“I wanted to open a business where I could help people be creative,” Stiger said.
Stiger began sewing at the age of 6 using her grandmother's sewing machine. At the time, she considered herself a Barbie fashion designer as she made Barbie outfits out of any materials she could find.
From then on, Stiger spent her school breaks with her grandmother practicing her sewing skills while making outfits and other projects, such as bags that she would gift to others.
Although sewing was her passion, teaching was the initial route she took in her career. Stiger was an English teacher for Spring Branch ISD for 10 years. During her time as a teacher, Stiger spent her last semester giving her students sewing classes after school. That's when she decided to open her own sewing business.
Using her experience teaching and her passion for sewing, Stiger opened the brick-and-mortar Sew Houston. Stiger said the biggest challenges she faced when starting her sewing business was finding a location and creating a website for it. Once she stumbled upon the Cy-Fair location, Stiger said the rest went smoothly.
Sew Houston provides classes, private lessons, camps and a venue for parties. The modern sewing school specializes in sewing for beginners and offers classes for all sewing skill levels.
While customers have the option to bring their own sewing machines and supplies, Stiger sells all the needed materials at the sewing school. Sewing machines at Sew Houston are free to use for anyone who doesn't have their own sewing machine.
Sew Houston’s most popular class is its intro to sewing crash course. The course includes simple patterns where students learn to pin and cut their own fabric to create a tote bag. During the course, students also learn the terminology of sewing and how to safely use a sewing machine.
“You're going to leave with a cute bag, and you're going to feel proud and impressed with yourself. It happens every time,” Stiger said.
Other simple projects created at Sew Houston include pillows, T-shirts and pajama pants.
Stiger said sewing beginners often have a fear of using sewing machines and making a mistake; however, once they face that fear, they often realize how simple and fun sewing can be.
“A sewing machine is actually really, really safe, and mistakes are so fixable. It's just a matter of breaking the thread. You can always fix a sewing mistake,” Stiger said.
Sew Houston offers classes in groups of four to six to ensure quality classes in a safe environment.
The sewing school’s camps are the most popular services held during school breaks. Stiger suggests signing up for classes and camps in advance to ensure a spot.
“If you're thinking about sewing, you should definitely come by Sew Houston. You’ll be surprised with how easy and fun it is. Even if you may have had a bad experience before, you'll have a great experience here,” Stiger said.
- 7710 Cherry Park Drive, Ste. F, Houston
- www.sewhouston.com
