October is finally here and the weather has just been lovely. The days are getting shorter, the kids are going back to school and I’m happily thinking about cooler weather, cozy sewing days and Christmas projects. If you’ve been following along, you know I have plenty of those in progress already! There is just something about this time of year that makes me want to sew all the things.
As we get back to our weekly Beth Said Sew posts and informative sewing and quilting articles, I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about the woman behind the name Nancy’s Notions and why this website means so much to so many of us.
A Sewing Pioneer
Nancy Zieman was an unforgettable woman and a true visionary who made an incredible mark on the sewing and quilting world. Although Nancy passed away in 2017, her legacy continues through the millions of people she taught and inspired.
Nancy grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a double major in home economics and journalism. Her early career included working at a sewing store in Chicago and teaching sewing in Minnesota. In 1979, Nancy’s Notions began as a mail-order catalog. What started as a small collection of sewing notions and supplies grew into a beloved name known by sewers across the country. But Nancy didn’t stop there. In 1982, she co-produced a little television program called Sewing with Nancy. What started on Wisconsin Public Television eventually became a nationally recognized show that introduced generations of sewists to new techniques, tools and projects.
Nancy remained the host and executive producer for decades, and more than 900 episodes of Sewing with Nancy were filmed. That’s an incredible legacy all by itself! What I find especially inspiring about Nancy, though, wasn’t simply everything she accomplished. It was the determination and warmth she brought to everything she did.
Nancy developed Bell’s Palsy as a toddler following an ear infection, leaving her with partial facial paralysis. She was very self-conscious about it as a child, but she didn’t let it stop her from becoming a teacher, author, television host, businesswoman and sewing icon. Instead, she found confidence through creating.
Nancy once explained that sewing became her outlet, her passion and eventually her career. She discovered that fabric and thread gave her a way to create something beautiful through skill and creativity, and then she spent her life helping other people discover that same joy. Nancy passed away on November 14, 2017, but her influence certainly didn’t pass away with her.
Nancy’s Notions Today
In May 2020, Missouri Star Quilt Co. purchased Nancy’s Notions, bringing Nancy’s wonderful legacy into the Missouri Star family. Jenny Doan had watched Sewing with Nancy on Sunday mornings while getting ready for church and loved learning from Nancy. Over the years, Jenny and Nancy crossed paths, and Jenny always treasured Nancy’s encouragement and kindness. When the opportunity came to bring Nancy’s Notions to Missouri Star, Jenny was thrilled.
Then, in September 2022, Missouri Star launched the new Nancy’s Notions website with a goal that remains at the heart of what we do today: keep sharing sewing education and inspiration. And that’s where you come in!
Today, Nancy’s Notions is home to nearly 1,000 articles about sewing and quilting, along with free patterns, tips, techniques and plenty of inspiration. Whether you’re a longtime Nancy fan or you’ve never watched an episode of Sewing with Nancy, there is something here for you.
You can buy sewing notions, fabric, and more on our sister-site, Missouri Star Quilt Co.! Click here to shop notions!
I think one of the best ways we can honor Nancy is to do exactly what she encouraged all of us to do. Create. Pull out your sewing machine. Pick up some fabric. Try something new. Make a mess. Learn a technique. Finish an old project. Start a new one. Share what you’ve made with someone you love. Nancy believed in the power of teaching, and she believed in the joy of creating. We are so lucky to have the opportunity to continue that tradition.
I’m honored to be part of it, and I’m excited about all the sewing, quilting and creative fun we have ahead of us here at Nancy’s Notions. Thanks for joining me for this little trip down memory lane. Next week, we’ll get back to talking about what we’re making, learning and loving in the sewing world.
Until then, pull out some fabric and make something wonderful!
See you next week, and happy sewing!
Beth
P.S. Be sure to check out our Nancy’s Notions Homepage, where you can find links to over 60 different categories of sewing and quilting topics! That’s over 1000 articles! Click here!