I can’t ever even remember when I wasn’t doing something creative! It all started in the kitchen of my childhood home. A little child sized folding table and chairs nestled in the corner. Mom always kept it stocked with all the good basics. I would color, cut, tape and glue (lots and lots of tape and paste!)stuff together for hours on end. When I got older,I would sit on my bed and at my desk and only get excited about doing homework if I had different colored stick pens to write with!
When we were kids, my father built my sister and ‘ human-size’ dollhouse in our back yard. I would be out there first thing in the morning and well after sunset playing records and crafting. Girls Scouts, afterschool clubs, I was always in with the artsy kids. Not having a craft store near by, we had to be resourceful and that was half the fun, figuring out how to make something without the perfect supplies! Fast forward to college, where I continued sewing most of my clothes on my Great Aunt Angie’s ol’ featherweight Singer (which I still have!).
I feel so blessed to have a great in-house studio, where I have been teaching children of all ages how to hand and machine sew, bead, embroider and dye fabric for over 15 years. It is such a gift to share my knowledge! What is also amazing is that I am always learning from my students as well! It is such a shared experience! I try my best to observe, listen and determine which is the most effective way to teach each individual. Many of my students benefit from different or a combination of several sensory approaches. Even better to enhance and bring the learning to another level!
Most gratifying are the times when a student’s face lights up after an “A Ha”moment! We both feel the rush of success and sense of achievement when a technique is understood and actualized. A hometown friend of mine often says that I’ve taught every kid in our town how to sew! An exaggeration for sure, but a huge compliment! And as for my adult students who haven’t touched a sewing machine or needle and thread since grade school, they are the brave ones who are excited to relearn and embrace all the old and new methods and tools! I am not just their facilitator but also their cheerleader and biggest fan!!
You can find Elizabeth usually with a needle and thread in her hand … and here
Join Elizabeth in the Fall in Stamford for her wonderful workshop: Art Threads