Olive Street Studio june 29

Olive Street Studio is a wonderful mother/daughter shop. They design the cutest baby items and dresses for little girls. They have a wonderful BLOG.

#1. How did you decide on your shop name?
The shop name is very simple – I live on Olive Street and adding the “Studio” sounded very catchy!

While the shop name is “Olive Street Studio” and I use that name for my little handbags, we actually have separate labels for all our baby items….”Emilia Anne Designs”. We chose our baby business name to pay homage to the amazing women in our lives: Emilia is my maternal great-grandmother and Anne is my maternal grandmother. I was lucky enough to know my great-grandmother as she lived until 92, and my grandmother is now 90.

It has been fantastic to work with my mom. And now my three-year-old daughter climbs onto my lap to watch me sew – maybe we have a fifth generation sewer in the making?


#2. When did you start sewing? Who taught you to sew?
I remember Christmas morning when I was about 10, and coming downstairs to Santa's gift of a blue Brother sewing machine in a beautiful white wood cabinet with flowers on the outside. I was overjoyed! I started sewing basic doll clothes and little 9-patches. But, for as long as I can remember, my mom sewed everything. She started me sewing the baby quilts – she gave a multi-color pastel chenille quilt to my sister-in-law for her baby shower. That gift kicked off a number of other chenille quilts to her friend’s daughters or daughter-in-laws for baby shower gifts. When she started getting requests to sell them – she called me up and said “would you like to sew baby quilts with me?” and that was it – she got me back in the sewing room and I love it. THANKS MOM!

#3. Are there other crafts you would like to try?
I would love to sew myself some clothes – I have a dress pattern and my goal is to make it for myself by the end of the summer.


#4. What or who inspires you?
My mom is a great inspiration to me – she can sew anything – from slipcovers to pillows to clothes (she used to make us matching outfits when I was a toddler) to both my prom dresses. She also knits great sweaters. I have several in my hope chest that I will pass to Ryan when she’s big enough to wear them. I hope they are in semi-style so that she does!


#5. Do you have a day job?
Oh yes…I work for the Federal Reserve. My commute is a CRAZY 90-minutes each way. Three hours a day is a lot of time to give up, but I do read and nap, and it is the only time I get to myself, so in a way, it is much-needed downtime. I’d love to have this little side business enable me to work part-time – maybe one day!


#6. What is the item in your shop you enjoy making the most and why?
Hmmm, that is hard. I like making everything, but I guess I’ll say the new girls sundresses because I can choose great cotton fabrics for them….and the chenille quilts and bears – the bears are a chore to make because the fabric is so think, but I love the way they turn out.