Made by Mom: With STEM Stitchery, Holly Springs mom creates clothes that let girls 'wear their smarts on their sleeves'
With STEM Stitchery, Angie Gehrt, a Holly Springs mom of two, creates clothing for girls to show their passion for science, technology, engineering and math.
Posted — UpdatedAn article about the different ways we talk to girls and boys flipped the way Angie Gehrt interacted with young girls - and, eventually, was part of the inspiration for her work-from-home business STEM Stitchery.
The Holly Springs mom of two very independent and strong girls - ages 5 and 2 - opened the business in May. I met her at a holiday market at The Streets at Southpoint a few weeks ago and fell in love with her work and her mission. I'm thrilled to feature her here on Go Ask Mom and include her in this year's Made by Mom Gift Guide (stay tuned for details on that on Wednesday!).
Here's my Q&A with Gehrt.
I began sewing off and on for my oldest when she was about 18 months. As she got older, she fell in love with space, medicine, science, and now math. Around three and a half she made her first actual request for clothing. It was for a space dress, only I couldn’t find any that fit her style. Momma to the rescue. That dress gave her so much confidence and allowed her to show off her passion and to have conversations about space. It was magical.
Another preschool parent went gaga over the dress and suggested I sell them. I laughed. Over a year later, I decided I could take this huge leap and encourage our next generation of girls to follow their passions even in male-dominated fields. I thought that maybe by allowing girls to wear their smarts on their sleeves we could change the culture of America, and even the world, because girls everywhere need to know they can do just as much as boys.
My supporters in general are excited to see clothing that encourages girls to be more than what mainstream media says they can be. They are happy to see clothing that allows their girls to show off their passions and smarts. I wish I had a photograph to share of one kindergartner's eyes when I told her the stars on her new space skirt glowed in the dark. She was a fan before, but her eyes were glowing with excitement! She was beaming, and I could tell she would wear that skirt with pride and feel confident showing it off all day long. I have been pretty excited by the interest dads have shown in my pieces as well. It's obvious they want more for their girls too.
As I expand and hire sewing help, I’m hoping to tie my occupation therapy background back into the company by working with vocational rehab to hire individuals with special needs. On paper, I initially defined success as when STEM Stitchery was a household name with undeniable brand recognition, but I recently started picturing STEM Stitchery as a brick-and-mortar storefront where girls come to shop, play and be inspired. STEM Stitchery is so new it’s hard to predict the future, but I’m excited about what ever it is the future holds.
I don’t currently have any additional in person sales scheduled for the rest of 2018, but I always post events and outings on my Facebook page so local customers know where to find me.
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