Cosewing Spaces
Berlin
It’s no wonder that the spaces, which are larger and better equipped, are in Berlin. The city is well know for its high level of creativity, excellent taste and respect for unique and handmade products. Thus this is where we found the largest cosewing projects worldwide.
The Nähinstitut opened in 2011, but the owner Linda Eilers already had extensive experience in cosewing. In September 2006 she had already launched Linkle, the first sewing coffee in Europe. Eiler’s initial idea was to create a kind of "internet cafe", but with sewing machines. Having spent some years teaching sewing classes, she realized that there were people who simply just needed a sewing machine, and in fact didn’t require weekly classes.
Gradually the sewing café grew, and Linda was gaining more and more specialized machinery. Finally in 2011, the Nähinstitut opened. It is three times the size of its predecessor and served on the whole as a springboard for the development of cosewing.
This fantastic space has a fully equipped workshop for designers and dressmakers, that includes specialized machinery, cutting tables and ironing. But not only that, they offer, of course, tailoring services, but also interesting workshops for designers of all levels and they sell and repair sewing machines. The best part is that the Nähinstitut has developed a community of people who inspire each other and a sewing shop that defines genuine cosewing.
In Berlin you will also find Nadelwald, which is another designated cosewing place. The space opened just over a year ago, and the idea was to follow the same principles as the coworking movement. These principles include sharing a workspace, offering flexible hours, the ability to use specialized machines, and above all a place for the creative exchange.
They have designed all types of flexible fees depending on if you want to work for hours, days or months, and have joined the project to a physical store as well as an online store, to support the marketing of products from the makers of your community. Of course Nadelwald, like the rest of the spaces, offer various creative sewing workshops.
Madrid
Teté CaféCostura is the first space to entertain this concept in Spain. They prefer the term "social couture" and their idea is to have a space where anyone can learn and hone their sewing skills, while also having the ability to rent a sewing machine or overlock for hours at a time. Located in the heart of the capital, Teté CaféCostura is such a welcoming space, it is impossible not to stay for hours. Tete CaféCostura was born in May 2011 and still aims to be a creative meeting place where sewing and fashion are a means of non-verbal communication. Alongside body language and other traditional techniques, it is a "social couture" of work, love and freedom.
LabDIY also just opened in Madrid, which is a project created by the organisation Hecho por Mí. The space is 230 m2, equipped with sewing machines and work tables. The space is dedicated to creating products, and organizing activities and events related to DIY. LabDIY aims to target both amateurs and design professionals.
Manchester, United Kingdom
Three years ago Sam Sterken launched Ministry of Craft, complete with its passion for DIY and sewing. Unable to find any simple sewing courses in the city, she decided to start her own project. Ministry of Craft offers a wide variety of courses, from beginner level focusing in sewing clothes or to sponsorship arrangements. Much like the rest of the spaces, Sterken’s offers sewing machines for rent by the hour, along with expert advice from both Sam and her collaborators.
Leicestershire, United Kingdom
In this city, Fay and Becky, thanks to their passion for sewing and the inability to find a place to share, created The Sewing Café. The idea behind this space is sewing should be accessible to everyone, from those who have never picked up a needle to those who have spent years sewing. They organize workshops, known as "social sewing" and the machines can also be rented by the hour.
Sparks, Nevada (United States)
Sew Stitches, although calling itself a "sewing cafe" also contains a number of components associated with cosewing. It offers a large space for projects, which one can access and use per hour. There one will also fine a strong community and workshops covering a multivariate of levels and projects.
The strange thing in the universe of cosewing, is that even in cases in which the managers of these spaces have never heard of coworking, both movements share a common philosophy and the same principles. Both coworking and cosewing are focused on sharing knowledge, sharing space, working with other people and expanding your network of contacts to create a community. Yet this is just the beginning, for what was once a simple cafe where renting a sewing machine by the hour, is now becoming a worldwide movement that is following in the footsteps of its predecessor. Hopefully it will continue and provide for its own community the many advantages and benefits that coworking has contributed to freelancers and the start-up movement.
