- Pinwheels Sewing Center offers $40 beginner classes where students make practical items like pillows and totes.
- Manager Sasha Watson-Sirmans says sewing helps people break reliance on big companies by creating and repairing at home.
- Watch the video to see where you can go for classes.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
In Valdosta, one local business is stitching more than fabric—it's stitching empowerment and self-sufficiency.
Tucked inside a cozy corner of Northside Drive, Pinwheels Sewing Center offers tools, machines, and a growing sense of independence. Their adult sewing classes are open to beginners—and packed with purpose.
For just $40, students like Chris Roan tell me neighbors can learn how to operate a sewing machine and complete simple but useful projects like pillows and tote bags.
"Everybody needs to know how to sew on a button, everybody needs to know how to hem a pair of pants, and it's just a life skill that you just need to know," said Roan.
The shop also carries top brands like BERNINA and Janome, offers machine servicing, and plans to expand its class lineup to reach even more of the Valdosta community.
For manager Sasha Watson-Sirmans, it's about planting seeds of self-reliance.
"Think of it like this," said Watson-Sirmans. "Sewing is like cooking, so it's something that everyone needs to know how to do, but it goes beyond that. I feel like it's just a source of therapy for so many people. It truly is. It's therapeutic outlet. If you don't know how to. So if you're interested, come by."
And it's not just about the skill—it's about the mindset. For class member Dee Arnold, learning to sew meant taking ownership of her everyday life.
"Being tall, its hard to find things to fit in clothing stores, but I was able to do that because I knew how to do it and i had access to a sewing machine and these people here at Pinwheels were extremely helpful and they'll do anything for you," said Arnold.
Pinwheels Sewing Center is adding more classes to their repertoire so more neighbors can learn how to sew and create their own designs.
In Valdosta, I'm Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
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