EcoEtique: Sew Hip in South Pasadena

I won't easily admit it, that I can't sew, or stitch or mend for that matter, to my friends. Until one day, I'm wearing my favorite H&M cardigan and my friend inquires, why are there only three buttons left on that thing?

Honestly, I wish I could play victim and say I was never able to be taught, except that, well, I'm SO not a victim and that I could have been taught from a young age to sew by the Pavarotti of pattern makers: my mother. My mother, an incredibly talented crafts-woman, if she wanted to, could open up her own needle point and craft stores. She can glance at any pattern or design and figure it out in a speedily manner not unlike that of a NASA computer figuring out space computations. Since I was a wee thing, I've witnessed my mother fashion clothes, home decor to jewelry accessories using needle point, knitting, crocheting, beading to quilting. Everyone had their mother knit them something at some point, but did your mamacita ever offer up custom-made clothes, booties and fashion accessories for your dolls? Yep, my mother even hooked up Barbie and Skipper with new duds every fall. I think the only thing my mother hasn't dabbled in is silk screening.

So, what I'm getting at, is that I may get a chance to finally pick up a needle and thread at Common Thread Studio in South Pasadena. Jin Kim is the owner, I stopped by there on Friday afternoon to talk about her sewing and craft store catered to all ages, but especially the modern-day young folks. Be sure to check out my your daily thread piece on her next week, I'll provide a link here.

Here are some highlights from my visit.