Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions from those of you who haven’t visited our website in awhile and are wondering about the changes. Let me explain a little. Sadly, Nancy passed away in 2017. After her death, Nancy’s family sold Nancy’s Notions and Missouri Star Quilt Company purchased it in 2020. The website is no longer an online store, but an online library full of sewing and quilting articles, tips, tricks, and inspiration! And no worries, you can still purchase notions and fabric from our sister-site, Missouri Star Quilt Company. You can find links to get there in every article or on the Nancy’s Notions homepage!
Let’s talk about Nancy for a minute. She was a pioneer. A sewist. An educator. She was all of this and so much more. We honor her legacy by continuing her mission – a mission to teach others the joy of making it yourself. What is “it?” “It” can be a quilt, a coat, a bag, or anything that you desire to make yourself.
I first saw Nancy on TV. It was the mid 80s and I was in grade school. My best friend’s mother watched her program every Saturday morning on PBS. I was intrigued because my own mother didn’t sew and everything Nancy was doing was new to me. I remember watching her and thinking that I could never sew something and run a sewing machine like that. If you would have told me then that I would grow up to be a lot like Nancy and that I could sew like that, I would not have believed you!
For the next ten years I didn’t see much of Nancy or give her much thought until… dun, dun, DUN!!! I took a quilting class! No, not with Nancy (I wish!). It was a small class at a local quilt shop in a tiny town in Southern Illinois. A friend had invited me to go with her. It sounded like fun and the shop owner assured me that a beginner could take the class. And I was the beginningest beginner that there ever was. I promptly went to Wal-Mart and bought a $99 sewing machine and some thread. I took that machine (still in the box, mind you) to my first class. There, I picked out a beautiful selection of fabric to complement what I had already bought at Walmart. My sweet friend, Emily, helped me unbox my new machine and set it up. Then she showed me how to thread it. She explained what the bobbin was and how to wind it. Twice. And by this time I had missed the instructions on the first block and the class was probably at least half over. Thank goodness they were all patient with me!
Oopsie!
It was time to start sewing. Pedal to the metal and I was off! Except no one had told me that I had to lower the presser foot before I began! Oh geez. You can imagine what that first seam looked like. And that was when I began my close relationship with Jack the Ripper. That seam ripper and I were suddenly besties. The pattern for this class was a sampler and each block was different. Each block was also hard as heck and knowing what I know now, that quilt was definitely NOT a beginner quilt! Thankfully, I am incredibly stubborn, full of grit, and I refuse to give up. Ever. Ask my husband. He will testify that I am indeed stubborn as a mule.
Being a strong-willed woman (doesn’t that sound so much more empowering than stubborn?) is an asset though. I wasn’t going to give up on learning to quilt even though I was a beginner quilter in an intermediate class. I stuck with it. I persevered. I sewed. I unsewed. I sewed again. And I improved. I got so much better. That first quilt is still pretty messy when I look back on it, but honestly, I love it. It is a symbol of growth, goals, and perseverance. And I bet you have a quilt or sewing project like that, as well.
Did Your Sewing Journey Start with Nancy?
The path to greatness has to start somewhere. My sewing journey started in a little back room of a quilt shop but so many others’ started with Nancy Zieman. She loved educating others and teaching them how to sew. As Julia Child was to cooking on PBS, Nancy was to Sewing on PBS. She was a true pioneer. She began Nancy’s Notions in 1979, the same year I was born. It was a huge success and she reached so many sewists through the years. Sadly, Nancy passed away in 2017. In May 2020, Missouri Star Quilt Company took over Nancy’s Notions. Nancy left us a legacy and some pretty big shoes to fill. But that’s okay. We are always up for a challenge.
Nancy’s Notions is the go-to place to learn. To be inspired. To figure out how to tackle your next big project. We will knock your socks off (after we teach you how to make some) and Nancy will be proud.
‘Til next time,
Beth
I really miss Nancy’s catalog of sewing notions! She always had the most useful things!
Thank you for these delightful memories of Nancy.
I truly enjoyed Nancy. I watched her on Saturday mornings, every chance I had. I learned so much from her. I gained confidence in my sewing. What a truly Lovely Lady.
Beth, Thank You for this little snippet about Nancy. I never saw her Saturday morning shows- but discovered her much later. One time I even drove out from Massachusetts to her store in Beaver Dam, WI. I remember one of her best quotes- “Change your needle every 8 hours of sewing- or a new project.” I sew by this religiously. I have so many of her machine embroidery designs and I’m working on projects I bought from Nancy’s Notions years ago.
Started watching Nancy back then as a teen. Had the glory of learning to sew from a favorite Aunt,(thanks Arlene) so what she did I copied. Must say that I am a disciple of Nancy and YES, I do miss her.
I began to sew when I was 8 yrs old. I recall sitting with my Aunt Elvie with a needle and long piece of thread. She threaded it for me so I could sew and stay out of trouble! She didn’t need to encourage me much because I loved making things. By 12 I was making my own clothes and by 18 I was in a Tri-state sewing competition. I didn’t win but I learned a lot. My mother was also a beautiful seamstress and not only made me and 3 sisters clothing she took in sewing to help raise us. She watched Nancy Zieman and used her classes to make doll clothes, chair covers, etc. I made wedding dresses, my babies clothes and home decorations in my 20’s. Then divorced and went to work. I always dreamed of retiring and just sewing. That dream came true in 2006. I took my first quilting class and I now have two Berninas, a Jukie Pearl serger and Qnique -5R quilting machine. I’ve had quilts travel with The Hoffman challenge and won ribbons at our local fair. I love Nancy’s classes and still view them on You Tube. She’s been my inspiration to make things I never dreamed of and I miss her. But what a legacy she’s left us! Beautiful talented Nancy we will always miss you!
I started watching Nancy in the late 80’s. I got so much inspiration to do things with my machine! She made things seem like anything was possible! I was so sad when she passed away. Such a pioneer!
Can we still purchase Nancy’s books? She had so many d videos and helpful booklets
I have searched for several of her books and would like to get them if we can get them reprinted.
I’ve bought a few on Ebay.
I am also a long-time fan of Nancy. I watched her show on PBS for many years. I would record her shows on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on my VHS recorder and watch them in the evening after work. I also bought several of her books. She had so many great tips and tricks, and she was an excellent teacher in the way she taught the information so it was easy to understand. I learned to sew at a young age from my grandmother who also raised me. I was always interested in sewing, but my grandmother made me afraid of making a mistake and therefore afraid to try things. Nancy gave the viewer confidence. I also appreciated all the different guests she had on her show and the wide array of ways sewing can take you. We made a couple of trips to her store in Beaver Dam on our trips across Wisconsin to go from Minneapolis to Chicago. My husband even became a fan of Nancy’s and was so impressed with all she accomplished and her excellent teaching even though he doesn’t sew. She is sorely missed for sure!!
I started sewing on a machine when I was maybe 10. By the time I got to junior high school in Texas, I was bored with what the class was sewing, a half-slip and a tote bag for our gym uniform. Than we moved to Colorado and the class was not just the girls. My skill set in sewing was more advanced than my peers so I was an outcast. That didn’t bother me thou. The next year I was allowed to make something with plaids which turned out good, my plaids were matching at the seams, and my sister actually wore what I made for her. This was in the early 70’s.
I visited Nancy’s Notions store in 2017 shortly before Nancy passed on. It was a lovely store.
I met her @ an embroidery seminar in Columbia, SC. Very sweet & knowledgable lady!
I loved Nancy. I was honored to meet her once, and watched her a lot. My sewing is not like hers, but I always treasured her courage and spirit.