CARROLLTON — Ontennia Boclear wanted to bring a once-common skill back into the households in Carroll County.
So Boclear, a family and consumer science and 4-H agent for the Mississippi State University Carroll County Extension Service, recently started the Carroll County Sewing Club.
“My goal is to spread the skill of sewing throughout Carroll County,” she said. “For our younger people, rather than having to call Mom or someone else for something like hemming, I want every home to have sewing skills, even if it’s just basic.”
Boclear took a three-month course, offered through the MSU Extension Service for its agents, on sewing and how to teach the skill to others.
“The Extension wanted to put sewing back into the counties, because home economics isn’t offered in many of the school systems anymore,” she said. “We really wanted to fill that space.”
Boclear said she took home economics in high school and learned how sew and use a machine. Before taking the course, however, she had not used a sewing machine since she was about 16.
“I had done basic hand sewing, hemming or sewing on buttons. I thought it might be difficult, because I had not used a sewing machine in a long time,” she said. “Everything just kind of came back to me. Once I got back into it, I loved it.”
Boclear knew she wanted bring sewing back to the county she serves but was not sure how to get started.
“I didn’t have any machines, so I wrote a letter to Singer and told them what I was interested in doing, and they actually donated a machine,” she said.
Later, an anonymous donor gave five sewing machines to the Extension Office to help get Boclear’s sewing club going. Soon, she had collected eight machines.
Rather than holding sewing classes, Boclear knew immediately that she wanted to have a sewing club.
“I wanted it be ongoing. I didn’t want to hold two or three classes, and we make something, and that’s it,” she said. “I wanted something where not only they could learn these skills, but, especially for teenagers, they would have something to do. Here at the extension office, we want to bring more into the community as far as activities.”
The club met for the first time on Aug. 18.
“I didn’t really know who would be interested,” Boclear said. “People were really interested in the club, and I was like, ‘Wow,’ especially when the high school children wanted to be involved.”
The sewing club currently consists of eight members, meaning it is at capacity for its eight machines.
“Initially, we set up to meet once a month,” Boclear said. “They were so interested that we changed it to twice a month.”
The club meets from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday and second Thursday of each month. The next meeting is Sept. 8.
During the first meeting, Boclear went over the projects she has planned for the group. She also talked about sewing terms, such as fabric, bobbin and notions, and let the group get familiar with the machines.
“We actually made it to threading the machine and threading the bobbin,” Boclear said. “It seems to come easy to people if I demonstrate it, and then they do it.”
Boclear said the first project will be sewing a reversible hobo bag. As the group progresses, the members will learn how to sew a quilt.
“To me, it’s easy to sew. It’s all about control and controlling your hand and controlling your pedal,” she said. “It does take practice.”
The members of the Carroll County Sewing Club include two high schoolers, a grandmother and her granddaughter and several county employees, including a mother and daughter. One of the high school students is a male, which Boclear did not expect.
“I was really excited about that,” she said.
Dorothy Prewitt joined the sewing club with her daughter, Monica Jones, both of Carroll County.
“I took home economics when I was in school, but I have not sewn in years,” said Prewitt. “I decided I wanted to join, so I could bring back those talents I had a long time ago.”
Prewitt said being in the club with her daughter is an enjoyable and interesting experience.
“She’s excited about it, so it makes me excited that she wants to learn something like this, because people don’t sew like they used to now,” said Prewitt. “Back when I was young, my mother made a lot of our clothes. So it’s really fun to be in the club with my daughter.”
Prewitt said what she is looking forward to the most is the project where the club members will learn to make a quilt.
“My grandmother did a lot of quilting in her day, and I actually have one of her quilts,” she said. “I want to make one of my own that I can maybe pass down to my grandchildren.”
Boclear said that if enough people are interested in joining the club, she will start another session. She is also accepting donations of sewing materials, accessories and machines for the club.
Membership is free. Club members are requested to buy a sewing kit, which Boclear said can be purchased for about $10.
“I am very excited about this club,” said Boclear. “I’m excited to be in this position in Carroll County, and I am happy that I’m able to so some things to give back to the community.”
For more information, call the extension office at 237-6926.
• Contact Ruthie Robison at 581-7233 or rrobison@gwcommonwealth.com.
