Saturday Morning Shout Outs - Part 2

I am going to go old school with my Saturday Morning Shout Outs today! I would like to pay homage to three women who were with me through some difficult personal times and encouraged me to sew through them! All three of these women I call friend and because of them I have the fabric collection that I do, an increased sewing knowledge and most importantly the bond of friendship!

My first Saturday morning shout out goes to Colleen Jones! Many of you that have been members of Patternreview for several years will remember Colleen since she and her partner Lisa Tarunto taught the first internet sewing classes there. Colleen is a wonderful sewing teacher. She is patient and kind and has a true love of sewing that she wants to impart to everyone! She encourages you to continue sewing no matter what your sewing level, knowing that you will learn the techniques and get better and she just emanates joy when you are discussing sewing! Colleen was doing full bust adjustments with her pie example long before they became the rage. But mostly Collen encouraged me to collect beautiful fabrics! She shared unselfishly of her own fabric, pattern and sewing book collections with me at a time when my fabric stash had been taken from me. But mostly she was there for me ~ sewing and otherwise. So to the Goddess of Fit ~ Ms. Colleen Jones ~ here is a well deserved Saturday Morning Shout Out!

My second shout out goes to Lynn Cope Conroy. Lynn dyes, quilts and sews from a beautiful sewing room on the West Coast. Lynn exposed me to my first Sewing Workshop patterns, to felting wool jersey and to Christine Jonson patterns. She makes beautiful quilts that have been displayed in coffee shops in her local neighborhood. She was the first woman I met that collected fabric in a specific color and yardage to turn out wonderful wearable garments that were made just for her! She encouraged me to sew when my personal life was in great upheavel. She listened to me and loved my long rambling email posts about what I wanted to make and she encouraged me to capsule sew. Lynn, you are my second Saturday morning shout out for showing me other pattern designers instead of just the Big 4! Give Hobee a hug for me!

My final shout out is reserved for my best friend, Lisa Kennedy! I met her on an internet sewing list and we became road dogs! Lisa will drive anywhere for fabric! Many of my excursions to Fabric Mart, Jomars in Philadelphia and GStreet in Maryland were done by Lisa's side! Her enthusiasm for sewing things, fabric and patterns knows no bounds. And she is the most generous person...when the Joann's near her closed down and all the patterns were 50 cents apiece she bought an entire cabinet worth of patterns and shared them with her friends! Bags and boxes of patterns were left in her living and dining rooms and you were allowed to go through and just pick what you wanted. It was one of my kewlest sewing experiences ever!!!! Even to this day if you mention road trip, Lisa's eyes light up with a sparkle, she gets out her blackberry to put in the date and she starts to wax poetic about what we could possibly find! I have had some of the best times in the company of my best friend sorting through fabrics, patterns and making sewing dreams come true!

Since I am on a roll here, I would like to add just a few more names! Sandra Coleman, Christine Adams, Julie McFann, Dawn Earl and all the women of the Sewing Circle - here is a Saturday Morning Shout Out to you too!