Sew Much More

The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by; The Workroom Channel Scarlet Thread Consulting The WCAA Pamela Ptak is the owner/designer of the Ready-To-Wear fashion line “Pamela Ptak.”, which creates ladies dresses & separates and casual menswear with intriguing and unusual lines, textures & motifs. She also designs custom couture gowns under the label “Ptak Couture™”.    Pamela can be found on Facebook and Instagram.  You can also find information about the Arts and Fashion Institute. 

Maureen Singer's childhood days were spent in Minnesota. The oldest of three girls, she was in a leadership role right out of the crib. Her mother loved to dress all three of them alike. One particular Sunday she said, “I just cannot go to church looking like the rest of you.” That comment took her and her mother to the fabric store where her passion for sewing was ignited. Uniqueness and perfecting the task at hand were always the underlying thread to all her mother taught her—along with basic sewing skills.   Maureen is the mother of 7 beautiful children; five daughters and two sons. They are the reason a “home-based” business was a perfect fit for her. She was able to stay home with her children and still attend the field trips and school functions.  In 1993, she launched “Singer Sewing Room”.She attended some of Cheryl Strickland’s classes and was eager for education. She has taught sewing classes to young girls and has also taught Home Dec classes at a local fabric store in St. Louis. She enjoys teaching

Tammy Granger is the owner of BG Custom Windows located in Cary, NC. She began her career in window coverings in 1989 after graduating from NC State University. Tammy is passionate about choosing the perfect fabric and meticulously creating one of a kind window coverings. She was voted Best of Houzz 2017 in the customer service category. After joining the Triangle chapter of the WCAA she served as Vice President and is currently serving as Past President.    You can find Tammy on Facebook and Instagram. 

Laurel McGee began sewing at her grandmother’s knee.  However, her time spent working on a sewing machine was inconsistent until 12 years ago when she began making window treatments for her home.    Her professional career began when an interior design student asked for her help in a home they were working on.  After attending the Custom Workroom Weekend, she knew she had found her people.    Laurel is a wife and the mother of two grade school children.  She is a runner and has been very active in her Connecticut community.  Laurel continues to build her part-time business by word of mouth.   Laurel is not active on Social Media, but she's working on it!  You can find her on Facebook.   You can reach Laurel by email at; lmc4yourhome@gmail.com

  Annie Davis is the owner of ALDesigns, originally founded in 2000 as a custom drapery workroom. She provides window treatments, bedding and other soft goods for interior designers. She is also an instructor, focusing on cornices, through venues such as Workroom Tech and The Workroom Channel. She has published articles in Drapery & Design Magazine, has recently done a webinar on pre-lining cornices and has a presence on a number of network forums. Annie's Method Share for routed cornices is on the Workroom Channel and you can see it here. Click here to find out more about Annie's class at Workroom Tech.     

In 2008, Stacie Kennedy created her home-based, full-service custom window treatment design and fabrication business serving the Metro Atlanta area and beyond. She is a former Commercial Real Estate Paralegal, who has always had a passion for design. Having learned how to sew from her mother as a teenager, Stacie took her sewing skills to the next level by opening her own creative design business. She has worked with or for several other design operations, including Atlanta Custom Interiors, to help maximize her industry knowledge, all while serving as President of the Atlanta chapter of the Window Covering Association of America. Stacie also attended the Custom Home Furnishings Academy (CHF) in Charlotte, NC, where she received her certification as a Career Professional in Custom Window Treatments and Workroom Techniques (CPC). In 2010, Stacie received awards at IWCE – Vision for First Place in Curtains & Draperies Workroom and also CHF Alumni Showcase and has been published in both Vision Magazine and D

LuAnn began her career more than thirty years ago as a co-owner of Window Works, an award-winning window treatment and awning retailer in Livingston, NJ. She’s also the host of the top-rated interior design podcast, A Well-Designed Business®, which airs 3x per week on iTunes, Stitcher and iHeart Radio. Her podcast is the definitive resource for interior design professionals interested in operating a profitable and productive business. LuAnn is a sought-after speaker on topic ranging from work-life balance to making decisions that make a difference. She recently appeared as the opening ceremonies keynote speaker at the 2017 IWCE (International Window Coverings Expo) in Charlotte, NC, and as a featured speaker at the 2017 Design Blogger’s Conference in L.A. These days, her expertise is in high demand online and on television. She has recently appeared on the Blissful Bites podcast, Business Building Rockstars and HouseSmarts. Her upcoming book, The Making of A Well-Designed Business®, will be available in Decem

Jean Lawes is the owner of HomeStyle, LLC, a Custom Workroom to the Trade that is dedicated to the fabrication of exceptional quality soft home furnishings. First class craftsmanship, careful attention to detail, personal integrity, and superior customer service are the cornerstone values of HomeStyle. Jean has a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design from the University of Delaware, an Interior Design Certification from the Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science, and has completed numerous fabrication and business courses offered throughout the window covering’s industry from such outstanding educators as Michele Williams, Ann Johnson, Jeanelle Dech, Penny Bruce, Susan Woodcock, Cathy Tucker, and Beth Hodges. As a young adult, she was an award winning seamstress in the Maryland State 4-H program. Her passion for sewing was a loving gift from her Mother. The WCAA has brought considerable significance to Jean’s business by way of wonderful friendships and colleagues, valuable resources and industry partne

Ravi Pankhania started sewing in High School as a lark and the hopes of meeting more girls and an easy credit.... but little did he know his true calling lay within those folds of fabric and cheap Bernina Sewing machines. Ravi went on to study fashion and tailoring, learning as much as he could about clothing construction and design as he could. Looking to supplement his meager income as a Fashion Designer he started to take on small projects making pillows and tablecloths and slipcovers and discovered his love of soft furnishings.... 20 years later ClothStudio is the culmination of all of Ravi's many years of learning and teaching and most of all his mistakes. Today he spends his day among linen, cutting and sewing and making it happen... ClothStudio is all about linen, a business completely driven by the love of a single material. His company wholesales linen, manufactures curtains and upholstery and retails ready made linen products. His future plans include increasing his own awareness of this textile, le

    Ravi Pankhania started sewing in High School as a lark and the hopes of meeting more girls and an easy credit.... but little did he know his true calling lay within those folds of fabric and cheap Bernina Sewing machines. Ravi went on to study fashion and tailoring, learning as much as he could about clothing construction and design as he could. Looking to supplement his meager income as a Fashion Designer he started to take on small projects making pillows and tablecloths and slipcovers and discovered his love of soft furnishings.... 20 years later ClothStudio is the culmination of all of Ravi's many years of learning and teaching and most of all his mistakes. Today he spends his day among linen, cutting and sewing and making it happen... ClothStudio is all about linen, a business completely driven by the love of a single material. His company wholesales linen, manufactures curtains and upholstery and retails ready made linen products. His future plans include increasing his own awareness of this textile

Christina Price, owner of Main Line Window Décor, has been fabricating window treatments since 2002 after earning a degree in mathematics from Penn State University. She learned the trade from her mother, Maggie. With 11 years of experience in manufacturing, measuring and consulting, Christina started and expanded her own business. Now Main Line Window Decor has an expert team working together to provide the very best to the Philadelphia and Delaware regions. In addition to creating beautiful, functional window treatments, their unmatched craftsmanship lends itself to exquisite pillows, bedding, and table covers. They enjoy the client/designer/fabricator partnership, and their clients commend them for their collaborative and personal approach to the design process.   You can find Christina on Facebook and Instagram. Christina collaborates with Studio 882.

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 workroom and design groups. skdesignscustom.blogspot.com   In 2006 Susan founded The Custom Sewing Institute, which produced weekend seminars for medium to advanced level workrooms with a focus on hands-on classes, small group networking, all-inclusive registration fees (meals, lodging and class supplies) and industry leaders and talented instructors. For six years this event drew attendees and speakers from across the US, Canada, and England.   Since the closing of her CSI adventure, Susan has focused on growing SK Designs and focusing on her increasing clientele, many of whom have found her via her A rated Angie’s Li

Vitalia (Vita) Vygovska is the award-winning author, speaker, business coach, and window treatment specialist.  Her company, Vitalia, Inc.- Fine Window Treatments & Interiors, is an all-encompassing fabrication, measurement, and installation service, servicing exclusively interior designers and architects.  In business for almost 12 years, Vita and her team are proud to be experts in their niche field, providing their clients with superb quality product and excellent communication. You can find Vita on Facebook.

  Jann Newton is the owner of Newton Custom Interiors, which opened in 2000 and is located in Bloomington, IL. Newton Custom Interiors is an award-winning drapery workroom that offers custom window treatments, pillows and bedding. Jann is a former student of the Custom Home Furnishings Academy and has written articles for the Drapery & Design Magazine. In 2013, Jann started a blog where she shares home décor DIY tutorials with her readers. She has taught an online class for Craftsy (Custom Bedding: Decorative Shams & Bolsters), and also a class for Kim’s Upholstery (How To Make Drapery Panels).

Tammy Paradoski is the owner of Daisy Chain, a full-service retail drapery and slipcover studio created in 2000. She specializes in the high-quality craftsmanship of window treatments, bedding, and slipcovers with attention to detail. She is also the owner of Bespoke Soft Furnishings Magazine, the only multimedia publication in the industry. Her passions include teaching others and sharing the knowledge she has gained over the years. Tammy is a member of the WFCP Advisory Board and WCAA.  You can also find Tammy on Facebook for Daisy Chain, LLC and Bespoke Soft Furnishings Magazine.

Karen Barnes is the owner of The Elegant Window, a to-the-trade custom drapery and soft goods workroom located in Gilbert Arizona.  She is thrilled to be celebrating 20 years in business this year! Karen entered the custom drapery and soft furnishings business in 1997 working with both retail and with the design trade. Five years into the business, Karen realized that what she truly loved was working with talented interior designers and bringing their ideas and vision to fruition. Her reputation for her attention to detail and high standards in workmanship quickly spread within the design community. In 2003, Karen switched to wholesale only and she, along with her great team of employees, have been creating exquisite, high-quality soft furnishings to the design trade ever since.     In 2009, Karen entered the IWCE Ingenuity Workroom Competition and was awarded Workroom of the Year, the most prestigious award for drapery workrooms. She also was awarded First Place in Specialty Treatments and 2nd place in Top T

 Robin Matthews transformed her passion to create into her business "Seams Sew Right" in 2000.  She offers high-end custom window treatments, bedding and slip covers to designers and retail clients.  Robin is a member of the WCAA, WCAA Virtual Chapter and WCAA NJ Chapter where she served as secretary from 2011 to 2015.  She has participated on the planning committee for Windows to Success the WCAA NJ Chapter's vendor show, volunteered her time to sew window treatments and install for Lin's Linens, and sewn for "Little Dresses for Africa" and "Heal the Children".  Robin lives in Kinnelon, NJ with her husband Paul and their dog Debbie.  She has two grown sons and three beautiful grandchildren.  You can find Robin on Facebook.

Rose Mary LeBlanc is the owner of RML Custom Home Creations LLC . Rose Mary began her business in 1992 fabricating pillows for a local fabric store in Mandeville, Louisiana. Finding that she both enjoyed fabrication and had exceptional skills, she quickly added slipcovers, window treatments, and bedding to her repertoire. Rose Mary worked for designers fabricating high-end custom window treatments and home furnishings for homes in Uptown New Orleans and on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. While working in Louisiana, she also did her own window treatment installations and has firsthand knowledge of that part of the business. In 2006 she moved to the Charlotte, North Carolina area and quickly established her business working for designers across the metropolitan area. Joining WCAA in 2007 she took leadership positions in the Charlotte Regional Chapter as, first, Vice President for 2 years, and then President for 4 years. She presented a Power Point presentations on using spreadsheets in the workroom in 20

In preparing for the Anniversary Podcasts, I realized just how much incredible advice all of my guests have generously offered the podcast listeners.  I thought it might be fun to put it all together in one episode, but it would have been too long, so here is The Best Advice Episode 1 and sometime in the future, I'll add more!  I hope you enjoy listening! Thanks again, to my incredible guests for their generosity! Sandra VanSickle Kim Chagnon Julie Wood Jeanelle Dech Terri Booser Minda Fernish Margie Nance Sarah Devany O'Neil Elki Horn Monique Becker Beth Hodges Ann K. Johnson Tracy Windley Susan Gillen

Welcome to Part 2 of the Anniversary Podcast!  Today I ask Donna Cash the questions I didn't ask the first time I interviewed her! Donna Cash owns Designs by Donna, a custom home goods design and fabrication studio, opened in 1989.   The studio is located in Flowery Branch, Ga., and serves the Atlanta metro and surrounding area.In addition to working with wholesale and retail clients, Donna conducts private training on workroom fabrication techniques in her workroom or yours.  She also presents group workshops on many workroom, design, and business topics for the home décor industry.Donna has contributed step-by-step articles for Drapery & Design Professional magazine and conducts webinars for WCAA, D&D Pro, and Rowley Company.  She was a pillow and bedding instructor for Custom Home Furnishings Academy.  Donna is also teaching on-demand courses through TheWorkroomChannel.com.She is a member of the Designers Workroom Council and the Window Coverings Association of America (WCAA).   Donna is currently