September is National Sewing Month, celebrating the skill, art, history and joy of sewing. Established by Congress in 1982 with a Presidential proclamation that recognized the importance of home sewing to our nation, National Sewing Month also acknowledges the additional opportunities that sewing skills enable, including careers in fashion, interior design, pattern-making, retail merchandising, and textile design. More than four decades later, Leona’s Sewing Studio is proud to continue that tradition at Savage Mill, a historic textile mill, through its mission to “Teach America to Sew.”

This year, Leona’s Sewing Studio invites the community to return to a project that started with the exhibition “Threads of Heritage” during Black History Month in February. As part of the exhibition, which presented the stories and art of African print fabrics, the public was invited to design a community quilt, laying out fabric squares to create a unique group-designed pattern.

On Sunday, September 27, community members, Mill merchants, and members of the general public with basic sewing skills  are invited to join in a Community Quilt Day inside Leona’s Sewing Studio. Attendees must be adults with the ability to operate a sewing machine and bobbin, sew a straight seam, and use an iron. All materials and equipment are provided. Up to six participants at a time can sign up for 30-minute time slots between 9 am and 5 pm to sew together the fabric blocks into strips, with the goal of constructing the entire quilt top by the end of the day. Sign up today for this fun, free way to create a lasting symbol of our shared creativity, heritage, and community!