overview of services

I am currently available to take commission requests, test and edit patterns and other creative products, teach classes and workshops, and provide private lessons. If you are interested in working together in any capacity, please contact me to schedule a free 30 minute meet and greet session to discuss your interests, experience, and goals for what you’d like to accomplish during our time together.

commissions and shop samples

I take on a limited number of sewing, fiber art, and craft commissions each year to ensure I have plenty of time for teaching and nurturing my creative practice. The cost of a commission depends on the materials used, making time, and desired turn-around time. Please contact me to discuss your idea and proposed timeline.

testing and editing

~ coming soon ~

classes and workshops

I teach sewing classes regularly at Modern Domestic, but I am happy to teach at other locations too! I am especially interested in providing low or no-cost community classes and services. You can find a list of classes I’ve taught previously on my CV and peruse my sewing projects on my blog or Instagram. Please contact me with any class or workshop ideas you’re interested in developing/offering. You can read more about my approach to teaching below.

private lessons

I offer private and semi-private sewing lessons for kids and adults. All skill levels are welcome, though I especially love to support beginners. Read more about my approach to teaching below.

Private lessons can take many different forms—I’m here to assist your creative practice in any way. Our time together might include learning how to use your sewing machine, going to a fabric store to select materials together, choosing patterns and planning projects, taking measurements and selecting sizes for garments, tracing and modifying patterns, practicing sewing techniques, or me simply being in the room while you work to answer questions and offer moral support and accountability. I’m happy to work on projects of your choosing or to provide projects appropriate for your skill level if you need a break from decision-making.

Lesson lengths can vary depending on your goals for the session. For fabric shopping or project planning, one hour may suffice. For project-based sewing sessions, I recommend two to three hours as the sweet spot for getting things done and ending the lesson before fatigue sets in.

lessons at modern domestic

Modern Domestic has a set fee for private lessons held at their studio: $150 per two hour session for one person, where $90 of that fee goes to the instructor and $60 goes to Modern Domestic. Private lessons can be held during or outside of regular store hours.

Choose this option if you would like:

• To support me and your local fabric store simultaneously.
• To feel more connected to your local sewing community.
• Access to Modern Domestic’s large work tables, tools, and supplies as well as Bernina sewing machines, sergers, and presser feet galore.
• 10% off purchases at Modern Domestic on the day of your private lesson (excludes sewing machines, furniture, and classes).

in-home lessons

I also provide private lessons in the comfort your home (or in a community or work space you have access to) at a sliding scale. I have limited availability for holding private lessons at my apartment in North Portland (not for folks allergic to or uncomfortable with cats!). If you do not own a sewing machine, I can bring one for you to use during our lessons.

sliding scale pricing guide

The following is adapted from The Green Bottle Method Sliding Scale by Alexis J. Cunningfolk and Embracing an Equitable Sliding Scale by Britt Hawthorne.

Sliding scales are a tool for building economic justice where (ideally) everyone pay a similar percentage of their income for the same products or services. Please be mindful that if you choose to pay less than what you can honestly afford, you are limiting access to those who truly need financial flexibility. When I am paid fairly, I am able to invest more time and resources towards free and lower cost offerings. That said, I rely on the honor system and will never ask you to justify your choice or verify your income. If you are Black, Indigenous, transgender, and/or an undocumented immigrant, you are welcome to select the low price even if you have privileges that may otherwise place you in a higher tier.

For the purposes of the sliding scale, basic needs include food, housing, healthcare, and transportation. Having expendable income might mean you are able to afford buying coffee or tea at a cafe, concert or movie tickets, new clothes or books, or similar non-essential expenses. Click on the toggle buttons below to help you decide which pricing tier is appropriate for you.

• The pay-it-forward price is $5 more than the actual cost of the lesson. The extra money helps me continue to offer discounted and no-cost lessons while also meeting my own living expenses. This is an opportunity to support me and your local community!
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Consider investing the pay-it-forward price if you:
• The suggested price is the actual cost of the lesson. If you choose a price below this amount, you are receiving a discount. This price is based on the hourly wage I’ve set for myself as a teacher, time spent traveling to and preparing for sessions, and supply and material costs.
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Consider investing the suggested price if you:
• The middle price is for those who are able to meet their basic needs but have limited expendable income. Paying for lessons may qualify as a sacrifice—you may have to cut back on spending in other areas of your life—but it would not create hardship.
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Consider investing the middle price if you:
• The low price is for those who struggle to meet basic needs and paying for lessons would be a significant hardship.
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Consider investing the low price if you:

my approach to teaching

Creativity and making are essential to the human experience. Creativity is innate—something all humans share. It is not a trait that either you do or do not have, but rather a part of you that you can choose to nurture or neglect. Nurturing a creative practice helps us learn who we are and what we truly value and is therefore essential to finding meaning and connection in our lives.

I especially love to work with beginners and adults looking to heal from a lifetime of perfectionism—those of us who were never given the space to play or just exist, who were always striving to be the best, who never pursued anything that we weren’t immediately good at because we were scared to embarrass ourselves. I believe that nurturing a creative practice is one of the most important actions you can take to support your healing.

A creative practice will help you:

• develop a growth mindset (the belief that your abilities can be developed and improved through learning and effort).
• expand your tolerance for uncertainty and failure (try something even if you don’t know how it will turn out, then try again).
• access vulnerability and courage (try something that feels uncomfortable and intimidating and be seen trying—give yourself permission to be a beginner).
• build self-confidence through problem solving, persistence, and developing skillfulness.
• create space between specific outcomes and how you evaluate your self-worth.

teaching kids

The minimum age for classes and lessons held at Modern Domestic is 8 years, but I am happy to work with younger children via private lessons so long as they are able to follow instructions for using sewing machines and cutting tools safely. Since focus and capacity fluctuates over time, I encourage taking breaks and may redirect kids to other activities as needed to prioritize their safety and emotional well-being, even if it means we don’t finish our project that day. Similarly, kids can pause or end the lesson at any time if they are feeling overwhelmed or fatigued.

When engaging with kids, I strive to be a safe adult who gives my full attention, listens intently, respects their autonomy and decision-making, and encourages curiosity and experimentation. My goal is to help kids build self-confidence and resilience through experiential learning in a gentle and encouraging environment.

my experience

I draw on eight years of work in higher education as a teaching assistant, course developer, field school instructor, and mentor. I also bring ten years of experience in science communication and public speaking, including leading tours and hands-on science outreach activities for youth (pre-K to high school). As a result, I have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and am comfortable interacting with people of any age. I also have extensive training and experience implementing best practices for inclusive pedagogy to make learning accessible and welcoming for all. Finally, after many years working as a research assistant during graduate school, I have an aptitude for conducting and communicating in-depth research on any topic. If you are someone who always wants to know more—or you have a curious child who always asks, “but why?”—you will appreciate my fun facts and detailed explanations.

accessibility

I am neurodivergent, disabled, and chronically ill. I know it can be impossible to predict what your capacity will be on any given day (especially if you are also a caretaker) and that pain, illness, and flare-ups are a regular part of life. As a result, I strive to be as flexible as possible when it comes to rescheduling lessons. I also do my best to offer make-up opportunities if you miss a class held at a location with stricter cancellation policies. If last-minute cancellations become common, I may require a deposit to schedule private lessons to better protect my time.

disabled & neurodivergent friendly

I want you to be as comfortable as possible during our sessions. I will work with you to provide whatever accommodations you need—no justification or disclosure necessary. Accommodations might involve using a different chair or table to minimize pain, modifying patterns and instructions for folks with dyslexia, providing a sewing machine without a foot pedal, or using cutting tools for folks with reduced grip strength. Accommodations for sensory needs could include adjusting lighting, playing background music, wearing ear plugs, avoiding fragrances, or taking breaks for movement and stimming. If you anticipate needing specific equipment or tools, let me know during our meet and greet.

covid-19 mitigation

I wear KN95 masks or better when I am indoors with other people who I do not know well (e.g., in classes, stores, airports, movie theaters, etc.). I encourage students to wear a mask during classes even if the host location does not have a mask requirement. I may choose to remove my mask if there is adequate ventilation and HEPA filtration. I do not expect you to wear a mask inside your own home during private lessons, but I will always have a mask with me and respect your boundaries.

I am up-to-date on all vaccinations, including the most recent COVID-19 boosters and flu vaccines. I will never teach a class or private lesson if I have symptoms of COVID-19 (or RSV, flu, etc.) or had recent contact with someone who exhibited symptoms and/or tested positive for COVID-19. (You won’t see me at class saying, “It’s just a cold!”). I will always inform you if I test positive for COVID-19 after a class or private lesson. I am happy to take COVID tests before private lessons if requested.

What I ask of you: please stay home from classes or reschedule lessons if you are sick. If you were sick within the past week, please wear a mask. The CDC currently recommends isolating until you are feeling better and without fever for 24 hours, and then taking precautions (including wearing a mask) to reduce transmission for an additional 5 days.