Rhody Gem: Find Common Threads and Instruction at The Sew-Op in North Kingstown

November 2023

Photo courtesy of The Sew-Op

Posted Tuesday, October 31, 2023 12:00 pm

We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool and unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. Email or tag us on social media using #RhodyGem to suggest yours, and we might just feature it!

By Elyse Major

What it is:

A fabric store and community space where students can learn to sew or complete projects with guidance.

Where to find it:

Along Route 1A/West Main Street next to Wickford Gourmet is a charming gray and white house with a board declaring SEW FABRIC QUILT. If you see the nose of an airplane, that’s Wickford Antiques, and you’ve gone too far.

What makes it a Rhody Gem?

“We are as much about community as we are about sewing,” says founder Suzanne Mancini, a former NYC designer and RISD grad who taught at her alma mater for 16 years before opening her business. She’s so dedicated to teaching ages nine and up to sew that the first location was within walking distance of the middle school. Today The Sew-Op is also a fabric store, housed in its current larger space. Says Mancini, “our shop is special due to our staff. We employ graduates from the University of Rhode Island’s TMD (Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design), seamstresses, artists, and retirees from many fields. We are a small shop so our classes are small; we all offer something unique and share our love of fabric and sewing with our students and each other.” Look for upcoming holiday-themed workshops in addition to their regularly scheduled sewing classes.