Sew Perfect

Maybe, like a lot of people these days, you’ve picked up a needle and thread to sew or repurpose your own clothes, beguiled by the whole DIY craft movement. And maybe, like a lot of those like-minded folks, you’ve hit a wall. The Art Salon’s in-house professional seamstress/designer, April Hoy, is here to help. “More people want to sew,” Hoy emphasizes. “They’re trying their hand at it, but then they realize it’s much more time-consuming and technically difficult than they thought it would be, and they get discouraged. I like to use my experience to help people.” In response, Hoy hosts weekly Couture Cafe and Sewing Lounges at the Art Salon, 2219 East 21st Avenue.

“It’s like a drop-in if you need help with a sewing project,” she says. “People get stalled in sewing when they don’t have enough knowledge to complete a project; I try to get people through the process of understanding the hard parts. I’ll show you how to put in your collar or how to use the button hole function on your sewing machine, all those little things that get people hung up. And I like to have people finish their projects on their own, with gentle guided assistance.” Once you get the hang of things, Hoy also teaches classes in everything from corset-making to sewing up tutus.

Bring your own machine (Hoy says she can help novices unravel the nuts and bolts of any machine’s quirks) or use one in her studio; check in advance for dates and times, which she rotates to accommodate public requests. Sessions cost $25 (or $15 for Art Salon members) for Hoy’s personalized attention; people with a knack but no machine to call their own are also welcome to use the salon’s machines for a small hourly fee. Register or get information at www.artsalondenver.com.
Mondays, 5:30 p.m.; Wed., Feb. 23, 2-5 p.m., 2011