I started sewing more than two decades ago. I was a creative kid, dabbling in all sorts of mediums and creative genres but I was never interested in anything long enough to make it a passion.
For whatever reason, one Christmas, my mom decided to give me a sewing machine. Both my grandmothers sewed, some of my aunts sewed and my mom knew how to sew too, but at that time, I had no interest in learning. And because of that, the machine sat in my closet for months before I used it.
The creative bug did scratch and I eventually took it down but still had no idea what to do with it. Gratefully, my mom was there to help. She taught me the basics, like how to thread my machine and she walked me through my first sewing project, a 1950’s red poodle skirt for my Halloween costume. Man, I wish I had pictures of it right now.
Once I knew how to join two pieces of fabric together, I went deeper on my own. I found myself on sewing blogs, like Thread Banger, looking for any sewing and DIY tips I could find. I focused on knit shirts, hoodies and tote bags that me and my best friend carried to school. The passion stuck and inspired me to study fashion design in college.
While I don’t think you need a formal education to learn how to sew or design, I can’t deny how those four years of getting a degree fast tracked my learning and refined my skills.
Blessed and fortunate, I graduated employed in 2012 where I’ve been climbing the corporate designer ranks ever since. I’ve recently had the opportunity to design collections for the live action The Little Mermaid, Wish and Walmart’s Black History Month collections.
After graduation, I took a very long hiatus from sewing until 2017 or so. I had just become a mom and was realizing I was losing my own identity outside of my daughter. I developed a routine of work and home and a uniform of tees & leggings. I noticed I’d stop trying for myself.
What I’ve learned is that designing your own clothes is an exciting way to express your individuality with the world. It can also be a little lucrative if you decide to take your hobby to new levels and design for others.
My joy comes from helping you bring your design idea to life. I love seeing your confidence grow in design and sewing as you use the tools and techniques I’ve learned from my past 20+ years of sewing and designing.
I believe making your own clothes should be enjoyable and simple. That’s why I’ve created sew-with-me courses and other resources that help remove the intimidation and overwhelm learning this skill can cause. Beyond learning the sewing techniques and the design process, we also talk about mindset so you can be THAT GIRL showing up in a You-Original.
If you’re into sewing, design and casual style, while liking the confident creative community vibe, I welcome you with open arms to my side of the internet.
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