Eric Lugo, a former bookkeeper, spent $375 on second-hand sewing machines to launch Stitch Lab ATX in May 2025, a side project that became his primary source of income within weeks. The Austin, Texas-based studio has since expanded its offerings fivefold, with classes regularly selling out and private event requests increasing.
Lugo, 29, learned to sew from his grandmother at age 5 and later founded the fashion brand Casa Amiré. As his friends frequently requested tailoring and alterations, Lugo realized in April 2024 that many people lacked basic repair skills. He began planning workshops while working as a bookkeeper for a local public relations firm, an arrangement he maintained until he was let go from that position toward the end of May 2025. Immediately after being dismissed, Lugo called the owner of the warehouse space where he was testing his curriculum and confirmed he would commit fully to the studio.
The business initially held four to six classes per month, often with only two or three attendees. Demand grew significantly around September 2025 after Lugo began partnering with local businesses for pop-up events and promoting the studio on TikTok. Today, Stitch Lab ATX offers approximately two dozen classes monthly, with spots filling up a month in advance. Sessions typically cost between $65 and $85 and last about two-and-a-half hours, covering topics from threading a machine to installing zippers.
Lugo notes that the studio's growth aligns with Bank of America's observation of "funflation," a trend where consumers continue to spend on hobbies despite rising costs. According to the bank's analysis of card data, spending on hobby-related items grew 7.9% in August 2026 from the previous year. To make classes more accessible, Lugo launched the "Sew It Forward" initiative in August, offering monthly giveaways of sewing machines, supplies, and free classes.
The studio positions itself as a community-oriented space for offline social interaction, a trend Lugo says is particularly strong among young adults seeking alternatives to screen time. As an Afro-Latino founder, Lugo describes the warehouse environment, where reggaeton and early 2000s music play during sessions, as a safe space for Latinos and people of color. He aims to maintain an intimate atmosphere that supports one-on-one instruction and socializing.
Stitch Lab ATX has recently hired two part-time instructors to expand capacity to upward of 30 workshops per month. Lugo plans to extend the business beyond Austin, with future locations targeted in New York City, California hotspots, and Mexico City.