Vivian Burns
I opened So You… Sewing
and Design Studio in Rockland County, NY after a 23-year career in the Apparel Industry in the heart of NYC where
I excelled in design and merchandising ladies wearing apparel. Having worked for several leading national retailers, I developed
a keen eye for color and fashion trends.
But my story begins well before my retail career. At the
age of 7, I began to take an interest in sewing, knitting and crochet, and began by hand sewing doll clothes; my great aunt
Helen who excelled at tatting, taught me to crochet. From this point on, I continually developed my skills
and expanded my handcrafts to include knitting, quilting, needlepoint and embroidery.
During my late teens
I had a friend who was quite heavy, and redesigned patterns and made most of her clothing. Much of the large-size
clothing in the stores at that time were basic looking slacks, but my friend Sharon had a wonderful, fashionable wardrobe
instead.
I have always enjoyed color and texture and have found that this passion - along with using my
creativity - has given me a sense of calm during difficult times, and a sense of being centered during good times.
I have come to honor creativity as a part of which I am, a part that needs to be nurtured and respected. I do
not believe there is a right or wrong to creativity. So You… was begun on the premise that techniques
can be taught, and once creativity has a direction to flow, you will become not only a better sewer or hand
craftsman, but a better person.
