My sewing journey began when I was 9 yrs. old; my first projects being a pillow for my girlfriend and a hand-sewn tie which I made for my dad for Father's Day. I continued sewing, teaching myself as best as I could, how to hand sew, create patterns, and use a sewing machine. At that time we didn't have the internet so my learning was comprised of asking questions, observing how things were made and then taking them apart and putting them back together. It was a lot of trial and error. One of my first successful clothing items was a cheer-leading skirt which I made when I was in grammar school. It had pleats, a waistband, and a zipper and somehow I managed to pull it off with no outside help or store-bought pattern. Where there's a will...there's a way. Needless to say, I was hooked! I've been sewing ever since. :)
Sewing Experience
Since I've been married and my children were young, I have been sewing items for our home such as curtains, pillows, couch covers, runners, napkins, toys, baby items, etc. I've also done clothing for my kids, using patterns as well as creating original designs based on their requests varying from pajamas, summer clothes, Sunday clothes, and formal wear. I then started getting requests from other family members and friends and starting sewing for them new items as well as doing alterations. After many, many years of this kind of sewing I thought I could make my sewing work for me and decided to officially start a small business. I have been in business for the last year and a half, yet I have been sewing for well over 30yrs.
Even though I feel like I've been sewing for ages, I remain open to learn something new whenever possible. And there are always new techniques, tips, and tricks to try and an ever growing collection of designs and fabric combinations to test out. Not to mention the creativity of individuals who have ideas that they would like to see come into being. I am more than willing to put forth the effort to try and make this happen.
I consider myself to be more than a "seamstress" assembling pieces of fabric or materials together. I am also an artist, a perfectionist, a dreamer, and a lover of ideas. If I don't know how to do something, I enjoy researching and learning how to do it, tackling it until I'm satisfied.
Here are some of my favorite quotes on creativity, sewing, and life in general:
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will” – George Bernard Shaw
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”
― Scott Adams
― Scott Adams
“Originality is nothing but judicious imitation” – Voltaire
"One who makes no mistakes never makes anything." - Unkown
"A beautiful thing is never perfect." - Unkown
"I preferred sewing to bossing little children." - Mother Jones
"I like making a piece of string into something I can wear." ~Author Unknown
"Asking a seamstress to mend is like asking Michelangelo to paint your garage." ~Author Unknown