Sew Much More

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 Custom Workroom Conference in 2016.

In 2017, Rodger and Susan opened Workroom Tech, a trade school for sewing professionals, in the charming town of Tryon in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Rodger is on Instagram

Links and Resources;

AP Style Book

The 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

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 been an interest of Karen from an early age. Her work has been featured in magazines and Designer Showhouses and she has received many industry awards throughout her career. Karen is also a long-time member of the WCAA and has served on their national and local boards.

Drapery Design

Facebook

Instagram

Links and Resources;

Work with Passion: How to Do What You Love for a Living by Nancy Anderson

What Does Scaling Your Business Mean to You? 30 Minutes with Workroom Tech Podcast

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 sketching, painting, hiking, running, gardening, reading, practicing yoga, meditating, or catching up with a dear friend.

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!

Keep Going by Austin Kleon

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

Show Your Work by Austin Kleon

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

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 the fabric.

Since Leigh couldn't find a company that was creating entirely safe but gorgeous fabrics using organic or sustainable methods and using zero plastic (polyester, nylon, etc), she enlisted her sister, Patty, and together they formed Two Sisters Ecotextiles, to "change the way textiles are being made."

You can find Two Sisters Ecotextiles on Instagram and Facebook.

Links and Resources;

Lindsay Orwig's Article in the D&D Digest

GOTS

Oeko-tex

Toxic Chemicals Control Act

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. Barbara would go over and help her for free and was more excited about the projects than the owner was! Her neighbor soon grew tired of the business and Barbara went to work for a local workroom. She knocked on doors, made sales and then created the treatments. When that workroom closed, she picked up where they left off, bought equipment from another drapery shop, converted her garage and worked from home.

In 1996, Barbara opened a retail shop and was in business with a partner for 9 years. She sold that business and opened Holley's Window Fashions in 2005. Barbara recently sold that business to her daughter and son-in-law and is now enjoying being employed without the stress of running a business.

Links and Resources;

Creekmore Marketing

30 Minutes with Workroom Tech Podcast 75 - What Does Scaling Mean to You?

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 Designs also offers a full interior design service. Loretta received her Interior design degree from the Art Institute of Philadelphia & studied Fine Arts at Rosemont College. Loretta is proud to say that although she graduated from a prestigious institute of education she is a self-taught sewer. Instagram: lorettasdesigns LinkedIn: loretta-mcgranaghan Loretta's Designs

Links and Resources;

Susan Woodcock's Roman Shade Class

Pilot Fixion Pens

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 Manager before leaving the Design profession in search of a new challenge. Now nine years into his career in Upholstery, Justin draws heavily on his past experience in the antique and design fields to inform his work as a prior Studio Director and Current lead upholsterer working for Castillo's Custom Upholstery in Seattle Washington. When not in the workroom or the studio, you can find him contributing as a co-administrator of the Professional Upholsterers Network, or at the helm of his latest personal side project, "Foxglove Artisan LLC" created to explore upholstery and adjacent craft, education, research, and training opportunities. Justin is on Instagram Links and Resources; National Upholstery Association Professional Upholsterers Network of Facebook The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg 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

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-maker for outerwear companies, including London Fog, and taught tailoring and pattern-making at FIT.

As a business owner, she has made men's and women's custom suits, designed and produced a collection of women's clothing, and later a line of gift items for dog lovers. Her sole focus, starting in 2002, has been creating fine products for home interiors.

Frances keeps her business up-to-date by actively participating in online discussion groups and webinars, as well as traveling to conferences and workshops around the country. She is always searching for better techniques, resources and technology—all the while keeping hand stitching alive and well!

Her professional affiliations include the Window Coverings Association of America, the Drapery and Design Professional Network, and the Maine Women's Business Network.

Frances lives in an 1848 cape-style house, next door to her studio, in a small village in coastal Maine. When not working, she is most often found playing with her rescue dog, Tilly, or on a tennis court, or enjoying the company of art, music, books and friends.

Links and Resources;

First Podcast with Frances Pusch - #53 - I Followed What Made Me Happy

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz