Get ready for stress-free summer planning with Noozhawk’s ParentNooz Camp Guide!
Designed to streamline your search for the perfect summer camp in Santa Barbara, Noozhawk’s Summer Camp Guide dives deep with local program representatives, to help parents make informed decisions for their child’s summer adventures.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Grant House, Owner of Grant House Sewing Center to learn more about their summer camps.
Question: What is the name of your camp or program, and what is its primary focus?
Answer: Have Fun Sewing: Sewing Adventure Summer Camps give kids and teens a wonderful, fun-filled opportunity to learn basic sewing skills. Our goal is to associate joy and fun with sewing to start them on a lifetime of sewing enjoyment.
Q: How long have you been running the program? Do you have any professional accreditations or certifications?
A: Grant House has been offering Summer Sewing Camps for kids since 1986. Three generations of aspiring sewists have gotten their start in summer and afterschool sewing programs at Grant House. Our program is overseen by a certified middle school teacher and an Arts and Crafts School teacher. Kids 8-12 attend morning classes and teens attend afternoon classes.
Teachers are mindful of the current skill level of each student as they guide them toward more proficiency. The emphasis is less on precision and more on having a great time learning and sharing success with others. We believe perfection is highly overrated and something that evolves in proportion to a feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment. Our program is specifically designed to be encouraging and fun.
Q: What specific goals or objectives will participants be working towards during their time at the camp?
A: Each project is presented to introduce and strengthen fundamental sewing skills. Students become familiar with the use and care of their sewing machine from threading to balancing thread tensions. The sewing skills begin with envisioning a project, handling fabric and tools during measuring and cutting, guiding fabric through the machine, and basic sewing techniques such as hems, zippers, gathering, sewing curves and corners. Ripping seams and starting over with grace are standard fare as they learn from their mistakes.
Helping one another in a friendly class of peers creates a sense of community. We encourage students to return for additional weeks during the summer and our afterschool program in the Fall. Students who continue to attend more week sessions are guided to higher levels of skill.
Q: Can you describe the educational components integrated into your program?
A: Familiarity and competence in the use and care of a sewing machine
Handling fabric, seaming, hemming, placing zippers, making buttonholes, attaching buttons, gathering, etc. including color selection and combination.
Motor skills of fabric manipulation, proper use of sewing tools such as scissors, rotary cutters, rulers, seam gauge, seam ripper, screwdriver, etc.
Threading and thread tension.
Using patterns and measuring.
Understanding the range of fabric, thread, and notions that are available for garment construction, crafting, quilting, and home-decoration
Encouraging and helping other students in a welcoming and accepting environment of acceptance and appreciation.
Q: What is the daily schedule like, including activities, meals, and rest periods?
A: Kids 8-12 classes are from 9-12 daily for a week. Teen’s classes are from 1-4 daily for a week. Students gather a little early to start on time. Parents sign them in and out at the end of class. Each student wears a nametag to help others get to know them quickly. Each student has a basket for their project and a basket for their sewing tools (provided).
Sewing machines and workstations are set up, 1 for each student. (Students are welcome to bring their own sewing machine.)
The teacher demonstrates the project and topic for each day. A large screen monitor helps the students see the work she is doing at the demonstration table.
Each one gathers their fabric and tools and cuts out and sews their projects at their own pace with guidance by the teacher and classroom helpers.
Joyful chaos reigns as everybody makes a mess while laughing and having a fun time putting their project together.
The last 15-20 minutes of the last class of each camp is reserved for a fashion show! Parents are strongly encouraged to come early for Friday’s fun finale.
Q: What is the typical age range of campers who attend your programs?
A: Kids 8-12 and Teens 13-17.
Q: Do you offer full day and 1/2 day options?
A: We offer both afterschool and summer sewing camps. As staffing permits, we offer Holiday break sewing camps, as well.
Our summer sewing camps are 3 hours daily for one week.
Students are encouraged to attend additional camps and our afterschool program to increase their sewing competence. Our teachers are keen to assist each student to maximize their time with us.
Q: What are your policies regarding staff background checks, training, and the child-to-staff ratio? How do you ensure the safety and well-being of campers?
A: Our program has been designed and is overseen by two current and former teachers with extensive experience working with children. One is a certified current middle school arts and crafts teacher and the other is a veteran School teacher.
All our teaching staff offer ongoing classes for children, teens, and adults. Each has a demonstrated track record with our students. Campers’ family members and guardians sign students in and out of class each day.
The classroom is a safe and clean environment with first aid supplies at hand. Safe and proper use of tools such as scissors, rotary cutters, and seam rippers is emphasized by the teachers and classroom assistants. Each session begins with a store tour that includes the location of bathrooms and water and what to do if they need help. They also learn the etiquette and safe way to behave in a retail fabric and sewing machine store.
Have Fun Sewing Summer Sewing Adventure Camps are designed to give kids and teens a joyful start to a long “career” in sewing. Students report how much fun they had learning and sewing together. Many come back over and again to increase their sewing skills.
Store owner Grant House believes in the power of sewing to be a fulfilling enrichment to a well-rounded life. Getting young people to experience the joy and creativity of sewing is central to the mission of Grant House Sewing Center.
Q: What is the cost of attending your camp, and do you offer any financial assistance or scholarships?
A: Each 5 day – 3 hours/day sewing camp is $225.
Please contact Grant House if you would like to offer a scholarship for a deserving student in our sewing camps.
All participants will be given the opportunity to purchase a sewing machine from the program at a significant student-only discount. Our goal is for each student to continue to practice and grow at home with a quality sewing machine of their own.
Q: Is there anything you would like to share about your program that was not already mentioned above?
A: Have Fun Sewing: Summer Sewing Adventure Camps are designed to give kids and teens a joyful start to a long “career” in sewing. Students report how much fun they had learning and sewing together. Many come back over and again to increase their sewing skills. Store owner Grant House believes in the power of sewing to be a fulfilling enrichment to a well-rounded life. Getting young people to experience the joy and creativity of sewing is central to the mission of Grant House Sewing Center.
Click here to learn more about Grant House Sewing Center!