Boutiques branch out
Specialty classes aim to draw in new clients
Stores aren’t just for shopping anymore. These days, boutiques are putting their stamp on the local retail scene by offering specialty classes that complement their inventories.
Whether sewing, smudge sticks or smoky eye makeup is to your liking, there’s a class to cater to all of those interests and more!
Make Your Own Undies Workshop
1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Firecracker Fabrics/Cut & Sew Studio, Morningside
Sewing doesn’t have to be so serious, says Erin Ruscoe, who owns Firecracker Fabrics (1745 Chislett St., Morningside). She teamed with the shop’s neighbor, Cut & Sew Studio, to offer beginnerfriendly workshops — such as how to sew your own pair of underwear.
Get creative with colorful prints and patterns from Firecracker Fabrics, which stocks all kinds, while Cut & Sew Studio provides the step-by-step instruction. So why a “panty party”? “We were just looking for something cheap and cheerful and fun, something that only a little sewing experience could accomplish during a fun workshop,” Ms. Ruscoe says. “Workshops are great because there are so many potential customers out there. You just have to get them in the door and show them how fun creating can be.”
Sign up at cutandsewstudio.com. Snacks and drinks will be provided, or feel free to bring your own. Information: 412-450-8228 or 412-8656565.
Ritual baths and smudge making
3:30 to 6:30 p.m. July 9 and 23, respectively at Juju boutique, Point Breeze
From vintage clothing to crystals and candles, Juju (6739 Reynolds St., Point Breeze) is a destination for Boho fashions with a dose of magic.
This spring, owner Leslie McAllister started sharing on the shop’s Instagram page weekly posts on how to incorporate some of Juju’s more mystical, esoteric items into a person’s home and habits. The posts, which she dubbed the “Sunday School” series, were a hit.
Starting this month, she’s turning some of the topics into classes at the shop, beginning with a Full Moon Ritual Bath workshop on July 9 with Adrienne Rozzi of Poison Apple Printshop. Learn how to assemble sachets that some believe can help release and purify, as well as protect and absorb, the full moon’s energy. The session will involve working with herbs, salt and crystals.
On July 23, Juju joins Alison Garber of Native Apothecary for a class on smudging, or the ritualistic act of burning herbs and using the smoke to cleanse a space or one’s self. Spend an afternoon using herbs harvested from Pennsylvania to make a smudge stick. Plus, discover what each plant represents.
Each class costs $30, and space is limited. Register at eventbrite.com. Contact jujupgh@gmail.com to learn more. Stay tuned for more classes in August and September.
Makeup tips and tricks
Gilded Girl Beauty Emporium, Lawrenceville
If follow-along YouTube tutorials aren’t for you, Gilded Girl owner and licensed esthetician Liz Quesnelle can help. The shop (5104 Butler St., Lawrenceville) regularly holds hands-on makeup classes with fun topics, such as “never go full Kardashian” contouring or drag queen drama taught by a seasoned drag artist. Turn it into a girls’ night out with light snacks and wine provided.
The latest offerings are listed at www.thegildedgirl.com/ collections/ classes, so check back for summer courses. Don’t delay in signing up — spaces fill up quickly!