Cut & Sew Studio offers classes and private lessons to assist you with just about any sewing question or project you may have. Classes and camps are offered for kids and adults of all ages and all skill levels, from newbie through advanced.
Meet The Owner : Catherine Batcho
Catherine began sewing at a very young age and quickly learned that it was a skill that would never leave her side. As time passed, sewing grew from a life-long hobby into a professional career as she decided to pursue fashion design in college and attend Philadelphia University. Here she gained extensive technical expertise in pattern-making, draping and professional construction techniques. Following college, Catherine began work at a local Philadelphia bridal designer and boutique, Maria Romia. This was followed by another move, this time to working in NY City for Liz Claiborne and later for New York and Company. Here she gained experience working in both design/product development and technical design.
Her final move brought her back to her hometown of Pittsburgh to open Cut & Sew Studio, opened in December of 2007. In her years back in Pittsburgh Catherine has also done custom sewing and alteration work and worked as an adjunct professor of fashion at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. She now focuses solely on running her business at Cut & Sew Studio and teaching and raising her 2 boys at home. Catherine has been teaching for 15 years and has over 30 years experience in sewing, she hopes to share her love and passion for sewing with all of her students!
Virginia Shields
Local maker and sewist. Started teaching at Cut & Sew in 2022. Creates custom clothing, quilts and more under her business "Clotho and Frigg" at clothoandfrigg.com.
Julie Ryan
Julie Zaichuk-Ryan is a quilter and needleworker who is passionate about traditional techniques and skills. She teaches quilting, hand-stitching and embroidery. Julie also repairs quilts and creates textile artwork and quilts for sale. Julie has been teaching at Cut & Sew since 2017.
Michael Kouri
Michael Nolan Kouri is a fashion designer and owner of the Pittsburgh-based atelier design service Nolan Kouri LLC. Michael is a recent transplant from NYC, where he worked for Brandon Maxwell as well as having work products sold at stores like Nordstroms, Rue 21, and Macys. Michael is excited to pass on his knowledge of sewing and design to his students.
Elle Kaplan
Local maker and sewist. Elle has been teaching at Cut & Sew Studio since 2019.
The Right Space
The Whole Story
Cut & Sew Studio first began in a second-floor studio space located in East Liberty. In May 2013 the studio moved to a new storefront location in the neighborhood of Highland Park, and in the heart of its business district, on Bryant Street. After outgrowing the space, Cut & Sew made a final move to 1747 Chislett Street in Morningside in order to expand and offer a larger space for students to work and to accommodate growing classes. This move also allowed for collaboration to form with Erin Ruscoe, owner of Firecracker Fabrics, which shares the space alongside Cut & Sew.
If you would like to come by and see the studio and you are not signed up for a class, you may drop by during the fabric shop’s regular business hours (please check their website for hours as they change seasonally).
However, if you would like to speak with the owner (and instructor) Catherine you will need to schedule an appointment during non-class times.