Cancelled due to Weather: Winter 3-Day Sewing Camp

We are welcoming Aniti to the RainTree teaching staff!  She has years of experience teaching sewing in a professional instructional setting.  Her curriculum is highly structured and robust. 

RainTree is providing classroom sewing machines for students to use.    

Projects include: pillow cases, bags, and apron and pajama pants.

Please understand that our instructional goal is to create independent learners.  Students will master the sewing machine assigned to them. Successful project completion is determined by sewing machine skills, fabric and pattern skills and practice.  What each student learns in preparation for completion of each project is most valuable.  Finished projects are not typically "perfect" by adult standards but are evidence of sills learned and the need to continue developing those skills.

General Course Description:


1.  At RainTree we strive to provide excellent instruction to our young learners.  In Sewing Camps and ongoing courses the first goal is to provide the students with a lot of hands on machine experience. Practice makes permanent.  Perfect practice makes perfect. Students practice properly threading the machine, winding and loading bobbins, selecting stitches and stitching out samples.  It is imperative that students become independently competent on the machine prior to using it for sewn projects.  This part of the instruction can consume a day if needed.  Once students master this level of learning they are ready to focus on learning the other skills needed for creating sewn projects.

2.  The second, equally important, skill involves fabrics and patterns.  Students will be strategically guided through the use of printed sewing patterns.  They will become very familiar with the technical reading skills necessary to complete projects.  They will also learn about the property of fabrics and their relationships to the sewing instructions for given projects. 

3.  Completion of a selection of projects that reinforce certain sewing skills.  We select patterns and projects that are fun but more importantly teach the student specific sewing skills.  These skills become necessary in subsequent projects.

Our youth program instructors are former Home Economics teachers.  The program is both comprehensive and fun.  Please know that we are capable of taking on more advance students and assigning independent projects.  However, "experience in sewing" does not automatically exempt a student from the lessons mentioned above.  Each instructor makes that decision based on the student's demonstrated abilities on day 1.

The projects of this sewing camp will introduce students to:
1.  Properly aligning pattern pieces in-grain on their fabrics
2.  Accurately cutting using the pattern as an exact guide
3.  Marking fabrics to reflect the markings on the pattern pieces
4.  5/8" seam allowances
5. Casings
6. Pocket application
7. Double folded hems
8. Bag Zipper Technique (if time permits)
9.  Sewing in the round
10.  Top stitching


Note: This class will occur in a separate space in the Mendenhall Mall.  RainTree will be preparing for our annual Inventory count during this class.

Each student needs to bring:

1.  A lunch and snacks for each day.  Please consider healthier options.  High sugar snacks contribute to a difficult learning environment.

2.  Optional:  General Sewing Supplies: Fabric Scissors (if left handed, they must use scissors engineered for the left hand), a seam ripper, a tape measure and sewing pins.  If your student does not own these supplies, RainTree does have general supplies for classroom use.  If your student owns these supplies it is good for them to learn how to use and take care of them.

We ask that students refrain from using perfumes or bringing peanuts.