University of Arizona students in the Cutting Edge Sewing club hand-painted jeans and a jean jacket for “Wildcat Blues,” a collection made for the College of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences’ homecoming auction, an event that raises money for student scholarships.

The college’s Oct. 24 burrito breakfast and auction brought dozens of attendees to the Forbes building for homecoming. The “Wildcat Blues” collection drew on game day style and included handmade wristlets, a bandana and a canvas inspired by the university’s classic jean jacket style.

Alumni plan the event each year, connecting students with previous Wildcats, promoting student clubs and raising money for scholarships. Clubs either create or bring items for the silent auction, which directly funds the college’s Finish Line Fund.

In a sea of booths featuring student-led organizations, Cutting Edge’s stood out, with its pink banner, fashion-inspired poster board and table covered in student-made tote bags, shirts, buttons, stickers and more.

Club President Luciana Purdy said she has been involved with the club and the homecoming event since her sophomore year. The team has been working since September to create this year’s collection, following its annual tradition of creating a jean jacket and expanding on its offerings.

“For the last two years, we’ve been doing the homecoming . . . and it’s been such a great event,” Purdy said. “(Organizers) reach out to us through our advisor and . . . told us about their interest in having baskets for the clubs. They asked a couple of us to specifically make items, so we have our executive members make items.”

Purdy made the key chains and head bandana for the auction, with other members of the executive board designing the jacket, jeans and portrait.

“I love to see their creative freedom come to life,” Purdy said.

The club’s dedication to handmade creativity shows in its ongoing efforts to bring student designs to the campus and the public.

“I think that’s what makes our club unique and what makes us stand out at the event. We put a lot of effort into our projects, into our work, and the importance of making each item is (that) it’s more personal,” Purdy said. “There are so many new developments and ways arts being created, that takes away that personal hand-made aspect, and we try to really cherish it and just show once again, the creativity each student has.”

Leslie Gringon, the college’s manager of student experience, has worked with the college since 2022, facilitating the interaction between clubs, alumni and events to ensure a wide variety of goods are available for purchase.

“We do a silent auction, we get our clubs involved. Our alumni come back and spend time with us, and then we do a burrito breakfast,” Gringon said. “Some people will be enjoying breakfast, bidding on items that ultimately go to support student scholarships.”

The event was led by alumni relations manager Kristen Fought and homecoming chair Marlena Long, a member of the college’s alumni board of directors. This year, Long decided to encourage more creativity in the auction items.

“This was an idea that I had last year, I wanted to reinvigorate the auction, so have new exciting ideas,” Long said. “I know for me as an alumni, I would rather bid on something that a student made that’s meaningful to our school.”

Long also organizes the event’s donors, who become sponsors and pay for student clubs to make their items.

Alumni council member Nancy Davis, who was on hand for the event, wore a jean jacket the club previously designed.

“Those items are so popular,” Long said. “Everybody loves handmade denim jackets because they’re unique, no one else has anything like it. They’re beautiful and I think it showcases everyone’s own style. And they’re made by students. What’s better than that?”

Cutting Edge meets every Wednesday from 5 to 6 p.m. at McClelland Park and welcomes all levels of skill. For more information about the club’s activities, visit its Instagram account at @ua_cuttingedge.

Katlyn Vargas is a University of Arizona student and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at katlynvargas@arizona.edu.

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