Thimbles is very proud to share our involvement with and support of the Lockport Woman’s Club Sewing Initiative. We hope that sewists and quilters seeking a way to give back to the community will consider the Lockport Woman’s Club Sewing Initiative and their commitment to our community this holiday season.
In 2023, the Lockport Woman’s Club partnered with Lockport Township High School's Career Community Connections Program (CCC). Aimed at young adults (18-22) with special needs at Lockport Community High School, the program teaches young adults (18-22) with special needs life skills and provides vocational training. In their partnership, the Lockport Woman's Club created a new opportunity for these students to develop sewing skills.
Back in the summer of 2023, the Lockport community came together to prepare the program for the upcoming school year. Members developed general lesson plans and identified suitable projects. Sewing machines that the high school had surplused were refurbished and put back into service. Several club members donated fabric, notions, and supplies. A local drapery workroom was contacted and agreed to provide remnants for the initiative. The machines and fabric, previously destined for a landfill, were repurposed for this unique endeavor.
That September, eight Lockport Woman’s Club volunteers worked with students once a week for 2 ½-hour sessions, alongside one school staff member. A core group of 4-6 students with the ability and interest to develop sewing skills received individual instruction. Small projects like pillowcases and holiday placemats catered to the students’ abilities while also increasing their skills and confidence, and could be completed within the time constraints. They also gave participants the satisfaction of crafting custom creations.
Now, in 2025, the program has developed tremendously. The students have mastered sewing fundamentals and feel confident to tackle even more advanced projects. The Lockport Woman’s Club was awarded a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for this initiative and its effort to promote financial literacy at Lockport Township High School. They used the grant in part to purchase new Baby Lock sewing machines from Thimbles, which we offered on deep discount to support the initiative.
The CCC students are now able to work on more technical projects and scale up production. They produced marketable goods, such as tote bags, key chains, zipper pouches, and wine gift bags. In the spring semester of 2025, they held two successful pop-ups on campus.
The LWC organizes two large craft shows each year—the Artisan Market at Old Canal Days in June and Christmas Crossroads in November. The CCC students and staff proudly displayed and sold their wares for the first time to the public at the 2025 Artisan Market. They plan to do it again at Christmas Crossroads. Proceeds from these sales are used to fund educational opportunities and outings for all the students of the CCC.
We hope our Lockport locals and sewing and quilting enthusiasts will consider attending CCC’s Christmas Crossroads on November 22 and 23. Christmas Crossroads features beautiful, artisanal pieces from over 220 crafters and makers. It’s a wonderful way to support our community as well as pick up unique, thoughtful gifts for the holiday season. All of the proceeds from Christmas Crossroads go to benefit local causes in our community. The event grows each year to include more makers and artisans—take a look at highlights from 2022:
