This isn’t your grandma’s sewing circle.
The Queens-based SEW Moni sewing studio is opening its first Brooklyn outpost on S. Third Street in Williamsburg, where founder Moni Briones will offer top-notch stitching tutorials from sewing masters to the craft-hungry masses, desperate to put their needles and thread to good use.
“People want to learn how to get back to their roots, have a greater hand in what they’re wearing and really own their clothes — not just buy them,” said Briones.
Briones — a Mexican-American — chose S. Williamsburg as her sewing shop’s new home in an attempt to inspire and empower the area’s Hispanic community.
“Another Latina will see me in the store and ask [if I’m a laborer]. I get to tell them, ‘This is my store,’” said Briones. “I want women to know that [owning a business] is something that they can do.”
SEW Moni offers beginner, intermediate and advanced classes that cover everything from sewing 101 to dress and denim construction.
Most of SEW Moni’s customers are satisfied with the standard suite of courses, but every so often, a budding fashion designer shows up with a special project that requires one-on-one attention.
“People have dreams and, when they realize that they can actually do it,” said SEW Moni manger and instructor Katie Mann. “We help them to build those skills and they go on from there.”
SEW Moni Studio [330 S. Third St. between Keap and Hooper streets in Williamsburg, (646) 943-4721] Grand opening Feb. 5. For info, visit www.sewmoni.bigcartel.com
Reach reporter Colin MIxson at cmixson@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4514.
