About ABQFI
We sponsor and host Manufacturing Boot Camps at The Albuquerque Sewing Factory
Twice a year, for four days, we converge at The Albuquerque Sewing Factory in Albuquerque New Mexico, USA to manufacture a product designed to benefit an under-served segment of New Mexico’s residents. Training is free, but as the products we make are donated to qualified 501(c)3 non-profit charities, attendees cover the expenses of creating the products. (E.g., fabrics, etc.)
What: A one-of-a-kind, hands-on training opportunity in sewn product manufacturing. The only one of its kind in the world. Really.
When: Apparel Manufacturing Boot camp is held twice a year; Spring and Fall. There is a planning event (Pre-production Boot Camp) held approximately 3 months before each manufacturing boot camp –if you sign up for Pre-production, you are automatically enrolled in the production segment that follows 3 months later. Registration dates for upcoming events is at the bottom of the page.
- Spring Pre-Production Boot Camp is held in January, usually to coincide with Martin Luther King weekend.
- Spring Apparel Manufacturing Boot Camp is held mid-March.
- Fall Pre-Production Boot Camp takes place over the July 4th holiday.
- Fall Apparel Manufacturing Boot Camp is held over Labor Day, the first week of September.
Where: 410 Old Coors Dr. SW, Albuquerque, NM USA 87121
Who: You! No experience? No problem. We train although homework is required. 75% of attendees at our inaugural event had never used an industrial machine. Only 10% had any production experience, yet we cut and sewed 125 fully lined, first quality winter coats in four days.
See our Instagram and Facebook pages for lots of photos and comments from attendees of past events.
To register, select Boot Camps on the main menu; the information for the upcoming (or most recent event) will be at the top. Registration dates are listed below. There is a 2 week window in which to sign up. Due to popularity, entrants are selected by lottery. Once you are notified of winning a slot in the lottery, you have 3 days to pay your deposit. Please note that we do not have paid staff to run after people; you will lose your slot if you don’t pay your deposit by the deadline that appears on the invoice. Also note that advanced preparation is required. In fact, the registration form has a short quiz. See Policies & Supply List, Boot Camp Caveats, Reading List (aka, homework) and Accommodations, Schedule & Parking to optimize your chances of getting in. We don’t expect you to complete the reading and exercises before registration but you should look it over to determine whether you can commit to doing it before registering.
Past Events
- Fall 2015: Coats for Kids
- Spring 2016: Dressing Seniors
- Fall 2016: Coats for Kids
- Spring 2017: School Pants!
- Fall 2017: Coats for Kids
- Spring 2018: School Pants
- Fall 2018: Coats for Kids
- Spring 2019: TNR covers
- Fall 2019: Coats for Kids
Upcoming Events
- Spring 2020 Apparel Manufacturing Boot Camp
Registration: Nov 3-17, 2019
Pre-production: January 17-20, 2020 (Friday through Monday)
Production: March 20-23, 2020 (Friday through Monday) - Fall 2020 Apparel Manufacturing Boot Camp
Registration:March 30- April 13, 2020
Pre-production: July 3-6, 2020 (Friday-Monday)
Production: August 28- 31, 2020 (Friday through Monday)
Options: If these dates don’t work for you and you have a large group, we can create a custom boot camp for you. Call 505-877-1713 for more information.
Kathleen Fasanella
Principal, Apparel Technical Services
Training is provided free of charge by Kathleen Fasanella, principal of Apparel Technical Services, also known as the “Albuquerque Sewing Factory” and “The Sewing Factory School.” Kathleen has nearly 40 years of production manufacturing experience, having worked in factories throughout the United States before everything went offshore. That’s what this is about. We’ll never be able to re-shore production and provide good jobs in our communities if nobody knows how to do it anymore.
Support the Bootcamp
Please consider underwriting the project or sponsoring a scholarship. We appreciate your generosity.
8 Replies to “About ABQFI”
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Kathleen, will you be recording in some way the first portions of the project? I am interested in the total process, alas, I am not local. I can come for the design + sew portion!
Hi Kathleen,
I am interested in participating in the coats for kids production sewing project. I only realized late last night that the “full experience” starts this evening; I originally thought it was only a 4-day commitment in early September. I am definitely interested in learning as much as possible and would like to join the group this evening- are there still slots available? I don’t have a clothing line but have thought of the possibility of designing for a very niche market in the distant future. I am a self-taught sewing enthusiast with a full time job in the science field. Earlier this year I picked up a side job working part-time as a production seamstress for a designer in Santa Fe- this experience has taught me a lot and ignited a desire to take my sewing skills/knowledge to the next level. I am not sure what skill sets you are looking for but I would love the opportunity to learn from a group of like-minded individuals. Please let me know if there is still room for me to join!
Kindly,
Christin
Thank you Kathleen,
I just registered my self and my friend for Sewing segment only.
1) Sreehari Chandra
2) Sreenivas Bompali
Regards,
Sreehari
What a great opportunity for your designer community. I wish I could attend the Tuesday sessions, but it would be a tough commute from Minnesota. The donate link took me to PayPal but it wasn’t obvious how to make a donation for this project. Is there another way to give support? Good luck to you all!
Thanks, Kathleen, your e-mail response was clear when I checked from home.
I’m all set with the date & location, so will plan to send cookies (or, if you prefer, a $ donation.) Just let me know which is more helpful.
I’d love to participate, but, this time, will have to support from afar. Maybe the next one!
Hello,
I would very much like to participate in either or both the Fall Design Boot Camp and or Apparel Manufacturing for the Fall 2017. Could you please let me know if there is any chance for me to attend. Thank you very much.
Martha
Would like to participate in the Spring class starting in March 2018. Can you please register me?
Thanks
Anise
Hi Anise, I can’t register you but here are the instructions that appear on this page.
To register, click on “manufacturing boot camp” above and from the menu that follows, select the session that interests you. Read the post for instructions. Please note, registration fills very quickly. As in, less than 12 hours.
Spring 2018 was full in September 2017. You do have a shot at Fall 2018 tho. Sign up to be notified of new posts to the site so you’ll get word when registration opens. Then, drop everything you’re doing and sign up. The last two events filled in less than one hour (not the 12 hours as written above). Even if we’re full, we do pull from the waiting list as some people’s plans change. Hope to see you next Fall!