Summer Sewing Camp - Sew a Bag and Charms! (Grades 5-9) July 14-18

Summer Sewing Camp - Sew a Bag and Charms!  (Grades 5-9)

Dates: July 14-18, 2025  (Monday - Friday)

Time: 9am-12pm

Age: Grades 5-9

Cost: Members $248.00 / Non-members $275.00 (all supplies included)

Instructor: Gabrielle Hungerford

In this hands-on sewing project, students will create their own personalized tote bag, exploring both machine and hand-sewing techniques. Each student will bring their design to life by customizing their bag using fabric markers, puff paint, or embroidery, giving every project a unique, personal touch. As a fun, decorative addition, students will also craft their own felt charms to attach to their bags. Using materials like felt, embroidery thread, beads, and sequins. By the end of the project, students will walk away with a custom-made, functional bag and a collection of adorable, personalized charms—along with a solid basic foundation in both machine and hand-sewing techniques.

What students can expect to learn from this camp:

Main Project: Personalized tote bag

• Customization: Students will fill in the print using fabric markers, puff paint, or embroidery
• Construction: Sew a basic bag as photo or tote bag (may or may not be lined)
• Attach a D-ring and loop for charm attachment 
• Learn to sew a zipper closure or other finishing techniques

Skills Learned:

• Threading a sewing machine & winding a bobbin
• Transferring a pattern onto fabric with seam allowances
• Practicing stitches on paper before sewing fabric
• Cutting fabric pieces and labeling them
• Learn to put the correct pattern pieces togetehr to sew
• Use a Serger
• Insert a working zipper

Secondary Project: Hand-Sewn Charms

• Materials: Felt for the charms, beads, embroidery thread, sequins (optional)
• Techniques Taught:
  • Cutting out shapes from felt
  • Basic embroidery stitches:
    • Backstitch
    • Blanket stitch
    • Additional simple stitches (e.g., French knot, running stitch)
  • Sewing on beads and sequins for embellishment
  • Attaching a charm to the zipper pull or D-ring or tote handles