By Kasey Cohan
Staff Writer
There is a lot of little known talent here at Westford Academy. Possibly one of the most unique talents is that of Karilynn Howe, a junior at WA and a clothing designer.
Howe says she became interested in designing and making clothes when she was in the second grade and her great-grandmother passed away. She picked up a sewing needle and started hand stitching. As her interest grew, she received her own sewing machine in fifth grade.
Howe says she designs some of her own clothes, using patterns from different packets and combining them to make an article of clothing. Howe also designed costumes for a WATA production last year that won two costume awards.
It shouldn’t be surprising to hear that Howe receives many requests.
“I actually just attached a zipper to a jacket for my teachers daughter! I make a lot of quilts and things for my sisters too,” said Howe.
Although Howe says it is hard to make time for all these projects, she loves doing it.
With as much talent as she possesses, you would think this hobby would be life long. That is not the case. Howe says for a long time she was interested in attending FIT or Rhode Island School of Design, but when it comes down to it, designing clothes is very time consuming. Howe deems herself as an easily stressed person and therefore doesn’t think “fashion designer” is the career for her.
Howe hopes to find a career that she will look forward to doing every day. One that she would never consider a burden. Howe’s decision to veer away from a career in fashion was also affected by the egotistical and highly critical culture of the professional designing world.
Howe says that she would like to keep her passion for designing at home and not take it further than that. She is interested in going to college for art education and becoming a high school art teacher, because no matter what the form, “Art is art.”
Howe has been working after school at Joann Fabrics, a fabric and craft supply store, for a little over a year. Howe says she has been inspired by her co-workers and continues to learn a lot from them.
