A quick Q & A with Trish Smith

1   Trish Smith will be teaching at the SAGA National Convention in Hampton, Virginia. Here we have a quick Questions and Answer interview with Trish and showcase the projects she will be teaching in September.

     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.

1     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. 

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 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.

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.

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.

Have you registered for SAGA Convention yet? Visit www. smocking.org to view the brochure and the links to registration and hotel information.