FABRICLAND FILLS A NEED WITH ITS "SUMMER SEW" WORKSHOPS

Call it "nesting"…. call it "getting back to basics"…. or call it "therapeutic" Whatever the case may be, the sewing machine and dress fabrics department at Fabricland in North Plainfield is buzzing again after a long period of inactivity. The reason? Women are getting back into sewing … whether it's "re-learning"the basics or just wanting to share a hobby with their daughters and spend "quality" time together, there has been a huge increase of interest at Fabricland's pattern counter -- especially after the events of  September 11. "Women have been very busy during the past ten years and have had less time to sew," cites Mimi Turner, buyer/manager of the dress fabrics department. "However," she said, " we are getting requests every day now for sewing lessons and instructions because women are spending more time at home with their families. We've gotten a sense that women want to get back into creative hobbies and interests -- not only for relaxation, but because it's a way of getting back into the basic values of what life used to be like years ago."

Because of this growing trend, Fabricland has coordinated a program called "Summer Sew" -- a series of free weekly workshops that will take place every Tuesday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. during July and August for women who want to get back into sewing and brush up on their skills. With the store's flyers and advertising announcing that women should "enjoy their summer, relax, leave the kids with their husbands and come learn how to sew again" , the programs include learning the basic techniques for threading and sewing on a machine, fitting a pattern, sewing buttonholes and zippers, using interfacing and many other workshops.

Classes will be taught by Fabricland's staff of professionals, as well as by Lynne Blanks, director of the area's only sewing school, The Sewing Institute of Bridgewater and Chris Gonch, a home economics teacher who serves as Fabricland's "Sew Help" troubleshooter.

"We expect a great turnout for our Summer Sew Programs, " said Mimi Turner. "They are free and no registration is required. We just expect women to come and "re-charge" -- to learn sewing skills again and enjoy their leisure time creatively."

For more information about Fabricland's Summer Sew Workshops, call 908-755-4700 ext. 107.