In my former life I masqueraded as a software developer, a technical writer, and even as a program manager. But those were all just temporary roles until I could begin my true calling: sharing my passion for sewing with others.
I have loved to sew nearly my entire life. My mother was an amazing seamstress, and luckily for me, she passed on her skills as well as the need to create beautiful things with textiles. Hands down, my specialty is garment sewing. Although I have made a quilt or two and the occasional home dec item, for me it is really all about garments. Because after you make a quilt for every bed in the house, then what are you going to do? Somebody always needs a new shirt or pair of jeans, right?
I love teaching eager students of ALL ages. (Well, actually kids need to be at least 8 years old.) I have taught more than a few men to sew their own shirts and pants, young moms to make special things for their kiddos, and career women to add to their working wardrobe. Please come join the fun in my sewing studio!
Maris Olsen
Bellevue, WA
425.941.0379
maris@sewmaris.com
Testimonials
My daughter has been sewing with Maris for over 3 years now. She absolutely loves it and looks forward to her weekly sewing lesson. I, too, am taking lessons and have grown in my confidence with the machine, patterns and my sewing skills. Highly Recommend Sew Maris for sewing lessons whether you are looking to start from scratch or tackle more complicated projects with help.
-Lucy
My daughter Melissa was very interested in sewing and wanted to take sewing classes. I looked around the area, and decided to go with Sew Maris, since my daughter could attend a smaller class in a studio environment and get more personalized attention. It was the best decision that I made regarding a class for my child.
Maris is patient and she loves to teach the kids how to sew, and also passes along very good tips, tricks and techniques that a novice (or any) sewing artist needs to succeed. Whether it is the type of sewing machine to buy or the type of interfacing that should be used, or how to cut a piece of fabric or where the best deals are on patterns and supplies, Maris has years and years of sewing experience and is more than willing to pass on her knowledge to others.
You don’t need to bring in your sewing machine in order to learn from Maris – she has very good quality sewing machines available in her studio. This makes it fun and easy to sew and learn. Additionally, she has great contacts in the sewing community, including retail establishments. When we walk in to Pacific Fabrics in Bellevue (they all seem to know Maris), most of the workers know that my daughter is a student of Maris’, and they are very helpful in providing Melissa guidance with what to consider purchasing based on the project she is working on.
I learned to sew many years ago, and I developed bad sewing habits and eventually lost interest and stopped sewing. I see that Maris is teaching my daughter really great habits that will allow her to succeed long-term in sewing. Maris teaches you to sew the right way (versus taking shortcuts, which is the way I learned). In Melissa’s very first class that she took from Maris (the burrito pillowcase class), I was absolutely stunned at the quality of the finished product – it looked like a professional had sewn the pillowcase, and there was no seam to look at (and to unravel after washing) because it was all hidden, which is what I discovered a burrito pillowcase is. Who knew?! Melissa talked about seam-ripping part of her pillowcase because she incorrectly sewed one section of the project. Maris wanted her to sew it properly/correctly versus just letting-it-go and being a just ‘ok’ sewing job and being dissatisfied with the finished product. Melissa was beaming about her pillowcase and wanted to sew another project with Maris, and one project has led to another….
Now, Melissa is embarking on independent sewing projects – she’s ready to sew her first dress! She picked out her pattern, fabric and notions, has cut out her pattern and the fabric, and is excited to be sewing her dress – with Maris helping her, of course. She is eagerly waiting for Maris to give her advice at the next Open Sew session on Sunday.
I highly recommend Maris. It is difficult these days to find people with art & crafts talent who are willing to share their knowledge and experiences with others. Thankfully, we found Sew Maris. Thank you Maris!
-Gayle
My girls loved Kids Sew Camp, and they will come back! They have very different personalities, but both had a fun and productive experience with Maris. My 13 year old is quiet, careful, and likes to be precise. My 9 year old gets excited about being creative and loves the social aspect of learning. Though they have different levels of experience, they were both able to be successful and were proud of what they brought home every day. So fun! And my youngest just stitched up a rip in her yoga pants last night, all by herself!
-Teresa
Working with Maris is the highlight of my week. A couple months ago, I could barely thread a needle. I came to Maris wanting to learn to hem pants and now I am almost done with my first customized dress. I have never been able to find clothes that fit well, and I am hooked. Thank you, Maris!
– Serina
Maris is a wonderful teacher, very patient and gentle with new beginners like me. Sewing is her passion and you can feel right away that she wants to share it with you. She’s not only an expert in sewing, she has a very generous personality.
Time flies when you sew with Maris and you can not wait to come back! Don’t hesitate to take contact with Maris either you just want to start sewing or improve your skills for she is the teacher you are looking for and will help you to achieve your goals.From bags to wedding dresses, she will teach you to sew whatever you wish.
-Caroll