I am a crazy Nana–crazy about my three grandchildren, crazy about sewing for them, crazy about 
showing their pictures. Long schooled in heirloom sewing techniques and philosophy, I envisioned my grandchildren being clothed daily in Swiss batiste, pima cotton, linen and lace. My wake up call came when I saw the unnecessary stress this put on my precious daughter-in-law as she juggled two babies just 15 months apart.
Suddenly, polycottons had new found appeal. Of course, I still use natural fibers for special occasion clothing, but I am sensitive to the never ending demands on a young mother’s time, resulting in my change of direction to “modern projects” for this old fashioned Nana.
All of my adult life has been spent in central Paradise (that’s Florida for non-native Floridians) with my fabulous husband. Weeks after college graduation (Bob from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, {electrical and mechanical engineering}, Janice from Northern Illinois University {Englishand history}) and our June wedding, we both enrolled in graduate school. Bob earned a master’s degree in engineering from University of Florida (Go Gators!) and my Stetson University masters is in education. Most of our honeymoon years were spent at a double desk, side by side, studying. Bob worked as a systems engineer and I taught retarded children until just before our first child was born.
Since 1972 we have lived on three acres in the country in the 1926 house where we raised our son, Ryan, and daughter, Rebecca. Bob and I love gardening and enjoy our yard best when the dogs and grandchildren are running wild, romping in the playground area, splashing in the pool, calling out from the tree house or picking oranges for a snack. We are in grandparent paradise with these children.
I am passionate about my family, my faith, my friends, my home, my sewing and teaching. My 6 and 7 year old grandchildren have just begun their third year as students at Nana’s Homeschool. Two days a week they pursue their studies with me and their mother teaches the other three days at their home. It is SO exciting, and so much fun.
This blog is dedicated to my love of sewing for my grandchildren and, occasionally, my adult children and my home. I hope you enjoy it.
The store is being stocked with excess “stuff” from my excessive stash of embroidery designs, favorite fabrics, an extensive supply of imported laces, linen blanks, antique textiles, baby knit blanks, needlework books, vintage needlework magazines and more……much, much more. PLEASE SHOP!!! I desperately need space in my sewing room.
Professional bio: In addition to teaching machine embroidery, quilting and heirloom sewing throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and Australia, I have written and designed extensively for Creative Needle, Sew Beautiful, Round Bobbin, Quilters’ Newsletter, Quilt World and Vogue Pattern Magazine. My creations have been featured on PBS’s Martha’s Sewing Room. I developed and marketed the heirloom sewing product “lace tape” before selling the business to Wendy Schoen.
Because my long awaited and precious three grandchildren live nearby, I have chosen to curtail or at least minimize teaching. Most of the time, I am at home in central Florida, playing with and sewing for Laurel, Robert and Alastair.