Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Behind the Seams with Michael Miller Fabrics!

Today, on Making It Fun, we're going...
Liesel Engelbrecht : Wichita, KS 
I'm Liesel! I love to sew for fun. My children are my muses and my favorite people to sew for. I learned when I was a child, my parents taught me the basics of using a sewing machine but, I did not enjoy it, and did not pick it back up until I was an adult. When blogs were exploding a couple years ago, and there were so many DIY tutorials available, I was compelled to start sewing again. A few years ago when I discovered pdf patterns, my skills really started growing, and I love the community there is for the sewing world online. I have been following Sewing Portfolios since its beginning, and am excited to start seeing these opportunities to collaborate with businesses come to fruition! 

Q: What's your favorite piece of work that you have created, your favorite project or your favorite part of the work day?
A: I have a hard time picking an all-time favorite. Often the most recent thing I made will be the favorite, because I can see better quality if my skills have grown, or a creative vision turned out better than I planned. I recently made this dress for my daughter from an old sheet, and it was her favorite fabric, and while I would not have picked it myself, it turned out so beautiful, and she's in love with it. That makes it a favorite for me. I never regret making something carefully, and taking my time with the finishes. I am a stay at home mom, and also homeschool my four children, so my work day is full of family. I usually have sewing time on Friday evenings, and that is my favorite time of the week because I can usually work uninterrupted for a couple hours. 
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Pattern testing has dominated my sewing for the last 2.5 years. While that is still the bulk of my sewing, I have started making time to sew for personal use as well. For a long time I wasn't confident enough in my sewing or fitting skills to sew for myself. Now, though, I can work on sewing my wardrobe in small amounts, as well as my children's. Although I'm never going to be a handmade only kind of girl, I love thrift shopping too much!

Q: What are your goals for the future, both work wise and life?
A: My work right now is pouring time, training, and love into my family. I am happy and grateful for it to be this way. The connection I have with the sewing community online keeps me in touch with opportunities to stretch my creative side, and fulfill my desire to sew. Who knows what the future holds? I would love to sew for business someday.

Q: What are you doing when you're not creating or at work? What hobbies do you have?
A: I love taking pictures and playing piano. Both of those are in maintenance mode right now, I do them when I need to, which is regularly, but they are still enjoyable for me.

Q: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A: I changed my major in college from music theater, to journalism to nursing, and finally to general studies, so I could graduate. Ha! I spent a little while with each one, and kept changing my mind.

Q: Do you have any favorite blogs/magazines/IG feeds that you follow or read? 
A: I love Dana from Made Everyday. She was one of the first blogs I started reading, and I still love following her. She is so bright and fun. I want to sew everything she shares! On Instagram I love following Angie Burgett. Her style is impeccable, I love everything she makes. 

Q:  Where else can we find you? 
A: I blog at It's Liesel and am on Instagram @itsliesel 

Q:  What else should we know about you and your work?
A: I have a lot to learn, and am always interested in improving my skills. It's also important to me to follow my own style, and not just bow to the trends. It's a skill I'm still honing. 

Q: Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? 
A: Look for the best in every situation. Assume the best in others. 

Q: Do you admire any artists / people? (famous or not!) 
A: The person I want to be like the most is my grandma! She is always up for whatever the moment holds, and figures everything out as she goes.

Q: What is your favorite....
Color: I can't choose!!! I like them all.
Animal: Cats
Season: Winter
Movie: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Book: I don't read (I need the monkey covering his eyes emoji here)
Vacation Spot: Washington Island, WI
Food: Cheesecake with raspberry sauce
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As an ambassador for Sewing Portfolios, Liesel created the looks below using Cat's Cradle (in stores now!)
Click HERE to read more about it! 
Pattern for the skirt is Mingo & Grace :: Gigi Skirt
The blouse pattern is the Symi by Lil Luxe



Thursday, August 17, 2017

Behind the Seams with Michael Miller Fabrics

Today, on Making it Fun, we're going...


Laurel Shepherd: Rogers, Arkansas


Hello! My name is Laurel and I love sewing, fabric hoarding and trying new patterns. My mother and grandmothers are all excellent seamstresses and tried to teach me their ways when I was growing up. Did I listen and learn? Nope! I thought sewing was old fashioned and useless. My mom warned me that I would one day regret not learning. Well, as with most things in life, turns out my mom was right! Fast forward to 2013 when I found out I was pregnant with twins- all of the sudden, I wanted to sew them everything! Unfortunately, I had moved over 1,000 miles away from my mom and grandmas and had no one to teach me. That's when I discovered the online sewing community! I was able to learn so much from sewing blogs, Youtube tutorials and Facebook groups. I was able to go from someone who couldn't even sew a straight line to someone who creates beautiful clothing for herself and her children! It has been a rewarding transformation and I am extremely proud of my work. 

It was through other sewing bloggers that I found out about the Sewing Portfolios website. A platform to connect seamstresses with pattern designers, fabric manufacturers and other businesses sounded brilliant to me. By creating a profile and joining the exclusive Facebook group, you open yourself up to some potentially great opportunities and collaborations. 

Q: What's your favorite piece of work that you have created, your favorite project or your favorite part of the work day?
A: My favorite project is actually one of my most recent ones. I created a mini capsule wardrobe for my twins. I created 18 pieces for my girls to mix and match to their hearts content. It was a large undertaking but I was really happy with the results.

Q:  What are you working on at the moment?
A: A teepee for a birthday gift for my twins
**Laurel's studio space
Q: What are your goals for the future, both for work and life?
A: I used to run a successful Etsy shop, but after my third baby, I found it much harder to make the time for it. I'd love to open up my shop again. I'm planning to try and do it this fall so hopefully it goes well!

Q:  What are you doing when you're not creating or at work? What hobbies do you have?
A: Between raising three toddlers and working on all my sewing endeavors, I don't have a lot of other time. However, I do enjoy playing soccer in a women's league one night a week. It's great exercise but also a social outlet for me to spend time with friends. 

Q: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A: I HATE crafts! I love sewing but I don't consider that "crafting." Scrapbooking, jewelry making, home decor, card making, etc. are not my forte.

Q: Do you have any favorite blogs/magazines/IG feeds that you follow or read?
A: Oh my, so many! One of my new favorites to follow is Sewing with Sarah. She creates such beautiful clothing and she posts great tutorials as well.

Q: Where else can we find you?
A: My blog is My Heart Will Sew On, my Instagram handle is @myheartwillsewon

Q: What else should we know about you and your work? 
A: I love trying new things, mixing prints, mashing patterns and just being able to create unique pieces. I take great pride and joy in my creations!

Q: Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others?
A: It's ok to mess up and have to seam rip! When I first started sewing, I was so afraid to try something new and take the risk of ruining my fabric and wasting my time. It wasn't until I started pushing myself that I actually started to enjoy it and get better. I've ripped a lot of seams in my days and even had to throw out a couple of projects along the way. But I've created beautiful things and I rip a few less seams now!

Q: Do you admire any artists / photographers / people?
A: Every time I'm asked this question, I come up with the same answer. My mom!!!! She's seriously the best and I hope to be like her one day in so many ways!

Q: What is your favorite...
Color: Purple
Animal: Pandas
Season: Fall
Movie: While You Were Sleeping
Book: Harry Potter
Vacation spot: Gulf Coast
Food: Anything Italian!
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 As a sewing ambassador for Sewing Portfolios, Laurel created the Easiest Zipper Pouch!
*She used Catching Dreams which will start shipping to stores in October.

Click on the link below for the tutorial!