My Friend Lois

Lois made the bag she is wearing with a canvas on the cover that she purchased in Cuba, one of many trips around the world.

Lois in her Jacket and dress by.....ME!

Years ago, my friend Lois, brought back this fabric, this blue indigo fabric from the Sea Islands.  It was originally a bedspread.  Her request was a that it be made into a dress.  She reminded me it was at least 15 or more years ago. Fast forward December 2016, at an event we were both vending at, she loved the patchwork denim jacket her daughter purchased.

Dawn in her Patchwork Jacket in December

She put in an order for her patchwork denim jacket and made no special request.  What you need to know about Lois she LOVES creativity and so much of her style is about the celebrating art.  When she loves your work, she seeks you out and orders it......and she never holds the artist back with a whole bunch of specifics, she respects the work.  She feels strongly that artists should be allowed to stretch and create....that's what attracted you in the first place.  The end result is a masterpiece and everyone is happy.  Lois is not one to keep secrets, she shares her finds with everyone, and she's not even socially connected....That's for her daughter and granddaughter to do.

Ashley in her Tea Towel Jacket she snapped up at the Spring Fling

Lois is also a designer in her own right, her company Sweet Octavia, named after her Mother, who taught her to sew.  She gave birth to Sweet Octavia, when she and her partners retired their store on Atlantic Ave, Zawadi Gift Shop.  Which was a Mecca for distinctive gifts and housewares that were culturally inspired (and everyone still misses them).  My Mother made her yearly trip to pick up her calender's and as Lois says "Oh, we looked for her every year!".  My mother sometimes had trouble walking and they would always accommodate her with a chair and kindness....Times changed and they (the partners) closed the store and moved on, but the creative spirit is alive and well.

Since then Sweet Octavia has been growing and is well sought after, before an event she lets her core customers know about an upcoming event/show and those loyals are at her studio the night before or an hour before the event even starts....why....to get it before it's gone.  Lois chooses her fabrics carefully and is a BIG fan of Marcy Tilton and Spoonflower.  She orders so much from Marcy, that they have asked her to send photos.  I am thinking she will appear in a blog post in the near future.

I would like to call Lois a patron of the art-ists!  She loves seeing the creative spirit grow and when she can she buys and makes a statement where ever she goes.  At the recent Diana Ross concert a man 3 seats away leaned over and complimented her on a coat, which she designed and made.  That's what it is like for her everyday she leaves the house, often she is stopped and complimented for her great style.    Ari Seth Cohen did not pass an opportunity and traveled to East NY, Brooklyn for a photo session of Lois and her Granddaughter in, Advanced Style in 2013.

As she appeared in Advanced Style in a coat I made.

It's a real blessing to have a friend/fan like Lois in my life....I am truly #GRATEFUL.