One of my earliest memories is being between the ages of 2 and 3, playing under a quilt that was stretched across ladies' laps in my grandparents' living room. My great-grandmother lived with my grandparents and she had an old Singer pedal-powered machine. When I was a few years older, I would sit on the floor and push the pedal for her. I thought I was helping so much! I'm sure she was letting me "help" more than I was actually helping. It ... Read Full Bio »

One of my earliest memories is being between the ages of 2 and 3, playing under a quilt that was stretched across ladies' laps in my grandparents' living room. My great-grandmother lived with my grandparents and she had an old Singer pedal-powered machine. When I was a few years older, I would sit on the floor and push the pedal for her. I thought I was helping so much! I'm sure she was letting me "help" more than I was actually helping. It was my great-grandmother who first taught me how to sew by hand. I pieced pieces of fabric together as if I were quilting. I then moved on to making clothes for my Barbie dolls. I put aside sewing as a teen and young adult, but rediscovered my talent and creativity in my 30's. I now have a sewing machine, a serger, and an embroidery machine. My projects run the gamut - crafts, fabric art, clothing, mending, purses and other accessories. If you can sew, serge, or embroider it, I will probably do it at some point! Sewing, for me, is a healthy and challenging activity that allows me to de-stress, re-focus, and re-energize my mind and soul. Sewing allows me to be creative and make things that I am proud to give and share. It is a huge positive self-esteem reinforcer, too. I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment when I create something that is beautiful and useful. Sewing also presents challenges and problems that I have an opportunity to solve, which builds my skills and adds to my repertoire of knowledge and experience.