Teachers

Bobbe Adkins

My sewing experience began at an early age in the days of yore when I was about 5 or 6. My mother had an old Singer and I was often her shadow watching and admiring her wonderful handiwork. She was "the" seamstress in our small town and taught her 3 daughters how to sew the "right" way. Home Ec in junior high was mandatory. Our instructor was Mrs. Reed, and I'm pretty sure that it wasn't THE Mrs. Donna Reed, that loveable American pie mom from "Donna Reed Show". MY Mrs. Reed was grumpy, sarcastic in her instruction, and most importantly excelled in criticism for all! Her mode of operation was the Guess and Go method, and in the sewing biz does not work! I was FORCED to sew HER way in class, and when coming home from class with my finished project (which for some reason was a grade of D or F) my mother AGHAST made me disassemble the ENTIRE| project and redo it! It's a miracle to this day ant I love to sew and actually complete my project too! The reason that I have UFP (unfinished projects) is because I've got too many going at once!) My first sewing thrill and conquest was entering a purple gingham apron that I entered in the county fair when I was 9, and by golly ended up getting a red ribbon and and my picture in the paper! WOW! And the rest is history! I've had my fanny slapped in my sewing chair ever since! My passion is sewing EVERYTHING! Okay, let me clarify that - I meant sewing everything but garments! I do enjoy sewing quilts, table runners, ornaments, baby and children's clothing-whatevery flops my mop. I also enjoy machine embroidery. I'm just crazy about it! You'll notice that my teaching method includes alot of fun and laughter. Perfection may not be achieved (that comes with lots of time), but we'll certainly be laughing between the stitches on your project and the wrinkles in your fabric will transfer to a smile on your face! At the end of the class we'll be professional "sew and sews". Please come to have a good time with me. NOTE: I have a quirky thing - touching every bolt of fabric I walk by in the fabric/quilt store! Am I the only one? Philosophy: I may not know everything, but at least I know something!

Lynda Lutz

Hi, I'm Lynda I've been with Montavilla Sewing Center for 18 years and enjoy my jobs of teaching and selling because it's a happy place to be with other ladies who love to sew. My sewing career began by hand sewing doll clothes at age 7. My mother began teaching my sister and I to sew on her Singer machine . By high school I was sewing some of my own clothes. My worst sewing nightmare was when I tried to make a pair of knit pants for my daughter without knowing how. I used a straight stitch on the machine-mistake! The seams popped open much to my daughter's horror, and she refused to allow me to sew for her anymore! I took a stretch and sew class and learned how to do it the correct way. But because of that, I have compassion for new sewers because I've been there!

Billie Martin

As a child, I remember watching my mother spend many hours at a treadle sewing machine sewing clothes for our family. Our choices for fabrics were colorful flower sacks. The great find at that time was finding fabrics that would actually match for that perfect dress. My love for sewing did not surface until I was married and stumbled around trying to buy cloths that fit, and economically, I could get more for my money. Then I started a home business making the cheer leader clothing for our local high school. From there my business went to alterations and weddings. After my retirement I purchased my dream machine, Viking #1+complete with embroidery. After learning the software, I felt that this completed what I had started many years ago, and had a great desire to learn more. My dealer could not teach me at that time, but sent me for training. I had no desire to teach, but was given the opportunity to share my knowledge with a few customers and fell in love with sharing my passion. I came on board with Montavilla as an instructor in 1999. I felt so lucky to be a part of watching the home embroidery boom explode. Brett has been a great fried and encourager through this process and I do enjoy teaching others my passion. I am a 'wannabe' quilter and this will be my next challenge.