GetSewing

ME, Barbara Edmondson - FROM STUDENT TO TEACHER: I love sewing. I've been sewing since I was 10 years old. That was about 40 some years ago. I've now been teaching sewing since spring of 2008, and my business is doing very well. I am teaching classes 3-4 weekdays every week, 2-3 classes each day. Classes have 1-3 students. I've taught many different types of people, and see how they think and learn. I want them to learn a little at ... Read Full Bio »

ME, Barbara Edmondson - FROM STUDENT TO TEACHER: I love sewing. I've been sewing since I was 10 years old. That was about 40 some years ago. I've now been teaching sewing since spring of 2008, and my business is doing very well. I am teaching classes 3-4 weekdays every week, 2-3 classes each day. Classes have 1-3 students. I've taught many different types of people, and see how they think and learn. I want them to learn a little at a time without feeling overwhelmed and I want them to get the satisfaction of completing a project in 1-2 classes. I hear & see how they need instructions written. So, I started creating simple patterns for first time sewers that are very easy to follow, mainly because I couldn't find any I was happy with to teach beginners from, and have seen that my students like my patterns. I teach my students from these patterns. Some students take them home and follow by themselves. HOW I WRITE A PATTERN: It take quite some time to write up a pattern. I start with an idea, sometimes I cut paper and staple to get a 3D look at it. Then, after I've thought about size and steps, I make some of fabric. I may sew up 2-4 samples to see which method and materials I like best. I take lots of photos of every step, so I can review them when I actually take time to sit and write out the instructions. I use many of the photos in the actual pattern. As I'm writing the steps in the pattern, I'm thinking of all the many people I taught to sew and how they have no clue and need lots of detailed explanation. Sure, some catch on faster and easier than others, not matter what age they are. I've begun having a new-to-sewing student who is employed as a computer information technology writer proofread my patterns and help me edit so she could understand. I often hears students as they're following along one of my patterns tell me maybe you should have said it such and such way. So I go make edits. Many pattern companies print lovely photos but their instructions are lacking detail. I want to make patterns that are easy for the those people (any age as long as they can read) first time who are new to sewing. Then of course they'd be super easy for people who already can sew. WHAT I LIKE TO DO: I love creating things. I like sewing, knitting, crocheting, and paper crafting. I also like photography. I live in Texas, just northwest of Houston, in an area known as Klein (but the mailing address town is Spring).