Sew Much More

Jana Platina Phipps is an embellishment expert known for her refined vision in the use of trimmings in home furnishings and fashion. She is a designer and an agent for Classical Elements, which supplies trimmings and drapery hardware to the home furnishings industry, customizes private label programs for interior design distributors, and sells to retail stores nationally.  She develops custom trim...

We have an upholstery theme going on again this week!  I visited Kim Chagnon while she was teaching a three day, hands on class in Lancaster, PA.  I already knew a few of her students but there were some new people there and they all shared why hands on is important to them and what they brought with them to learn! Many thanks to Kim and to the women in the class who spent their dinner time with m...

Cynthia Bleskachek has been working as a professional upholsterer since 2001 and teaching since 2010. In 2008 she won a first place craftsmanship award through The Upholstery Journal for a tufted chair. She was a featured presenter at the 2015 Minneapolis Junk Bonanza, with appearances on Kare 11 and Fox 9.  She's also presented at numerous events for the PUAM (Professional Upholstery Association...

Recorded at the Custom Workroom Conference, this podcast is a roundtable discussion with workrooms from the US and the UK, headed by Penny Bruce from Denton Drapes and Nancy Letts from Pine House Drapery . Also featured in this podcast are; Jennifer DeRosa of Beyond Windows, LLC Theda Hadden of Springwood Upholstery Jane Crawford of  Jane Crawford Interiors Diana Heinen of  Two Sisters Drapery Lau...

Laura   Kelly  is the  Founder and President of The Handwork Studio , a kids' needle arts, machine sewing and fashion studio and camps.  THS helps kids build confidence and express themselves creatively through practical arts such as knitting, embroidery, machine sewing, fashion and crafts.  Founded in 2001, today The Handwork Studio is in 10 States and 40 summer locations.  Recognized as the lead...

It's a solo podcast today!  I want to let my listeners know about a few changes to the podcast and to ask you to be even more engaged with me and other listeners and with my guests. Please check out The Sew Much More Podcast  Page and let me know what you're thinking, what questions you have for my guests, and what you like about the podcast!

This is a special podcast being brought to you by Home Dec Gal  with a special announcement from Susan and Rodger!     Susan Woodcock and Rodger Walker own Home Dec Gal and are producers of Custom Workroom Conference and Custom Workroom Weekend events.  Susan is a respected educator and workroom professional with over twenty five years of experience.  In 2016 she published her first book Singer® S...

Today's podcast is a traveling podcast!  I drove with a few of my WCAA friends to the NJ WCAA Chapter's Windows To Success and while I had a captive group, I took the opportunity to ask them some questions. Jen DeRosa is the President of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of WCAA and owner of Beyond Windows, LLC . Annette Brandt is a past treasurer of the SEPA Chapter and owner of Annetti's Cus...

Penny Bruce is the creative force behind Denton Drapes , a couture soft furnishing business established in the UK making bespoke window treatments for the luxury residential market and providing a trade service to high-end Interior Designers. Denton Drapes' client list includes top celebrities from the sport, film and music world along with iconic design brands like Liberty of London. Penny has be...

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...