Jolene Newman rocks!!!

Ten years ago or so a student named Jolene Newman came to my seminar(s).  She brought a tiny wing chair that she covered during the seminar; now she has made a new cover featuring buttons on the skirt.  Isn't it wonderful???
Here's a shot of her neat and very complete workroom:

Before and after photos: 

Jolene, I have never seen neater work!!!  Many more happy years of slipcover making. 

Dede O'Hair's Workroom Buttons

Dede O'Hair's West Village Studio offers snap buttons, pin buttons (for ties, lapels, etc.) and tack buttons for upholstery.  They come in all sizes, and are easy to cover with your own fabric.  Fabric-covered buttons can now be snap closures for our slipcovers!!!  Also for duvets, pillows, and clothing....

Owner Dede O'Hair started sewing on her mother's Kenmore at the age of five.  Her award-winning work has appeared on the A&E television network and is often showcased in regional publications.  She is a frequent contributor to trade journals, and teaches at industry conferences throughout the country.

All the best, Dede!!!

Star-Spangled July 4 Slipcovers

 From  Slipcover Shop.com  you can order anything .... zippered cushion covers to wing chair covers complete with fabric.  Dining chair covers are only $49! Delivery is promised in 5 working days.

The whole product line can be seen or you can go straight to the fabric sample page and browse by pattern or color. 

Measurements are required and there is no return on custom made covers, of course.

Introducing John French

One of my former students, John French, is also teaching slipcover making.  Starting in Dallas, after a few years in Wales, John is back in the US in the Seattle area.  His site just keeps getting better and better and his photo gallery of students' work includes more student pictures and messages than any site of this kind.

Here's to you, John.  May you enjoy teaching as much as I do.  Many more happy years....

Becky Spicer

In 1999 Becky Spicer walked into my shop on Park Hill for the first time.  She said: "Hi, I am Becky Spicer and I have moved here from Dallas.  I make slipcovers."  Turns out her former name was Becky Pena, and she was already very popular in the Dallas area..

Becky learned to make slipcovers from her grandmother.  She said she used to hide under the sewing table and fall asleep.  This picture shows Becky pinning a very unusual arm style, flat on top with an "S" curve.  This chair is an open arm chair, but the slipcover will likely cover the entire chair, wood and all.

I offered Becky a job and she worked in the Park Hill shop for a year or so.  During that time she made friends with my daughter, Anne Kuykendall, who was also working there.  They are still close friends and have made trips to Florida together to visit Anne's brother, Bill Reese.

During the Slipcover Summit that was held here in Fort Worth, Becky taught a class on closings, which was very well received. She makes beautiful slipcovers.  Her website is at http://beckyspicer.com/

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Sources for Slipcover Tools

Through the years I have collected a good many sources for tools as well as supplies.  One of my favorites is Banasch's.  They are in Cincinnati, Ohio and carry all kind of supplies and equipment for anybody in the business of sewing.  They have shears, machines, boiler irons, chairs for machine work, you name it.

Another is C. S. Osborne & Co. who are in Harrison, N. J.  Their things are sold through distributors, whose names you can find on the web site..  They have tools and supplies for upholsters and awning and canvas workers.

Atlanta Thread & Supply can be reached at 1-800-847-1001.  They guarantee same day shipping.  They carry machines, lots of types of thread (a thread color chart is in their catalog) They have WISS shears in the 10" size that I use in the shop, and have a special pair for left handed people.  They have pins, tailor's chalk and poly bags.

R. H. Rowley Co. is the favorite in North Carolina.
They have the new quick-release rings that you need if you are making Roman shades.  They have Gutermann thread and polyester batting.  They also offer feather and down bedding and pillow forms

Please send in your own favorite sources.  In the weeks ahead I will focus on one type of tool or supplies that we all find useful.

All the best,  Pat R.

Noah Bazer, my mentor and friend

Noah has been gone from the planet for ten years or so.  I sure miss him.  He was a terrific slipcover maker from New York City originally.  These photos were slides from the 1970's which do not convert to the web especially well.  But I sure like having some tribute to him on my blog and I want to give a shout out to all of his family.  I still hear from them occasionally.

Here he is working on one of the sewing machines.  The other man in the picture is the barber from around the corner of our shop at 2251 College Avenue in south Fort Worth.  Noah always took care of our machines and he also sharpened our shears with a hand sharpener that isn't available any more.  You could take the blades apart and sharpen them each one  at an exact 15 degree angle, so they stayed sharp for a long time.

This picture was made at the opening reception for Westgate Fabrics location in Grand Prairie.  In those days they had a screening plant as well as a warehouse and a staff of people who drew exclusive designs for them.

Noah made slipcovers till he was 80 years old.  Then he sold his shop to me and went to Florida to live.  I saw him a couple of times after that.  I sure miss him.  Here's to you, Noah!!