While last month may have meant the return to school for some members of your family, perhaps this month means an opportunity to expand your own education. And not the boring old book kind, but some real hands-on practical arts and crafts!

Take the recently opened Sew-it-All Marina Studio on Buchannan at North Point. It is a sewing studio located in a lovely ground floor space in the heart of the Marina, where Alicia Pucci offers private lessons, specialty workshops, small group classes, sewing parties, and open studio sewing times. All of Alicia’s classes are open to complete beginners or advanced students of any age. Alicia is passionate and dedicated to passing on her talents. Her young-at-heart attitude and positive disposition eases many fears and frustrations about sewing. Alicia has a degree in clothing and textiles and nearly 20 years of teaching experience, and of course she is an accomplished seamstress herself. The studio is open by class schedule or appointment only, and all of the class information can be found at www.Sew-it-All.com. Each month, specialty classes such as Hip-to-Hem and Survival Sewing are offered in addition to the ongoing small-group classes. Private lessons are always available.

Sew-it-All Studio:3653A Buchanan Street, 415-710-1850, www.sew-it-all.com

If you are interested in more cerebral arts, then check out ARTifact, where there are classes available for the whole family, including aspiring artists age 2-1/2 through adults. Located on Greenwich at Baker, ARTifact is the creation of co-founders Bianca Knisely and Lauren Sharp who believe all children (and inner children) should be given the opportunity to discover, explore and pursue their creative dreams. Their main goal is to give children materials, guidance, and a nurturing environment to delve deep into their creative soul. Bianca has spent most of her life creating, and her true passion is opening up a child’s eyes to the world of imagination and possibility. Her background includes working in Montessori classrooms – both as an assistant teacher and after-school program leader and with families in their homes – and has studied everything from studio art to fashion design to interior design to theater arts in New York. Lauren is a former core teacher at Stretch the Imagination, and she has over 10 years of experience working with children and toddlers within both schools and homes throughout the Bay Area. She is an avid supporter of cottage industry and the traditions and cultures that are preserved because of it. She is also trained in children’s yoga techniques. ARTifact offers too many classes to list here, but they can be viewed online at www.sfARTifact.com. To mention just a few, you might consider Play Group, which is a class for parents or caretakers who want to explore creatively with their children. This is the perfect way for babies and growing toddlers to socialize and interact, and it gives moms and dads a fun place to meet other families in the neighborhood. (It also makes a great gift for new parents!) In Art Exploration, children can explore without boundaries and improve their sensory skills by working with glue, paint and glitter. It’s a great – and messy – way to introduce children to art, art tools, and the ways art can soothe the soul, without messing up your own home! There are numerous night classes for adults and teens including mask making, clothing reconstruction, screen printing for adults, gingerbread house construction for kids, gift making – and Date Night! Every Thursday night Bianca and Lauren have created a great place for kids to spend the evening while parents take a well-deserved mini-date night. Here’s how it works: Drop the kids off at the studio around 6:30 p.m. for arts and crafts galore, a family-friendly movie, and nutritious refreshments, while you go out for the evening and return rejuvenated at 9 p.m. to pick up your happy kids. Time to start learning!

ARTifact Studio:2803 Greenwich Street, www.sfartifact.com

Jim Maxwell is a past president of the Marina Merchants Association and owns Architects II in the Marina. E-mail: [email protected]