Sew Much More

Kate the Socialite runs a marketing firm that helps interior designers and window covering specialists become professional and profitable.  Kate is also the founder of Socialite | Subscribe, a place where home pros can get premade newsletters that look as pretty as  Elle Décor  magazine. These newsletters are completely customizable and the no-nonsense solution for home pros who don't have the tim...

Kevin Kise owns a workroom and is a designer for Kise Interiors . Coming from humble beginnings in Rural Franklin County, Ohio, his passion for fabrics began when at 8 his Grandmother showed him how to sew, and cook. Her beliefs were that every man should know how to fix a hole in his jeans and cook for himself. Kevin took both of those tasks to heart by going to culinary school out of high school...

Jen Anderson is the owner and designer of two businesses based outside Philadelphia, PA.. Once Upon a Time Creation transforms your sentimental clothing into beautiful, lasting keepsakes. For the past nine years, Once Upon a Time Creation has focused on personal service and modern design to create heirloom gifts that celebrate love and family. GiGY™ has brought this love of personal design to the...

Tammi LeNair of L'Intérieur LeNair has been fabricating couture window fashions for the past 26 years.  Both a workroom to the trade as well as a retail business, her emphasis is on couture and hand detailing.  In addition to being ont he Advisory Board for WFCP, she speaks to area WCAA Chapters and will be teaching an upcoming webinar for the Virtual Chapter of the WCAA.  Her work has been publis...

Teresa Paul, Executive Director of WCAA , studied communications at George Mason University and began her career working in restaurant publicity, first with a Fortune 100 company, and then as an account executive with one of the top restaurant PR firms in the DC area. With encouragement from friends and colleagues, Teresa launched her own public relations agency in 1998 and became the go-to firm f...

Teal Major is the owner of Slips , an interior sewing/design studio in Berkeley, California. After spending years as a pattern maker in the garment industry, she transitioned to home furnishings. Using her knowledge of patterns, fabric and design, Teal fabricates custom slipcovers, curtains, shades, cushions/pillows and bedding. With a focus on customer service and high-quality work, she helps peo...

Rachel Barrera has been in the custom soft furnishings industry, encompassing design fabrication and installation for more than 14 years. From 2000 to 2016 she owned Shorty's Window, designing and fabricating window treatments primarily for retail clients.   Her passion for her craft and industry can be witnessed through the offices she serves: president of The Houston Area Custom Drapery Associat...

Rosemarie Garner started out in the theater, getting her BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She spent 15 years after graduating working in theater and TV until she decided to put it all on hold to have a family. While raising kids was challenging and fun, she still needed to get her "creative jollies" out so she began using the sewing skills she learned as a young girl from her mother and gran...

I had such a great time helping out in Houston for the Artisan Project Weekend, helping to fabricate the vignettes for IWCE. I did short interviews with the following talented people; Terri Booser  Sande Ober Dori of Doriginals Kevin Kise of Kise Interiors Rachel Barrera of Sugar & Spice Draperies and Shades Julie Wood of the Leading Edge Draper y Julia Tamer of Golden Valley Slipcovers Tish Harmo...

Cathy Tucker has more than  21 years experience as a custom workroom owner and manager. She has been a featured speaker at Detroit Workroom Association meetings, WCAA events, and has been the lead instructor for the Career Professional program at the CHF Academy for over eight years. Cathy is a master at fabricating draperies, upholstered cornices, soft cornices, and headboards. She offers private...

Interiors by Kelli is a full service interior design studio with a specialty in custom window treatments and soft furnishings for the home.   Kelli established Interiors by Kelli in 1995 as a custom window treatment design studio & workroom and expanded the business to include residential and small-scale commercial design services in 2012.   She is involved and active in several design, window tre...

Linda Principe is the owner of Linda Principe Interiors in Monroe Township, NJ. Linda provides full service residential interior design services with a specialty in window treatments in the central New Jersey area.  Linda is active in the Window Coverings Association of America and is a past President of the National Board. She is also past President of the Central New Jersey Chapter and is curren...

Colleen Mook is the owner and CEO of Baby Be Hip , launched in 2002 after leaving her corporate career to start her family.  Baby Be Hip has been featured in national parenting magazines and on Good Morning America, and Colleen has appeared on various media, including The TODAY Show, for her accomplishments in building a successful brand while raising a family. She also won several small business...

Colleen Mook is the owner and CEO of Baby Be Hip , launched in 2002 after leaving her corporate career to start her family.  Baby Be Hip has been featured in national parenting magazines and on Good Morning America, and Colleen has appeared on various media, including The TODAY Show, for her accomplishments in building a successful brand while raising a family. She also won several small business...

Leatherwood Design Co is a custom window treatment fabrication studio, located in Ossining, New York, in the breathtaking Hudson River Valley. We work to the trade and delight in fine fabrics and workmanship. It's an understatement to say we love what we do! Begun as a part-time pillow and cushion workroom in 1987, in 1999 we became a full-time workroom creating window treatments. Fabric and sewin...

For many of us, our first  M'Fay Pattern  was our introduction to professional drapery making.  It's amazing that such an extensive collection of instructional manuals and patterns all started because of one woman's thought that someone ought to be making them!   In this podcast, Marylan Borchardt and family talk about her initial interest in sewing, the early days working within her sister's busi...

The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by; Scarlet Thread Consulting WCAA The Workroom Channel   In 1987, successful window treatment designer Carlette Cormier started the business to help support her family. With a small toddler at home and her husband recently laid off Carlette needed employment that would not only allow her to contribute income, but to be at home to care for her family. Decidin...

The podcast is sponsored by; Scarlet Thread Consulting The Workroom Channel WCAA Caterina Meadows, of  Pate Meadows Designs  will make you laugh! Before the label "strong willed child" was so widely used, there was "hardhead". Caterina wears the label hardhead proudly but sometimes considers "passionate" to be a more politically correct description. She lovingly accuses her parent's of creating a...

This week I have the honor of interviewing Sue Gillen, owner of  Window Fashion Designs & More .  Sue is a dear friend of mine and is a Certified Window Treatment Consultant and Fabricator who works with homeowners and designers to create beautiful and functional window treatments that are truly works of art. She also offers shades, shutters, custom upholstery and accessories to finish the look. A...

Hearing Tracy's story was so inspiring!  Most of us at least knew how to sew when we started this journey, but Tracy had to learn that before she learned how to fabricate. And she hasn't stopped learning!  Hear how Tracy decided, "If I was going to do it, I was going to do it right!"   Tracy Windley is the owner of Sew Elegant Fine Window Designs , established in 1994 and located in Searcy, Arkans...

I had such fun talking with Ann K. Johnson of  Sew Easy Windows !   Ann owns a wholesale workroom in Ohio, established in 1992. She is an author and publisher and offers private workroom training, seminars, and hands-on classes in workroom fabrication, pattern drafting, efficiency and pricing. Her topics are always fully packed with time saving tips and techniques, delivered in a relaxed and light...

Beth Hodges, owner of Beth Hodges Soft Furnishings , has been in business for almost thirty years! Beth reminisces about starting her business at a time when there was little education and almost no connection between workrooms. She raised 5 children, "in the middle of nowhere" and grew her business which employs several people - her second family! Like lots of us, Beth has had her ups and downs a...

Monique Becker, CWTC and Allied ASID owner of  Becker Home , started her journey in this business by googling, "how to earn a living sewing curtains" because she enjoyed making her own so much and she was ready for a change from her corporate job. Monique tells us about her journey and about how she serves her clients today.

Elki Horn is a friend and mentor to many in the custom home furnishings industry! Elki is a commercial workroom owner with a wonderful sense of humor and a mission to share with everyone in the industry!  Like many of us, Elki started her business, Interior Elegance by Elki  in her home.  Elki shares with us how and why she moved out of her home and how she makes time to be creative.

While many workrooms and designers started out in our homes and because we had a skill, Sarah O'Neil started her business,   Storibook Designs  out of a need to make a life change and to find joy every day.  She no longer wanted a job, she wanted to feed her soul! Sarah talks openly and honestly about the challenges of anxiety and the tools she uses to get through the difficult times.   Thank you...