470 - When in Doubt, Go to the Library
Sew Much More
Running a custom workroom means wearing all the hats—fabricator, business owner, problem-solver, and sometimes… Google detective. But what if you didn’t have to figure it all out on your own? In this episode, Ceil DiGuglielmo (your friendly industry Librarian) shares the real value of having a trusted place to turn for answers. You’ll hear stories from Library members, learn what kind of support actually moves the needle in your business, and discover why community and curated resources make all the difference. Whether you’re a long-time member of the Curtains & Soft Furnishings...
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469 - Listener Favorite - Annette Faber
Sew Much More
Annette Faber is the owner of which provides custom window treatments, bedding, and other soft furnishings to interior designers. Kaylee’s Creations exists to support interior designers by providing exceptionally crafted soft furnishings. They strive to be part of the design team and to make their part of the process both enjoyable and stress-free for their client. They will go above and beyond to make sure that their client knows that they care about their business and how they are a reflection of them. Annette is a resident of Greenville, SC and is a wife, mother to 4 children...
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468 - Selina Scott - Community Over Competition
Sew Much More
Selina Scott is the owner of , a custom workroom and upholstery studio in Beaverton, Oregon. While her business is only three years old, she has 19 years of custom fabrication experience from her employment at a workroom in Portland and then working on the side while being a stay-at-home parent. She enjoys sewing all kinds of things for herself and family, gardening, knitting, and camping road trips. and Links and Resources; (Some of the links I provide, specifically to Amazon and a few others, require me to let you know that if you use those links and...
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467 - Bree Bacon - Your Elite Energy
Sew Much More
Bree Bacon is a dynamic business leader, speaker, and author with over two decades of experience at leading organizations. She holds an MBA from Duke University and a BA in Business/Economics and Music from Wheaton College. A survivor of stage three, triple-negative breast cancer, Bree brings grit, grace, and deep gratitude to her mission: helping people rise above burnout and tap into their personal best capacity. Her debut book, Your Elite Energy, launches June 2025. In physics, energy is the capacity to do work; elite means the best or most effective....
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466 - Madison Stauffer - I Feel Like Architecture and Upholstery go Hand in Hand
Sew Much More
When Madison Stauffer graduated from Kent State in 2021 with an architecture degree, she decided to combine her sense of design and love of vintage furniture with her fledgling upholstering skills. Enter in Canton, Ohio, where she’s worked for three years. Among her other duties, she helps customers find the perfect fabric for their specific pieces, with considerations given for durability, the furniture’s original character, how it will be used, and how a fabric will lay across it. She also creates vision boards to help customers visualize fabric combinations and help them make...
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465 - Listener Favorite - Cathy Cohane
Sew Much More
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464 - Burnout, Boundaries and Working Smart
Sew Much More
Today's episode is dedicated to our mental health as we work so hard on our businesses. Resources and Links; Mental Health Resources; Meditation apps; Calm, Happier, Headspace, Insight Timer (Some of the links I provide, specifically to Amazon and a few others, require me to let you know that if you use those links and make a purchase, I will make some money. I won't make a million dollars, but I might be able to get a cup of coffee, so thank you!)
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463 - Listener Favorite - Robin Reynolds
Sew Much More
Robin Reynolds started her drapery workroom, , in 2007 when her last child was completing high school. Robin's clientele has grown principally by word of mouth amongst private individuals and commercial interior designers. Robin and her husband reside in Norman, OK. Links & Resources; The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;
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462 - Amy Sadera - I Have Honed in on The Type of Client I Want to Work With
Sew Much More
Amy Sadera began Windows By Amy in her home in Phoenix, MD in 2017; focusing on window treatments, cushions, and pillows. Coming off a career in engineering to raise her children, Amy wanted to have a creative outlet, source of income and the flexibility that owning a workroom provided. She builds relationships with retail clients that involve designing, fabricating and installing her luxury custom products. Outside of the workroom, Amy enjoys cooking, gardening, and spending time with her husband, two children and pets. You can find Amy on and The Sew Much More Podcast is...
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462 - Jenny Lilly - I Want to Be Close to The Client
Sew Much More
Jenny Lilly is an interior artisan and designer specializing in window treatments and other soft home furnishings. She operates a full-service fabrication studio from Hickory, NC known as . She creates one-of-a-kind window treatments, bedding ensembles, table coverings, and pillows, while also offering blinds, shades, and shutters. Her clients are drawn to the inspiration, couture details, and functionality her creations bring to their homes. When Jenny is not creating with her hands, she enjoys a worthy cup of coffee, outdoor activities, and traveling alongside her...
info_outlineIn 1999 Jes and Wes were on a quest to work for themselves and have more control over their own time. That's when they created Crown Upholstery. After 25 years they have definitely worked, but they have yet to gain much control over their time. Jesica is the 5th generation in her family to be enticed by the upholstery lifestyle. Growing up in her grandparents shop, in Glendale Arizona, she witnessed first hand the freedoms upholstery had to offer as well as the hard work one has to put in to be successful in this craft. Wes was raised in Maryland and had never known upholstery to be anything other than something you did to the interiors of cars. The sirens of upholstery began to sing to him on a visit to Jesica's grandparents house. He saw their home based shop and the countless processes that go into this craft and quickly fell in love. Having a background in auto mechanics he was already primed for the problem solving journey that upholstery provides. He took a few classes taught by Jesica's grandfather, Frank, and then began his apprenticeship with him after Frank saw the enthusiasm and attention to detail Wes had. Within a few years of walking into an upholstery shop for the first time, Wes was starting his own. It began in a tiny one car garage that shared space with laundry machines, holiday decorations and lawn equipment but it did the job. Jesica had experience in accounting and she's much better at organization and management of things so that made the decision of who would be boss really easy. They moved across country a couple of times searching for a place to settle down and eventually landed in east Tennessee. In the 17 years living and working in Knoxville they have established a reputation for quality upholstery and excellent customer service. For the majority of their upholstery career they have been a home based business. In 2018 they purchased their first commercial space. A 1920's grocery store with an apartment above. They were officially a business based home. Within a few years, and after hiring another upholsterer Crown Upholstery was ready for more growth. Jesica found and purchased another building in the same neighborhood. This allowed them to bring on another full-time upholsterer. Jesica was now coordinating the schedules of 3 upholsterers along with everything else that goes into running a business. They still live above the old upholstery shop but it is now a Hair salon that Jesica manages as well. There's a reason she won Knoxville's Women owned business of the year 2024. Even when they aren't working together they still enjoy spending time together. Whether it's camping, sifting through junks shops or riding bikes. They are rarely seen very far apart.