Hartford Stitch has moved to a larger storefront at 13 Sedgwick Road in West Hartford, expanding its space for sewing classes, community events and its free sewing supply store after 11 years in business.

By Mia Jaworski

The sewing education studio, previously located at 207 Park Road for seven years, relocated to accommodate its growing programs and create more opportunities for students and community members to connect, Hartford Stitch owner Laura Kasowitz said.

The new location offers a ground-floor entrance, an open layout, and more room for the large worktables used in classes. Kasowitz said the accessible storefront has also encouraged more people to stop in, browse the free supply store and talk with other sewers.

The new space allows Hartford Stitch to offer something it couldn’t before: a longarm quilting machine. Its extended throat–the distance between the needle and the machine’s upright column–gives users room to work with large quilts without bunching or repeatedly repositioning the fabric, giving students access to specialized equipment that can cost thousands of dollars.

Hartford Stitch opened 11 years ago when Kasowitz, who had two young children at the time, was looking for an opportunity outside the home. At the time, few businesses in the West Hartford area offered sewing classes.

“The studio grew organically, with demand increasing after the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Kasowitz. “Seemingly a time when many people purchased sewing machines and needed help on how to use them.”

Today, Hartford Stitch offers classes in garment making, quilting, home decor and general sewing, with options for adults and children. Most adult classes are eight-week foundation series, while other offerings include sewing-machine basics, technique classes, open workshops and children’s programs, and singular sewing 101 classes. Each class generally accommodates six to eight students to allow for individualized instruction.

Class dates are released by season, with October to early December dates currently listed on their website. The winter session is expected to open for registration toward the end of November.

The business also plans to continue expanding its community programming in the new space. An open house scheduled for Nov. 8, 2026 will offer studio tours, opportunities to meet instructors, demonstrations on a longarm quilting machine and a community art project called “I Found a Quilted Heart.”

Another ongoing initiative is Hartford Stitch’s community quilt project, which is entering its ninth year. The project brings together donated quilt blocks and volunteer work to make quilts for Journey Home, a nonprofit serving the Greater Hartford region that helps people experiencing homelessness find and maintain stable housing. The organization also helps clients furnish their homes, access household necessities and connect with services and income opportunities to prevent future housing instability.

Last year, Hartford Stitch donated 37 quilts to Journey Home.

The project begins with seasonal quilt-block drives and continues through group sewing days and volunteer work at home. The studio also accepts sewing supplies from community members, using some donations in classes and offering surplus materials through its free sewing supply store.

The owner said the larger location will allow Hartford Stitch to bring more people together, including those who may not enroll in classes but want to connect with other sewing enthusiasts.

“I’ve always felt that sewing, much like many crafts, is where you take a pile of raw materials and you turn it into something, it’s kind of its own magic,” Kasowitz said.

The studio serves students primarily from the greater Hartford area, though some travel from the New Haven area and Massachusetts. The owner said she has also seen people seek out sewing as a way to develop practical skills and build a hands-on connection to the world around them.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.