What Happened When I Tried to Teach Sewing in a Public School 

I tried to teach sewing in a public school at one time. This didn’t go very well, and I was met with a stark reality.

Although I felt it was an important skill, the administrator didn’t think the same. So, we butted heads on this one.

I’ll tell you what happened, how I tried to advocate, and how I kept getting blocked. You might relate to my story too.

My Quest to Teach Sewing

I had a job in education and one day during a staff meeting, our principal announced that there was lot of funding for after-school tutoring. 

Well, people rolled their eyes and no one ended up signing up. So he went on a hunt to recruit people and by the time he got to me, he was practically begging.

He said I could every day if I wanted to. Plus, if we didn’t use the funds, they’d be gone. Use it or lose it kind of deal.

I shifted in my seat, knowing I had no plans to stay after the bell, no matter how much they paid. 

Then he said I could teach anything I wanted and make it fun for the students. I perked up.

He told me to think about it. So I did.

I decided that I would teach sewing. I’d make it fun and start with the basics and integrate math concepts. 

He’d love my idea, right?

Students Wanted to Learn Sewing

Well, people knew that I sewed because I wore my outfits to work. Staff would compliment me and ask about them.

The students overheard and began asking too. They were curious. 

Their eyes lit up when I told them that clothes didn’t go down the same assembly line as Legos. This surprised them. 

I showed them pictures of people sitting at the sewing machines, making clothes in factories. They were also surprised to learn that kids in some countries do this for little to no money. 

I showed them what a sewing pattern looked like. They couldn’t imagine turning a flat piece of fabric into a real shirt.

And I told them about all the math that’s used in sewing. Yeah, we don’t learn fractions for nothing.  

One student went home and told her parents about this. Her mother called me to thank me for showing her daughter how garments were made, and she asked about a sewing class for kids.

Then the girl started coming to school with a sketch book and drew outfits in her free time. Students also came up with the idea to start a sewing club!

The Sewing Curriculum

I created an outline with all my ideas to present to my boss. This wasn’t necessary, but I knew he could be a bit pragmatic at times.

So, I brainstormed some fun lessons that I would teach, like history of garment making and how fabrics were made.

I found state standards that related to sewing and listed them:

• Math: geometry, fractions, reasoning, measurements
• Language Arts: researching and writing about the history of sewing
• Problem Solving: solve real-world problems and fix mistakes
• Fine Motor Skill: hands-on skills required to sew, attention to detail
• Social: collaborating, working together

Lastly, I listed supplies we would need. My boss would love my ideas!

My Boss’s Response

After doing all the work, I brought my genius ideas to the principal. I really thought that, with him being so desperate to find people to stay after-school, he wouldn’t say no. 

When I told him about my ideas, his face looked like he had bit into a lemon. Then he immediately went into many reasons why I couldn’t do this:

• It was a liability.
• Sewing served no purpose there. 
• Students weren’t interested in sewing. 
• It was too expensive to buy supplies.
• There was a high probability of injury.
• There was no room or storage for materials.
• Parents might not agree to this.
• We need to focus on reading and math.

What?! He said I could teach anything I wanted after school, and now he was singing a different tune.

I reminded him of all the students playing in P.E. or after-school soccer who had ended up in near full-body casts. 

Okay, you can get injured sewing, but I doubted anyone would twist an ankle or break an arm. Plus, students use pencils, scissors, and protractors at school. Aren’t those liabilities?

If he worried about students using the sewing machine, we always hand-sew. And, kids take sewing lessons at fabric shops all the time. 

He still didn’t buy it. Instead, he told me to teach math or reading. Those were key subjects the “students really needed.”

Schools Used to Be Hands-On

When I was in school, I remember when teachers had autonomy. We did crafting, art, and went on field trips to the ballet and art museums. 

I read novels in first grade and had plenty of opportunities to act, play, craft, draw, dance, and be a kid. By the way, I attended both private and public schools.

Despite all this creative, hands-on stuff I did, I graduated with advanced reading and math levels. 

I walked away with many skills I could use in the real world. 

My high school had wood shop, auto shop, art classes (where we did pottery), and drafting. Mechanical drawing helped me with my sewing skills and patterning.

Education Has Changed

Now, many of these vocational classes have faded into the abyss. Sewing was more of a necessity back then than it is now.

Music, art, and band classes get cancelled to focus on reading and math. Those are important subjects.

But some people want to be creators, dancers, and musicians. Not everyone wants to, or will go to college.

Whether you do or don’t, people need an outlet for expression and to practice other skill sets too.

My Next Plan: Gardening

Since the principal gave sewing a hard no, I came up with another idea. I spoke to another staff member about starting a gardening club. 

We researched many schools with school gardens.

I couldn’t find many schools that had a “sewing club,” but school gardens were very popular. 

So we went to the principal with the idea and told him about the standards that would relate to gardening (practically the same ones for my sewing class).

Gardens allow students to grow plants and learn about science. They could keep journals and make drawings. 

He actually thought it was a good idea and less of a liability. No sharp objects, I guess. 

So, we applied for grants and wrote letters to businesses. Someone at the district office even helped us. 

One business I contacted donated tons of supplies to get us started. That was so generous! 

When we were ready to start, our principal changed his mind. We need to stick to reading and math, he said. 

He said the school would get overrun with squirrels, and kids could get rabies. Plus, weeds and insects pose huge dangers.

And with boxes of donations waiting to be used, I walked away shaking my head. I tried, I really did.

Final Thoughts

Well, I didn’t teach after school. Despite being told I could teach what I wanted, it didn’t happen.  

Maybe education will change in a different direction soon. And I hope more hands-on opportunities are in the plan.

More About Sewing

I have more related posts that might interest you on my blog. You might want to check them out.

• This is how I snuck in lessons about sewing to students.

• You might want to read what happened on my first sewing job.

• I’ll give you some great reasons to learn to sew.

I’d love to hear about your sewing journey!

Originally published: September 4, 2025