| | Published January 20, 2021
| Closing for good, Sewnow says goodbye
| | | By Pippa Fisher |  | | Sewnow will be closing at the end of January. Photo provided |
It is a business that has touched countless young lives, giving them skills and perhaps more importantly a safe, "happy place" for over 14 years. But like several other Lafayette institutions, Sewnow will be closing for good at the end of January.
Fashion studio Sewnow owner Susan Goldie explained in a letter to loyal students and families that it is not possible to sustain an in-person business in the current pandemic. For 14 years Goldie has taught professional design fashion, traditional sewing skills, and techniques for creating unique clothing. But for many, it was much more than just sewing lessons.
Karin Husch, whose daughter Julia attended Sewnow and went on to teach there during college vacations while studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, says that Goldie created a nurturing environment where kids learned to sew at their own pace.
"I enrolled Julia at Sewnow at age 9 (within the first year Susan opened the studio)," says Husch. "It was instantly her `happy place' and I recall wanting her to always be enrolled in a class there; being at Sewnow was essentially Julia's `recharge' time."
"There's almost nothing as happy as a group sewing bee with everyone using their creative skills to help out and with happy chatter exchanging all kinds of stories in the room," says Goldie.
Over the years Sewnow has worked with Boy and Girl Scout troops, helped Stanley students make hand embellished chitons for the Greek Festival, sewn tote bags for tsunami victims in Japan, facilitated group quilt projects for school auctions, hosted workshops for Dress a Girl Around the World, made NICU baby blankets and NCL stockings and more. At the beginning of the pandemic Sewnow turned to making and donating face masks for essential workers.
Julia Husch credits Goldie with nourishing her fashion education, personal growth and career endeavors.
"As a longtime Sewnow student and instructor I hope the passion Susan has instilled in this community's youth will continue to flourish once the Sewnow doors shut," says Julia. "I know I will continue to expand my love of creating and pass on the skills and lessons she has taught me to future young people. I am honored to call Susan Goldie a dear friend."
Goldie says the best part of the business was always the connection to families, kids, and community. "It's the a-ha moments, and the huge `look what I made' smiles, that have made our journey so meaningful.
"If I had to pick one highlight, it would be spending creative time with kids who literally have grown up sewing with us - some of our first students are now married and have their own families, and I hear that sewing is still an important part of their lives, whether as a hobby or a livelihood."
Goldie plans to take some time to rest and recharge before moving forward with her textile and artwork endeavors. She plans to write about it in her blog (see below). Goldie says she is working on a resource list for classes, supplies, and machine repairs for people who are asking how they can continue to sew. Details will be available on her website, below.
Goldie's blog can be found at www.goldielimitededitions.com
A resource list can be found on the Sewnow website at http://sewnow.com/
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA