Joyce Yarling, SewWow, Waechter’s Fine Fabrics

Joyce started designing as a child in 4-H competitions, then went on to study fashion. As owner of one of the South’s largest and oldest fabric shops, she creates outfits for children, brightly embellishing patterns with her own flair, then puts together kits (pattern and fabric) for the home sewer to carry out the vision. “We’ve begun to see more people wanting to sew for the children in their lives,” she says. “We can pair non-sewers with expert sewers to make the garments, if necessary.” Joyce’s SewWow, a business within her fabric store, features a choice of about 120 fashion designs a year, from party dresses to playwear for children from babies to age 12. She sells some samples of the items at the end of each season. You can see the collections at Waechter’s Fine Fabrics, 9D Reed Street, in Biltmore Village, or online. Kits run $30-$120. waechters.com, sewwow.com, or 828/274-3146