Philanthropic Austin lifestyle brand puts heart in first physical store

A new monthly initiative is helping Austinites learn to sew with fewer financial barriers. Stitch Lab, a local organization that hosts workshops and open studio time, is launching a recurring giveaway called Sew It Forward to get winners started with their own sewing machine and more.

The first round of entries for Sew It Forward are open now through 11:59 pm on August 16. A winner will be chosen August 17. The giveaway includes a new beginner sewing machine, a Stitch Lab Starter Kit containing other sewing tools, and one free sewing class for beginners at the studio.

This setup will go to the next giveaway winner.Photo courtesy of Stitch Lab

To enter, users will have to follow Stitch Lab on Instagram, like the post announcing the current giveaway, share the post to their story with a tag back to Stitch Lab, and write a comment about why they want to learn to sew. Stitch Lab founder Eric Lugo confirms in an email to CultureMap that winners are chosen at random, not based on the strength of their comment.

"I wanted to keep it simple, fair, and focused on people who genuinely want to start their sewing journey," Lugo says.

With more than 60 comments so far, this month's post is full of sewing inspiration and reminders of why this skill that's sometimes presented as old-fashioned is still important. Commenters have mentioned difficulty in finding clothes that fit, wanting to save money, valuing upcycling and buying less, and the simple desire to have a new hobby. Multiple commenters mentioned wanting to make clothes for their dogs, so look out for a more sharply dressed pups around Austin as the initiative progresses.

An inside look at a Stitch Lab workshop.Photo courtesy of Stitch Lab

Lugo explains that Sew It Forward was born from a desire to support people in the same way they've supported the business so far. There is no sponsor; Lugo plans to purchase the machines himself. He also makes the starter kit himself and is an instructor at Stitch Lab. He says he'd like to expand the initiative to include partners in the future, but he didn't want to put off the idea while waiting for others to get onboard.

"Teaching so many beginners has also shown me that wanting to learn how to sew and actually having access to learning are two completely different things," Lugo says. "A sewing machine is an investment. Then you need tools and supplies, and even after you have all of that, you still have to figure out where to begin. I wanted Sew It Forward to help remove as many of those barriers as possible."

In committing to a monthly giveaway, Lugo is making sure the studio stays involved in giving back. The studio is for everyone, whether they're experienced at sewing or they've never tried it. He says the community aspect is important, and he wants visitors to feel at home.

This group made flower totes at a recurring workshop at Casa de Luz.Photo courtesy of Stitch Lab

"Sewing can feel intimidating or inaccessible from the outside, and a big part of what we do is break that down. You don’t have to be a designer, you don’t have to be 'creative enough,' and you don’t need any experience to start," says Lugo. "We’re here to make sewing approachable, fun, and something people can actually see themselves doing. Everyone starts with one stitch."

Stitch Lab is located at 4020 S. Industrial Dr., Ste. 170. Current classes on the Stitch Lab schedule ($65-85) are all two and a half hours and cover things like a general crash course, hemming, flipping thrift store finds, and making tote bags for carrying flower bouquets.