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Black ninja figure with long hair wielding a sewing needle next to name The Fabric Ninja

About

Hi, I’m Alice…the Fabric Ninja.  I’m not very “Ninja” like except when it comes to fabric, I sneak right up on it and…

When I say I’m not “Ninja” like, let me explain. First off, I hate black, a Ninja staple. It’s hard to go sneaking around in purple.Secondly, I’m a plus-size gal and not very stealthy. Perhaps the most Ninja part about me (other than my way with the fabric) is that I am a stay-at-home mother of twin preschoolers, soon to be Kindergartners. You need to have some Ninja skills to keep up with twins, because they learn teamwork too quickly.

I always seem to be sewing something. On long car trips my husband drives so I can sew, knit, or work on digital patterns. I have made numerous corsets, honing my skills on my own hard-to-fit body. Plus-sizes are my specialty! I understanding the different plus-size proportions and fitting challenges especially in the area of boobs. I believe that anyone can learn to sew. You just need to take your time and practice. The right instruction helps too. 

I came to where I am now in a roundabout way, like most people. I have a Masters Degree in Museum Studies from IUPUI and a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from Michigan State University. I also have a minor in Apparel and Textile Design, including pattern making from Michigan State University. My interest in these areas was partially driven by my love of historical clothing – both researching it and reconstructing it.

I grew up on a pumpkin and sheep farm in the small town of Mason, just outside of Lansing, Michigan. My mother taught me how to sew when I was very young. She didn’t consider my age a barrier for me learning to do whatever I wanted to. I was making my own Halloween costumes, quilts, and jumper dresses from about 4th or 5th grade on, and before then, with help from my mom. She herself was a talented seamstress, quilter, and entrepreneur having her own craft business under the name Heartwarming Acres.

We (Husband Dan, Me and the 2 kids) live in the small town of Brownsburg, Indiana. It is just outside of Indianapolis. Fabric Ninja products are made by me in my smoke-free, pet-free home. We love animals, but I am allergic to pretty much all of them. I occasionally get help from other local people, but 99% of the sewing and cutting is done by myself. I also draft all the original patterns myself and then digitize them and create the tutorials. My Husband and friends help me with this website, pattern editing, photography, and all the “business” stuff.

I participate  in the Society for Creative Anachronism, where I am known as Colette the Seamstress. I teach dance and sewing at many SCA events. One of my popular classes is called “Supporting the Masses: How to select and make a bust supportive garment”