sewing in Needham and West Roxbury," by Susan Chaityn Lebovits on November 30, 2008, in the Boston Globe.
Sew Easy, a sewing store in Needham and West Roxbury Massachusetts, was founded by Laurèn Johnston. I read about her classes, and the positive reinforcement she provides kids who are learning to sew. I'm not only very impressed, but I'm also thankful. As I've posted a few times on my blog, fabric stores have been closing because very few people sew any more. I hope, that Ms Johnston's mission (and business) catches on, and that sewing becomes a part of more people's lives again.
