Just sew, you know? A conversation's thread

Nicole Morgenthau, owner of Finch Sewing Studio in downtown Leesburg, Va., joined Post staff writer Jura Koncius last week on our Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt:

Q. What are your thoughts on making slipcovers at home? I have a home-grade machine, fair sewing skills and two to four modern upholstered chairs and a sofa to slipcover. A pro can do a great job faster, but the cost difference is huge. I'm going for an unfussy shape, possibly edge-stitched instead of piped, in a white cotton or linen twill. My goal is to be able to launder the covers a few times per season.

A. There are projects that are not worth the struggle in a home setting (without the benefit of professional equipment, experience, etc.). But I think if you are someone who will be more proud of your space and your work because you put your own hand to it, this is the right project for you!

Q. I've sewed most of my life (mostly garments, some quilting), but only with a pretty basic home-grade sewing machine. I just upgraded two years ago to a new computerized machine with some fancier stitch patterns and such, but I've always wondered if owning a serger would be worth the cost. I'm not making a ton of items, maybe a clothing item every month or two.

A. I love this question. What you need to know is that sergers are accessories. Many people think that not having a serger is holding them back from doing really "great" sewing, but that is not the case. I have two words for you: French seams. That said, I have a serger, and I love it, but I don't use it every day. It does make fast work of finishing a garment, that's for sure.

Q. I was reupholstering some dining room chairs, and I had a lot of trouble getting the fabric to tuck right around the seat. I also had trouble keeping the fabric stain-free. How should I go about reupholstering these seats?

A. There's a great book that will be a big help. It's called "Spruce: A Step-by-Step Guide to Upholstery and Design," by Amanda Brown.

Q. How can I get my kids interested in sewing and knitting? I really want them to know how to do some of these wonderful crafts.

A. Let them play! Kids love to play, and they will come up with amazing things on their own. My philosophy when teaching kids is to allow them lots of free rein. They develop an idea on their own, we fine-tune it and design it together, and then I help them throughout the project, giving them the skills they need as they go. Parents tend to give more input than is necessary. If you let kids pick out and design on their own, they'll be really proud of themselves. You've got to have patience. This can be really hard for parents who are teaching their kids to knit or sew (or do anything, for that matter). Remember that they are thinking about a lot of moving parts, so the instructions you gave them two seconds ago may have been replaced by another thought the moment the instruction was given. You'll be repeating yourself a lot.

Q. Why did you give up your job in the school system to open a store? Was it hard?

A. Yes, it was hard! Several years ago, I moved cross-country for my husband's job. At the time, our daughter was 9 months old, taking two naps a day, and I was friendless in a new town. I needed something to do. I fell back on my lifelong love for sewing. Luckily we moved into a neighborhood that had a vibrant sewing and crafting community, so I plugged in there. When we moved back to Virginia, I found that there was no such community/store in Leesburg (or Loudoun County), so I knew I needed to make that happen myself.

Q. Were you always a sewer and knitter? Many women dream about opening their own store. How did you make this happen?

A. Crafting is something I had the good fortune to grow up with. I was taught by my mother and grandmother, and my sister and I grew up making things together. I like to say that we all get along best when we're making something together. I made the business happen because I have a really supportive husband and family. They build me up. It's super scary to start your own business, but if you have the support and a whole lot of courage, you can do it. I also keep good relationships with others in the business.

Q. What has been the best way to reach out to and keep in touch with customers?

A. Social media has been my best ally in developing a presence online. But I think emails are very effective, too. Never underestimate the power of personalized attention. I try really hard to remember names so I can follow up with people personally.

Q. How did you build a customer base so quickly for your brick-and-mortar shop?

A.: We have a parking garage right next to our shop, so parking is not an issue. I think our customer base grew quickly because our business is more than just retail. The social aspect is very important to me. People feel very validated and excited when others recognize their creative work.