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Entrepreneur Turns To Zoom to Continue Sewing Classes

By Manny Otiko, IVN Staff Writer

Like many entrepreneurs, Yvonne Dill-Cruz’s life was turned upside down by the coronavirus. She had just signed a lease for her sewing business, Bumbebunch Sewing Studios located in Rancho Cucamonga when Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a shutdown.

“I signed the lease for my studio in March, and eight days later, the governor issued a stay at home order,” she said. 

But Dill-Cruz, a Claremont resident, has rolled with the punches and turned to the Internet to keep teaching sewing classes. 

“All of my teaching is done online (now),” she said. “I do them (the classes) live through Zoom.”

Dill Cruz, who used to work in the film business, always had a passion for sewing, a talent she learned from her mother. 

“I started sewing when I was a child in elementary school and I used to use my mother’s sewing machine, which was in my childhood bedroom,” she said.

This was something she reconnected with after she had children. That love of sewing turned into teaching regular sewing classes at her daughter’s elementary school. 

“I had friends and other moms in the elementary school asking if I would teach kids. And that’s how it all started as a business,” she said. 

Teaching kids to sew is a hands-on activity and also highlights student’s’ creativity. Dill-Cruz has learned that some of the children’s favorite projects are making monster dolls and tote bags. She teaches children to sew using a needle and thread and with sewing machines. 

According to Dill-Cruz, most of the students in her classes are female, but she has had the odd male student. 

Many parents are glad that Dill-Cruz is around to teach sewing, which is a rapidly disappearing skill. 

Her fame is growing through the power of the Internet. She teaches children all over Southern California and is now branching out to teach a group in Michigan.  

“I do all of them (classes) through Zoom,” she said. “I don’t do anything pre-recoded. I’m right there with the kids, step-by-step.”

Dill-Cruz has mixed feelings about the coronavirus pandemic. The move to online learning has brought her new opportunities. 

“It’s both (good and bad). It’s bad for business because I can’t have kids here in person,” she said. “ But it’s good for business because I’ve learned now that I can teach kids from everywhere, really. I wouldn’t know what do if it wasn’t for the technology.”

Dill-Cruz said she’s glad that modern technology has allowed her to keep teaching the craft of sewing. And she’s happy that Zoom enables her to interact with students without donning a mask, but nothing replaces in-person teaching. She dreams of having a class full of students again. 

“It’s just a place to make friends, to be creative. I get emotional about that because that’s what I miss the most,” she said. 

Dill-Cruz added that parents are also excited she’s keeping the skill and art of sewing alive. 

“They think it’s important because it’s a useful skill,” she said. 

For more information, go to www.Bumblebunch.com

By Manny Otiko 

Like many entrepreneurs, Yvonne Dill-Cruz’s life was turned upside down by the coronavirus. She had just signed a lease for her sewing business, Bumbebunch Sewing Studio located in Rancho Cucamonga when Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a shutdown.

“I signed the lease for my studio in March, and eight days later, the governor issued a stay at home order,” she said. 

But Dill-Cruz, a Claremont resident, has rolled with the punches and turned to the Internet to keep teaching sewing classes. 

“All of my teaching is done online (now),” she said. “I do them (the classes) live through Zoom.”

Dill Cruz, who used to work in the film business, always had a passion for sewing, a talent she learned from her mother. 

“I started sewing when I was a child in elementary school and I used to use my mother’s sewing machine, which was in my childhood bedroom,” she said.

This was something she reconnected with after she had children. That love of sewing turned into teaching regular sewing classes at her daughter’s elementary school. 

“I had friends and other moms in the elementary school asking if I would teach kids. And that’s how it all started as a business,” she said. 

Teaching kids to sew is a hands-on activity and also highlights students’ creativity. Dill-Cruz has learned that some of the children’s favorite projects are making monster dolls and tote bags. She teaches children to sew using a needle and thread and with sewing machines. 

According to Dill-Cruz, most of the students in her classes are female, but she has had the odd male student. 

Many parents are glad that Dill-Cruz is around to teach sewing, which is a rapidly disappearing skill. 

Her fame is growing through the power of the Internet. She teaches children all over Southern California and is now branching out to teach a group in Michigan.  

“I do all of them (classes) through Zoom,” she said. “I don’t do anything pre-recoded. I’m right there with the kids, step-by-step.”

Dill-Cruz has mixed feelings about the coronavirus pandemic. The move to online learning has brought her new opportunities. 

“It’s both (good and bad). It’s bad for business because I can’t have kids here in person,” she said. “ But it’s good for business because I’ve learned now that I can teach kids from everywhere, really. I wouldn’t know what to do if it wasn’t for the technology.”

Dill-Cruz said she’s glad that modern technology has allowed her to keep teaching the craft of sewing. And she’s happy that Zoom enables her to interact with students without donning a mask, but nothing replaces in-person teaching. She dreams of having a class full of students again. 

“It’s just a place to make friends, to be creative. I get emotional about that because that’s what I miss the most,” she said. 

Dill-Cruz added that parents are also excited she’s keeping the skill and art of sewing alive. 

“They think it’s important because it’s a useful skill,” she said. 

For more information, go to www.Bumblebunch.com

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