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Photos by Aaron Espe
Thursday, 21 April 2010

Angela Gray, Owner of Mama Said Sew

01/10 

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The grand opening of Mama Said Sew will be celebrated the first Friday in May with fashion show put on by local sewing superstars.  In the meantime, read what Angela had to say about crafting, opening a business, books, websites and more.

How would you describe Mama Said Sew?

Mama Said Sew is a sewing and crafting lounge that provides a community resource for education, expertise, and collaboration. MSS seeks to serve people who want to create and learn collaboratively in an open environment beyond the traditional rules of sewing. This is a space where the crafting community is celebrated, recharged, and inspired; where failure is okay and even encouraged. Hopefully this is a space where generations of knowledge are shared freely and openly, in a non-threatening, non-intimidating, non-judging way.

Why did you decide to open your shop?

So, this is a hard question, because it's going to sound like I'm judging other shops. But frankly, I decided to open my shop because in all the fabric shops I've been in, from Portland, Oregon, to Minneapolis, to Savannah, GA, the one thing I've missed is a warm, welcoming, celebratory environment. I don't think anyone has ever asked me what I'm going to do with a piece of fabric I'm buying, and no one has ever asked me to bring my work back in. A sense of community has been lacking in my shopping experiences. I want people to come back in my store and show me what they've made and I want to celebrate those projects and share them with the wider creative community. I also felt that - at least locally - there weren't a lot of options for fabric.  I couldn't find fabric I wanted to sew with, but I knew it was out there, so that's another reason I decided to open.

What has surprised you the most about opening a business?

How supportive the community is. Everyday I hear from some one "thank you for opening this store in old town." Julie, from My Sister Knits, has sent so many of her customers down to my store, it's amazing! My friends bring in their friends, strangers come in and then they come back with their friends. It's awesome. I feel like as small, independent business owners, there's this feeling of camraderie, of we are all in this together and let's help each other out as much as we can! It's awesome, like finding a second family.

How did you first get into creating things?

As far back as I can remember, I've loved all things art. My dad was a professor at USD and I remember begging him for a real deal oil paint set from the bookstore, something really intended for a college student, not a 2nd grader, but he got it for me and I loved painting with those paints. My mom also was sewing things for me all my life, crocheting things, knitting things and so I grew up around people making stuff, and was fascinated with the process of turning raw material, be if fabric, yarn, or old circuit boards (my dad made clocks out of those in the 80's, before it was cool to repurpose stuff), into wonderful objects, be they wearable or hangable.

What inspires you as a crafter?

Other crafters for sure! Beautiful fabric, clothing, nature, my kids! Being around other creative people.

What kind of changes are you seeing in the crafting world?

I'm seeing more and more younger people entering the crafting world, with new, bold, breaking the rules kinds of ideas! I'm also coming across men who sew. Sewing especially is no longer this rigid 'you must do it this way' skill. People are experimenting!

What tips do you have for the sewer or crafter just starting out?

If you are just starting out, remember that fabric, like golf (not that I'm a golfer, but I hear this said about it a while ago), is not a game of perfect. Let yourself make mistakes. Go slow, if your machine allows. Don't be afraid to ask questions or ask for help.

What books are you excited about right now?

I really like Design-It-Yourself Clothes: Patternmaking Simplified by Cal Patch! She gives you very easy instructions on drafting your own patterns. So far I've just done the A-line skirt, but it was fun! I also think the Alabama Stitch Book and Alabama Studio Style are beautiful, inspiring books. Sew Liberated is also one of my favorites. And One Yard Wonders is a great thing to have on your shelf for those fabrics that you can't pass up, but don't know what you are going to do with em!

Favorite online sites/blogs?

trueup.net

threadbanger.com

craftsanity.com

http://disdressed.blogspot.com/

http://hodgepodgefarm.net/

http://www.purlbee.com/

http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/

http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/

http://www.sew-la.com/blog.htm

Grand Opening:

The grand opening will be May 7th, First Friday, and it will be a fashion show inspired by all things Mama Said Sew – Jenny Vazquez, Susan Hazel Rich, and I will each create 5 looks to share with our community. Doors will remain open after 6pm, show starts at 7pm.

Mama Said Sew is located at 121 E. Mountain Avenue.  Check Mama Said Sew's facebook page for updates and more photos of the shop.