314 - Carol Dykhouse - To Learn and Explore and Share
Welcome to the Sew Much More Podcast! The interviews here are with creative business owners, mostly in the Custom Window Treatment, Soft Home Furnishings, and Upholstery industry, but also with others that are sewing related or business related.
Carol
Dykhouse, owner of Creations by Carol, has been in business for 40
years. She started out doing custom sewing and alterations and
bridal gowns. When weddings were slow, she would do window
treatments for friends. Her excellent work soon garnered other
customers. After 5 years she exclusively did consulting and
fabrication of window treatments and home decor. As her business
grew, she became the go-to person for area designers to supply both
hard and soft treatments.
Carol’s workroom started out in a bedroom, using a 3x8 table
and canned cherries for weights. Her current workroom encompasses
the entire lower level, with 2 work tables and 4 commercial
machines and 2 Bernina home machines, and other necessities.
One of her mantras is to put efficiency in everything she
does.
Carol won 1st place in Top Treatments in 1993 for the
WFCP. That resulted in a full-page article in the Sunday Home
Section of the Grand Rapids Press. Her business took off.
An interview-style podcast with people in the Custom Window Treatment and Soft Home Furnishings industry. Ceil interviews business owners to find out their strengths, their challenges and advice they have for other business owners.