Sewing is a dying art and in Hancock County there has been a great interest to learn this life skill.  Newly retired women seeking new skills or hobbies and things they didn't have a chance to do when working full time.  Sewing can be beneficial to health by reducing stress, building self-esteem, and building self-worth when accomplishing tasks and learning new skills.  

Adults were taught basic sewing techniques, sewing tools and how to use them, as well as constructing items to use or wear in their home. Basic sewing such as sewing on a button properly and how to use a sewing machine to construct items.  Each participant constructed a pillowcase by the rolled fabric method, and also an Apron for their personal use.  

The participants/target audience of adult women, 18 women from a wide age range, differing backgrounds and life stages participated in the "SEW Monday" beginner sewing classes.  

The Hancock County Master Clothing Volunteer assisted the beginner sewers as they worked on projects.   

The initial outcome for the beginner sewers is the skills learned and their completion of the beginner projects.

This beginner sewing class prompted 25% of the women to purchase their own sewing machine, and 15% of the women to use a sewing machine they had previously purchased.  25% of the women have made more pillowcases for gifts, construct more aprons to gift and 16% of participants attended a homemaker meeting with 25% voicing they will join a homemaker group in our county.  1 participant has begun attending the homemaker meetings to learn to make quilts.