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I have been interested in sewing, knitting and crafts from way back when. My mom taught me to sew and knit and provided lots of encouragement and opportunities for me when I was growing up, to explore my creativity. I spent many hours standing by my mom when she sewed, watching fascinated over her shoulder as she worked. While other kids thought homemade clothes were uncool, I was enthralled by the creative process from a very young age. I started my career in the first grade, with potholders and went on to Halloween costumes and by high school made most of my own clothes. So you can see I have had a lifelong love affair with yummy fabrics and I have been collecting them ever since. I guess you could say I am somewhat of a connoisseur of authentic textures like barkcloth, corduroy, burlap and silk, in all their sumptuous hues. I studied graphic design at North Carolina State University and got my Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Textile Design at Indiana University. It was great because I learned weaving, tapestry, felting, screen printing and papermaking. After college, I spent some time in Spain and eked out a living by dog walking, teaching English and making handcrafted cosmetic bags, which a friend of mine started selling to the lunch ladies at her children’s school. That experience honed my sewing techniques and giving me a taste of entrepreneurship. I was always
astounded and pleased by my own ability to make things that people wanted to buy and these skills have come in handy. One time when I was just starting out, I made a quilt for my landlady and it paid for two months’ rent. That had me realize I could make a living by sewing which is a great thing to do as a wife and mom. I have been fortunate to have sewed for two talented designers for seventeen years and never had to put my sons in daycare. |
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