...Sharing Ideas About Sewing, Quilting, Smocking and Machine Embroidery...
About Me:
I have been sewing since I was a very young child. My Grandmother sewed everything and was my inspiration. She would let me pick out the fabric for several dresses and then I’d go home. The next time I saw her, she had them all sewn. I loved the fact that I was the only one wearing that particular dress. We had to wear dresses to school, so I needed a lot of them. When I was a teenager, I started sewing my own dresses. I really learned a lot about sewing. The first thing that I made from a pattern was a black velvet jumper. That was a challenge but it turned out OK. I took home economics classes in school and learned a few things but I liked to get things done the fastest way. After I was married I started looking for classes that I could take on sewing and garment construction. I was living in Michigan at the time and took classes at sewing stores and then I joined the Michigan Bishop Sewing Council. They had a week long intensive garment construction class that was based on garment construction methods used in a factory setting. I finally really learned some short cuts that the garment industry uses. Bishop methods teach how to determine the grain line and how to treat
I have been sewing since I was a very young child. My Grandmother sewed everything and was my inspiration. She would let me pick out the fabric for several dresses and then I’d go home. The next time I saw her, she had them all sewn. I loved the fact that I was the only one wearing that particular dress. We had to wear dresses to school, so I needed a lot of them. When I was a teenager, I started sewing my own dresses. I really learned a lot about sewing. The first thing that I made from a pattern was a black velvet jumper. That was a challenge but it turned out OK. I took home economics classes in school and learned a few things but I liked to get things done the fastest way. After I was married I started looking for classes that I could take on sewing and garment construction. I was living in Michigan at the time and took classes at sewing stores and then I joined the Michigan Bishop Sewing Council. They had a week long intensive garment construction class that was based on garment construction methods used in a factory setting. I finally really learned some short cuts that the garment industry uses. Bishop methods teach how to determine the grain line and how to treat
fabric according the grain of the fabric. A few years later I wrote an article which was published in the Smocking Arts Guild of American magazine. The article focused on the grain line and how it plays into pleating and smocking fabric. I have been sewing and teaching sewing since that time.
I founded the Troy, Michigan chapter of the Smocking Arts Guild of American in 1985 and was President for 10 years. Our chapter hosted a National Convention during that time. I kept busy during this time working for the local Stretch & Sew Fabric and Bernina Store teaching many classes on smocking, garment construction, sewing machine techniques, Sew Club, etc. I also had a home-based pleating service where I pleating fabric for people to smock. Smocking is one of my life long loves.
My husband of 39 years and I were blessed to raise 4 boys and a girl (in that order). When my little girl finally came along, I really started smocking and was making a couple of smocked outfits for her a month. I kept all those garments and have passed them on to her little daughter who is now three. We have been blessed with 10 grandchildren and one on the way, 6 grandsons and 4 granddaughters. I keep very busy thinking up things to make for them. I love to sew for kids!
After working for Stretch & Sew in Troy, Michigan for 15 years we moved to the Chicago area in 1995. I continued my love of sewing by working at Linda Z’s Sewing Center where I taught various classes and the Sew Club program. While at Linda Z’s I gained experience on Pfaff and Viking machines and added to my long experience with Bernina.
Later I joined Libertyville Sewing Center and gained valuable experience with Babylock and Brother sewing machines while continuing to sell Viking and Bernina. I really value the experiences I had teaching new owner classes for all these brands. All the major brands have so many desirable features yet each brand has unique strengths.
I was an early owner of one of the first embroidery only machines for home use. It was a little Deco 500 from Bernina. I loved that little machine and I embroidered everything in sight. I couldn’t get enough of it. I traded up to the Deco 600 and so on until I finally got a sewing and embroidery combination machine. I have had a least 2 embroidery machines since that time. I couldn’t decide which machine I liked better, so I bought 2. I often get them both going a once and run from one to the next changing threads. When I have a big project that I am working on, I use them both. Of course, while my embroidery machine is going I like to have another machine that I can sew on while the embroidery machine is stitching away.
Several years ago I started working with and learning about embroidery software. Now after several years and numerous factory training experiences I find myself teaching as many software classes as sewing. I never thought that I would be interested in anything to do with the computer, but I just love the embroidery software. The more I learn, the more I want to do. The things that you can create in the software are just so amazing. I have just digitized a quilt for my 3 year old grand daughter called “Sugar Cookies for Taytum” that I hope to start marketing soon. Recently I have been doing a lot of quilting and embroidery on quilts. This combination is my favorite thing to do of late.
I am currently teaching a wide variety of Bernina classes at Quilter’s Heaven in Northbrook, IL and just can’t get enough of sewing. I love every aspect of it. I would like to share the many things I have learned and have not seen published anywhere. I hope to pass on some of the knowledge that I have gained over my many enjoyable years sewing and teaching.
I hope you enjoy Stitching With Nancy.
Nancy VanPatten, 7-01-09
I founded the Troy, Michigan chapter of the Smocking Arts Guild of American in 1985 and was President for 10 years. Our chapter hosted a National Convention during that time. I kept busy during this time working for the local Stretch & Sew Fabric and Bernina Store teaching many classes on smocking, garment construction, sewing machine techniques, Sew Club, etc. I also had a home-based pleating service where I pleating fabric for people to smock. Smocking is one of my life long loves.
My husband of 39 years and I were blessed to raise 4 boys and a girl (in that order). When my little girl finally came along, I really started smocking and was making a couple of smocked outfits for her a month. I kept all those garments and have passed them on to her little daughter who is now three. We have been blessed with 10 grandchildren and one on the way, 6 grandsons and 4 granddaughters. I keep very busy thinking up things to make for them. I love to sew for kids!
After working for Stretch & Sew in Troy, Michigan for 15 years we moved to the Chicago area in 1995. I continued my love of sewing by working at Linda Z’s Sewing Center where I taught various classes and the Sew Club program. While at Linda Z’s I gained experience on Pfaff and Viking machines and added to my long experience with Bernina.
Later I joined Libertyville Sewing Center and gained valuable experience with Babylock and Brother sewing machines while continuing to sell Viking and Bernina. I really value the experiences I had teaching new owner classes for all these brands. All the major brands have so many desirable features yet each brand has unique strengths.
I was an early owner of one of the first embroidery only machines for home use. It was a little Deco 500 from Bernina. I loved that little machine and I embroidered everything in sight. I couldn’t get enough of it. I traded up to the Deco 600 and so on until I finally got a sewing and embroidery combination machine. I have had a least 2 embroidery machines since that time. I couldn’t decide which machine I liked better, so I bought 2. I often get them both going a once and run from one to the next changing threads. When I have a big project that I am working on, I use them both. Of course, while my embroidery machine is going I like to have another machine that I can sew on while the embroidery machine is stitching away.
Several years ago I started working with and learning about embroidery software. Now after several years and numerous factory training experiences I find myself teaching as many software classes as sewing. I never thought that I would be interested in anything to do with the computer, but I just love the embroidery software. The more I learn, the more I want to do. The things that you can create in the software are just so amazing. I have just digitized a quilt for my 3 year old grand daughter called “Sugar Cookies for Taytum” that I hope to start marketing soon. Recently I have been doing a lot of quilting and embroidery on quilts. This combination is my favorite thing to do of late.
I am currently teaching a wide variety of Bernina classes at Quilter’s Heaven in Northbrook, IL and just can’t get enough of sewing. I love every aspect of it. I would like to share the many things I have learned and have not seen published anywhere. I hope to pass on some of the knowledge that I have gained over my many enjoyable years sewing and teaching.
I hope you enjoy Stitching With Nancy.
Nancy VanPatten, 7-01-09
Nancy VanPatten