ALL SAILORS SEW

All Sailors Sew

STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK- The Noble Maritime Collection at Snug Harbor held its fifth All Sailors Sew camp on April 17 -21, 2006. Children between the ages of 7 to 12 years old learned to sew, knit, embroider, and appliqué. Participants designed sailor’s “woolies,” a traditional embroidered tapestry, made stuffed animals and pillows, and printed on t-shirts.

The Director of Programs, Dawn Daniels watched over the camp as teacher Emily Ellison conducted the program.

Ellison, a certified teacher, started a sewing camp out of her and her neighbors' need to manage their own kids’ free time in a positive way. So she got out her sewing box, organized the group, rented space at the Noble Maritime Collection and launched the first All Sailors Sew Camp. The director of Noble Maritime Collection saw the virtue of the camp and incorporated it into their roster of programs.

Five camps later the program still goes on strong. On Friday, April 21 Ellison, Daniels and about ten campers were sewing, printing, and decorating woolies, sewing boxes, puppets, tee shirts, pillows and sacks when I arrived. They accomplished all this in a week’s time.

Sailors sewed to pass the time when there was no wind to fill the sails. They made woolies on which they learned the different stitches needed to repair damaged sails and clothes. On the woolies sailors often reproduced images of their families, the ship they sailed or whatever or whoever they wanted to honor. Seven year old EJ, one of the campers there, proudly showed me a pillow he made as a tribute to his older sister.

Some sailors acquired sewing skills from their mothers before they began their careers on the seas. Others started from scratch in during a voyage, learning from their mates. Many of the All Sailors Sew campers have never picked up a needle in their lives until they attended this camp. Emily’s three sons, Matthew, Martin and Henry, who were among the first campers, now attend the camp as Junior Counselors, encouraging younger sewers and providing entertainment during the breaks. A magic show was to be offered at recess later that day.

Living in closely co-dependent and harsh conditions often forged strong life long friendships between sailors. Participants at All Sailors Sew learn to share materials and offer opinions, suggestions and support to each other according to Ellison and Daniels. Gabrielle and Meredith sat side-by-side at one table hard at work. I overheard a discussion on the length of thread one should put through a needle.

The projects chosen for the camps integrate skills that are necessary in many other tasks: being creative and thinking through processes, fixing mistakes, hand-eye coordination, manipulating materials and planning projects. And they love it!

Like sailors, who, after developing sea legs and a taste for salty air, All Sailors Sew campers often return to the camp for more creative fun. Everyone present in the April camp signed up for the June camp. Each participant earns a certificate at the conclusion of the course to commemorate their endeavors.

All Sailors Sew will be offered again in summer from June 26 until June 30.

For more information, or to reserve a space in All Sailors Sew, call the museum education department at 718 447-6490 between the hours of 9 AM and 5 PM or you can visit www.noblemaritime.org and click on the education link to obtain an application.

Thanks to The Noble Maritime Collection, Dawn Daniels, Erin Devine, Emily Ellison and the campers at All Sailors Sew!