MEET KATHY
WHO IS KATHY? HOW IT ALL BEGAN?
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My story starts in North Dakota. I was raised in a family of “do it yourselfers”. If something needed fixing, my parents always tried to do it themselves before soliciting help. I feel fortunate that I learned a wide range of trade techniques from my mother when I was very young. I was always at her side in the sewing room. My favorite toys were her button collection and pin box. I loved to sort and organize. Family is everything to me. By opening my home business, I was fortunate to have a job that allowed me to be there for my family.
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HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN SEWING
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My first paid job was when I was in middle school. For my sewing project in home economics class, I made a 3 foot tall Raggedy Ann doll. Soon the word got out to the other teachers in the school, and that Fall, I started taking orders to make more dolls for staff to give to their family members for Christmas. I remember the photo my parents took of 10 complete sets of Ann and Andy dolls lined up on our stairs before we delivered them. That was over 40 years ago! I have worked in several sewing rooms through the years. When in high school, I worked at a department store on the sales floor. People inquired about where I got the dresses/suits I wore to work, and when the staff found out I had made them, they invited me to work in the alterations room. I have learned different techniques from many very talented seamstresses. From there, I worked at a dry cleaner; I had never worked on old, worn out items before. I quickly learned how to replace jacket zippers and do mending. I also learned how to repair leather tears. My next sewing job was in a bridal store where I learned how to alter wedding gowns and pageant formals. I held jobs in this capacity all while attending college with a major in clothing construction and textiles.
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