Design Innovation is about sharing, stitching together extracurricular, cross-disciplinary and collaborative design innovation projects and experiences and sharing them with the 5X community. On March 11, the stitching was literal.
Nadia Modjrian, a senior fashion design major and DI Hub crew member, threaded the needle with students, teaching them the basics about sewing machines at the Intro to Machine Sewing workshop in the Design Innovation Hub.
The distinctive programs at Kent State, like the ones offered at the Design Innovation Hub, prepare students to become lifelong learners who will lead the way in tomorrow’s global workforce.
Modjrian started the day by walking attendees through the basic processes of the sewing machine. The DI Hub uses the Juki DDL 8700 Standard Industrial Sewing Machine for light to medium fabrics, and the Juki DNU 1541S Heavy Duty Sewing Machine is available for heavy-weight fabrics.
“Before I came to Kent State, I had taken some sewing and pattern-making classes,” Modjrian said. “I was already familiar with how to sew, but my first interaction with industrial sewing machines was when I came to Kent State.”
She then explained the different components of the sewing machine. Participants learned about all the components and their uses, from the bobbin, the roll that holds the thread, to the presser foot that stabilizes the fabric, the knee lever that raises and lowers the presser foot to the foot pedal that controls the speed of the needle.
The workshop allowed the attendees to try using the machines themselves with scraps of fabric, allowing them to create and play with the settings.
Once participants got the hang of the machine, it was time to create a personal tool roll, something that can hold anything from art supplies to a toothbrush. Attendees were given a choice of more than 10 different fabrics to choose from for their customized tool roll.
The workshop concluded with photos of the tool rolls and a quick recap of what the attendees learned.
“The DI Hub is a very diverse place that has a lot of equipment you can use and get inspired by,” Modjrian said. “You get to discover new things you have never experienced in your life, and that will take you to great places.”