Second-Stitch sows the passion of sewing and sustainability

This year’s club fair introduced Second-Stitch, the high school’s first student-led sewing club seeking to guide beginners and experts alike in pursuing their artistic goals, all while reducing waste. 

Founded by Olivia Barry ’28, the club will meet every Wednesday after school in room 417. All materials, from sewing machines to fabrics, will be provided.

“I wanted to bring sewing to our school because it’s kind of intimidating, even if you wanted to sew, to start and get all of those materials,” said Barry. “But once I started sewing for a while, I accumulated a lot of materials myself.” 

Over her two years of sewing experience, Barry has collected an abundance of these supplies from family and friends, neighbors, upcycling centers, and thrift stores. Some of Barry’s favorite sources from Swanson’s, a no-kill shelter of unused textiles providing high-quality supplies at low prices. She also uses the app Nextdoor to buy naturally accumulated materials from other sewers in the community. 

As a result, Second-Stitch has ample resources to support anyone interested in joining to turn their own passion projects into reality. A typical meeting at the beginning of the year begins with bringing an idea to the club and receiving support to bring it to life, either from Barry or the other leaders, Vice President Fatima Bangash ’28 and Secretary Lily Birmingham ’28.

Later in the year however, Barry aims to also arrange group projects. Using their newfound skills and knowledge, members will create much bigger undertakings to donate to underserved communities. 

“One of the projects we’re planning is the baby blanket project,” said Bangash. “Each small group will have an individual pattern and tapestry, and all of our creations will be given to local charities.”

As its name suggests, Second-Stitch denotes their goal in giving these fabrics a second life. 

“Besides teaching new sewing skills, another main point of the club is to upcycle used or unwanted clothing,” Barry said. “We’re hoping to save the materials that would either go to the trash or sit untouched.” 

Initially, Barry began sewing so she could recreate her dream clothes at a much lower price. Encouraged by her grandmother and inspired by designs on Pinterest and other social media, Barry began sewing patchwork and simple zipper bags.

After a year of sewing for herself and loved ones, Barry started a patchwork clothing business based on Instagram, called Coastal Patchwork Studio. 

“I’m inspired by coastal motifs and designs. It definitely has its own aesthetic to it. But that's just my personal preference and something I like to do,” she said. 

Her relationship with sewing quickly became not just for products, but also for enjoyment.

“Sewing doesn't feel rushed, and it's always fun to just have time to be creative and do what you want to do,” said Barry. 

She is excited to sow the seed of sewing’s gratification in others.

“Once you see all the materials in person, I feel like you’ll definitely get inspired too,” said Barry.