Sewing Into Success

Waukee offers a wide variety of electives that can help students learn important life skills. For example, Fashion Construction I, an FCS class taught by Miss Sternquist teaches students a variety of skills, such as hand sewing, machine sewing, pressing and ironing, and even measuring. Due to the practical uses of these skills, many students enrolled in the class can see themselves using a variety of these skills in the future. Sophomore Thea Petersen can already see herself applying these skills, “I customize my clothes and adjust their fit” Petersen said, “[and] I can make things for my friends”. While taking FCS courses comes with learning many domestic skills, some students take them for other reasons.

Besides the practical uses of the class, many students are also taking the class for enjoyment. During the term-long class, students work on many projects that slowly increase in difficulty. One project students work on later in the term is a pair of pajama pants. One student who looks forward to making these pants is junior Red Frank. “I can’t wait to make them look fashionable,” she said. Despite the difficulty, students are willing to push through to see the result of their hard work. While some students took this course to learn day-to-day life skills or even just enjoyment, some students took the course for a much simpler reason: to learn how to sew.

Sewing is a skill that can be incredibly useful and even fun, but learning to sew well takes a lot of practice. For some though, the effort is worth it. Junior Sam Gifford is one student who is willing to put in the effort. Gifford, who involves himself in theatre, has little previous sewing experience. “I can adapt these skills into theatre arts and crew,” Gifford says, with hopes to help the costume crew behind the scenes. Overall, electives offer a wide variety of skills and opportunities, and students choose to take them for their own reasons.