{"id":2,"date":"2009-06-15T18:41:14","date_gmt":"2009-06-16T01:41:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2018-08-02T22:46:01","modified_gmt":"2018-08-03T02:46:01","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"I am a crazy Nana–crazy about my four grandchildren,crazy about sewing for them, crazy about showing their pictures. I’m also crazy about my husband, our grown children and their wonderful spouses.\u00c2\u00a0 Long schooled in heirloom sewing techniques and philosophy, I envisioned my grandchildren being clothed daily in Swiss batiste, pima cotton, linen and lace.\u00c2\u00a0 My wake up call came when I saw the unnecessary stress this put on my precious daughter-in-law\u00c2\u00a0as she juggled two babies just 15 months apart.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, polycottons\u00c2\u00a0 offered new appeal and I am on constant look out for “easy care” 100% cottons which tumble dry for a presentable look. Of course, I still use heirloom quality natural fibers for special occasion clothing<\/a>, but I am sensitive to the never ending demands on a young mother’s time.\u00c2\u00a0 This has resulted in my change of direction to “modern projects” for this old fashioned Nana.<\/p>\n

All of my adult life has been spent in\u00c2\u00a0central Paradise (that’s Florida for non-native Floridians) with my fabulous husband.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Weeks after college graduation (Bob from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, {electrical and mechanical engineering}, Janice from Northern Illinois University {English and history}) and our June wedding, we both joined the work force and enrolled in graduate school. Bob earned a master’s degree in engineering from University of Florida (Go Gators!).\u00c2\u00a0 My Stetson University master’s degree is in education.\u00c2\u00a0 The first two of our honeymoon years were spent at a double desk, side by side, studying.\u00c2\u00a0 Bob worked as a systems engineer and I taught\u00c2\u00a0handicapped children for six years until a few months before our first child was born.<\/p>\n

Since 1972 we have\u00c2\u00a0lived on three acres in the country in the 1926 house\u00c2\u00a0where our children, Ryan and\u00c2\u00a0 Rebecca, were raised with so much joy and fun.\u00c2\u00a0 Bob and I love gardening <\/a>and enjoy\u00c2\u00a0our yard\u00c2\u00a0best\u00c2\u00a0when\u00c2\u00a0the dogs and grandchildren are running wild, romping in the playground area, splashing in the pool<\/a>, imaginating in the tree house<\/a> or picking oranges for a snack.\u00c2\u00a0 We are in grandparent paradise with these children.<\/p>\n

I am passionate about my faith, my family, my friends<\/a>, my home<\/a>, my sewing\u00c2\u00a0and teaching. For three years my two older grandchildren, now\u00c2\u00a012 and 14, came daily to Nana’s Homeschool.<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Teaching them to read and to love learning\u00c2\u00a0was one of the most exciting, fun, and satisfying experiences of my life. When their mother found her teaching legs they were schooled at home until they entered public school in 6th and 7th grade.<\/p>\n

This blog is dedicated to\u00c2\u00a0my love of sewing for\u00c2\u00a0my\u00c2\u00a0 grandchildren and, occasionally,\u00c2\u00a0my adult\u00c2\u00a0children, my home, and my church. I hope you enjoy it.<\/p>\n

Professional bio:\u00c2\u00a0 In addition to teaching\u00c2\u00a0 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\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Newsletter, Quilt World<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0 and Vogue Pattern Magazine<\/em>.\u00c2\u00a0My creations have been featured on PBS\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Martha\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Sewing Room and I appeared in a few PBS sewing shows.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0The heirloom sewing product “lace tape” \u00c2\u00a0was developed and marketed by me before selling the business to Wendy Schoen.<\/p>\n

Because of my long awaited and\u00c2\u00a0precious four grandchildren,\u00c2\u00a0 I have curtailed on-the-road teaching.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Most of the time,\u00c2\u00a0I am\u00c2\u00a0at home in central Florida, playing with and sewing for Laurel, Robert, Alastair, and Vivian Rose.<\/p>\n

I’m excited about my newest role <\/a>as regular contributor to Brother’s new blog, Stitching Sewcial.<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0 This site is chock full of projects, tips, and inspiration for every genre of sewing.\u00c2\u00a0 Machine embroidery (my area), quilting, garment construction, foot of the month, and more are topics covered in the blog posts.<\/p>\n

Please check out my project tutorials–<\/p>\n