All posts tagged: classes

The best places to take sewing classes in LA

The best places to take sewing classes in LA

Published by Sam Flores

Walking into Sawtelle’s Sewing Arts feels a bit like stepping into Oz. The nondescript white building, formerly a post office, has tall walls brimming with more than 30,000 yards of multicolored fabrics along with sewing notions and embroidery supplies and kits. Garment sewing and quilting classes are held in a small classroom in the back corner of the store outfitted with adjustable-height worktables covered in cutting mats. Owned by mother-daughter duo Julie and Rachel Marquez, who acquired the business from its previous owner in 2017, Sewing Arts is an authorized Bernina dealer and service center that repairs most sewing machine brands but exclusively sells Berninas. “Our goal is to build a community, a makers space versus just a retail space or school,” said Julie. “Our shop is the ‘home store’ for the L.A. Modern Quilt Guild, the original guild the Modern Quilt Guild came from.” The Marquezes are the third owners since 1955 of the business, originally known as Bay Cities Sewing. That store stood on what is now the Third Street Promenade in Santa …

Where to take life-changing pole dance classes in Los Angeles

Where to take life-changing pole dance classes in Los Angeles

Published by Sam Flores

The pandemic led me to the pole. Let me explain. Prior to 2021, I had never been strong in my life. In fact, I was pretty damn weak. It was so bad that from the moment I booked a flight, I would start actively worrying about having to lift my carry-on into the overhead compartment by myself. As someone who is self-reliant in most other aspects of my life, that sense of physical helplessness felt embarrassing. Like many people, the pandemic’s shelter-in-place mandate made me start to go stir crazy. That’s how I found myself considering doing something I had never given much thought to before: dedicating time, energy and money to fitness. I started out by getting a basic gym membership with a friend. As long as I had an accountability partner to work out with, I was consistent. But once our schedules no longer aligned, I found myself returning to a sedentary lifestyle. Now that I knew how it felt to be strong, it didn’t feel as good to go back to having …

Best craft classes for adults in Los Angeles

Best craft classes for adults in Los Angeles

Published by Sam Flores

Classes it’s offered: Embroidery, rug tufting, ice dyeing, shoemaking 👡 These Hands Maker’s Collective feels more like someone’s well-equipped home studio than a storefront. Denise Ambrosi, who started the collective about five years ago, opened the current space — a sunny, open workshop on Washington Boulevard — last April. With craft supplies for sale, co-working stations for artists-in-residence and large tables for classes, These Hands draws neighbors and crafty friends from around the city. It’s also home to Moving Thread, which hosts sewing workshops for all different skill levels. “I want it to be a creative community,” Ambrosi said. “I want people to be able to come here and feel like it’s a place where they can come and relax, and just kind of get out of their heads and get off their phones.” Though many of the classes at These Hands are focused on fiber arts — weaving, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, punch needle and fabric dyeing are just a few of the options — you can also try courses like jewelry making, paper cutting …