By Matisse Sanchez, Oct. 18, 2022
CPP’s very own Maker Studio hosted a “Make Your Own Pencil bag” event on Oct. 13. Students of all majors were welcomed to come sew their own pencil pouches out of scraps and fabrics that were on hand.
Located on the second floor of the library, the Maker Studio officially opened in August 2019. The Maker Studio is open to anyone who is willing to try and create anything with their hands.
“I already do crafts, like I crochet and embroider so I thought it would just be helpful to learn more about it,” said hospitality student Madison Beardsall.
The event began by showing students options for pencil bag patterns, a slug or a cat. For beginners who were not familiar with sewing the slug was recommended, but students were encouraged to do whichever they’d like for their own personal keeping.
With various textiles, students were able to pick out their own colors and textures and then outline and to cut the stencils out in order to be able to sew their creations and make them come alive.
After cutting out the stencils for the pencil bags, students were shown how to connect pieces, make the eyes, the body and connect the zipper where it would open to put in the study tools. As if sewing by machine might not have been enough, hand sewing was later used in order to connect the eyes and feelers.
Maker Studios President, Kevin Strawn explained how this organization was not technically a club but was under the student Innovation Idea labs. Strawn explained that it was almost a guild club as it did not go under ASI but was its own outstanding organization.
“The main goal of the organization is to promote just making things for fun and utilizing the skills that you might have,” Strawn said.
The Maker Studio pushes students to be creative, with a letterpress, vinyl cutter, laser cutter, serger, digital sewing machines and more, students can make their creations come alive in this space.
“The whole point of the organization is to just foster creativity,” Strawn said. “Having fun and making things with the various tools that the makerspaces have.”
Learning to sew might be hard for students, but the Maker Studio has leaders who are willing to help nurture these hobbies that students have and turn them into something great.
Chemical engineering student Hilary De Guzman learned to sew back in September and was introduced to the hobby by the Maker Studio.
“I learned how to sew some plushies,” De Guzman said. “I got more into it by coming to sew more and other animals and stuff like that.”
The Maker Studio makes it a fun and easy space for students to integrate themselves into campus and learn new hobbies. With such a big campus, its easy for students to feel overwhelmed and small, but spaces like this one are as inclusive as they are friendly. Being able to be on campus to find a place where one belongs may be easier if students look for hobbies such as these.
“If I want to do this again, I know I can come here and utilize the sewing machines and do my own pattern,” Beardsall said. “It’s nice to have a fun resource to come learn about.”
Spaces like the Maker Studio are designated for students to show their own colors and bring more students into safe spaces like these.
“In this space I wanted it to be free for any students who would want to do anything they want,” Straw said. “I kind of want this place to be like a Mythbusters-like zone, where we can make crazy things and just do it for fun.”
For more upcoming workshops such as these, students are welcome to check MyBar and register for any fun and hands on sewing sessions at the Maker Studio.
Feature image courtesy of Matisse Sanchez