Sew Much More

Mary is the owner of Bucks County Window Décor. She has been in business since 2007, offering custom drapery and soft treatments, fabrics, hardware, blinds, shades, and shutters to both retail clients as well as designers.  Her company is full-service and offers complete project management including measuring, ordering, fabricating, and professional installation.   After 8 years of working in the legal and corporate world, Mary left to stay home with her first baby.  She learned to sew as a newlywed so that she could have custom window treatments for her own home, which gradually started her business, as friends and neighbors asked her to create treatments for them.   Mary recently came back to the window treatment industry after a 4-year break working for a martial arts franchise where she learned the importance of systems, and processes and doing the same thing the same way every single time.    Mary is married to her super supportive husband of 34 years and has 2 grown children and 1 in college. Mary still

I am so happy to be celebrating 5 years of being the Librarian at the Curtains & Soft Furnishings Resource Library!!   I couldn't have done this without the help and guidance of Jeanelle Dech, and so many people in our industry who have contributed to the content within the Library. And I am so grateful for the Sponsors of the Library; 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   Workroom Tech    

Today's episode of the  Podcast is a re-release of my interview with Julia Hash of JSH Designs.  Julia needed to solve a problem in her workroom and realized, she probably wasn't the only one who needed this solution.  I think you will find her ruler is really amazing!   Links and Resources; Profit is a Choice Podcast episode with Julia Hash You can find Julia's Ruler here.

Barb Flynn started sewing as a young girl making drapery panels out of bed sheets for her and her sister's bedroom. Always having a mind on figuring life out and solving problems, Barb studied history and psychology in college and became a Paralegal after college.  She worked in the law field for many years after raising 4 children, but always had her hand in sewing, whether it was for friends, their home, or a small number of clients. More recently, over the past several years, Barb took sewing courses from Jeanelle Deck, which brought her further into the world of the sewing workroom.  When Covid came, she was laid off from her paralegal position but immediately (like same day) pivoted right down to her basement to make masks raising money for a community center in Kensington.  That opened the door to more sewing opportunities and new clients; the rest is history.  She literally hasn't left the basement since March 2020! She is married with 4 grown children, 2 grandchildren, and an amazing husband.  In her

Jayna Manzelli graduated from Brandeis University with a BA in Biology and began a career in Pharmaceutical Quality Control. Experience gained in analysis, equipment, procedures, organization, specifications, and personnel management became relevant when Jayna began her new custom workroom business. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for creating beautiful things, Jayna opened JM Custom Creations in 2008. JMCC is a to-the-trade workroom, specializing in draperies, Roman shades, top treatments, pillows, and cushions. Jayna became a member of WCAA in 2010, served as VP of the Eastern MA chapter 2015-2016, and has been President since 2018.  She is currently a Director at Large on the WCAA National Board   Jayna is on Facebook Raiseyourshade.com Swag Books by Ann Johnson Pricing without Emotion Course by Michele Williams M'Fay workroom manuals are available on the Library Dropbox.com IPad - pencil Notability   The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting  

Julie Wood, owner of The Leading Edge, began her career as an Art Educator. An avid interest in interior design led her to enroll in the Interior Design program at the 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 interior designer. Julie enjoys assisting designers in creating spaces for clients that far exceed both client and designer expectations. Julie understands the importance of fresh and unique treatments and continues to enhance her knowledge through webinars, workshops, and classes. Julie is constantly learning new methods and techniques to incorporate into products, and she often passes along those tips to her interior designers. Links and Resources;   HGTV White House Christmas Episode 385 - Julie Wood Johanna Burke - Burke and Pryde

I look forward to this episode with Michele Williams!  We hope you enjoy hearing it as much as we enjoy recording it.   Scarlet Thread Consulting Metrique Solutions

Cara has had a needle and thread in her hand since she was six. While raising her three children, she ran a sewing business from 2005 to 2021, where she focused on children's clothing items, bedroom soft furnishings, and accessories. Always with a taste for decorating, Cara rebranded her business, Threaded Hive Interiors and Antiques, in January 2021 focusing solely on custom-sewn/fabricated soft furnishings, interior decorating, and styling with antiques. Cara lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and two dogs and spends time visiting her three grown children and extended family throughout the country. Her hobbies include antiquing, and volunteering at an 1865 historic stagecoach stop as a docent and costume maker. She enjoys traveling, visiting historic sites, is a Jesus lover, and is a big KC Chiefs fan. Cara is on Facebook and Instagram   Links and Resources; Ann Johnson's Article - Three Strikes and I'm Out! Julia Hash's Rulers

Shari Walla learned her love of sewing as a young child from her mother. Initially, she worked as a draftsman in the automobile industry. She started working for Accent Custom Drapery LLC  21 years ago, eventually became a partner. When her business partner, Karen Miceli, retired in 2018 she became the sole owner. She is married and has three adult children. In her spare time, she loves spending time in northern Michigan, fly fishing, and knitting.     Shari is on Facebook and Instagram   Michele Williams Courses     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   Workroom Tech    

Julia Fields worked in the bridal industry for more than five years, making wedding dress dreams a reality. Since joining Savannah Window Fashions, she has had the opportunity to transfer her skills into all things custom for our clients homes! In her free time, she loves to write, crochet, and experiment with new recipes for the team to try. 

  For Nikki, it was love at first sight when she first visited Savannah to plan a destination wedding downtown in April 2018. She and her husband decided to move and bought a house sight unseen in August 2018. In their new neighborhood, they were fortunate to find a fabulous group of neighbors, including the former owner of Savannah Window Fashions Jeanne Dunn. Nikki purchased Savannah Window Fashions in 2020 from Jeanne, leaving behind corporate life and a career in advertising. In Nikki’s previous corporate life, she wore many hats. Advertising, project managing website builds at a digital agency, floral designer, non-profit economic development, event planning, and property management. Nikki is thrilled to take Savannah Window Fashions forward as the new owner. It was an unlikely career change, but perfect in so many ways. Nikki has always had a deep and abiding love for homes. As the granddaughter of a builder and daughter of a carpenter, she spent many summers on job sites as a kid. She adores Savannah,

    Cade Smith was born at a very early age in Pensacola, Florida. Upon moving to Tennessee in 1999 at the age of 5, he began to explore many art and craft activities and finally found his way to The Appalachian Center for Art, Craft and Design at Tennessee Technological University, where he studied Fiber Arts and graduated in May 2020, virtually... Cade wandered into an interesting looking store in an industrial strip mall in August 2022, and in May 2023 he purchased that company and has continued to grow The Curtain Call into one of the premier drapery workrooms in Nashville, TN. When Cade is not making drapery, installing drapery or doing paperwork related to drapery, he spends his time in the country with his horses and dogs. Cade wishes to impart to you his daily affirmation: May your hems be right, and your seams be tight, namaste. You can find The Curtain Call on Facebook and Instagram. Links and Resources; Custom Workroom Conference Wolff Industries   The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;   The W

Julie Wood, owner of The Leading Edge, began her career as an Art Educator. An avid interest in interior design led her to enroll in the Interior Design program at the 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 my business in 2006, she has specified her services largely to the interior designer. Julie enjoys assisting designers in creating spaces for clients that far exceed both client and designer expectations. Julie understands the importance of fresh and unique treatments and continues to enhance her knowledge through webinars, workshops, and classes. Julie is constantly learning new methods and techniques to incorporate into products, and she often passes along those tips to her interior designers. Links and Resources; #7 - Julie Wood #157 - Opportunity Thinking Series with Renee Rucci and Julie Wood  

Lilye Lavender owns Laveña Luxe Interiors, a new workroom based in Austin, TX. Together with her fashion school peer, Joseph, they fabricate and sell drapery, shades, and other soft furnishings to the trade. With success happening early on, they have big ideas to help drive the industry forward for a new generation of workroom owners.   Lilye is on Instagram   283 - Kristin Speyer - I Didn't Think I Could Do It, But I Just Did It! The Workroom Channel The Curtains & Soft Furnishings Resource Library Custom Workroom Conference Kitty Stein's Price Your Work with Confidence Quipa Fabric Rack - Contact Dean Fountain - deansdraperies@gmail.com    

Links for podcast   Terko thread - https://workroommarketplace.com/collections/sewing-supplies     Jewel’s tape Home Sewing Depot - https://homesewingdepot.com/collections/sealah-tape-glue/products/3-16-jewels-tape-double-sided-adhesive   Workroom Channel Marketplace - https://workroommarketplace.com/collections/sewing-supplies/jewels-tapes   Dondar Designs - https://www.donnaskufis.com/shop/   JSH Designs Rulers- https://jsh-designs.squarespace.com/shop     Grids and Templates on The Workroom Marketplace - https://workroommarketplace.com/collections/grids-templates   Creative Hands Debbie DiFrancesco - https://www.creativehandsinfo.com/   Sloan Machinery - https://www.sloanmachinery.com/   Workroom Table Construction 30 Minutes with Workroom Tech Podcast 18 Using Your Fabric Rack to Inspect Fabric by Denise Canney   Workroom Stands - https://pub.marq.com/2023-0506DigDigest/#8KA8_kTwmZZZ The Workroom Market Place -  Sewing Custom Curtains, Shades, and Top Treatments by Susan Woodcock Price  Ultra Pro seam r

As the owner of At Your Service, a drapery workroom in the Boston area for over 15 years, Jeanne McDermott was always searching for the best way to communicate with her clients. Jeanne discovered her passion for computer programs and has developed this into a service for designers and workrooms to help them convey their ideas in a fast and efficient way. Her years of experience in the workroom/design process from concept and measuring to procurement and installation gives her the ability to understand complicated design concepts and offer solutions in addition to translating the design vision. Saving both time and money, our service creates an environment of confidence between the workroom/designer and clients that the project will look (and feel) as presented. Jeanne's full-time business is creating renderings through her website:  www.virtualdesign4interiors.com You can watch today's podcast on YouTube. Jeanne is on Facebook    

Taylor Angel is the Vice President of Angel's Distributing, LLC.  Today we are talking about customer service and some new products that Angel's has developed and the how and why behind their new products.

Kari Culberson is an interior designer, textile designer & sewist specializing in contemporary block printed textiles & soft goods fabrication for the home. Kari has a Masters in Interior Design from Florida State University & has been working in the interior design industry for the past 15 years. She began her design career working under renowned designers such as Victoria Hagan & Robert Brown, but her love of fabric & textile design led her to move to the vendor side. In 2011, she began Kari Fisher Designs, a to-the-trade textile line producing hand-block printed linen. Her fabrics have been carried in design showrooms across the country and her work has been featured in several magazines such as Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Lonny, & Martha Stewart Living. With the birth of her first daughter, she took a step back from hand printing yardage in-house and started printing digitally, while also offering some workroom fabrication. Now as her younger daughter has started school, Kari h

    Kim has a very unique way of tapping into what her clients want for their homes, and creating that atmosphere by mixing both high and low-end furniture items in her designs.  Every design is different, and her specialty is to bring out the personality and style of her clients, into the design of the space.  Traveling to the various furniture markets, networking with her peers, and a ton of research keeps her on top of all of the latest trends and fresh ideas in the interior design world. She redesigned her life and her brand by launching Kim Lista Interiors, LLC. a full-service consulting and design company. My Instagram is:  kimlistainteriors My Facebook is : Kim Lista Interiors Website: www.kimlista.com Links and Resources;   Workroom Tech Sewing Custom Curtains, Shades and Top Treatments by Susan Woodcock Kim's Upholstery Education Fine Paints of Europe

Donna Hovis owns Donna Hovis Interiors, a one-woman drapery workroom serving Middle Tennessee for the past 18 years. Donna has an Associate's Degree in Interior Design and loves being involved in every aspect of her projects: from measuring to designing to fabrication to installation.   Donna is on Facebook and Instagram. You can see Donna's published window treatments here in the Drapery & Design Digital Digest   Links and Resources; (I do use some affiliate links)   Drapery & Design Digital Digest Charles Randall's book is available for purchase from The Workroom Marketplace Sew What? Magazine issues are to PRO Plus Members in the Curtains & Soft Furnishings Resource Library   Some of the links I provide, specifically to Amazon and a few others, require me to let you know that if you use those links and make a purchase, I will make some money.  I won't make a million dollars, but I might be able to get a cup of coffee, so thank you!   Susan Woodcock's Book - Singer(R) Sewing Custom Curtains, S