In this SPECIAL EDITION sewing workshop, Regina Jestrow will guide you through the steps of creating your own Cat Stuffie while practicing essential patterning and sewing skills. Beginners welcome!
Participants will use and practice fundamental sewing skills like threading a needle, making knots, basic stitches (running stitch, backstitch), using a sewing machine, following a pattern to cut fabric accurately, assembling pieces correctly, and stuffing a form. Throughout the workshop, Regina will share basic problem-solving skills to overcome small challenges during the sewing process.
Basic materials & tools (fabric, thread, stuffing, buttons, pins, scissors, needles) will be provided. We encourage participants to bring their own fabric (old clothes, etc) to transform their Cat Stuffie into a special keepsake. You can hand-sew or machine-sew your Cat Stuffie, but you would need to bring your sewing machine as machines are not provided.
We are thrilled to offer this special workshop at Bridge Red Studios/Project Space during “Cats! The Exhibition”, their captivating art exhibition celebrating our feline friends. The exhibition runs September 28 through November 9, 2025, benefiting the Humane Society of Greater Miami. Likewise, a percentage of the Standard or Pay It Forward tuition will be donated to the Humane Society.
Regina Durante Jestrow is a textile artist from Queens, NY, based in Miami, FL. Her artistic journey began in her formative years, as she learned sewing and crocheting from her mother, igniting a passion that would become a lifelong force. This connection to textiles is the bedrock of her artistic practice, stretching and challenging quilt forms and structures while considering the activist values that shaped historic quilt-making traditions. Jestrow’s work challenges notions of traditional quilt-making and textile arts. Her artistic exploration is deeply rooted in women's rights and history, combined with a deep appreciation for the patterns and stories drawn from the enduring traditions of American quilt-making. Her art quilts feature a fusion of new and second-hand fabrics, including hand-dyed and manipulated textiles, through various techniques, including natural and reactive dyes, inks, and acrylics. The resulting pieces reflect the colors and patterns that evoke Miami's dynamic cultural diversity and landscape.
The Things Lab is supported in part by Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.
