For nearly four decades, Becky Peelen has been helping people look and feel their best through the art of custom sewing. As the owner of Becky's Custom Sewing & Design Shoppe in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood, she has created garments for weddings, graduations, performances, and countless milestone moments, becoming a trusted part of generations of families' lives.

In this special episode of Sew & So, we honor Becky as she prepares for retirement after 37 years in business. Becky reflects on learning to sew from her mother at age eight, balancing family, teaching, and advanced sewing studies, and building a career centered on craftsmanship, creativity, and care for others. Along the way, she shares lessons from influential mentors, stories from decades of custom sewing, and her belief that sewing is truly an art form—where every person is a unique canvas and every garment tells a story.

It's a heartfelt conversation about legacy, creativity, community, and a life beautifully stitched together.

(3:00) How did Becky learn to sew and who inspired her? Learn about her mother Margerite, broomstick skirts and her first store bought dress.

(7:05) When did Becky know that sewing wasn’t just a hobby…it was her path?

(8:44) How did art and her teaching career influence her sewing

(10:30) Becky talks about the season in her life when she was going to school and raising her children and teaching at night – many thanks to her mom!

( 12:21) What specific lesson did Becky learn from Harriet Sherbach?

(14:45) How did teaching influence her sewing practice?

(15:55) What made her open Becky’s Custom Sewing Shop in Milwaukee in 1988?

(16:22) Her favorite thing to talk about…the many stories of the people she’s sewed for…like the Milwaukee Sewing Granny’s, individuals and so many more!

(19:11) How does her family feel about her retiring?

(20:41) Becky is an artist and describes sewing as art. She talks about her creative process of sewing.

(24:39) How dies she feel when she looks back on the families she’s sewed for…and the memories she’s made for them.

(26:15) What’s her dream for retirement?

(27:39) What was her favorite place to visit in her travels? Here some wonderful stories.

(30:20) Some final thoughts from Becky.

Want to reach out to Becky? Facebook – Becky Peelen. Tell her you heard her on this podcast!

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

On this episode of Sew & So, we welcome Catherine Holbrook—garment sewist, Bernina Ambassador, former pattern designer, and the creative force behind Bringing Sewing Back. What began as a simple search for a hobby evolved into a thriving creative career built on garment sewing, thrift-store refashioning, pattern design, and a highly engaged online community. Catherine shares her journey from sewing beginner to industry influencer, discusses her audience-designed ball gowns, reflects on teaching her daughter to sew, and explains why sewing continues to be a source of creativity, purpose, and connection in her life.

(2:18) Hear the story about Juniper Joy!

(3:13) How did Catherine start sewing at age 26? Who was her inspiration?

(5:52) How’s Haddie doing learning to sew?

(7:36) Catherine started sewing through refashioning cloths. She explains what this is, how she does it and talks about the first garment she refashioned.

(10:20) Does she still refashion?

(11:18) How did she start working for Styla Patterns and what does it take to design patterns

(14:01) Catherine creates ballgowns twice a year with 50% participation from her Instagram followers. She tells us how this works.

(15:57) What are the big events she designs these gowns for?

(19:02) Catherine talks about her social media audience and what she’s done to successfully grow it. She credits authenticity.

(21:22) She shares a few special stories about interacting with her audience

(22:18) Learn about her mother-in-law’s quilts and why they are so very special to her.

(23:05) Why does she think that quilting is so different that quilting?

(25:00) Catherine introduces us to her family

(27:20) She is a woman of faith…how does this drive and affect her work?

(28:55) What’s next for her and what’s her dream?

(29:58) Is there anything we didn’t ask that she wanted us to? Well – yes there was! Hear her thoughtful response.

(31:39) You can reach out the Catherine on Instagram @bringingsewingback or email her at Bringingsewingback@gmail.com

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

If you've ever purchased a sewing machine, serger, embroidery machine, or any new piece of equipment and then felt completely intimidated by it, today's guest understands exactly how you feel.

Sue O'Very—better known as Sookie of Sookie Sews—has made it her mission to help sewists move from fear to confidence. Since joining us for our 50th episode back in 2023, Sue has become one of the industry's most recognized serger educators, helping thousands of sewists finally take their sergers out of the box and put them to use.

But today's conversation goes far beyond sewing.

We'll talk about Sue's journey from sewing Barbie doll clothes as a child to designing products around the world, how she found clarity and purpose after a difficult chapter in her personal life, and why she believes confidence comes from showing up consistently—for yourself and for others.

Whether you're a dedicated serger user, a lifelong sewist, or simply someone who appreciates stories of personal growth, I think you'll find inspiration in Sue's journey.

(2:45) Sue recounts her life events and what she’s been up to since we last caught up with her.

(9:45) What’s the Serge and Dream Club for Sue’s Serger Bees?!

(10:33) Sue explains the Serger and what it does.

(14:45) Sue shares portions of her personal life and what has occurred since her last Sew & So episode.

(18:50) Sue talks about her favorite author Robin Sharma and her favorite quote about change.

(21:25) She talks about her 100 lb. weight loss and how it’s affected her life overall. How hard was it to stay off of sweets and to begin to eat better.

(23:40) Sue talks about the book “The 5am Club”, how it’s changed her life as she’s put its ideas into practice.

(26:11) Who is Marie Fiallo and how have her programs and writings helped Sue? What is the center of these learnings?

(31:05) What does Sue want people to know about her as she is today?

(34:04) What’s Sue working on right now? Her “New Bees”, growing the Serger Dream Club, fresh content, and the next levels for the intermediate serger course.

(36:05) What’s her dream?

(37:11) Want to reach out to Sue? Sookie Sews on Instagram, YouTube, Sookiesews.com and join the “Serger Loop” newsletter

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.