Amelia Christopher, Special to The Denisonian–

Standing in front of six new sewing machines, Subekshya Khatiwada sets down a box of fabric. People trickle into the room as she carefully checks each machine and sets up cutting mats. As each person takes a seat at their machine, fabric in hand, Subekshya grins and says, “Welcome to Sew 4 Service.”

Established in 2024, the Denison chapter of Sew 4 Service is the first college chapter of the larger Sew 4 Service organization. “We learn how to sew, knit, and crochet, and everything we make we donate to people who are in need,” said club president Khatiwada, ‘27. “You learn a new skill while serving the community.”

“Our first semester was really, truly trying to figure out, ‘how do we do this?’” said CLIC associate director Emily Vermillion. In the early semesters of Sew 4 Service, the group faced challenges like getting access to sewing machines and relying on outside mentors to instruct on the basics of sewing. When Sew 4 Service started, community partners had to bring their sewing machines to campus.

“It was a whole thing,” said Vermillion. But the days of hauling sewing machines to and from campus are over. “DCSA had applied for a grant from the Allstate Foundation and we were fortunate enough to get that grant.” Vermillion said that with the grant, “we’re able to get some funding and get all of the resources that we need so that we can thrive.”

With new sewing machines bought with the grant, the club doesn’t have to rely on community partners, and can host events on their own.

As the club has grown more established, it has also been able to take on mentors as exec members to provide an internal resource for sewing instruction. With the addition of mentors into the executive board, the group can tackle more complex projects and have even more impact on the community, while still encouraging new sewists to join in the process. 

Mentors are in charge of teaching sewing and guiding new members through projects, creating a space for new members to feel supported instead of overwhelmed. As the club develops, it aims to provide “frictionless service for students,” said Vermillion. Easy access to make a difference is a key part of Sew 4 Service’s mission as a club. 

Khatiwada and Vermillion agree that they are both “also learning.” They set an example by learning alongside the members of the club.

“I have no idea how to sew,” said Vermillion, but “[I’m] trying to model for folks, you know, it’s OK to try something new, even if it’s intimidating.”

“We learn together. I’m the president of Sew 4 Service but I’m also learning with them,” said Khatiwada. “People assume ‘Oh, so you know sewing, you know crochet, you know knitting.’ No I don’t, I don’t know anything. The best part of Sew 4 Service is it’s not about people who are already good at it, but people who are willing to learn.”

Along with teaching the Denison community how to sew, the group is also dedicated to sustainability.

“We take donations from folks. We help them get rid of stuff that they no longer need, but stop it from going into the trash,” said Vermillion. “And then we make new and improved things with it for the community.”

According to Vermillion, the best way to get involved with Sew 4 Service is to join the Denison Community Service Association (DCSA). Beyond joining DCSA and Sew for Service on What to DU, Vermillion said “attend an event and see what it’s like and see what you think.”