Skip to main content

Meet Dee & Dory, Our Newest Fabricistas!

Everyone meet Dee & Dory, also known on their YouTube channel as the Design Dreamers. These two wonderful ladies are our newest Fabricistas! Dee & Dory will be sharing their makes on their YouTube channel & we will be sharing them with you here as well. Before we get to watching their first make, we thought we would share a quick Q&A...

1.) Tell us a little bit about yourselves...

Dee - I retired after 35 years of being an RN.  My faith is very important to me and takes first place in my life.  I was raised on a small farm and loved it.  I feel no matter what a persons age is there’s a lot of life to live.  I’m married and have 2 sons. I have only one sibling, my sister, who is very important to me.

Dory - I’m 64 years old and retired from the Michigan Department of Transportation. I’m married with no children.  My husband and I served 3 years as missionaries in Eastern Europe, where I learned the Latvian language. I love traveling and have been in over 12 different countries. I love people, positivity and the farm animals we had as children.  I use to sew all my clothes until I graduated from high school and then only occasionally took to it.  Now I’m back to it.

2.) How did you get started on YouTube?

Dee - Just before I retired a co-worker suggested I start a YouTube channel. So when I retired, I thought “Why not? It’s now or never, it would be a good adventure to do with my sister.

Dory - My sister called me up one day and out of the blue said: “Let’s do a YouTube channel.” I said, “OK, what about?”

3.) When/How did you learn to sew?

Dee - Before I was 10 years old Mom enrolled me in 4-H.  My mom was a big influence as she was an avid quilter. Through out my school years I had to make most of my clothes, if I wanted new ones.

Dory - My mom was a 4-H sewing teacher, and had taught herself to sew when she was young.  She taught me to sew from infancy (or anyway I can’t remember when I didn’t sew).

4.) Give us an organizational tip:

Dee - Keep your sewing manual close to your sewing machine and have a pair of scissors next to your sewing machine, ironing board and your cutting table.

Dory - Keep your patterns organized.  I use the note app on my phone where I keep a list of every pattern number and also a list of the ones I’d like to get in the future. When I purchase patterns I put them in storage boxes according to the kind they are: i.e. skirts, dresses, pants, combination.  When I use a pattern I  put a check mark on my app next to the pattern number  and I file it in my used pattern box.

5.) What sewing machine do you work with? Do you own more than one?

Dee - I use my Heavy Duty Janome HD1000BE the most.  Then my 35 year old Singer Serger.  I also have a Brother Pacesetter, Vintage Kenmore and an Antique cast iron Singer.

Dory - I use my Huquavarna Viking H Class the most.  I also have a vintage Kenmore, Berina Seville, Janome 500E and a Huskylock 1003 LCD serger.

6.) How much time do you spend in your sewing room?

Dee - I try to schedule 2 afternoons a week, and then whenever I can.

Dory - Not enough! About 12 hours a week.

7.) Give us three words that describe your sewing style:

Dee - Classic, Creative, Detailed

Dory - Boho, Thrifty, Adventurous

8.) Where do you get your inspiration for your projects?

Dee - Clothing websites and catalogs, my sister.

Dory - I love pouring through magazines and I cut out pictures of clothes that I’m attracted to and put them in my dream book.

9.) What was your first successful project?

Dee - Black and white checkered Apron in 4-H

Dory - An Apron in 4-H

10.) If you could pass along only one piece of sewing advice, what would it be?

Dee - Relax and enjoy the process, it doesn’t have to be perfect.

Dory - Don’t speed through it.

And now without further ado, here is Dee & Dory's first Fabricista make!

Comments

  1. My Mom enrolled me in 4H when I was 10 too! My first project was a butterfly printed triangle hat, which I still have. (I.m 62)
    When I was 8, I made my Barbie an animal print vest - have that too.
    Looking forward to your makes!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles.  ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do!  This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...

Made By A Fabricista: Basics vs Fun Clothes

Every summer I make flowy, pretty dresses because they are so fun for me to make, wear, and they keep me cool as temperatures rise. But when the days get shorter and autumn rolls around, I’m not always confident on how best to transition my summery dresses into garments that will allow for the seasonal changes. In an effort to be more intentional about maximizing the use of my clothing, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make for August. It’s been a hot summer in New Jersey. From what I can see, it’s been a hot summer across the US. Looking for clothing that will keep me cool, perhaps hide some sweat stains, and allow me to transition between seasons, I decided to make separates that would pair well with each other and allow me to mix and match with the rest of my wardrobe. For the top, I wanted a basic tank top, something I could layer later on. For the bottoms, I wanted flowy, summery pants that can last into brisker weather or become phenomenally cozy in front of my wint...

Made By A Fabricista: Effortless ITY

Clothing made from  ITY  (Interlock Twist Yarn) fabric is effortless, almost like wearing secret pajamas. It is silky and cool to the touch, with a beautiful drape and amazing stretch. ITY fabric is incredibly versatile, and some of the best dresses, skirts, and athletic wear I’ve owned are made from it. Thanks to Fabric Mart’s recent influx of unique ITY fabrics, I was inspired to add some additional ITY items to my wardrobe.  I found two beautiful ITY fabrics on the Fabric Mart site that stopped me in my tracks. The first fabric I loved was a funky off-white and multi-color flora and fauna print from a New York Designer. I ordered two yards of this print with a top in mind. Next, I saw a beautiful  ITY fabric panel  featuring off-white and blue floral print. I’m usually hesitant to buy fabric panels without a plan of how to use them, but I threw caution to the wind this time. I ordered 5 panels, hoping that would give me more than enough fabric to showcase the...