Melissa Mora of Melly Sews is a pattern designer, author and sewing blogger. She designs fabric for Riley Blake and her "Learn to Sew" posts with easy-to-follow instructions are timeless. Listen and learn more about her journey in the sewing world.

Author of Sundressing, Melissa spent 12 years in the classroom as a high school theatre teacher before leaving to become a full time sewing writer and pattern designer. Now she claims the entire internet as her classroom.

She is also the co-editor of and contributor to the book Sew Place Like Home, a collection of stories for those who love sewing. Her fabric line, Idle Wild, launched with Riley Blake fabrics in fall 2015, and sewing patterns from her brand Blank Slate Patterns are carried in Joann stores nationwide. Melissa blogs at Melly Sews, where she gets to combine her love of sewing, teaching and writing in one creative place.

A native Texan, Melissa lives in Austin with her family.

Find Melissa: