Creating

My name is Terri Flint. I am a self taught seamstress/sewer starting at about 8 or 9 years of age. My mom could only do basic mending and thought a machine might help her. She found one at a garage sale for I think $25. It sat in the box and she never used it. I asked if I could try and figure it out and she let me. I started looking at my doll and Barbie clothes to see how they were made. Before long I was making things by hand and on machine. I’ve always been an artsy person and love creating. In my teens started making clothing, purses, pillows and more for myself and others. I made my prom dresses too. I’ve always worked, did daycare in my home for years when I became a mom of two beautiful daughters. I took other jobs in banking and retail when I got divorced. I did sewing jobs for others, but very minimal because I was very busy as a single mom. When my daughters went to college, I decided to go to. I earned a degree in criminal justice and landed a job at a mental health non- profit organization. I became a supervisor of 7 different community programs and loved my job, my coworkers and my clients that we served. I love helping others! it was a perfect job for me. I believed so much in the mind, body, spirit connection and was always learning how to be a healthier person using essential oils, exercising, and eating well, not only because I wanted to be a healthy , energetic and strong grandma to keep up with my granddaughters. I also wanted to teach and share with all my clients. The agency I worked for allowed me to be creative and hold conferences for our clients where they could learn about alternative health. I was an activities coordinator where I got to plan and hold four dances a year with karaoke, take them on trips and outings and basically give them opportunities they wouldn’t be able to do on their own. I’m also a singer so guess who got to sing a lot and get paid for it! My clients were my biggest fans!

I was always doing my seamstress work on the side and more and more people found me. I was at the 14th year of my job and my first granddaughter was 3 years old. I decided to make a go of just the sewing business so I can spend more time with her and her sister who was on the way. I gave my notice and called it refreshment instead of retirement. Retirement sounds like you’re going to sleep! I started officially full time in 2019. I do my work right at home and love every minute of it. My business is called Sew Many Things By Terri and is on Facebook. Although Covid hindered 2020 somewhat, I still did ok. I used the time to start promoting memory pillows out of a loved ones clothing and sachets with beads that can be scented with the loved ones perfume. People were at home more so they were able to find the time to pull out the clothing of their deceased loved ones and get to me. Recently, I did a memory blanket for a Mom to give her son for his birthday,with clothing from when he was a baby through the years of high school. They both loved it! People have been catching on especially around the holidays so they can give to other family members as gifts. I made my business more official by filing for an LLC in 2020. I love creating these and bringing some joy to people’s lives. Happy tears are always good!

Another fun thing I made was a jingle dress for my oldest granddaughter. My granddaughters are part Mohegan and the older one wanted to wear to the pow-wow. Unfortunately because of covid they cancelled the Pow-wow. But she loves to wear and dance anyway! Now I will have to make a bigger one for her and one for my other granddaughter for when they get back to doing the pow-wows. (Please refer to the picture!) I love creating and making people happy at the same time.

Right now I am so busy with last minute alterations on prom dresses and upcoming weddings and graduation dresses. I have another memory blanket order and lots of basic mending and pant hems. I want to start making memory bears and more children’s clothing, but I save that for the in between times and winter when I’m not as busy. I would also love to sell on Etsy someday and hopefully that someday will be within a year from now. I have found joy and am loving my life!