Bella Malis

As the daughter of a professional dressmaker/alteration woman, I always had a sewing machine (old Singer shop model with an added motor) in the house. I remember Mother having customers in the house at all hours of the day. She went out to work as a fitter and alteration woman at an early age, since she was apprenticed in the old country at 12. I started playing with the sewing machine, and I've not stopped since. At 80 with only one ... Read Full Bio »

As the daughter of a professional dressmaker/alteration woman, I always had a sewing machine (old Singer shop model with an added motor) in the house. I remember Mother having customers in the house at all hours of the day. She went out to work as a fitter and alteration woman at an early age, since she was apprenticed in the old country at 12. I started playing with the sewing machine, and I've not stopped since. At 80 with only one properly functioning eye, I've slowed down a bit. But quilting has become a new craft for me, and I'm just starting out. But Mother taught me garment making, and to the day she died at age 92 she felt I never made a "perfect garment" and to this day I still strive for that perfection in what I make. I have a lovely Brother Quattro machine that I purchased for my 80th birthday. I have several knitting machines and there isn't a time that I don't have some kind of project going on one or the other. Today I started a peach sweater on the Brother 970, and I still have one square to make on the Quilting class that I'm taking with Craftsy. I DO LOVE THAT CLASS. The squares are growing, as we learn new things each and every month. I'm not much for basting, since there is also arthritis in the hands....but I won't' stop, not if I can help it.