Today on Sew & So, we’re talking with Anna Escher of Sew.Lala Patterns, whose creative journey has taken her from fine art and art history to sewing, pattern design, teaching, and a whole lot of other hands-on pursuits. Inspired by her father and grandmother, Anna began sewing around the age of ten, and she’s never stopped exploring what creativity can look like.

From silversmithing and woodworking to pottery, leatherwork, and a love of thrift stores and flea markets, Anna approaches creativity with curiosity and a healthy dose of determination. In fact, she believes you don’t necessarily have to be talented to learn something new—you just have to be willing to try and be a little stubborn!

We’ll hear how unexpected challenges led her to build Sew.Lala Patterns and find community in the online sewing world, why she’s now found joy in returning to the classroom, and how she views her ADHD as both a superpower and, at times, a source of frustration. Plus, we’ll talk fabric hoarding, creative flow, and what’s next for this multi-talented maker living in Switzerland.

Join us for a conversation about following your curiosity, embracing the creative process, and giving yourself permission to try something new.

(2:14) How did Anna learn to so and who influenced her? Her dad is a big part of the mix!

(4:24) Anna grew up in a family that emphasized creativity…what was this like for her?

(7:52) Anna calls her dad an autodidactic learner and her spirit animal. She explains…

(10:31) She explains how her education has supported her creativity

(12:42) Anna talks about her myriad hobbies

(15:01) “You don’t have to be necessarily talented…but just try and be a little stubborn” Anna explains what she means by this.

(18:19) Hear about the beginning of Sew.LaLa and the challenges Anna had during this time. And, where did the name come from?!

(23:23) Anna is back in the classroom – pausing patternmaking to do so. What about being there makes her feel such joy?

(24:57) Learn about her passion for thrifting as she takes along with a description of her thrifting adventures.

(27:25) Fabric hoarding?! What’s this all about?!!

(29:46) Anna calls her ADHD her superpower and at times a source of frustration. If given the chance…would she want to NOT have ADHD? And, what about her “flow state”?

(32:30) What’s next for her and what’s her dream?

(35:23) Is there anything we didn’t ask?

(36:11) What to contact Anna? #so.lala or #so.lalapatterns

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

Today, we’re talking about something many of us have tucked away in a drawer or closet—T-shirts that carry memories.

Our guest, Andrea Funk, has spent more than 30 years finding a way to turn those memories into something you can actually see, use and enjoy. She’s the founder of Too Cool T-shirt Quilts and the creator of a multi-size block, puzzle-style approach to T-shirt quilting that grew out of a very simple question: How do you make a T-shirt quilt when nobody has given you the instructions?

Andrea started making T-shirt quilts professionally in 1992 after being asked to make one without having a pattern, instructions or even an example to follow. That first quilt became the beginning of a career—and ultimately led Andrea to develop several distinctive styles, including her Stained Glass and Ultra Modern T-shirt quilts.

But there’s much more to Andrea’s story. She has degrees in communications and graphic design, served in the U.S. Army as a military journalist, wrote the book How to Make a Too Cool Style T-shirt Quilt, has written more than 200 articles, and teaches quilters how to think about T-shirts as a design medium.

Today, we talk about how she learned to sew, the four quilting rules she broke without even realizing it, what makes her approach different, and some of the very special quilts she’s created over the years. We also talk about the stories people bring with their T-shirts, her love of bicycling and quilting, life in Michigan—and, of course, we meet Lucy, her very tiny dog.

(2:20) Andrea tells us how she learned to sew and all about the first machine she sewed on.

(3:38) How did Andres get started on t-shirt quilts?

(5:20) What did Andrea do as her “day jib” when she started her company and how did she balance everything?

(6:17) What are the four rules Andrea broke without knowing it?

(7:50) How did she come up with the name of her company?

(8:25) How is Too Cool different that other t-shirt quilting companies?

(10:10) What are the three different styles Andres created?

(11:50) What’s the most challenging thing for her when making a quilt?

(12:30) Andrea talks about her educational background and how it influences her work.

(16:14) Andrea talks about her Michigan location and invited people to visit.

(16:23) Andrea shares stories of some of the special quilts she’s made.

(18:05) Do people share the stories of the items they send to her for the quilts?

(18:50) Andrea shares information about the most important articles she’s written among the 200+.

(21:03) Andrea talks about her teaching.

(22:27) She tells us about her hobbies – biking and making quilts.

(23:28) What else does she use for materials for her quilts?

(24:11) Meet Lucy the micro dog!

(25:05) What’s next for Andrea and what’s her dream?

(26:30) Is there a question we didn’t ask?

(26:50) What to reach out to Andrea? www.toocooltshirts.com

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

Welcome to Sew & So…we’re excited to introduce you to someone whose work brings together so many of the things we talk about here on Sew & So—sewing, creativity, craftsmanship, and the incredible power of clothing to transform the way we see a person.

Amanda Lifvendahl is the Costume Shop Supervisor and Lead Designer at Interlochen Center for the Arts, the internationally renowned arts education community in northern Michigan. And when you hear Amanda talk about costumes, you quickly realize that what she does is about so much more than making beautiful clothes.

Amanda grew up in the Chicago area in a very creative family. Her parents were involved in community theater, so theater was part of her life from an early age. In high school, she started working with wardrobes and learning to sew—and somewhere along the way, she caught what she calls the “costume bug.”

But her path to costume design wasn't exactly a straight line. Amanda was actually studying to become a nurse when an acting class changed everything. She found herself costuming some of the scenes she was acting in, and her instructor suggested she take a closer look at costume design.

That little nudge eventually led her to Illinois State University, a 16-year adventure at Broadway Costumes in Chicago, and then, in 2018, to Interlochen Center for the Arts.

Today, Amanda designs costumes for theater and dance, works with productions ranging from Shakespeare to Broadway-style musicals and ballet, and mentors young artists who are discovering their own creative voices.

Hear about Amanda’s philosophy about what a costume really does. She sees it as the outer layer of a character—something that can tell us who that person is before they ever speak a word.

We’re going to talk about all of that …and we're also going to talk about the chickens! Because when Amanda and her husband moved to Interlochen, they were gifted 20 chickens. Today they have 24 chickens, 12 goldfish and a Cock-a-Poo named Delilah!

(4:03) How did Amanda learn to sew and who were her influencers?

(4:47) She grew up in a very artistic, creative and theatrical family. How did that influence her?

(7:05) In high school she caught the “costume bug”. How did this happen?

(8:57) How did the movie “Pretty in Pink” influence her love of creating cloths?

(10:50) She was studying to be a nurse when a costume class and that instructor changed her life.

(13:37) Amanda attended Illinois State University and studied in their world renown theatre department. She tells us about that time in her life.

(15:59) She said the “loosened up” Painting scenery at ISU. What does this mean?

(18:24) Amanda spent 16 years working at Broadway Costumes Chicago. She shares this adventure with us.

(21:40) Amanda shares a few stories with us about her time in Chicago at Broadway Costumes.

(24:31) In 2018 Amanda got her job at Interlochen…she tells us how this happened…and why she cried!

(26:17) She tells about Interlochen Center For the Arts; it’s history and how they’re preparing to celebrate their 100th anniversary. And how about her costume shop?

(28:13) Learn about the campus at Interlochen…”Hogwarts for the Arts”!

(30:58) How many costumes are in the costume shop?

(32:20) How about memorable students and productions?

(35:57) Learn Amanda’s philosophy about costuming and how the process begins for her.

(39:24) Amanda’s costumes are trult the first impression of a character…she tells us more!

(40:39) Amanda talks about her scoliosis and spinal fusion and how it influences her costume designs.

(42:38) Does she have to modify how she works today because of her physical challenges?

(44:58) What’s next for her and what’s her dream?

(45:55) You can find Amanda on Instagram @lifvenator

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.