1.
Who
taught you needlework skills and when did you first start learning?
As a child I stood by my mother at her sewing machine and
watched her sew and I remember thinking, I want to sew like my Mama does. At age 9 I started sewing Barbie doll clothes
by hand. When I was 12 I made my first garment
on the machine, which was a skirt with a waistband and a zipper. (I didn’t know to be afraid of both) I was hooked and sewed almost every day after
that. I made all of my clothes and most
of my mothers. I sewed home dec, made
purses, and loved quilting. When our
first son was 13 months old I took children’s sewing at Watkins Institute in
Nashville, Tennessee. In 1982 I met a
very special lady that many of you knew and loved – Elizabeth Travis
Johnson! What a treasure she became in
my life. In 1988 I started traveling
with her so she could continue to teach and so she did for the next 11 years
until she stopped at age 80 due to health issues. She molded me into the person I am today as a
teacher. During those years of traveling
with her, the knowledge I acquired from her teaching has continued to influence
ever garment I make. She was an inspiration to everyone she taught and on one
of those trips I thought, this is what I want to do some day. I want to share my love of sewing with others
so I can maybe make them a fraction as happy as Elizabeth did when she taught.
During my time with Elizabeth she introduced me to Martha
Pullen. Again, my life will never be the
same because of the love and faith that Martha had in me. After taking classes at Martha’s school eight
times and assisting Elizabeth for many years there I was ask to teach at the
Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion! I could hardly believe it. Was this really happening to me? Me, teaching at Martha’s school? Yes, it was for real and so it went from 1997
until 2014. Those are some of the most
rewarding and cherished years of my life.
Thank you Martha Pullen for believing in me, and thank you to all the
students that took my classes. I am
blessed.
2.
What
is your favorite form of embroidery?
Even though I love doing handwork and I absolutely love
embroidery on garments, I don’t get to spend that much time doing it. I can do basic stitches but am by no means accomplished
in this skill.
3.
When
do you find time to embroider/sew?
Everyday of my life, except for Tuesday (which is the day I
spend with my babies). It may be drafting
a pattern, sewing a garment, or writing a class handout, but you can be sure
that each day has something to do with sewing.
4.
What
inspires your designs?
Oh my, it is funny where ideas come from, a pleated lamp shade,
a pillow in a department store, a garment that I see on an adult in a TV show
has inspired a technique to place on a child’s garment. I love vintage clothing and get ideas from
looking at them. And of course a child
never goes by that I am not checking out what they have on and thinking, Oh
that would be even cuter if it had … on it.
5.
Do
you attend classes and workshops as well as teach at them?
Yes, I think ever teacher should be required to take at least
one or two classes a year. Whether it be
in your local SAGA chapter or a workshop.
I have found that it is hard being a student. Learning a new skill while trying to listen
to the teacher and keep up with the class all at the same time is hard. I think taking a class gives you a better
understanding of what a student is thinking and feeling when they are in your
class. Hopefully it makes me a better
teacher.
6. On average, how long would
you say it takes for you to complete a piece from design concept to end?
Let’s just say, longer than I would like. I enjoy every step of the process but I am
not a fast seamstress. But having said
that, it seems that almost everything I make is a new garment and I am figuring
out the design and steps as I go so therefore it slows down the process. Sometimes I think I want to do it a certain
way and then once I am into it, I change my mind because I decide another way
will be better. It’s all just a part of
designing. Also, all of my patterns are
drafted and drawn by hand, by me, in all sizes, one size at a time. This takes a lot of time but the final result
is worth it.
7.
Do
you belong to a sewing guild of any kind?
Yes, I am a member of two SAGA chapters where I live. Even though I don’t get to be at many of the
meetings because of my teaching and travel schedule, I do go to the meetings
when I can.
8.
Do
you smock?
Yes, I love to smock.
Before I started my pattern line and started traveling so much I smocked
a lot. Not having a daughter, I smocked
some for my second son and then I smocked to be smocking. Every time we went on a trip I smocked all
the way there and back. I smocked while
I watched my boys play at the playground, I smocked by the pool, I smocked for
friends. I also smocked for a local
store on their custom made garments. Now
I have two granddaughters (be still my beating heart), and even though
traveling and teaching prevents me from doing as much as I would like to, I
smocked for them when I can fit it in.
9.
Where
is your favorite place to stitch?
On my deck or in the bonus room so I am close to my husband.
10. Are you married? Children? Pets?
Yes, as previously mentioned I have been married to Rob for 38
years and would do it all over again. We have two wonderful sons and those two
boys choose precious girls to become “Our Daughters in Love”. And then to top it
all off, we have three grandchildren that are 3 and under. Lily, Christian, and Violet. My cup runneth over.
11. What is your most favorite sewing
tool?
Oh my, how do I decide: I
guess I can narrow it down to three – The first two are Roxanne’s Glue Baste It
and the Groovin Piping Trimming Tool. I almost can’t make a garment without putting
corded piping on it - sometimes 5 or 6 yards on one garment.
Another product that I love to use in my garments is Baby
Interfacing from Farmhouse Fabrics. One
of the main reasons I prefer it is because it does not need to be pre shrunk and it adds so much body to
the garment without weight.
12. What sewing tool do you carry
everywhere and why?
Glue Baste It (three small bottles, in my purse, to every class,
just in case students don’t have it with them) and the Grooving Piping Trimming
Tool.
13. What other hobbies/interests do
you have?
Our grandchildren. After
waiting so long to be a grandmother, I just can’t get enough of those little
ones. I spend ever minute I possible can
with them.
I also thoroughly enjoy listening to audio books when I am on
the go. If I sit still, my body thinks
it is time to sleep, which prevents me from actually reading a book.
14. How often do you travel to teach?
I try to keep my teaching trips to one per month so I am not
away from home too much. I love teaching
so much that from time to time I book two in a month but I want to be sure to
keep my family first as much as possible.
15. Have you a favorite location
where you most enjoy teaching?
My favorite location is where I am at the moment. Every location is special and every student
is important because without them (the store or chapter, and the students) I
would not be there. Another location
that I love is Children’s Corner in Nashville, Tennessee. I have taught since 2007 at the sewing
schools they host three times a year and love all the students that come back
again and again to take the classes that are offered. Every Monday I teach a sit-n-sew there and look
forward to spending the day with a group of ladies that come week after
week. We have built strong relationships
and it is a lot of fun.
16. Where can we get to see your
projects (magazines, stores etc.)?
Past issues of Sew
Beautiful magazine. Upcoming issues
of Classic Sewing Magazine. I have two Facebook pages: Personal – Trisha Owen Smith, Business –
Patterns by Trisha’s Treasures. Various
stores as they post about my future classes.
I hope to have a website in the near future.
17. What do you do with your
completed projects-frame and keep, give away, etc.?
Most garments that I sew are for an upcoming class, which means
I keep them for my sample rack. When I
go to a location to teach, I will take between 50 – 70 garments depending on
whether I am driving or flying. I also
love to sew for my granddaughters and give garments to them.
18. Do you have a favorite color(s)
that you tend to use more than others?
I love so many colors but I must admit that pink is my absolute
favorite which is evident by my pink sewing chair and my pink laptop computer.
19. Have you had another type of
career other than in the sewing area?
Yes, I started out in Banking.
I was head teller at a bank for 4 years and then worked in accounts
receivable at a department store for a few years before we started our family.
20. How do you see the future of your
sewing career?
I hope to continue to teach others to do what I love and to help
them learn new skills and techniques that will enhance their sewing experience. I also want to continue to publish patterns
with easy to follow directions so even a person that is new to sewing will be
able to understand and make special garments for the children in their lives.
21. What do you do to recharge your
creative spark?
Sometimes just sit still and think, other times look at vintage
garments or browse through a rack of clothes in a department store. And don’t forget, I always look at lampshades
and pillows for ideas.
22. What technique still can’t you
get the hang of……..?
Cutwork! I cannot do
it! I don’t like to say I can’t do something
but it is the truth.
23. What accomplishment are you most
proud of?
In my personal life - I don’t know that I would say proud but I
am so very thankful for our two sons. I
did not do everything perfect for sure but I did devote years of my life and
put everything else on hold to raise those boys to love the Lord, respect
others, and always be kind and friendly. God blessed those efforts and I am
thankful to Him beyond words for the way they turned out.
In the sewing world – I am thankful and honored that students
will spend their time and money to come take classes with me. I am humbled by their support. I still can’t believe that I can draft a
pattern.
24. What is the biggest enemy to your
creativity?
Oh
my goodness….TIME. There just simply doesn’t
seem to be enough of it to accomplish all I would like to do.
No comments:
Post a Comment