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Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
Fashionably Seasonal: Adana Loga, a fashion major at WVC, trims fabric during a Christmas-stocking workshop.
WVC students and faculty become stocking-makers
Annual workshop offers sewing instruction for holiday projects
By Leigh Ann Maze
In the tiny costume shop below West Valley College's main stage, about 10 students and faculty members sewed, stitched, ate and socialized during the theater arts department's annual Christmas-stocking workshop and open house on Dec. 7.
There was a constant flow of students and teachers into the tiny room, which was filled with bolts of fabric, hatboxes, sewing machines and artistic renderings of theater costumes. Between classes, they dropped in to enjoy sandwiches, treats and hot cider or to try their hand at sewing a Christmas stocking.
"Learning to sew is not as intimidating when you're making something for yourself or a friend," said Amy Zsadanyi-Yale, theater arts instructor and WVC resident costume designer. "It's a way for people to learn sewing skills in a fun way and have something to take home that they can be proud of."
Zsadanyi-Yale was kept busy answering questions and helping inexperienced stocking-makers, some of whom pulled out crooked stitches to try it again. The large table in the center of the room was covered in bright holiday fabrics, pins, scissors, lace, bells, ribbon and spools of thread so stocking-makers could get creative with their holiday projects.
Some made stockings for themselves, for significant others or for pets. The workshop was open to all students and faculty members. Although the majority of stocking-makers were men and women involved in the theater arts department, several people from other disciplines wandered in to try their creative hand, as they do every year, said Gerald Carter, WVC theater technical director.
Several students in the room were enrolled in Zsadanyi-Yale's costume-construction class, including Adana Logan, a fashion design student. Members of the costume-construction class create many of the costumes for the WVC theater productions. Logan, who wants to become a costume designer, was making a burgundy and blue stocking.
"It's just a nice social setting for those of us who are completely clueless to not be afraid of sewing," Carter said.
In addition to being a nice way to wrap up the winter semester, which ends Dec. 22, Zsadanyi-Yale hopes that the workshop will encourage some students to expand their newfound sewing skills next semester. Her Costume for Stage and Screen class in the spring will allow students to go from making Christmas stockings by hand to designing and creating theater costumes.
Talk of the Town will return next week.
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Campbell, California
