What languages do you speak, other than English?
conversational French

What do you do at Britex?
I am the lace purveyor at the bridal kiosk.

What kind of sewing/art/craft do you do?
Water color paintings, Halloween costumes, really cute skirts and accessories are my specialties.

What influenced you to start sewing?
Doll cloths. My mom taught me to sew and I continue because I cannot resist the seductive fabrics.

How long have you been sewing?
I took sewing in Home Economics in high school--so about 50 years.

What is the most interesting part about working at Britex?
It makes me happy to meet people who are making amazing things, talk to them about their projects and find the best and most beautiful solutions.

What is your favorite recipe?
Macaroni and cheese with lobster (or crab) - a slight departure from Ina Garten's recipe (the Barefoot Contessa)

What languages do you speak, other than English?
Muggle(?)

What do you do at Britex?
I work in notions on the 3rd floor. I’ve also worked on the 2nd floor with many different fabric types. And My first year here I worked on 4th floor, remnants and utility fabrics. I am lucky to have been able to move around—I have learned something new in each department.

What kind of sewing/art/craft do you do?
I quilt, crochet, embroider. I ‘m a photographer and collage artist as well. I try to incorporate a little bit of everything in whatever I create.

What influenced you to start sewing?
My mom sewed, so I sewed!

How long have you been sewing?
Since childhood in one form or another, so since age 8 or 9?

What is the most interesting part about working at Britex?
I am constantly inspired by being surrounded by so many talented crafters and seamstresses and seamsters (customers and employees alike)!

What is your favorite recipe?
Mrs. Wests Dish. 1 lb ground round/1 large onion, chopped/1 can kidney beans/1 lg can tomatoes and liquid/1 cup small shell macaroni/salt, pepper, oregano, basil to taste. Brown meat slightly/add chopped onion to beef and sauté/add beans and tomatoes/add macaroni and seasoning, cover and let simmer until macaroni is done. Works really well in an electric frying pan, and feeds a crowd!

What languages do you speak, other than English?
Just English

What do you do at Britex?
Mostly I rock out in the basement receiving new goods, preparing fabrics for the sales floor, maintaining stock and occasionally assisting customers on the sales floor.

What kind of sewing/art/craft do you do?
I sew jeans, bags and jackets.

What influenced you to start sewing?
Sewing things that I wanted just seemed like a better idea than having to pay money for them.

How long have you been sewing?
About 16 years

What is the most interesting part about working at Britex?
Receiving unique fabrics, stuff that otherwise cannot be found in this country.  Other favorite activities include changing the water cooler for the 4th floor ladies, pestering the 3rd floor girls, and saving brides-to-be from bridal panic.

What is your favorite recipe?
BACON

What languages do you speak, other than English?
Farsi

What do you do at Britex?
I’m a professional gadabout. Seriously, I develop and manage Britex’s social networking forays, manage our online store, order fulfillment, and virtually spin Britex’s in-store music. Our employees and customers are an international bunch that I enjoy making happy, so I love trying to make sure that our store playlist includes music from as many countries as possible. It keeps us dancing!

What kind of sewing/art/craft do you do?
Currently I mostly sew clothing for myself, my children, grandchildren and pals. I’ve also done quilting, knitting, cross-stitch and a limited amount of odd-ball crafting. My latest projects have been rubber gaiters, bow ties, and attempting sundry men’s tailoring techniques. I am a professional painter and have shown my work nationally.

What influenced you to start sewing?
My mother sewed and was a great role model, but I really learned how to sew out of boredom. I spent my teenage summers on digs in Iran, and started drafting and hand-sewing reproductions of historical dress from a costume book. The first thing that I made, liked and wore was a loose reproduction of an 1805 French post-Revolution empire dress that I made in vibrant wool challis.

How long have you been sewing?
I’ve been sewing since 1968.

What is the most interesting part about working at Britex?
Aside from the always fascinating crew here, I adore drooling over Liberty of London’s seasonal swatch books. Someday I’ll make that pair of paisley cotton lawn pajamas with piping that I long for!

What is your favorite recipe?
Stay-in-Bed-all-Day-and-Let-Them-Eat-Cake Pound Cake

FULL RECIPE (RING or BUNDT PAN)
— 2 c flour
— ½ tea baking powder
— ¼ tea salt
— 2 sticks/1 c butter, softened
— 1 ½ c sugar
— 3 large eggs
— 1 tea fresh lemon zest
— 1 tea vanilla
— ½ c milk
HALF RECIPE (LOAF PAN)
— 1 c flour
— 1/4 tea baking powder
— 1/8 tea salt
— 1 stick/1/2 c butter, softened
— 3/4 c sugar
— 2 large eggs
— 1/2 tea fresh lemon zest
— 1/2 tea vanilla
— a bit less than 1/4 c milk
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350º. Grease and flour pan. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer at 5 min with a handheld mixer or 3 min with a stand mixer. Add eggs one at a time, beating between additions. Beat in zest and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour and milk in batches....beginning and ending with flour. Spoon batter into pan and bake 1 to 1 ¼ hours or until done. Best eaten in bed off of china plates.
** This browns quickly, so you may need to cover the cake with foil during the end of the baking time to prevent charring.

What languages do you speak, other than English?
Portuguese and Spanish

What do you do at Britex?
Ah. My time at Britex is spent behind the scenes as a member of the office staff.

What kind of sewing/art/craft do you do?
The clothing I make are practical and rustic -- long wool underwear, linen & wool tunic dresses with great big pockets and waxed cotton pants for riding bicycles in the rain. My favorite things to make are custom need-based projects, for example a water proof bicycle basket bag that can be lifted off the bike and used  as a backpack or shoulder bag.

What influenced you to start sewing?
My grandma. She never asked or told me to sew. I just grew up seeing and hearing the sewing machine go.

How long have you been sewing?
13 years

What is the most interesting part about working at Britex?
There is never a dull moment. It takes a lot of dedication and good communication from every staff member to run this big old fashioned fabric store.

What is your favorite recipe?
Beef stroganoff