Kindling the art and joy of a sewing community with Eli Dembele
Kindling the art and joy of a sewing community with Eli Dembele
Founder and Owner of Studio Sessions
In 2023, the tree-lined blocks of College Ave between Russell and Webster Street welcomed a brand new establishment - a different kind of sewing studio and retail space. From the road, the shop’s front windows display a collection of vibrant and earthy-colored garments. The reflection of the glass sometimes creates a charming watercolor illusion, especially on a rainy winter day. The front door is often left ajar, and melodious voices of laughter, “oops’s,” and silent moments of concentration characterize the studio “in session.” With light bouncing off the interior natural materials - seating areas and work benches (made by the owner herself), and beautifully hand-sewn curtains and cushions - one would be remiss not to peek into this world of Studio Sessions: the blissful grounds of weekly sewing workshops, classes and lecture series, open sessions, and makers events.
Not only is this world the creation of a pandemic time-pioneer, but a culmination of a curious soul’s life experiences - a creative childhood, a coming-of-age as a Black girl in France, a multi-disciplined early career, a story of love and immigration, and an evermore adoration for connecting with diverse communities. Eli Dembele, founder and owner of Studio Sessions, embarked on this small-business journey as a complete accident (and, frankly, a silly experiment), but has since made a personality out of igniting a fiery passion for sewing in people all around the Bay Area. Personally, during my first visit to the studio, I experienced sheer joy and accomplishment with every new stitch and layer of fabric I learned to puzzle together. Smiling ear-to-ear by the end of the 2-hour class, I could not wait to take Eli out for coffee and hear how she “just opened this shop a couple months ago.” Somehow, this place felt like it was always meant to be here - in the heart of Elmwood, Berkeley, CA.
So, who is Eli?
Eli is a passionate learner who makes a hobby out of mastering new trades. To begin, she only started learning to sew a few years ago when a new friend offered to teach her how to make a pair of pants. Inspired by her friend’s style, she managed to shake her ingrained attitude that sewing “was just not cool.” In fact, the moment this first lesson was complete, Eli immediately bought herself a sewing machine and buried her head in books and online courses. Due to her continued passion, persistence, and love for sharing what she knows (as the studio’s solo instructor), Studio Sessions has become a beloved place for beginners and advanced sewers alike. In the words of Eli’s friend and fellow sewist, Sadie Egan, “Eli brings so much of her French, chic, low-stress joie de vivre to the space, [and] it is a haven for beginners and long-time creatives alike.”
“Eli brings so much of her French, chic, low-stress joie de vivre to the space, [and] it is a haven for beginners and long-time creatives alike.”
- Sadie Egan
Moreover, every part of Eli’s current business borrows insights from her varied interests and past professions: a scholar of communications and journalism, a self-made website designer and search engine optimization expert (functions she learned in order to fill an organizational need at a local radio station she worked at), and a consultant at one of France’s largest advertising agencies. When asked how all these jobs have helped her launch Studio Sessions, she replies “I had the skills to design and code the website from scratch and also to manage its digital advertising presence.”
At every life inflection point, Eli often says “yes” to a new skill, a new perspective, and a new way to understand and contribute to the world around her - all while maintaining a level of zen.
She also seeks and thrives on deep, rooted connections and spends her happiest hours nurturing community. The reality of the recent decade, though, is that Eli has had to rebuild her tribe several times with each restart seeming harder than the last. It all began in 2016, when Eli left her home of many years (and a close-knit group of family and friends) in Lyon, France to move to Santa Cruz, CA with her now-husband. After this relocation, she attended an adult school to learn and practice her English, and eventually found sisterhood in a welcoming Meetup group with a silly (but effective) name: “Santa Cruz New In Town 30’s Females.” Just as she had established a routine with her new besties and learned to navigate this laid back town without a GPS, life had other plans: ones that involved picking up and moving north to Berkeley, CA, where she - again - knew no one. While these times of transition presented some real challenges, Eli’s urge to imbed into and deeply engage in her environment enabled her to press on and find joy in new company. In fact, her favorite activity in the first months of moving to Berkeley was volunteering with San Francisco’s Community Living Campaign, where she spent countless afternoons teaching and supporting digital literacy in a community of Chinese-speaking senior citizens in the Tenderloin district.
Eli’s face lights up just thinking about that time: “I loved the community of asian grandmas and grandpas there...it was just wonderful to hear them share all their stories and show pictures of the villages where they grew up. [As volunteers,] we were helping them become more familiar with technology, all while having a lot of fun.”
Finally, Eli is a person who works with her hands and brings visions to life. When asked how she acquired the studio space and transformed it into its current form, she takes me back to her first pop-up at IMASALA Collective, a unique retail experience and “creative classroom” in Oakland that is the brainchild of Elena Fong and Naomi Phan-Quang. In the midst of the pandemic, Eli’s Instagram account (@slowsewed) - where she documented her personal sewing journey - had gained notable attention. Many folks were reaching out to express their interest in learning from her. Could she teach a sewing class? Where could they learn to make the shirts, pants, and coats like the ones she posted?
Through a collaboration with IMASALA, she turned her answer of “yes…why not!” into reality. At monthly pop-ups at IMASALA, Eli taught workshops starting with a tutorial on the chore jacket. All of the lessons were more popular than she could have ever imagined, and Elena and Naomi recall: “We weren't sure how successful [these events] would be, but we were excited to do it. One of our missions with IMASALA is to have a creative/learning aspect to our business where folks can gain knowledge and learn a skill while connecting to their creations, the artist/creator, and others in the community. This workshop was the perfect opportunity to do that.” And, as these workshops evolved, Eli began to dream up ideas of her own space where she could facilitate even more creative adventures in the community.
Sadie remembers when Eli first shared these ideas with her: “When [Eli] told me early on she wanted to create a community-centered sewing space in Berkeley, I was thrilled both for Eli and everything it would bring to the Bay Area DIY/sewing community. I've always been Eli/Studio Sessions #1 fan girl, [and] I'm still so blown away by how it's grown into such a special and welcoming place.”
“When [Eli] told me early on she wanted to create a community-centered sewing space in Berkeley, I was thrilled both for Eli and everything it would bring to the Bay Area DIY/sewing community”
- Sadie Egan
Thus marked the start of a challenging search for the perfect space to build this dream, and the beginning of a new chapter:
It was an ordinary Friday morning in the Dembele household. Eli was just about to head off to a sewing class she had signed up for in Alameda when her husband stopped her abruptly at the front door: “Can you skip your class today? We have an appointment.” Huh, appointment for what? She was confused.
Ten minutes later, they pulled up to 2924 College Ave: an empty storefront nestled between a row of cute eateries, boutiques, and salons. What is he thinking? We cannot afford this place. The realtor was waiting at the front entrance, and proceeded to give them a tour of the inside. The shop was previously a clothing store, and was now on the market for lease. As she touched the walls and looked up at the ceiling, Eli’s mind wandered to a million places. She remembers the moment well: “The idea of making the place mine was still in my dreams. It was huge and a little bit frightening to imagine myself here for real.”
“The idea of making the place mine was still in my dreams. It was huge and a little bit frightening to imagine myself here for real.”
- Eli Dembele
The location was incredible. Despite the rent being over Eli’s budget, her husband encouraged her to take advantage of such a perfect community, environment, and overall opportunity to bet on herself and this idea of hers. And, so she did - without wasting a second.
After 1 month of grueling long hours spent renovating the space, building the website, and getting word out on the street, Eli premiered Studio Sessions on April 29, 2023. And…
“The first day was horrible!” Eli laughs.
In fact, the first week was pretty terrible as well. On opening day, she was missing all her inventory of fabric, and all the store had to show for itself were a few lonely sewing machines. However, Eli knew she could not afford to delay the shop’s opening. With 1 month down, Eli gave herself just 2 more months to prove to herself that this business was worth continuing. “I told myself that if I could generate enough business to pay rent by the third month, then I would keep doing this.” And that she did. Signups on the website soon brought waves of eager crafters, home sewists, and fashionistas. People brought her flowers, welcomed her into the neighborhood, and local news writers boasted about the local sewing shop. Little did she know that extraordinary times were ahead.
“The first day was horrible! … [But,] I told myself that if I could generate enough business to pay rent by the third month, then I would keep going.”
- Eli Dembele
260 days later, Studio Sessions is filled with the sound of scissors sliding through sewing patterns and an endless supply of fabric, the sizzle of irons smoothing over the final touches of a new garment, storytelling and knee-slapping laughter, the clicking of sewing machine mishaps, and the chatter of passersby poking their heads in for a look at the curated collection of books, and a hand-sewn wardrobe.
As she grows the business, Eli is constantly making updates to her classes, brainstorming new ideas, starting new collaborations and continuing to design ways for people to gather to make art (and new friends). In addition to skill-building classes for adults and children, private lessons, and workshops, regular social events at Studio Sessions include Scrap Night (a social hand-sewing circle co-hosted with Sadie Egan), Makers Night (a monthly adventure of knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and more), and First Friday talks (a lecture series that invites different guests to speak on the many curious aspects of sewing).
Eli, I cannot wait to experience your ideas for 2024. You are such a delightful human and teacher. See you soon at the studio!
If you are looking for a community of crafters and a welcoming space to learn and practice new skills, Studio Sessions (located at 2924 College Ave in Berkeley, CA) has it all! And, for the home sewists out there, Eli just launched her pattern printing service last month. Thanks for reading, and happy community-gathering!