By Melissa Dunson
mdunson@joplinglobe.com
Sandra Betzina loves to sew more than anyone she has ever known.
And Betzina, 65, has made a living sharing that passion with people across the nation and now, Joplin.
Betzina, a San Francisco resident, was the host for the HGTV television series Sew Perfect for six years. She continues to design a full line of patterns for Vogue and has her own tab in Vogue’s pattern books called “Today’s Fit.”
Betzina has authored four sewing books and 11 how-to DVDs. And Betzina’s thoughts are still available in sewing and fashion columns in Vogue and Threads magazines.
“I do what I do because I love to sew — it’s relaxing and fun,” Betzina said. “I don’t know why more people don’t do it.”
The seamstress superstar Sunday and Monday was in Joplin for a two-day workshop at the new Ozark School of the Creative Arts.
Longtime area jeweler and woodworker Greg Huff, 52, opened the new Joplin trade school earlier this summer. It is located at 4835 S. Jackson Ave. and features sewing machines, antique knitting equipment and leather cutters.
Huff plans to open a larger building across the street with room for woodworking, jewelry making, silversmithing, art glass and stained glass, a leatherwork area specifically for making shoes, filmmaking, and photography. He plans to open the building later this year for internships and classes.
Pam Dake, a fiber arts intern at the trade school, said she taped all 243 episodes of HGTV’s Sew Perfect and almost fell off her stairs when she heard Betzina was coming to Joplin.
“She goes above and beyond celebrity,” Dake said.
One of the things Betzina has become famous for is her no-nonsense instruction on how to work with traditionally intimidating fabrics. Her other trademark is building in a wider variety of sizes into each pattern, to create a better fit.
And Betzina shares one of her greatest passions with Huff. Both trade school teachers want to see more young people learn to sew, both for a stress reducer and to continue on the skill set.
“There are all these young people watching programs like Project Runway and saying that they want to make their own clothes, but they don’t know how, and they don’t know where to go to learn,” Betzina said.
Betzina has entered the blogosphere to try to reach a younger audience. She also has an Internet program called Power Sewing available by subscription through Show On Demand.
Huff plans to bring Betzina back to Joplin regularly for sewing workshops.
Betzina from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. today will be in Springfield at Sewing Machines Express, 3560 S. Campbell Ave.
Take a class
For a complete listing of the Ozark School of Creative Arts’ classes, visit www.ozarkschoolofcreativearts.com.
