Owned by Liane Wangner, Fairy Godmother is a successful local sewing business that specializes in repurposing family memories into new family heirlooms. Liane and her staff will take items like wedding dresses and make them into christening gowns, teddy bears, Christmas tree skirts and all kinds of things. You should check out what she does with grandmas fur coats, old t shirts and other memorable family items.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How long have you been sewing and do you come from a family of crafters?

I’ve been sewing since I was about 7 or 8. My Mother taught my two sisters and I how to sew as soon as we were old enough.  She used to sew identical outfits for us every spring.  I’m the one in the middle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What year did you get started and what drives your passion?

Well, Fairy Godmother Creations started as a hobby back in 2000.  I offered to turn a friend’s inherited fur coat into two teddy bears for her sons and she was so happy with the bears that I thought others might be in her same situation. My husband, Lowell, helped me create a little web page and I really didn’t think about it much.  Every now and then, a package would arrive in the mail. I’d make a bear or two and send them off.  It wasn’t until tax time in 2010 that I realized I had made about 120 bears that year. It made me wonder what would happen if I actually advertised so I started a little online ad campaign. by 2011, I realized there was a business opportunity here so I started to take it seriously.  That was also the year that someone asked me to turn their wedding dress into a Christening outfit so I decided to focus my business on re-tasking heirloom items for the next generation.  I love being able to help people share their memories of loved ones with their family and friends.

How has your job changed and what goals do you look forward to?

Well, I’ve been highly focused on growing FGC as an actual business over the past six years or so.  I want it to become something that can, hopefully, survive beyond me.  I also am trying to build a business that is not completely dependent on the local economy and that provides jobs for working mothers and women in the community.  Each year, I focus on one of my areas of weakness and seek out help to figure out how to improve.

 

Can you tell us your secrets to how you have been so successful?

Well, I’m not sure how successful this journey is yet 🙂  However, I found myself a niche market in the sewing industry and that helps tremendously.  I’ve also found a voice through my web site and through social media. Internet advertising has helped me be able to focus my message to audiences most likely to respond and can reach people all over the US and Canada.  I don’t think there would be enough business locally to create a profitable business from the specific services FGC offers, but being able to tap a national base makes it possible.

Do you have a most memorable project you can share with us?

Well, we have had some pretty special stories here over the years. One woman (Peggy) sent us a pair of blue plaid men’s pajamas with a note that told us that they belonged to her late husband.  Her husband was killed in the 9/11 attack and she had kept his pajamas for 10 years not quite knowing why she couldn’t part with them.  She said that she understood why a couple of weeks before when her daughter announced that she was pregnant.  Peggy wanted a bear made from her late husband’s pajamas for their grandchild who he would never get to meet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where can we find you?

Fairy Godmother Creations is located in the Front Street Buildings just East of Downtown Dayton at 1001 E. 2nd St. Suite 3140, Dayton, OH 45402.  You can find more information on our services on our website http://www.fairygodmothercreations.com, Like our Facebook too. Or call me any time at 937-231-5025

Behind the scenes~

The summer of 2016 after Sew Dayton closed I worked for Fairy Godmother making little baby wedding gowns. It was a great time getting to know Liane and learning how to make perfect little hand stitches. I also learned a lot about fur and how to work with beading and lace. I use some of these skills today repairing and altering clients wedding dresses. That is me in the background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you seen my sewing videos with small tips in under a minute?

Vlog

Thank you for reading,

Tracy McElfresh

Dream it! Sew it!

 

 

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Tracy McElfresh
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