Tag: Industrial Sewing Training

Our sewing supervisors, heading out from Austin TX this morning.

Here’s a run down for this first ever event, we have participants coming from as far away as Calgary AB Canada, and with financial support from cities like London and Hong Kong!

2- Albuquerque NM
1- Espanola NM
9- Austin TX
1-Bloomington IN
1-Buffalo NY
1- Calgary Alberta Canada
4- Centerville MO
1-Detroit MI
1-Farmington UT
2- Hackensack NJ
1-Houston TX
1-Los Angeles CA
1-Norristown PA
3-Oakland CA
1-Portland OR
3-Richmond VA
2-San Marcos TX

Texas is the clear winner with 12 residents attending.

It’s pretty amazing that this event is happening at all, it’s the first time it has ever been done, anywhere, ever. Oh, a buddy of mine and I used to do 3 day manufacturing boot camps events in the late 90’s (in Missouri) but it was nothing like this. Each person only made one item. This time, we’ll be making over 100 fully lined coats to donate to needy children.

It’s gratifying that New Mexico is on the map for hosting this historic event but sad that so few local residents choose to participate. New Mexico is also home to the leading international site for apparel production. New Mexicans often grouse that we’re last on every economic indicator but we should  take advantage of the resources we do have. Everybody else does.

We’ve scheduled the cut and sew portion of the children’s coat sewing project (all donated of course) to begin September 4-7th.  We’re still looking at ways to house all of the out of town workers flying and driving in for this first-ever, event -so if you’re local and game to be hospitable, definitely let us know! You’ll have a chance to correspond or speak with whomever you choose to host so it won’t be too awkward. I will be hosting at least five people but maybe as many as 8-10.

The design portion of the project is slated to begin July 1st and we anticipate using designers from our area for this. Again, if you’re interested, send an email to factoryATabqfiDOTcom and include your full name, telephone number and list any skills and interests you have. Read More

Late summer, we will be doing a full production run staffed completely by volunteers. We’ll be making children’s coats that will be donated. We will do it all, soup to nuts. We’ll design the coats, make the patterns, grade them, mark them, print the marker, spread the fabric, cut it, organize the job for sewing and then lastly, sew it all.

There will be an entry fee (tax deductible -if the not for profit status is set up by then) to pay for the fabric and guts -and also, to ensure volunteers are committed to the project. In return, you’ll learn first hand how a design is executed from design on through production and delivery -to say nothing of learning how to sew with industrial methods and even on industrial machines. Just think, your first sewing factory experience! Members will have first dibs but I am sure we’ll also be looking for experienced stitchers in the community who want to up their game and do something challenging, fun and for a worthwhile cause.

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