Library’s Heritage Arts Studio gives students place to use their sewing skills

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Media Contact: Jordan Bishop | Editor | 405-744-7193 | jordan.bishop@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University students needing to stitch up a pair of pants or sew a new dress on their own machine have been out of luck, until now.

Sewing machines or other large pieces of equipment couldn’t be brought to college because of space, but Edmon Low Library now offers access to those machines and more. 

Students have had the opportunity to check out sewing machines in the past, but now the Heritage Arts Studio increases the accessibility to that equipment. 

The studio contains a sewing machine, a serger, a cover stitch machine, an embroidery machine, a vinyl cutter, a loom and even a spinning wheel to create yarn. There’s also an adjustable dress form and an iron with an ironing board for those quick fixes.

The studio has already attracted students. 

“There was one patron who was making a pair of overalls for her dog,” said Shannon Austin, the director of Edmon Low Creative Studios. “She has a support animal and wanted to make a better harness for it, so she made a denim vest.”

Libraries are more than books. They play a crucial role in education by providing students with knowledge and resources. They foster a culture of learning, which Bonnie Cain-Wood said is the vision for Edmon Low. 

“Sheila Johnson, our dean of libraries right now, has a vision for the library,” said Cain-Wood, manager of library communication services. “The library isn’t just a place of research, but a source of inspiration. We’re the heart of campus, not just scholastically, but also a place where you can meet, collaborate, learn, research, innovate, create and get inspiration.”

The Heritage Arts Studio is a place for all students on campus, but certain people could benefit from the studio because of their majors. Because the library is open when other studios on campus might not be, fashion design students, theatre students and others can come in and work on their class projects. Even students in the sailing club have come in to use the sewing machines to fix their sails.

The studio is not only for those looking to repair items, but it is also has been an inspiration for students looking to craft. Eleni Konomi, a musical theatre student, said she is thrilled to use the Heritage Arts Studio. 

“I’m a very crafty person, and my family has a lot of crafting stuff,” Konomi said. “I can’t bring it all here, obviously, and I was disheartened to think I can’t be as creative as I used to be. Then I found out about the library and their space and thought, ‘Oh, I can be creative.’”

Konomi and others have been excited to discover that the library offers the equipment for free and even offers lessons on using the machines. The vinyl cutting machine and embroidery machine require certification to handle, but that is also free with the library. 

Maddie Rogers, a library student intern, was required to learn how to handle the equipment but now has many ideas for using the space. 

“I’ve been interested in environmental activism for a while, so I had the idea to make sweatshirts to promote awareness,” Rogers said. “But I can’t drop several hundred dollars on an embroidery machine. Now, I can finally do these things I’ve meant to do because the library is giving me access to it.”

This studio wasn’t originally a library initiative. It came about because a student once brought her sewing machine into the library to work on a garment, and it caught on. Now, it has  flourished into a new space for all to enjoy. 

The library welcomes new ideas, and many innovations like the Heritage Arts Studio are because of student voices. 

“We can’t come up with all the great ideas, so if you have an idea for the library, we want to hear about it,” Austin said.

Story By: Mak Vandruff | makenzie.vandruff@okstate.edu