Mohawk Forest Kids Have Needles, Do Sew
 Photos by Kathy Keeser
Cassandra Jowett, 12, clips a thread at the Mohawk Forest sewing group. Top: Alyssa Cahill, 9, shows off the quilt she made. |
Taught by accomplished seamstress and master quiltmaker, Amy Ritcher, the yougsters are learning to sew by making quilts.
Ritcher donates her time as well as all the cloth being used for the quilts and some of the other supplies. The children are also learning to use sewing machines, thanks to donations from many community members.
To begin, they practice making straight seams by sewing together two squares. Once they are sewing evenly, they attach the squares into rows, then attach the rows together, continuing until they have enough to make a quilt size of their choice. The boys and girls, mainly ages 9 to 12, meet in Mohawk Forest's community room and are working on making their first quilt.
"I took sewing before at Conte Middle School," Cassandra Jowett, 12, said. "This [sewing group] let's me continue to sew and I am getting to make a quilt."
The newest member, 6-year-old Kelsey Mott, was allowed to join the class three weeks ago because she was so interested and continued to ask to be allowed to attend.
The sewing group began in July after being suggested by Ritcher, who felt very strongly that "youth need to learn to sew and usually they don't have the opportunity anymore in school. Sewing and quilt making are important arts that will be lost if the youth don't learn. Even my generation sews less than previous generations."
The children expressed their interest in attending a sewing group through an informal survey used by Mohawk Forest to determine programs to hold.
 Dakota Freema, 10, irons her quilt squares before sewing them together. |
Enabling the youngsters to work at their own pace and ability, Ritcher works her way around the room, stopping with an individual as he or she needs help. Ritcher exhibits a lot of patience as she rethreads a machine for one girl, then helps fix a bobbin that was rewound incorrectly, while gently encouraging another child to slow down from racing along on her machine, and then looking at the work of an older girl to tell her that she is ready to pick out a felt backing for her quilt. The youngsters come weekly unless homework or family activities prevent them.
Giovanni Santelli, 11, has gotten so interested in sewing that his grandmother gave him a machine. Each week, Santelli's father brings his machine over to the community room so that he can use it in the class.
"Sewing helps me to stay calm," he said.
Limited funding for the program comes out of a Youth RAP Grant for resident programming awarded by MassHousing. The program is overseen by Mohawk Forest, which is owned and operated by the Caleb Foundation. Caleb owns and operates affordable housing, from elderly complexes to low-to-moderate income multifamily projects throughout New England.
