Regina Bohn is a West Haven resident who has been sewing as a business for 45 years this month. Offering lessons at her shop on Campbell Ave and through her own show on YouTube, she is also something of an influencer. “Time to Sew with Regina†capitalizes on the resurgent interest among young people in learning how to sew. She is also an instructor at nearby Make Haven.
“I sew for the people,†she proudly proclaims with the spicy edge of a woman who’s seen much of the world. “Whatever people want, I sew. I’ve sewn for drag queens, I’ve made dog costumes, you name it.â€
After 9-11, the phone didn’t stop ringing. “Everyone wanted flags.†She repaired a huge flag for the dock in Milford.
Her work has had many other occasions to be in the public eye. In 2000, Regina created a clown outfit based on a picture drawn on the back of a napkin. The results won first place at a clown convention in California!
During Covid, of course, things grew more somber. “I thought I was going to be out of business because the things I depended on, proms and weddings, were out the window. Everything stopped, and who knew for how long.†No longer occupied with gowns for formal affairs, but ever civic-minded, Regina threw herself into making masks. Yale-New Haven Hospital received some by donation. By the end of the pandemic, she had personally sewn over 5,000 masks.
“I used scrap fabric that was up in the attic. My masks got sent all the way from Sweden to Arkansas, and I helped Neville Wisdom Fashion Design Studio over in Westville. We were super-busy, day and night.â€
A powerhouse with a needle and thread, Regina is also a trained fashion designer. She earned an associate degree from Bauder School of Fashion Design in Miami in 1976. However, long before that, she had homegrown skills as a dressmaker and designer.
“Growing up in the 1950s and 60s, sewing was just a thing you did. I watched and learned from my mother and sisters, then started making clothes for my dolls. Let me tell you, those Barbies were well dressed!†In fact, now that Barbie is back in the limelight, making doll clothes is again part of her itinerary.
As a business, Regina’s Originals has been around since 1979. For a time it was in Miami, then North Haven, then Hamden. Regina opened the shop at 131 Campbell Avenue – next to Grillo’s Market, across from Elizabeth’s Creations – on November 7th of last year. Open six days per week (Tues – Sun, 10am-6pm), she does tailoring, dressmaking, repairs, and all kinds of alterations: hems, take-in or let-out, zippers, and more. Most alterations are back in one week.
Private sewing lessons using Regina’s sewing machine are available by appointment. The fee is $10 per hour, with a 2-hour minimum. As you can surely tell, she will rise to the occasion for special or unusual projects. You can reach out to Regina directly at 203-809-9139.
A Time to Sew with Regina is on YouTube.