Curreda Sheppard has been sewing since she was 9, when her grandmother showed her how to make a pair of pants. This weekend, she'll be looking to pass on that knowledge.
Her "Design By Me" classes, being offered beginning Saturday at the School 33 Art Center, teach beginners ages 9 to 17 the basics of sewing, plus enough design knowledge — Sheppard attended Chicago's Illinois Institute of Art — to enable them to make and take home a piece of clothing.
A Baltimore native and City College graduate, Sheppard, 21, has been teaching her class since 2013.
What can you tell us about the class you're going to be teaching?
We start from scratch; most of the girls don't know anything about a sewing machine when they come to me. I teach them the basics, and we learn all different skills. Then, with the skills, we complete a project – something that they can take home, that they can wear, that they can show off – using the simple skills that we do: straight line, buttons, zippers, whatever we can learn, depending on how long the session is.
How did you get started in the fashion and design business?
My grandmother, Janice, she introduced me to the sewing machine. She helped me along the way, all the time. And then, I kind of just took off. Now she's like, 'You're better than me. I don't know what happened.
At what point did you decide this was something you could make a living at? Or are you still looking to decide that?
No, I have made the decision. I'm just trying to push it, get it out there more and get more exposure. It's something I really love to do.
I went to fashion school with the idea that I wanted to be a designer or a stylist. But I was like, 'I don't think that's for me.' I like to teach, and I like to give back to the community. I love kids, and I feel like that's something that I could make a living off of and have an impact on a lot of lives — help people build a craft and show them something different.
Do you remember the first time that you made something you were really satisfied with?
Probably when I was 16. I had my sweet 16, I made my birthday dress. I was so excited about it. It wasn't perfect, though, but it was really nice. Everybody loved it.
What would you say to one of your students who came up to you and said she was thinking about a career in fashion?
I would tell them to just go for it. And don't be shy. Be confident. It's all about confidence. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't believe in yourself and you don't show it off, no one's going to really notice you.