Join us at our studio on Friday July 10th from 6pm-9pm as we welcome Christine Haynes, author of Chic & Simple Sewing. She will be discussing and signing copies of her latest book with a fashion show to follow. Come early for homemade Sangria and cupcakes while we enjoy music from DJ Lady C. Bring in an item to print on and we’ll show you how to screen print with the Yudu and how to create needle felted accessories – all free!

We will be raffling off two signed copies of Christine’s book, fat quarters of our fabrics and other U.C.C goodies throughout the night. In addition, Christine will have a trunk show of finished garments for sale. It’s a great chance to meet other crafters, get inspired and celebrate the handmade revolution!

About the book: Chic & Simple Sewing is a collection of 24 contemporary projects for the woman who wants handmade clothing without going to fashion school to do it! The book includes patterns for each design, from an Indian Summer Dress to a classic Trench, categorized by season – perfect for a modern seamstress.



About the author: Christine is one of our beloved guest teachers. A Detroit native, she graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she launched her first clothing label, then called Twospace. All of her clothing is made by hand. Christine’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The New York Post, The Los Angeles Times, and more!

To see examples of some of the gorgeous finished pieces Christine will have for sale at the party click here!

Here are pictures from Christine’s latest class that ‘wrapped’ up last weeked- a Reversible Wrap Skirt! The class was completely full and each person made a unique, elegant skirt in just two sessions.



There are two more of Christine’s classes being offered this Summer; a Ruffled Skirt in July and Halter Dress in August. Please see our class schedule for more information!



A rebellious sewing needle

We have two amazing new women working at The U.C.C, Devon and Miranda. Devon has a great eye for visual detail. This is the latest display she created to feature the new Moda Jelly Rolls packs in our retail section! Each pack contains a variety of fabric strips, perfect for quilting, patchwork and more.
Bon Appetit!

Here are some photos from last weekend’s Altered Art Techniques class. Students repurposed an existing book, learning many magical altered art techniques from Sasha Harris, truly the most energetic teacher we have here. She is very passionate about getting people together to create and always brings amazing goodies to share with her students.



Stamps, gesso and mod podge, oh my!



Each technique learned is represented on a page in the book to refer to later on, no matter what project you are working on!




A finished, fuzzy creation.

I really love hosting parties in our studio. It is a chance for a group of people to truly make this space their own and celebrate a special event or person while creating something altogether.

Gigi has participated in several classes and events at The U.C.C. Whenever she and her good friend Lola come by, we drop whatever we are doing to find out the latest on the two girls’ creative endeavors. You may be thinking that Gigi is just another 20 something learning to sew and make soap, but Gigi just celebrated her 11th birthday with us last week!

9 of Gigi’s closest friends learned our most addicting craft, needle felting.

Watch out for Gigi, you just might see her on Project Runway…2018!

A finished felted friend.

We get so many interesting and talented people visiting and working on projects in our studio. From screen printing business cards, designing a line of jewelry, to sewing costumes for a charity event, there are already many stories to share from our community of crafters.

This is the first of our ongoing series called Urban Crafter. We will be featuring the stories and work of people who have made The U.C.C their space for exploring and creating. We hope that you will be inspired to take some time, whether that be a full day or just an hour, to bring your unfinished projects and bubbling ideas out of your home and into the studio. Share your story, photos and creations with us and let’s join the handmade revolution together! :-)



Andria Ledon stopped by our studio one day with the idea to stitch some chopstick holders for her upcoming wedding. She didn’t have much experience with a sewing machine, so we talked about different ways she could get her project done in time. Andria came back into the studio a couple of weeks later with her awesome mom, Jade, who knew how to sew and was enthusiastic that her daughter wanted to get started. They worked in the studio with one of our sewing machines and spent the day learning from each other and talking to other crafters working nearby.





I learned that Andria not only made invitations for her wedding, but used her very own letterpress to print the original designs. She presses each design individually, using an 1889 Chandler & Price, foot operated platen press. No electricity boys and girls!

After earning a degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Andria worked as an Art Director for a Japanese toy company as well as a Senior Designer for a boutique advertising agency. She spent several years mastering the craft of letterpress before starting an independent design and letterpress company called Lilikoi. Recently, she and her best friend, Megan (a.k.a the Peaches), started a second creative business together called Peach Press. The two women are dedicated to creating personal and unique creations, tailored to each individual project. This is my favorite of their designs, the Phonograph!



Here is a photo of one of Andria and Jade’s finished creations from the day. It was really great to see a mother and daughter working together, learning from each other and laughing along the way. Her wedding took place on a beautiful island in Hawaii on May 30th. Congratulations newlywed!

We had a great time in a booth at the farmer’s market last Sunday, May 31st. It was so special to see all of the Santa Monica businesses supporting one another in the same space! We did needle felting demos all morning, one of my favorite crafts to show because most people are so fascinated by its simplicity. :-) I partook in some locally grown fruits and veggies as well. We can’t wait to do it again!

Last Tuesday night, we hosted the Los Angeles party for Martha Stewart’s Cupcake Tour! Martha was not here herself (we hope she will come craft with us next time….), but Gayle Lambert, associate publisher for Martha Stewart Living was here to talk about the magazine and the delicious world of decorative cupcakes.

After some amazing finger food, drink and cupcakes of course, we had a workshop glittering birds, butterflies and plastic animals. With a little glue and a lot of sparkle, you can make some pretty beautiful figurines for your home! You can find this specific project off of the Martha Stewart website, here. You can even come into the studio and make some yourself!