My mom taught me how to sew when I was very young. She sewed out of necessity and as a way to pass the time when she was mourning the death of my father. In a way, sewing was my mom’s art—a healing tool.

I used to watch her for hours. I remember waking up to the whir of the sewing machine and feeling a sense of comfort. And even years later I still kept all my sewing supplies: threads, pins, patterns, buttons, and fabrics. Sewing was such a big part of my life, I can’t—nor do I need to—part with them, even years after I stopped sewing because I can buy everything I want.

Yet when I look at this fabric, I think How did my mom find the time to make so many beautiful things?

While I was designing these fabrics, there were times when I wanted to give up. But each time I thought of my mom’s dedication, and of my amazing mentor @bonniechristine who taught me that to get ahead and succeed you will have to compromise and put in long hours, work weekends, and late nights…So I pushed through one minute at a time towards my creative dreams. Getting my first samples from https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/tammy_machmali after a year of learning how to turn my drawings into patterns. Now, to have these designs on fabric means so much to me!!!

If you would like to learn more about pattern design, check out Bonnie Christine’s classes and community. She offers this month 2022 Free Workshop: Secrets to Success in Surface Pattern Design https://www.surfacepatterndesigners.com/a/2147504583/ygHFpRFr AND I highly recommend Bonnie Christine Immersion course https://www.surfacepatterndesigners.com/a/2147504582/ygHFpRFr Being able to make all these patterns on fabric and paper was always one of my dreams. AND you can do it too.

My mom learned to sew from my grandma; my great grandmother Mamanjoon probably from her own mom too. Grandma sewed clothes, bedding, tablecloths, and mended her own clothes; she could sew anything. She passed this skill onto my mother who naturally wanted to pass it on to me. Only I didn’t want to show her that I liked to sew. I wanted to read, paint, and spend time with my friends instead.

In a way, keeping my sewing supplies and looking at these fabrics from time to time was my way of keeping these memories close to me and saying I appreciate my mom, my grandma, my past, and now I can’t wait to create some beautiful memories with my daughters painting and sometimes sewing too.

Check back to see what I’ve created! Now most of these these designs are available on Spoonflower https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/tammy_machmali. Being able to make all these patterns on fabric and paper was always one of my dreams. AND you can do it too.

If you would like to learn more about pattern design, check out Bonnie Christine’s classes and community. She offers this month 2022 Free Workshop: Secrets to Success in Surface Pattern Design https://www.surfacepatterndesigners.com/a/2147504583/ygHFpRFr AND I highly recommend Bonnie Christine Immersion course https://www.surfacepatterndesigners.com/a/2147504582/ygHFpRFr

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

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