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.