Minneapolis designer teaches kids practical life skills, starting with sewing

Keiona Cook graduated from North High School in 1999, years after Family and Consumer Sciences — known to many as Home Economics — had been cut from the core curriculum. That meant basics such as cooking, budgeting and sewing were no longer taught in the school.

Cook's love of fashion led her to learn sewing, but others her age and younger never had the chance. After studying fashion at Savannah College of Art and Design, Cook returned to Minneapolis in 2009 to fill that gap by starting Lovely's Sewing & Arts Collective. Its very home-ec mission: teaching kids to sew, manage their money and strengthen their community through cooperation and shared interests.

Kids of all ages attend Lovely's classes, all learning together. After a collective healthy lunch and yoga to fuel and focus, they sew for two hours.

Cook, known as "Auntie Keiona" by her students, zeros in on practical applications, teaching them how to repair old clothes or sell their creations at art fairs. The class occasionally hosts guest speakers, such as a representative from a nearby bank to explain how to make a budget or open a savings account.

"It's all about teaching kids the life skills that build towards success," says Cook. "Sewing isn't just a hobby, it's a trade skill, it's my life and career. These kids are learning sewing, financial skills, and entrepreneurship all at once, and they're having fun as part of one big family."

In addition to the standard weekly classes, Lovely's offers a weeklong sewing summer camp in June. Campers create clothing to reveal at a fashion show on the final day of camp. The fashion shows are usually at Lovely's North Loop studio, but they've also partnered with the Minneapolis Park Board or the Mall of America to have shows that draw bigger crowds. Cook has added classes for adults, too.

In June, Lovely's will celebrate its 15th anniversary. That means a lot of modern kids now have some good old-fashioned life skills.