Posted on 11/18/2017 9:36:19 PM PST by Califreak
Nancy Zieman, who founded Nancy’s Notions in Beaver Dam and became a nationally known figure in the sewing community, has died from cancer.
Zieman, 64, was an educator, author, pattern maker, television producer, entrepreneur and innovator who is probably best known for her public television show “Sewing With Nancy.”
She hosted the program since 1982 and announced earlier this year that she would no longer be producing the show due to her ongoing illness. Tacony Corp. purchased Nancy’s Notions in 2003, but Zieman remained involved as a spokeswoman and educator.
(Excerpt) Read more at wiscnews.com ...
WPT will air Zieman’s last episode of “Sewing with Nancy” at 7 p.m. Nov. 23, Thanksgiving. Promotion manager Erik Ernst said Zieman filmed the episode before her retirement earlier this year.
In the episode, Zieman focuses on kid-friendly sewing projects. The episode was filmed with her granddaughters.
“As a tribute to Nancy’s life and her legacy, which will continue to inspire for years to come, this program reflects the essence of Nancy’s legacy — passing the love of sewing, a passion she held very dear, on to the next generation,” Ernst said.
I was saddened by this news.
She made sewing look so easy.
RIP Nancy.
Schools used to offer sewing classes to junior high kids.
That may no longer be the case. I see a few fabric shops still open, (Jo-Ann’s Fabrics) so somebody is still sewing at home or for small businesses. My sisters used to make many of their clothes some 40 years ago.
One high school where I live has home ec but the one my daughter goes to doesn’t.
My daughter was interested in sewing for a short time but lost all interest in arts and crafts due to an overbearing, perfectionist art teacher.
I taught both of my kids how to cook and they enjoy that but neither one of them has any patience for anything involving a needle.
I can’t tell you how many things I’ve bought from the thrift store for just a dollar or two that only needed a seam resewn or a new button or something. I think people just get rid of stuff because they don’t know how to fix it.
They need to bring autoshop and woodshop back too
I’ve heard horror stories of grown men who didn’t know how to use a tape measure or the name of a phillips screwdriver or how to check oil.
It’s harder to sew clothing at home now because good fabrics aren’t as available or inexpensive as they used to be.
I hate to hear that, always enjoyed her show.
>>I’ve heard horror stories of grown men who didn’t know how to use a tape measure or the name of a phillips screwdriver or how to check oil.
15 or so years ago I, along with two other dads, put together a class on roadside safety and auto maintenance fundamentals which we taught on two successive Saturday mornings at the private high school our kids were in. About half classroom and half hands-on with all the new drivers out in the parking lot, showing them how to do stuff.
I assure you, you are quite correct, there are plenty of them out there. One memorable example - macho football player type, good kid, with a nice pickup truck. No idea how to lower the spare tire from its home below the bed, no idea how to use the tools to jack up a corner and swap out a tire, about a gallon-and-a-half low on coolant, oil low.
I distinctly remember his mom profusely thanking me afterwards and saying “[dad’s name] couldn’t teach him, he doesn’t know how to do that stuff.”
This is very sexist of me but I can’t abide a man I can outwrench.
People really need to know the basics.
I know a guy whose car was running lousy for the last couple of months.
We’ve had these fires going on for a few weeks recently, putting out lots of smoke and ash that could clog up an air filter.
I told him to check the air filter which doesn’t cost anything-you open the thing up and look at it for goodness sake.
He was refusing to do this because the check engine light was on and wimmen were telling him to check the air filter.
I sent him an article, which explained why a dirty air filter can throw a code like that and cause performance issues.
Only then did he check the filter and replace it and what do you know? His car is back to normal.
I always tell people to start with the little easy stuff first.
So many problems can be solved by simply cleaning and/or lubricating which usually don’t cost anything.
I think people are afraid to do things on their own. So they toss stuff and buy new.
You can fix just about anything with youtube tutorials, the right parts and tools and time and patience. People are so afraid to try. I really don’t understand that.
“You can fix just about anything with youtube tutorials, the right parts and tools and time and patience. People are so afraid to try. I really don’t understand that.”
I love taking on the challenge of doing things myself. Years ago my daughter’s head jack went out on her i-pod music player. Looked on-line, got the part for $5 on ebay and found a few youtubes and picked the one that made the most sense.
I told her that we can try to fix it, or she can wait until her birthday, or spend her own money to buy a new one now. She opted for the fix-it, with me reminding her not to get too upset if we broke the thing.
We both worked on it together. Heat gun to get the screen off, a few screws, more heat gun and then desolder. Put in the part and reverse the process. It worked fine and looked like it had before we took it apart. (Horror stories of idiots trying to do it and breaking the screens mainly. “But some clear packing tape wound around it keeps it all together still!”)
The one reason I can understand why people don’t do it is time. By the time you watch numerous videos to figure out which ones know what they are talking about, and then doing the process (going back to the videos periodically) - it can be a bit time consuming.
But - if you find it enjoyable like I do - so what?
Just last Sunday during the football game I sewed on a bunch of buttons on all the shirts that were missing some. Between my fat finger, poor eye-sight and drinking beer and eating chips - it took me almost the entire game! Got to say though - that wasn’t enjoyable - but getting to wear the shirts in public again is!
absolutely you tube and mechanics who share their learning and experience are great! I recently had a radiator hose get a hole in it and couldn’t get a new one right away..used duct tape didn’t work good enough-checked you tube-there it was super glue and baking soda..it really works check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXaWEAPtqD8
Those are true stories. In my quest for employees I have found that many “yutes” have no experience in those areas.
Time.
Ha!
I’m not good at fixing stuff.
Something that takes a pro an hour or two can sometimes take me several days!
The timing went out on my serger this spring. I spent almost two weeks goofing around with it until I could use it again. Taking it to a shop might have been more than I paid for it and I didn’t want to buy a new one.
It’s very empowering not to have to call someone else every time something breaks.
I don’t know how we all survived without the internet.
I have saved thousands of dollars using information from the internet.
Heh, I love it. And one of the girls could probably have outwrenched all of the boys. She was racing shifter carts, and her dad was a serious Corvette guy, had 3-4, and was one of the ones who put together the class with me. The third dad had a 1960s Morris Mini. He’d have gone broke hiring mechanics with a hobby like owning a vintage Mini, if he weren’t a good wrench.
I’m an old school DIY mechanic for the modern age, meaning that the computer diagnostics you need now don’t scare me, I have software and cables. And have done timing belts, water pumps, and similar stuff on modern cars. Current home DIY project is normal and switched power outlets for my largish deck, with the switches for two 50’ of string lights. 6 outlets, 4 switches in 3 locations, two of the locations being new, the other adding into a current 3-gang => 4-gang. Nearly 100’ of 1/2” PVC conduit.
And I strongly agree, people need to know the basics. We need shop class back in middle school, even for the college track kids.
YEP...I fixed a year old washing machine once....took the back off, jiggered around with some other parts...and voila, it worked again, and has ever since. Told my Hub...”Saved us $200 today”....lol....I earned my KEEP as the Asset Manager at home, while he worked!
I do the same thing.
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