Natalie's Everyday Heroes: Creative summer camp is 'sew' cool

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Keeping kids busy all summer long can be a challenge.

So one local business owner came up with a creative summer camp idea.

Madam Chino is teaching kids to sew, and along the way, giving them a lesson in problem-solving and sustainability.

"You're ready to sew that, yep," said Vanessa Andrew, looking over a camper's shoulder.

There's nothing slow about learning to sew. The wheels are spinning. The pedals are down.

"Yes. Perfect, yes," she said. "We're in business!"

And as quickly as the stitches are flying, Vanessa Andrew - also known as Madam Chino - is running back and forth between machines.

"I started Madam Chino 20 years ago," she said. "It's just kind of a moniker I chose as a self-identity."

And self-identity is a big part of this summer camp.

"This is Harry Potter," said Lia Tolley, 9, holding up her decorated fabric.

This week has a beach theme.

"I drew coconuts and popsicles and like surfboards," said Josie Gralton, 9.

The kids, between the ages of 8 and 13, decorate their fabric and start creating.

"We're doing sunglass cases and a visor," Gralton said.

"Self-expression, right? We want to show people on the outside how we feel on the inside," Andrew said. 

The skills they learn are challenging.

"We have to learn buttonholes," she exclaimed to the campers.

Andrew says that's part of the fun.

"You're struggling, right? There are problems involved in this. But somebody is doing a good job at it and it's always just a little flick of the wrist thing that you can figure out to help you do better," she said.

For Andrew, there's a sense of satisfaction in passing along the ability to sew.

"We're recycling stuff, we're reusing stuff. We're keeping it out of the waste stream, but we're also preventing new stuff from being made," she said.

And for the kids, they're making things they can use.

"I think I did a pretty good job on it," Tolley said.

"I think the gratifying thing is to just have this set of items that match, that all go together and fall under that theme and they're yours," Andrew said.

The camps run Monday through Thursday in either the morning or afternoon. Kids end the week with a fashion show, and they've made eight or nine things they can actually use. For camp availability, click here.

If you'd like to nominate an Everyday Hero, send Natalie a message at [email protected].