Sew Much More

Thank you to my listeners for their kindness and loyalty and friendship!   Links and Resources;   Custom Workroom Conference     The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   Merril Y Landis, LTD   Angel's Distributing, LLC   National Upholstery Association  

Diane Girty lives and operates New Skins Upholstery in Lasalle, Ontario, just south of Detroit. A 15-year veteran, she's known for her marine upholstery work, but also works with classic cars, golf carts, all-terrain vehicles, residential furniture, and such outdoor accessories as gazebos and cushions. Prior to this, Diane spent 32 years in accounting, ending that career as a major corporation's d...

Susan Woodcock is an entrepreneur, educator, and spokesperson for the custom workroom industry. She owns Workroom Tech, a trade school in Tryon, N.C., and Home Dec Gal , a custom to-the-trade workroom. Susan and her husband Rodger Walker own and produce the Custom Workroom Conference. Susan is the author of Singer® Sewing Custom Curtains, Shades, and Top Treatments, and she produces the monthly po...

Lisa Moore is a true AZ native, born and raised.  She began sewing at the age of three on her mom's lap, learning tailoring from her.  Lisa ran a successful alterations business from home between 1994 and 2008, and during that time, discovered the home decor arena, where she began learning about soft furnishings. In 2009, Sew Classic , a full service workroom, was established. 2021 brought the opp...

Rodger Walker retired from the City of Richmond, Virginia Fire Department in 2012, after a busy and exciting career.  He moved to North Carolina that same year to marry the Love of His Life, Susan Woodcock. In 2013 they started  Home Dec Gal , a workroom and educational resource. With years of experience planning events for non-profit organizations, Rodger was ready to help Susan produce the first...

With over 30 years in business, Karen and her team at Drapery Design collaborate, with several nationally recognized interior design and architectural firms to execute the designer's vision for their clients. The focus is to create sophisticated, bespoke window coverings with customized detailing and manage the project in an organized and timely manner. Creating beautiful things from fabric has be...

Kelly McGrory is a woman of many interests, pursuits, and hobbies.  She lives in Kennett Square, PA with her life partner and husband, William, and their faithful malinois, O'Neal.   Kelly is the slipcover maker behind Covered & Stitched , a cottage industry workroom in Kennett Square, PA, where she has been stitching custom slipcovers since 2015.  When Kelly is not making slipcovers, she is sketc...

Almost 20 years ago Leigh Anne was looking for fabric to reupholster her sofa.  She found fabrics that were sophisticated, but not environmentally friendly; or "green" (mostly recycled polyester – actually a poor green choice), but not stylish.  Even the fabrics claiming to be "organic" were processed with chemicals that were harmful to people and the planet - and many of those chemicals remain in...

Barbara Holley was a systems analyst for Sunbeam Corporation and quit her job to be a stay-at-home mom.  She enjoyed decorating her home and her friends and neighbors' homes as well.  Her ability to sew was the big thing that made her able to magically transform a room.   Barbara's husband's job moved them to Texas and her neighbor across the street was opening a drapery workroom in her garage.  B...

    Links and Resources; Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon Covid Notes from a Non-Covid Expert by Margie Nance Paperlike Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential by Tiago Forte The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Loretta McGranaghan is the owner and President of Loretta's Designs, LLC. She has been in the business for more than 30 years as a workroom, servicing retail & wholesale clients.  They offer many services including soft treatments (panels, shades, cushions, cornices/valances, etc.), hard treatments (shutters, wood blinds, woven wood shades, etc.), fabrics, hardware & faux painting. Loretta's Desig...

Links and Resources; My first interview with Taylor in Podcast Episode 259 Taylor's Podcast with Kate the Socialite   Atomic Habits by James Clear  

Justin began his journey into the world of furniture and soft goods working in and managing antique showrooms. After receiving a degree in Interior Design, he began working in a full-service Design and built-to-order luxury home furnishings showroom. He designed residential interiors, attended market as a showroom buyer, and eventually opened a satellite location as Design Director and Showroom Ma...

Frances Pusch has worked with textiles in some form her entire professional career. Her training includes art school and a bachelor's degree in textile design from Boston University. She also studied tailoring and fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). During twelve years in New York, Frances worked for two leading textile companies, had a custom tailor shop, was a pattern-ma...

Elaine Parry is English, born in London and brought up in Bath. Elaine studied retail design in Paris and worked in haute couture boutiques and soft furnishings for over 20 years before moving to the countryside in Touraine. She has two grown-up children who have gone back to England to work and study. Elaine is surrounded by chateaux, vineyards, and forests and has two miniature donkeys, three mi...

Podcast 240 - Resources for Your Business Laura Nelson's Artice in the Drapery & Design Digital Digest Sarah O'Neil's Podcast Custom Workroom Conference Jill Robson's Policies & Procedures Webinars (Available to PRO Access and PRO Plus members of the Curtains & Soft Furnishings Resource Library) Seamless Workroom A Wild Plan Donna Skufis's Calendar Blocking Laurel Studio Planner   The Sew Much Mor...

What a thrill is was for me to interview Laurie Medford on today's podcast! Laurie joined the window treatment industry in 1983. Her workroom Centsible Creations specialized in window treatments, bedding, and upholstery. Laurie was an upholstery instructor at the Custom Home Furnishings Academy in Charlotte, N.C., and has written how-to articles for multiple magazines. From 2009 to 2018, Laurie wo...

Jennifer Csanyi is the owner of Jennifer's Sewing Studio located in Cocoa, Fl.  Jennifer has been sewing most of her life and learned from her grandmother, a wonderful and patient teacher. Jennifer started her business as a single mother, needing to create more income for her family.  She is focused on educating herself to increase her skills and confidence. When Jennifer attended the Custom Workr...

With unwavering conviction, Jessica Harling can break down complex decisions to simplify an action plan. Her dynamic problem-solving can confront potential obstacles proactively and energize any team, making others feel valued to achieve their ambitious company goals. She is the founder of Behind the Design , a People Operations company that enthusiastically collaborates with leadership to build d...

I wonder if any of you were as impressed with the idea of Excellence rather than Perfectionism as I was.  Please let me know what you thought about Jeanne Swartz's conversation on her podcast.   Links and Resources; Growth Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carole Dweck

Jean Lawes has been a guest on the podcast a few times, and on this episode, she shares what winning the Jill Robson Scholarship meant to her. You have until April 30th, 2023 to apply for the Scholarship. Visit  WCAA's Scholarship webpage  to find out more. Ann K. Johnson's Swag Books Ann K. Johnson's Workroom Skills Class The Complete Book of Curtains and Drapes Lady Carolyn Wrey Bluprint  is bac...

Jeanne Henzel is a creative artist with the mind of an engineer. She practices the kind of visionary magic that comes from a degree in fine art and a background in theatre design and theatrical costume crafts. Theatre requires couture-level quality with bomb-proof design — costumes that can be used over and over and modified from frog to princess and back again. It is wonderful training for a crea...

Michele Fugazy is the owner of a to the trade soft furnishings and hard treatment window coverings company in Fairfield County CT since 2000. Prior to this, Michele worked for 12 years as a fashion industry executive designing & selling accessories in NYC, making biannual trips to Europe, India, & Japan working on product development and fabrication. Her garment center experience provided the foun...

Jean Lawes is the owner of  HomeStyle Workroom, LLC , a Custom Workroom to the Trade, located in Jarrettsville, Maryland. With an extensive background in Sewing and Design, Jean is thrilled to be working with outstanding Interior Designers in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Thanks to Jeanelle Dech's marvelous "Real Workrooms" series, she met her "partner in crime," Cindi Gray, owner of Man...

Polly Waite is a classically trained and qualified upholsterer and furniture restorer. She is a member of the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishing and has been working professionally in the industry for over 12 years in her business, Pollyander . Polly comes from a background in design and a family history in antiques. Since the training, she has been using her trained eye to tur...