DEWEY STREET, FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND HOME FOR CRAFTING IN LAS VEGAS, OPENS DOORS
Family business is only in the area to offer wide variety of crafting lessons and long arm quilting
Three generations of love for crafting are the foundation for the newly opened Dewey Street, a store that offers lessons and long arm quilting, on South Durango in Las Vegas. Dewey Street prides itself as the only single gathering place for “crafty creatives” in Southern Nevada. Courses and quilting will be led by the three founders: Cindy Nickerson and her two daughters, Lindsay and Laurie. Dewey Street is also welcoming other craft experts to teach in the professional space. The business additionally offers “open studio” time when the general public may come in to work on crafts with the assistance of Dewey Street staff.
Dewey Street is launching with several types of lessons including: indie, textile and art. Indie covers a wide range of techniques including a “mash-up” of traditional lessons with a modern aesthetic, book binding and paper printing. Textile uses fabrics as a canvas with exploration including bleach printing, pattern design and fabric printing. Art blurs the lines between craft and art, and focuses more on self expression with projects including collage and decoupage.
Additionally, Dewey Street is offering several types of series. Examples include sewing, home and garden, and guest teacher, which brings experts from across the Las Vegas area to teach the skill or craft they know best, broadening the offerings of Dewey Street. This translates into Dewey Street constantly evolving and incorporating new and innovative methods to customers.
Lessons at Dewey Street reach all ages and ability levels. Instruction will appeal to everything from the contemporary crafting movement to traditional techniques. All people aged from child to senior will find a niche and class at Dewey Street, or may take advantage of the “open studio” time.
The name and foundation of Dewey Street find roots with 90-year-old Joan Faust who lived on Dewey Street in West Springfield, MA for nearly all of her life and raised a family as she literally turned trash into treasures. Her influence inspired daughter Cindy, and Cindy’s daughters, to launch the new business in Joan’s memory. The lessons they pass to the Las Vegas community are Joan’s legacy.
Founder Cindy Nickerson has been sewing almost all of her life and can perform nearly all forms of stitchery. The gifted seamstress also ran a successful embroidery business for nearly 25 years in Massachusetts. Cindy operates one of the largest professional grade long arm sewing machines in the area. Her service offers a speedy and professional alternative to work that is commonly done in homes and a level of perfection through state-of-the art computerized technology. The precise stitching creates a high-quality, yet personalized piece that will last for generations.
Cindy’s daughter Lindsay carries on the legacy of quilting and sewing. She is a mother of two (soon to be three) and brings innovation to crafting with small children. Lindsay also has a green thumb, which morphed into a complementing talent of creating vintage spoon plant markers.
Laurie, Cindy’s other daughter, cannot sew a straight line. However, she offers balance to the women of her family with strong artistic talent. Laurie keeps busy with her day job as Art Director for a leading Las Vegas firm and teaching a course at the Art Institute. Surprisingly, she finds enough spare time to move the artsy side of Dewey Street in the right direction. Her skills include painting, assemblage, book binding and perhaps most fun of all, puppet making.
Dewey Street’s interior reflects Laurie’s artistic vision. Lessons are taught around antique tables and a close look at the chair cushions will reveal a pattern of the Dewey Street logo. The walls are a soft blue and hanging art was designed and framed by Laurie.
The owners also advance Joan’s legacy by helping the community. The last Sunday of every month, Dewey Street offers its space, knowledge and time to a non-profit organization.
Dewey Street, located at 2960 S. Durango Suite 111 in Las Vegas, is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday in addition to regularly scheduled class times and appointments. More information is available by going to www.dewey-street.com.
