On The DL

Sewing Demo with Heather Ross

by Lauren Fleming

Sat., March 28, 10 a.m., free (reservations required), Spool, 1912 South St., 215-545-0755, spoolsewing.com

In decades past, both women and men had at least enough sewing know-how to patch up a hole or take in a favorite garment. Today, those skills have all but dried up, and we rely on people in faraway lands to do our stitching for us.

Heather Ross thinks it's high time we got back in touch with our needles and thread. The New Yorker recently published a how-to book, Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Sewing (STC Craft), and pens a blog about being a seamstress. "I wanted to write a book for beginner sewers that could allow them to easily go from simple things like making totes to starting to sew clothing," says Ross. Her book contains basic instructions for constructing accessories and home items, a pop-out, life-size dress pattern, and other helpful tips for the newbie sewer.

Ross will be signing books at the shop from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday. At her Saturday demo, she will show attendees how to sew with elastic thread, a technique that's crucial to making clothing. "I feel like in a country where everyone is so self-sufficient, it's a shame that skills in sewing have been lost," says Ross. "I'd like to change that."