Sewing Club instructor Barb Brege said the club started about a year before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. There can be anywhere between one and four students at a time, Brege said, and they do mostly machine sewing.

Students also occasionally hand sew their projects.

Brege said she starts newcomers off with a simple project.

“What I do, if they’re brand new, if they never really made anything, I start them with a tote bag,” Brege said.

News Photo by Alyssa Ochss Sewing supplies sit on a table in the maker’s space room at the library.

She said the second project she suggests is an apron and, after that, if the student doesn’t have any ideas, she suggests pajama pants. However, most of the time the students come prepared with what they want to sew.

“Usually they have their own idea of what they want to make at that point, their second or third project,” Brege said.

Students can get the fabric for their projects from JoAnn Fabrics or Walmart, Brege said. Students are encouraged to bring their own machines, but there are machines available if they don’t have one.

Brege said she’s been sewing since she was 12 years old.

“And I’m going to be 62 next week, so about fifty years,” Brege said last week.

News Photo by Alyssa Ochss Barb Brege shows off the Teddy bear in front of a pattern for the teddy bear.

Carli Susewitz, a student, attended the last class of the spring session on May 26. She was working on a stuffed bear made from her sister’s soccer jersey. With help from Brege, she machine sewed it, stuffed it, and hand sewed it shut.

She concentrated as she sewed the bear shut, careful to not miss a single stitch.

Susewitz, 10, got started in sewing by just trying it out one day.

“I just got really bored and it sounded really fun so I went to the store and we got some stuff and I just sewed this little heart pillow,” Susewitz said.

Susewitz also said she found out about the Sewing Club through Alpena Public Schools’ website.

News Photo by Alyssa Ochss Barb Brege helps Carli Susewitz get started with stuffing the Teddy bear now that it’s all sewn together.

“APS posted it on their website and my mom sent it to me and I was really excited about it,” Susewitz said.

She said her favorite thing she’s made so far is the Teddy bear she was making for her sister.

Brege added that it’s always been in her heart to help people. Another part of her motivation is to help students who may not have someone to guide them at home.

Brege said she teaches people how to sew because she said it’s something they can utilize for the rest of their lives.

“I love sharing the skill with people because I think it’s a very valuable skill to have in life,” Brege said.

News Photo by Alyssa Ochss A close up of the sewing machine used at the Sewing Club in the maker’s space room at the library.

Registration for the summer session is all throughout June. Classes start on June 15 and are on 1-3 p.m. on Wednesdays. There is no registration fee. Brege said they are currently accepting new students ages 10 and up. Classes are held in the maker’s space room in the library.

News Photo by Alyssa Ochss A closeup of the Teddy bear Carli Susewitz is working on. It is shown with pins to keep it closed during the sewing process.

News Photo by Alyssa Ochss Carli Susewitz works hard on sewing up the back of her Teddy bear.

News Photo by Alyssa Ochss Carli Susewitz starts sewing up the back of her Teddy bear while Barb Brege looks on.

News Photo by Alyssa Ochss Pins and other sewing supplies sit on the table in the maker’s space room at the library.

News Photo by Alyssa Ochss Carli Susewitz looks at the Teddy bear she worked on. She stuffed and sewed the body. Now it’s onto the limbs.