patterns – Page 2

March 12, 2020

Meet Patty Dunn with All Dunn Designs

This month we are pleased to turn the spotlight on a very special independent designer, Patty Dunn of All Dunn Designs and part of the Corpus Christi Chapter.

Many of you may already know the All Dunn Design line from ads in sewing magazines, from her nine years of sewing shows on PBS, or from her many classes she has taught at our ASG conferences. But did you know that it was just such a class that gave birth to the Corpus Christi Chapter 24 years ago? Patty taught a fitting and tailoring class at the local junior college and the students wanted to stay in contact and continue to see each other after the class. Patty explained, “So I agreed they could come to my house once a month. The group started with 9, and there were 20 in just a couple months. So we rented a space at the art center. It grew real fast. I had heard about ASG, presented it to the group, and we signed up. I think we had been going for about a year when we decided to join.”

It started with a Christmas gift

And how did Patty develop her interest in sewing? She credits it to the Christmas she turned 9 when her parents bought her a child’s, metal, hand cranked sewing machine. That started her sewing clothes for her bride doll that she still has today. By the time she was in 8th grade, she was making her own clothes with a little help from her Home Ec. Class.

Patty was also inspired by a friend of her mother’s who had a sewing room. She says, “When I saw everything she was creating and the machines all set up with fabric everywhere, I was amazed! I was probably around 7 years old, but it really impressed me.”

In the 1980’s, Patty became a certified mechanic for Bernina, Viking, and Janome sewing machines and was trained in sales for those machines. She continued her sewing education by taking classes at various conferences.

From dolls and bags to something more

When asked how she got started in her own business, Patty explained, “I began by selling dolls and bags at craft shows. Then people began to want me to sew for them. Many of my clients wanted me to copy something they loved or something they saw in a magazine. Many had unique fitting issues, so I began making a basic shell that fit them, and then I designed from that. In the late 1990’s, I began making patterns for clients to sew, and from there I began my own pattern line.”

Her patterns are simple, easy to make designs that differ from the big four. She explains, “I use a more realistic base pattern that starts narrower at the shoulders and gives more room in the hips. My patterns are not for the models on the New York runway, but then, who really looks like that? Our bodies have changed to much fuller proportions.”

Patty offers a 15% discount to all ASG members. See the Special Offers page in the ASG members area for more information.

Patty credits her inspiration for her designs from clothing in stores, catalogs with creative clothing, and internet browsing. She says, “You never know where you might find inspiration. There is a shop in the Houston airport I always love to go in when I’m there. It might be the embroidery or the color combinations, sleeves, or collar. Just one thing can be incorporated into something I might try. Designing is my favorite aspect of sewing, but teaching is also a favorite. I’m thrilled when I can help someone be successful in what they create. And I love to problem solve, just NOT with math.”

Like most of us who sew, Patty laments the changes in local fabric stores with so many of them going out of business. “The fabric stores change with the trends, now believing that people aren’t sewing clothing anymore. I hate the concept that people don’t sew because it is cheaper to buy clothes already made. Although this is now true, it is discouraging. Thread can cost as much or more than we used to pay for a yard of fabric.”

An eye to the future

Looking to the future she says, “At some point, and I already see it changing, people will respect you if you are able to sew. We have become a society of ‘get everything quick and easy.’ Knowing a skill like sewing will be valuable because EVERYONE wears clothing and no matter where they get it from, someone ran a sewing machine through the fabric. I believe someday there will be more recognition for the value in knowing how to put a garment together from beginning to end and people will pay well for that service. More independent designers have become respected for their expertise.” She went on to praise the blogs and sharing that are so popular on the internet and noted the fabulous new machines and sewing tools that have made it more convenient to sew.

We are pleased to have Patty as a part and know she has much more to contribute to her craft, for after all, she is not “done” yet. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

To see Patty’s designs and to get fitting and sewing information, she provides two links:

Patterns: www.alldunndesigns.com/
Fitting and sewing: www.patternmd.com

Patty offers a 15% discount to all ASG members. See the Special Offers page in the ASG members area for more information.

~ Rosemary Fajgier

The American Sewing Guild is truly fortunate to be able to count many gifted sewing designers and instructors among our friends, members, and supporters. Throughout this coming year we will be featuring some of them in our Notions Blog. We hope you will enjoy reading about them and take the opportunity to get to know them better and explore their many talents by visiting their websites, taking their classes, and discovering the wide variety of designs they bring to the home sewing market.

February 14, 2020

Linda MacPhee named Keynote Speaker for 2020 Conference

ASG is excited to announce that international designer Linda MacPhee will be the keynote speaker at the 2020 conference in San Antonio. As our way of introducing her to you, we have selected her as our independent designer of the month for February. Linda hails from Alberta, Canada and will be once again making her way back to conference.

Sears Catalog for Inspiration

As number 5 of six kids and raised on a family farm in northern Alberta, money wasn’t abundant. In fact, her early memories include going through the Sears catalog with her siblings and picking out their favorite outfits, only to have a local seamstress try to duplicate them from old garments. Even then she realized the finished product never really did live up to the picture she had chosen and hoped for. That’s why she decided at an early age to try her own hand at sewing. She sewed her first garment when she was about 12 when she wanted a new dress for her cousin’s wedding. “My dress was quite successful I remember; but because I knew nothing of fitting, I had to position myself against a wall so I could use my one hand to hold/grab a handful at the back of the dress to make it look like it fit! I guess that dressmaker likely influenced my desire to create my own look. Looking at family pictures now she really was a master as my brothers were in good looking suits that she had recycled from whatever. My mother didn’t sew or have any interest in sewing, although I’m sure she must have mended and repaired things as necessary. Our dressmaker, Mrs. Schmitt, was from Germany and was truly a master at the sewing machine. (We had a treadle of course!)”

Concerning her formal training, Linda commented, “I joined the local 4-H sewing club when I was old enough and that was my only training until I graduated from high school. I enrolled in Home Economics at the University of Alberta as by that time I was sewing all my clothes and was interested in learning more.”

It Started With a Parka

While working as a district Home Economist for the Department of Agriculture (extension agent) in Northern Alberta and at one of her meetings with 4-H groups, Linda met a leader who had on a beautiful Parka. She was a nurse and had recently immigrated from the Phillipines. While chatting, Linda learned that the woman had made it herself. That set her mind in motion and she set about to make one herself. It was no easy task for the woman had tanned her own coyote skin for the fur trim and had sourced her own fabric (wool duffle) from the local Hudson Bay store. Linda explained, “Well, I didn’t tan my own skin but decided if she (a nurse) could do it so could I—a Home Economist! So I did!! My favorite childhood story that I had read to me many times was “The Little Red Hen,” and the theme has fulfilled itself many times in my life!”

She continued, “One of my responsibilities as the extension agent was to teach adult sewing classes to rural women. I met lots of people and with my parka on, came many requests to make them for people. I had learned also how to make moccasins/mukluks from some of the Native American ladies I had worked with. So in my spare time I started making parkas and matching mukluks for a never ending line up of customers. I charged them $100 which seemed pretty good at the time! I realized quite quickly that the demand would never end, so I decided to teach people how to do it themselves. That was the start of my business!”

The Inuit ladies of the N.W.T. had been making parkas for years so those parkas were the inspiration for the basic design. Wanting her parkas to be different, she added applique and trim, and each one became its own work of art. She came up with many different patterns for parkas and applique designs to help people come up with their own look.

Creating the World’s Easiest Patterns

In commenting on her patterns Linda added, “I have always wanted patterns to be simple, “not rocket science.” I had basic pattern drafting from my university training, but my object was to have as few pattern pieces as possible and as simple construction as I could too. My object was to have everyone be able to make one of whatever I designed. My line of “world’s easiest” patterns were best sellers and business boomed. World’s Easiest meant the pattern was usually one, two or three pattern pieces total! I then taught an army of instructors to help in my quest to get everyone sewing. We then franchised our shops across Canada and life was good (but very busy). By this time I was married and my husband who was an R.C.M.P. officer turned down a transfer and joined the business full time which is the only way I could have carried on. Yes…. we are still happily married 52 years later!”

On the future of sewing…

“I’m seeing a renewed interest in recycling coming from the younger people, and that I find so exciting. They have inspired me to recycle/recreate, and I have made many patterns to help with this aspect of sewing. Once this group discovers the potential of the sewing machine, they will be hooked! This direction has brought me full circle to my humble first attempt!”

In her quest to teach the world to sew, she decided the best way to do it was by having her own T.V. show. It was quite a task to get going but she and her husband managed and directed “Sew Much Fun” and ran with it for 6 seasons (72 shows) which showed on Canadian channels as well as PBS in the U.S. They then developed that into “Linda Macphee’s Workshop” which ran for another 6 seasons. “That was likely the highlight of my career,” she added. “I was awarded the “Woman of Vision” by CTV Television and YWCA “Entrepeneur of the Year” and also an “Award of Merit” from the Canadian government for Business. My alma mater, University of Alberta, awarded me their highest Distinguished Alumni Honor award.”

When asked about her favorite aspect of her job, she replied, “It is creating/designing the original garment and then seeing it through to a pattern to enable me and others to teach the world.”

However, she also reflected, “I have been saddened by the lack of Home Ec training in schools where I think the spark should begin! I never did take Home Ec. in school as my school was too small to have it. I, of course, did take it in University and did earn my teaching degree but opted to teach adults instead of youth.”

“If we can keep the world sewing, I think the future is bright. How you ask? I think the patterns have to be kept quick and easy. More sewing T.V. shows like mine would certainly help to show how easy it can be. For example…..in all the garment patterns I designed (well over 200) there was never a buttonhole in any of them. That was something that a novice might not do well, and my motto always was ‘make it look like you didn’t make it!’”

Being from Canada, Linda was never part of ASG as a member. She said, “I was a sort of member of the Holt Michigan group who I worked with/for many years. I very much enjoyed my work with many ASG chapters across the country. I was always promoting the formation of Canadian groups, but we just don’t have the population to make it work.”

Today Linda describes herself as “sort of retired” and only does “private gigs.” She has stopped doing major sewing shows, but loves doing her own version of fashion shows using local women as models for her garments. She spends her winter months in Mesa, Arizona and finds fun in doing smaller gigs for the multitude of retirement parks within driving distance. You can check out Linda’s patterns at her website at www.macpheeworkshop.com.

~Rosemary Fajgier

January 10, 2020

Meet Pamela Leggett of Pamela’s Patterns

Pamela Leggett | Pamela's Patterns — Pamela’s Patterns are designed to fit and flatter women with REAL figures.

Always a favorite at ASG conferences and other sewing events around the country is this month’s independent designer, Pamela Leggett, owner of Pamela’s Patterns.

Pamela’s tag line is “Designed to fit and flatter women with REAL figures.” Her patterns are designed for women with curves and fluff and scallops, not the slender 14 year old frame that commercial patterns cater to. Instructions are carefully written and crafted, and there is even YouTube support from her channel to assist with pattern altering, sewing, and fitting. If you go to PamelasPatterns.com and check out the photos of her garments, you will see the hint of a waist in all of her designs for tops. This gives even the “fluffy” figure the illusion of an hourglass shape. This flattering aid makes her patterns a favorite among many ASG members.

Pamela’s Patterns started in 2005 when she realized the need for patterns that fit mature figures. But that was not the start of her career. Pamela recalls, “My parents owned their own business and encouraged me to do the same. I started sewing to earn money at 14. I did alterations and made bags and clothes from jeans. At 16, I started doing custom work in clothing and home dec. At 20 I opened a boutique in an artist/tourist town with vintage, retail, and my own designs. At 24 I started in the retail sewing business and teaching, continuing with custom work and a short delve into small manufacturing of my designs.”

Childhood Sewing Memories

Her first recollection of sewing dates back to when she was around 4 or 5 and used her grandmother’s treadle machine to draw pictures, which was after she had no luck with knitting. She made her first dress with her mom when she was 7 or 8 and then couldn’t make enough clothes in junior and senior high. Along with her mother and grandmother, Pamela credits Stretch & Sew classes for shaping her sewing aesthetic. “Even though Stretch & Sew classes were expensive, my mother let me take many. She said she thought that would keep me out of trouble. I grew up in a family of makers. My mom and both grandmothers sewed beautifully. And they also were involved in many other crafts – pottery, painting, upholstery, needlework, knitting – even engine repair! My dad is an amazing recycling artist, leatherwork and scrapbooker.”

Pamela explained that she apprenticed for two years with a Japanese tailor who taught her a lot about alterations and fine handwork. Her biggest mentors have been Ann Person from Stretch & Sew (sewing and designing for knits), Pati Palmer from Palmer/Pletsch (pattern fitting) and Nancy Zieman from Sewing With Nancy (teaching). She says, “These women were incredibly generous and giving with their encouragement and sharing knowledge.”

When asked where she finds her inspiration for her designs, she explained, “I look at trends in ready-to-wear shops, catalogues, pinterest, online stores, and on the women around me. My students are also always happy to share a particular garment they love and hope that I will make a pattern for it. I keep everything rather classic – my best selling patterns are the patterns that are almost 15 years old! Some of my patterns take a little break in popularity, and just when I think I will discontinue them, they come back in style! This season it is the funnel neck – I created that pattern in 2007, and it is everywhere this season.”

In addition to her pattern company, Pamela is the East Coast director for two Palmer/Pletsch schools – Connecticut and Philadelphia. She said, “I am honored to carry on the excellence of teaching started by Pati Palmer and Marta Alto.” Other highlights she talked about included, “Being on two episodes of Sewing With Nancy was like a dream come true. My work with Taunton Press Publishers and Threads Magazine has been a wonderful experience. Creating class material for Bluprint/Craftsy was a great learning experience, they have such a high standard of production and work well with instructors. I have also sold my patterns on The Shopping Channel in Canada (the U.S. version of QVC) – live television is crazy!” (Be sure to check out Pamela’s book and DVD on serging produced by Taunton Press and reviewed in a previous Notions article.)

A Love of Teaching

When asked what her favorite aspect of her career is, she replied, “I LOVE teaching! It is what inspires me to do everything else. I love working with women who share the common obsession of sewing. So much more than sewing happens when you gather caring and creative women together. The networking and support is unstoppable and addictive. Women who sew are the most generous women in the world.”

Each year Pamela teaches at Camp Workroom Social, a conference that pulls in sewists and instructors from all over the world, the majority of which are young professional women. She says, “Sewing is alive and well with young women; they are as obsessed as we are. Young people who sew, design, and teach have a different way of learning, shopping, and marketing than we do, but it is still rich and flourishing. We may see the demise of some of the “old” ways of doing business, but new ways will take over.”

Pamela began as a member of the Philadelphia chapter of ASG and since her move to Connecticut, has joined the Connecticut chapter. You can check out Pamela’s website at https://pamelaspatterns.com or find her on Facebook and Instagram. ASG Members receive a 10% discount on online orders and can find the discount code in the Special Offers section of the ASG website.

~ Rosemary Fajgier

November 15, 2019

Not Your Typical Pattern

Rae Cumbie | Fit for Art Patterns — Rae Cumbie

You’ve seen set in sleeves, dolmans, dropped shoulders, and raglans, but in 2011 a new design hit the market with the Tabula Rasa Jacket from Fit for Art Patterns by Rae Cumbie and Carrie Emerson. Their unique pattern gives the maker not only an easy, unusual sleeve insertion, but also a pattern that provides a palette for easy embellishment.

These talented ladies began their business shortly after Rae had begun to teach jacket making to quilters and weavers and found that there were no patterns that allowed them to create great looking jackets with simple lines and easy options for fitting. Thus, out of necessity, came innovation.

What makes this pattern unique is that the sleeve is first stitched to a side panel at the underarm. It’s then stitched to the front and back panels in one long seam that goes smoothly from the lower hem edge in the front, over the shoulder, and down to the back hem edge. The construction is simple and easy because it does not require the gathering or circular construction of set in sleeves. Another benefit is that the design is comfortable to wear and easy to fit!

When describing her pattern, Rae said, “Our patterns have fitting options in key locations so students and home sewers can achieve a good fit quickly. Our directions walk stitchers through all the key information they need to sew successfully; our blog posts, videos and helpful hints on the web fill in gaps like zipper insertion techniques and seam finishes. We want sewists to sew successfully with Fit for Art Patterns.”

Although the company started with the jacket pattern, they quickly saw that the pattern could be adapted to far more than just jackets. They now offer variations with the same basic pattern to make pajamas, blouses, dresses, vests, etc. And if you prefer to work with knits, there is a pattern for them as well. Most recently added is their Eureka! Pants that Fit pattern.

ASG Members can visit the Members Only – Special Offers section of the ASG website for a limited time discount of online orders of patterns, tips books, or kits with patterns from Fit for Art Patterns.

Where It Started

Rae started sewing as a child, being taught by her mother and later friends of her mother’s when more expertise was required. She admits to, “. . . sneaking into the sewing room to work on the machine unsupervised and getting into some chaotic messes.” She went on to add, “I can still make a pretty good sewing and fabric mess today when I am working on a new embellishment technique or art garment.”

This designing and embellishment process remains her favorite aspect of the business, saying, “This, of course, requires careful construction and engineering so no element of sewing goes unturned with these projects. But my next favorite thing is teaching and energizing sewers of all ages to play creatively with fabric and make successful clothing.”

Perhaps it was because of her relaxed sewing education that she felt free to be so creative. Her style reflects a daringness that is always new and exciting while partner Carrie is more subtle and traditional It is sometimes surprising to see the same pattern used so well to fill such a variety of tastes. In addition to having samples of these designs available at the shows they do, they can also be seen on their website at https://fitforartpatterns.com/

In addition to her classes, you may recognize Rae’s name from the many fitting and design articles she has written for Sew News and Threads Magazines over the past 15 years. She says, “It has been such a pleasure to help women of all shapes, sizes, and ages to get a good fit and feel empowered to stitch up a wardrobe that fits their bodies and lifestyles.” In addition she is a favorite instructor at ASG chapters throughout the country and at our ASG annual conference.

Some of her other achievements include having been instrumental in establishing the Charitable Foundation of the Association of Sewing and Design Professional which makes grants to sewing related non-profits and students in need. She was also honored to win the most creative award in the Threads Magazine Little Black Dress Challenge.

On the future of sewing, Rae mentioned, “I am delighted to see women of all ages becoming interested in creating a handmade wardrobe and expressing themselves through the art of sewing. The internet makes it easy to spread the word and encourage these new and renewed stitchers, so I am pleased that communication is so free and easy. Our Eureka! Pants that Fit pattern and the Tabula Rasa Tee and Tunic pattern were developed in order to provide wardrobe making options so home sewers could get a great fit in all their clothing.”

She went on to say that she is also discouraged, “Folks on the internet with a platform sometimes promote mis-information and imperfect technique, which causes confusion and discouragement among new stitchers. I also regret the slow death of independent fabric stores that offer unique and lovely products for sewing enthusiasts. I do believe that folks who really have a passion for sewing will find good instructors and hands-on education like those found at the ASG Conference every year.”

~Rosemary Fajgier, ASG
Both Carrie and Rae are members of the Maryland Chapter of ASG and are now offering a special 10% discount to all ASG members on online orders of patterns, tips books, or kits with patterns. Go to the Members Only – Special Offers section of the ASG website to get the coupon code to be entered at checkout. Be sure to check out their website at https://fitforartpatterns.com and sign up for their weekly blog or one of their workshops, retreats, or their “Enchanting France, Embellishing Fabric” tour, a retreat in the French countryside that includes fiber related excursions and studio stitching.

The American Sewing Guild is truly fortunate to be able to count many gifted sewing designers and instructors among our friends, members, and supporters. Throughout this coming year, we will be featuring some of them in our Notions Blog. We hope you will enjoy reading about them and take the opportunity to get to know them better and explore their many talents by visiting their websites, taking their classes, and discovering the wide variety of designs they bring to the home sewing market.

October 11, 2019

Meet Janet Pray

I Want to Teach the World to Sew!

That’s the mantra of sewing icon Janet Pray, educator, designer, and owner of Islander Sewing Systems. Her passion for all things sewing is evident wherever you find her—and she can be found in the classroom, on her website, on Facebook, and on Bluprint. Her comprehensive knowledge of sewing and her dry, quick humor puts her name on the top of the list for ASG chapter events as well as for conference instructor.

Concerning her mantra, Janet says, “It always seems so cliché, but it’s true for me. I loved the idea of sewing from the age of 5. When I first saw my grandmother create a doll dress without a pattern right in front of my eyes, I thought it was nearly magic!”

Growing Up Sewing

At age ten Janet made it her mission to learn how to sew from her grandmother who lived more than 200 miles away. Each time she visited, she would take a new project that included a technique she wanted to learn. She recalled one visit when she wanted to learn how to install a zipper. “I took a break to play outside and when I returned, much to my disappointment, grandma had installed the zipper—perfectly, of course. I realized then I had never told her of my motives to learn the process. When she knew I really wanted to learn, it was game-on!” She soon turned this passion for learning into one of sharing that knowledge with the world.

As a pre-teen she had the opportunity to spend the summer in Southern California with her aunt, Margaret Islander. Janet enjoyed going to work with her aunt one evening a week where she would see the industrial equipment used to train sewing machine operators for the garment industry. Over the years Margaret would share the industrial techniques that Janet later incorporated into her own ready to wear business. Janet credits these sewing techniques to eventually allow her to hire private contractors to sew her products. “These contractors were really home sewers until I taught them industry techniques that allowed them to sew from home and make a very reasonable hourly wage. I paid them by the piece but taught them the fastest way to make it. Win-win!”

Islander Sewing Systems Janet continued, “During the years I was conducting my sewing production business, I would often accompany Margaret when she was invited to teach at trade shows and special events. Her style of teaching was enthusiastic and engaging and I always try to carry on that tradition. When Margaret retired, she asked me to continue her mission to teach home sewers that sewing can be more fun, faster and better, than they know. What an honor and a pleasure for me to share all of her special information and now some of my own, with other sewers. I am one of the lucky ones who work at what we love; and, therefore, it doesn’t even seem like work, more like play. When I share this information I can see it in the eyes of the students how excited and happy they are to know a better way to sew. I cannot imagine enjoying anything more, and I feel so blessed to be on this mission, all I can say is: I want to teach the world to sew!”

Tuesdays at Two

While Janet continues to teach around the country, she has also embraced the new platform of social media. Each week Janet and her daughter Jessica do a live Facebook presentation called Tuesdays at Two. (That’s 2 eastern time.) This hour long presentation is a warm interaction between mother and daughter sharing sewing tips, techniques, and even sew-alongs. Coming up on October 22 will be the very popular Islander Shirt, a camp style shirt for both men and women. Also in the works is their Baja hoody pullover.

Tuesdays at Two While Janet does the sewing demonstration, Jessica is hard at work monitoring comments and questions from viewers. The excellent visual quality gives viewers a great opportunity to not only see exactly how the construction should be done, but also the ability to ask questions in real time. And if you miss the live show, don’t despair, Janet has all episodes archived on the Facebook page and there is even a searchable directory now. For the archived list of episodes, go to her website www.islandersewing.com.

And on the topic of her website, in addition to her books and videos, you can also find quality fabrics, notions, and patterns. The Islander Patterns are classic, comfortable styles that work with any wardrobe. However, there is a definite difference in the pattern itself. While the traditional pattern companies have that large, awkward pattern instruction sheet, Janet has chosen to put her instructions in a booklet. This allows her to use actual pictures of the construction process which is excellent for the visual learner. And what’s even better, the newer patterns are color coded. Her well written, easy to follow instructions are also very different from the traditional patterns in another way. Her goal has always been “better, faster, easier” and her instructions reflect this goal. She not only uses industrial time saving techniques for sewing, but she also emphasizes sequencing steps. She said, “My patterns are designed to be constructed using techniques that do not require pins or basting. Seldom do my patterns have any hand stitching at all. Seam allowances are specific to the operation never needing trimming. (i.e. sew seam at 5/8 next step, trim to ¼”). My newer pattern guides are designed with my exclusive “Express” method of construction. This is where I cut down on the back-and-forth from machine to iron by a new order of construction, sewing as many pieces as possible before pressing and pressing as many pieces as possible before sewing.” The instructions give much more than simple construction steps, they are a whole new, EASIER way to sew.

Fashion Patterns by Coni

In addition to her own Islander Patterns, Janet also offers patterns from designer Connie Crawford, of Fashion Patterns By Coni, a company she purchased last year. Janet commented on the purchase, “Just like Margaret’s work, Connie’s products are too important to let go. So I am proud to have brought together the very best in drafting and fitting with the very best in construction and teaching.”

Janet was referring to Connie’s six year study to create better sizing for plus sizes that resulted in patterns that fit the larger sized woman rather than simply scaling up all over. So with Janet’s designs featuring sizes from very small to 4X and Connie’s designs going to 6X, www.islandersewing.com is one of the only places to go for those seeking larger size styling as well as the traditional sizes.

When asked what advice she would like to share, she wanted to encourage people to purchase a good quality sewing machine and not be lured into purchasing a low end machine. While not endorsing any particular brand, she said that the better machines produce a more uniform stitch and feed the fabric better so that the operator does not have to struggle with the machine. “Low quality machines cause the new sewer to be discouraged because she/he thinks it’s their inability to sew well and it’s really the machine’s. Even my sewing is unsatisfactory using a low quality machine. “

Awards

Janet is the recipient of the 2012 Association of Sewing and Design Professionals – Life Time Achievement Award as well as ASG’s Sewing Hall of Fame for 2017.

Janet is a long time ASG member in the Detroit Chapter and offers fellow ASG members a generous 20% discount off books, DVDs, and patterns at www.islandersewing.com. Visit the Special Offers section in the Members Only area for the discount code. A limited number of kits for the Islander Shirt that will be the subject of her sew-along on October 22, 2019 are also available.

~ Rosemary Fajgier