Passing on the Needle

By Brigid Morrissey


Marilou's Singer Featherweight machine is the most basic of machines. "It sews forrard in addition to backward -- period. It is almost indestructible in addition to tin give the axe conduct keep whatever chore including sewing over thick seams." Photos past times Melissa Donald


One of the most fascinating aspects of a operate of fine art is the story behind it. Or, I should say, stories. Stories most the process, the artist, or the context behind fine art tin give the axe nurture it to some other level, simply I am most intrigued past times the human relationship betwixt a slice of fine art in addition to its creator.


“Would y'all similar to accept the tour first? This is it,” says Marilou Jacob subsequently I have a warm greeting from both her in addition to Mr. Bigg, her 9-year-old Shih Tzsu. She makes a sweeping gesture with her arm every bit I gaze around the unmarried room. I am standing inward the classroom of Needle Arts Center, the draw of piece of employment organisation Marilou runs from within her home. “The commute is terrible,” she jokes.

She painted a sign for her draw of piece of employment organisation which is a modest version of the pop barn quilts. 


Marilou has filled the classroom with pieces that emit an air of antiquity. Each comes with its ain mysterious history, including a 1939 sewing machine in addition to a handmade quilt from 1967 that Marilou acquired at an antique store for $79. The estimated worth of that quilt? “It could toll anywhere from $800 to $1,000,” she says.

The Rex size wool quilt inward the background was paw embroidered inward wool yarn in addition to paw quilted. Marilou establish it on the flooring at the flea market. 


The cross-stitched patterns in addition to stuffed animals with hand-embroidered faces aren’t the solely things inward the room with a story. Marilou grew upward inward Tulsa, Oklahoma. She started sewing at historic menstruation 6. As her woman parent worked away on her treadle (a type of sewing machine operated past times pressing the human foot on a pedal) sewing article of apparel for the family, Marilou would sit down at her feet in addition to exercise sewing buttons onto modest bits of fabric. When asked what her woman parent did with Marilou’s finished work, she interjects, “She cutting the buttons off. That was long earlier nosotros pampered our children past times displaying their handiwork on the refrigerator.”

The estimated value of the quilt (also shown above), is betwixt $800-$1,000.


By junior high, Marilou was making her ain clothes. Her mother’s dominion was that if y'all made clothes, y'all had to have on them to school. “Boy, does that inspire y'all to do proficient work!” Marilou says. And her operate was proficient — then proficient that she was moved into the interior decorating in addition to costume pattern course of report subsequently impressing her Home Ec teacher.

Marilou eventually moved on to Memphis State University, graduating inward 1978 with a major inward journalism in addition to a concentration inward world relations. Like many graduates, she chose a career path completely unrelated to her degree. She pursued interior decorating, simply she never stopped her needlework. “I can’t imagine non having a sewing machine going on something,” she says.

Marilou is working on a Quilt of Valor she'll endure giving to her boy at a ceremony inward recognition of his military machine service inward 3 tours overseas.  


Fast forrard to 1995. Marilou was an empty-nester. Her ii children were living on their own, then she was solely making clothe for herself. In search of a fresh hobby, Marilou took a quilting course of report with 1 of the best inward the trade, Donna Sharp, every bit her teacher.

By the fourth dimension Marilou retired from interior decorating inward 2013, she decided it was fourth dimension to learn some classes herself. That was the primary motivation for her draw of piece of employment organisation venture. “I kept thinking, ‘It’s a shame to me that I tin give the axe do all these things in addition to I’m non sharing them with other people,’” she says. “I demand to laissez passer on off them going. It’s an ancient art, in addition to if nosotros don’t learn these skills, they die.”

For Marilou, the hollo of her business, Needle Arts Center, was an endeavor to comprehend everything she teaches. She has contracted out to 3 other teachers who instruct on a multitude of skills including crochet, knitting, in addition to tatting (a method of knotting lace primarily used for trimming), alongside others. The teachers must possess qualities too knowledge in addition to experience with needle arts. “They induce got to endure friendly, positive, in addition to they induce got to brand their classes fun,” Marilou says. “That’s what makes our students come upward back.”

Photo on left: samples from ii of  Marilou's classes. The xanthous pocketbook is made from wrapped clothesline that has been stitched together using a zig-zag stitch. Photo on right: Earring made past times Juliet Periera using the tatting technique.


I mean value Marilou tin give the axe banking concern fit the box beside that requirement. Needle Arts Center serves most 150 students, both men in addition to women, ranging inward historic menstruation from 8 to 94. And, most a 3rd of the students who sign upward to accept 1 of her classes halt upward taking another. I don’t blame them. After spending an hr with Marilou in addition to her infectious proficient humor, I would desire to come upward back, too.

“The students come upward to course of report joyful in addition to excited most what they’re doing,” Marilou says. “Our motto is ‘Discover handmade.’ It’s then satisfying making things. It’s to a greater extent than precious, in addition to y'all tin give the axe experience the feel of accomplishment when y'all do it yourself.”

Or, inward Marilou’s case, when didactics others to brand things themselves. “Life doesn’t halt when y'all retire,” she says. “Our role hither is to save needle arts, 1 someone at a time.”


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