Lenna Green of StitchingCow.com credits her grandmother with teaching her to sew and fondly remembers spending lots of time with her as a child doing different sewing crafts and projects. “I can remember making small items on the sewing machine with her and I still have some of these projects today including a small doll’s apron which was my first attempt. I also have memories of making my first quilt at the age of 14-15. I had no pattern and no real idea about cutting. I just took to some fabrics with a pair of scissors and then started sewing bits together. I’m glad to say that I have come along way since then.”
Green later studied at university and graduated with a Degree in Design and Technology, majoring in Food Technology and Textiles and Design. She spent a few years teaching high school students, then decided to take some time out to start a family. Green was approached to teach patchwork and quilting classes at a local fabric shop during this time, and she says that “one thing led to another and I now have an internet business that sells my patterns and sewing resources. I also manage a wholesale business, Little Green Cottage, that supplies retailers with my patterns.”
Green manages her businesses from her home, full-time. Her Stitching Cow website showcases original Australian designs that can be purchased as physical patterns or as downloadable e-patterns. This means that customers can download their pattern choices to their own computers within a few minutes of purchasing them. Her website also offers sewing enthusiasts many useful resources and helpful information about sewing related topics. The site has recently grown to include online classes and monthly pattern programs. There is also a video resource available to teach people how to embroider.
The designs that Green supplies to retailers, marketed under the name Little Green Cottage, include block of the month quilt projects, cloth dolls, sewing accessory type projects as well as wall hangings and bags. Her work has appeared in such leading magazines as Homespun, Country Threads, Patchwork and Stitching and Patchwork and Quilting.
Green plans to expand her business by representing other talented Australian designers. She envisions the Stitching Cow website as a portal for other designers to showcase their work to the world and looks forward to designing and producing more electronic resources to help fellow sewers enjoy their passion to create. Be sure to join the mailing list while visiting her site, and check out her blog for all the latest news and information.
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