About Me

Hello and welcome. My name is Linda and I have been a home sewer for... well, lets just say for more decades than I care to admit.

As an avid sewist, I have started this blog in hopes of inspiring fellow sewers with fresh ideas and fun sewing projects. I believe there is a great resurgence of interest in sewing among a generation of people, who unlike me, didn’t have the benefit of learning how to sew as part of their school curriculum.

I believe sewing is a fun and useful life skill. Knowing how to sew well can save you money, and is a great way to express ones creativity and individuality. My hope is this blog, along with all the great learning material now available over the internet, can provide both inspiration and instruction on how to sew and enjoy this wonderful craft. 

About Me

I have been sewing since I was 8 years old out of a desire to make clothes for my Barbie doll. Mind you, Barbie just debuted on the market at the time, so yes, I have been sewing for a very, very long time. It’s not an unusual start to the craft as I’ve come to learn. In fact, I often wonder if Mattel every realized how many home sewers launched their sewing careers based on the historic debut of their doll.

I grew up at a time when learning how to sew was part of the school curriculum, and home sewing was very popular. Fabric stores were plentiful and fabric departments were in all the department stores in town. I bought patterns and fabric like women today buy fashion accessories. It just became part of my DNA.

My strong interest in sewing drew me to pursuing a degree in Home Economics specializing in clothing and textiles. My intent was to become a Home Ec. teacher. But, not completely sold on teaching at the time and looking for something a bit more adventurous, I used the degree to become a fashion buyer for a major department store here in Detroit – J.L. Hudson. What a great career that was, with trips to New York every month, Europe twice a year and a grand trip to Asia. It was an exciting time for me and a career that to this day I wish I was still doing.

From there, I moved on to a career as a retail analyst and eventually a retail consultant. Now retired, I spend my time writing this blog, sewing and brushing up on couture techniques. I don’t craft, quilt or embroider. I just sew. Best of all, I now teach sewing at various locations around town. I teach garment sewing at Haberman Fabrics, the premier fabric store in the state, at the Novi Joann fabric; as well as, conduct private lessons in my sewing studio. I can't believe how much I love teaching. Who knew that instinct to teach was still in me?

My Inspiration

My passion for sewing is rooted in a friendship with a neighbor, Jessie, who was both an artist and a fabulous seamstress. She taught sewing as a Home Economics teacher, made most of her own clothing and many home decor items. The clothing she made was expertly constructed and not from using easy sew-type patterns. She used the hard ones with designer details and advanced construction techniques. Every suit and outerwear coat was tailored with perfection by her.  

In her home, anything that could be created using a sewing machine was created by her – drapes, pillows, bedspreads, you name it, she made it.  She even constructed a collection of draperies, slipcovers and pillows for her living room that converted the room from a winter setting to a summer time arrangement. I'm still amazed at that, and I have never known anyone else to ever do the same. A true demonstration of both her extreme talent and passion for the craft.

Jessie helped me learn how to make those first Barbie doll clothes – beautiful evening dresses and capes, embellished with fur and beads, better than the store bought ones. I learned how to do the hard stuff from her and she gave me the confidence to tackle every kind of sewing project. 

Her greatest gift to me was to realize that sewing takes not only great patience, but a strong determination to construct every step with accuracy, and to complete every project with perfection. I take great pride in every project I make.  I strive to make every creation look handcrafted, not homemade. All qualities I hope to pass on to my students. 

I plan to have loads of fun with this blog and look forward to being an active member of the sewing blogger community. I welcome all readers and invite all comments.