A Foothills woman has turned her lifelong love of sewing into a business creating heirloom clothing.
Judy Haan has been sewing for herself and others for as long as she can remember.
"I love to sew. When I was 4, my mother taught me to knit, crochet and sew gifts for the family," said Haan, who is 62.
Haan and her husband George, a retired Raytheon Co. manager, moved to Tucson from California in 1994. They have two grown children and two grandchildren.
Ten years ago, she became interested in heirloom sewing.
"Heirlooms are handmade and meant to be treasured by families for generations to come," Haan said. "Heirlooms are stitched knowing that probably they will be around much longer than the person who made the garment or other item."
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In June 2005, Haan started a home business called Heirloom Keepsakes making fine French heirloom infant apparel, custom christening gowns and heirloom gift items.
Each of her projects takes at least two weeks to make — and sometimes longer. Prices range from $65 to $2,500. Haan assures that they are all crafted from fine fabrics, laces and trims.
Haan has a license to teach others heirloom sewing and conducts two classes at Cathey's Sew and Vac at 5701 E. Speedway.
Linda Bostwick, software specialist at Cathey's Sew & Vac, has worked with Haan for two years.
"It is a hands-on class. Judy teaches basic heirloom techniques and lace shaping," Bostwick said. "She is also available to teach how to create and sew more than 30 projects, such as customized infant pillows."
Her students learn to create family heirlooms and memories with modern technology.
"At one time heirlooms were made completely by hand, but with today's advanced sewing machines and sergers, almost all of this type of sewing and embroidery is done by machines," Haan said.
Haan said heirloom sewing was extremely popular around 1900, and a revival of that type of sewing started in 1970. It's even more popular today, she said.
"I realized that there was a market for heirloom creations," she said.
In February 2005, Haan traveled to Huntsville, Ala., and took her first course from Martha Pullen, who for 18 years has taught classes based on the concept of heirloom sewing.
Pullen is the host of "Martha's Sewing Room," which airs locally on television station KUAT on Saturday mornings.
After seven days of lessons, Haan became a Martha Pullen Viking licensed teacher. Viking is a brand of sewing machine. She returned for more training in June 2005, when she took a course to become a Martha Pullen serger-sewing-licensed teacher.
"A serger is a machine that is a complement to any sewing machine and is used to cut the edge of fabric, giving it a nice finished edge," Haan explained.
She went back a third time this past June and became a Martha Pullen Pfaff-licensed teacher. Pfaff is another brand of sewing machine.
Her years of training and her experience seem to make her humble, though.
"One of the best-kept secrets in the sewing world is how easy it is to stitch a beautiful heirloom," she said.
For more information
● To order a customized creation or to enroll in a class, call Judy Haan at 240-6923 or log on to the www.heirloom-keepsakes.com Web site.
