Sew Much More

Sophia Lawrie has been the owner of a to the trade drapery workroom since 1988, servicing Metro Atlanta and designers out of state.  She has a degree in Economics and worked in the corporate world in Human Resources and later at an advertising agency.  When her youngest son was an infant, he developed a concerning medical condition and she knew that she could not return to the corporate world and...

Bianca Henry is the owner of Impressions Drapery Designs, Inc  in Durham, NC, which opened up in 2002.  She is a member of the local WCAA Chapter where currently serves as president.  In her spare time, she loves  to bake and spend time with her children, Caleb and Jamesa.  Bianca's passion for draperies has given her a happiness that makes her career enjoyable, even during the stressful times; sh...

 Since 1994, Laura Nelson has been the owner of  Sew Nice , located in West Lafayette, Indiana, specializing in soft and hard window treatments, slipcovers and other soft home furnishings.  Sew Nice is a Woman-Owned Business Entity (WBE) with the State of Indiana; Laura is a WFCP Workroom Specialist and active member of WCAA, currently the program chair for the Indiana Chapter and Secretary for th...

I had such a great time at CWC this year, my first time as an exhibitor!  I've been there every year so now I have been an attendee, an instructor and now an exhibitor!  I wanted to share some of my thoughts and experiences with everyone.   Resources and Links; Custom Workroom Conference   Michele Williams - Scarlet Thread Consulting This series of the Podcast is brought to you by; The Curtains &...

Leisha Schutt is the owner of LHS Designs , a to-the-trade workroom working with Interior Designers in the greater Richmond, VA area.  Leisha's love for textiles led her to pursue a degree in Textile Design.  This degree has served her well through different phases of her life.  Leisha spent several years working in the Apparel Industry before shifting her focus to the Window Treatment Industry an...

  Kristen Stevenson is the daughter of Joan & Dave Stevenson, owners of Stevenson Vestal, a custom drapery workroom in Burlington, NC. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill with a Bachelor's Degree in Studio Art and a minor in Music, Kristen followed her passion for creative work, learning to make Roman Shades at Stevenson Vestal. Enamored by the intricacies of custom soft goods, she began promoti...

Originally from Wisconsin, Cathy Stitch, owner of Cathy's Curtains and Accessories is the 3rd oldest of eight children & learned to sew at age 8.  Cathy believes she has this right brain/left brain dichotomy – loving sports (especially the Packers), Math, science, art & crafts.  Two years of college were focused on Art & Design & 2 were spent in business & accounting.  In its 27 years, her busines...

Hope Arbery, the founder of QUIPA , is on a mission to help custom drapery workrooms work better!  QUIPA is an online tool designed specifically for workrooms to save them massive amounts of time and to dramatically increase their profits.  Imagine… yardage calculations, pricing, and work orders done instantly!  Imagine… no more costly calculation errors or having to duplicate information.  Imagin...

In 1995 Susan Kostelecky began SK Designs , an award-winning custom window treatment design and fabricating company serving the greater Houston area.  Susan has designed and fabricated hundreds of window treatments, including many featured in Houston area home tours.  Susan has served as President of the Houston Area Custom Drapery Association, is a WFCP-Expert and often presents seminars to other...

Kendra Hays, the owner of Cloudberry Drapery Studio  is the wife of her video game loving husband Marcus and mother to four amazing kids, and her passion for sewing came from her mother.  In her early 20's her love for home decor sewing took off when she was given her first sewing machine. She filled her new home with various curtains and bedding. One of her first projects was her oldest sons nurs...

Sue Sifakis started SUESEWN in 1995. She attended Cheryl Stricklands's week-long class on how to run a drapery business in 1994.  She also attended CHF classes and was on an advisory committee for the CHF magazine a few years. She was part of the Alumni showcase in 2010. She has also attended Slipcover Networking Workshops as well as numerous conferences to learn more. Sue has been a member of the...

After earning her BFA in Costume Design, Nancy Bramwell opened Bramwell Designs , a special event décor business. Using fabric as her primary material, she created fantastical environments that wowed guests and lead a typical client to exclaim: "It's one of the pleasures of my job to have an idea, turn it over to someone as talented and creative as you are, and get such a spectacular return produc...

On a sofa in the basement apartment of Cheryl Strickland's home, and a few days later on a flight to Tampa, FL, for the 2005 International Window Coverings Expo, Jeanelle and Anita Boetsma chatted about their work in the custom home furnishings industry.  Anita shared her idea of having a printed work table grid to replace the difficult process of hand-marking table canvas with indelible markers....

Thanks to my Corporate Sponsors; The Window Covering Association of America Scarlet Thread Consulting The Workroom Channel   Callie is the owner of Draped and Tailored, a new fabrication studio in Little Rock, AR. Working mostly with the Trade, she creates everything from draperies and pillows, to bedding and Roman shades. By the age of 30, she had several upscale projects in her portfolio, includ...

Jessie Lee Miller owns a custom workroom in Winston-Salem, North Carolina aptly named " Winston's Workroom ." The one-person workroom was established in 2017 and serves both trade and retail clients. The workroom operates as a part-time business so that she can care for her three small children.   Jessie Lee has lived in Winston-Salem since 2001 when she moved to attend college at Wake Forest Univ...

There is a new group in town!  The National Upholstery Association is looking to gather the professionals in the Upholstery Industry and support and encourage them. Rachel Fletcher and Audrey Lonsway are the new President and Vice President of the NUA. Rachel Fletcher owns Knox Upholstery in Knoxville, Tennessee. With a bachelor's degree in communications from Millikin University, her career befor...

An interior designer's best friend! Julie began her career as an Art Educator. An avid interest in interior design led her to enroll in the Interior Design program at New Hampshire Institute of Art. While at NHIA, her love of fabric and sewing translated perfectly into a career creating window treatments. Since she launched her business in 2006, she has specified her services largely to the interi...

 Linda started sewing Home Decor because there wasn't anyone else in her community doing it. Shortly after starting to sew home decor, she took the New York Institute of Art and Design course and was then able to offer design, construction and installation services which she continues to offer today. In the last few years, she has added color specialist to her portfolio.  She also writes a home-de...

Joining me today on the Podcast today are Renee Williamson, Executive Director of the Window Covering Association of America and Susie Tanner, Marketing and Membership Director. Whether you are a member of WCAA or not, I loved learning more about how our association is run.   Renee Williamson is a native of Augusta, Georgia and now lives in beautiful Wilmington, NC.  With over 20 years of leadersh...

Christine McLean, Owner, The Red Pincushion- An interior Design workroom, Christine never imagined, in a million years, that she would own a workroom. A graduate of Michigan State University, with a degree in Biology, she spent 14 years between Pharmaceutical Sales and Medical Software, even starting her own electronic claims processing company. A native of Detroit, she has lived in Los Angeles, H...

Will Lynch - President and Owner of Safe T Shade , and Jacquelyn Weber - Vice President of Sales and Marketing visit us on this OPPORTUNITY THINKING Series to talk about the products that Safe T Shade provide for our industry. We talk about the steps necessary to get a product to market, what do they do with prototypes and how long does all of this take??   Meet Jacquelyn and Will at The Custom Wo...

  Camile Moore's first love was fine art and oil painting. She looks at a client's home through the eye of an artist, as a work of art .. and window treatments are an artistic element. Camile attended Harris School Of Art and Watkins Art Institute as a young adult. In 1989, she took Advanced Custom Curtain, Drapery & Roman Shade Fabrication classes at Watkins Art Institute in Nashville TN, and bus...

    Patti is the owner of Pillows & Pleats, LLC , a drapery design and fabrication business located in Loudoun County, Virginia. Patti's journey began when she studied Interior Design in college some 33 years ago graduating at the top of her class. Two weeks after receiving her bachelor's degree, she married her high school sweetheart and supported his career path which involved several moves acro...

        Diana Hershey, the owner of  DBH Designs , provides custom furnishings for the home, office, or business. The services offered to clients include draperies, valances, cornice boards, bedding, pillows, roman shades, blinds, slipcovers, and re-upholstery, just to name a few! Diana takes the time to thoroughly guide her clients through the process of uncovering their style and selecting the o...

Having a sewing business had been Doshie Witcher's dream since her mother taught her to hold a needle and thread. While in elementary school, she was sewing clothing for herself and others. In 1990 she opened Doshie's Custom Sewing and began specializing in alterations, custom work, and bridal designs. After making her first window valance, she decided that making window treatments were her passio...