ABOUT TERRI
As a native of the state of Maine, much of my early years (1950-1960) were spent on Swan Island, (now named the Steve Powell Wildlife Refuge), a game preserve in the Kennebec River along the banks of the village of Richmond, MAINE.
The original inhabitants of the island, early Native Americans, named the island SWANGO meaning ISLAND OF EAGLES. The island was a self-sufficient community for many residents throughout the years and is historically significant to the ice harvesting business during the 18th century and later, was a stop on the underground railroad route into Canada as well as being a stopover for Benedict Arnold in his travels. The sole residents living and farming the island during my stay were Grandmother and Grandfather, resident caretakers.
THE BEGINNING
Each day I spent on SWANGO as a young girl consisted of learning from a most patient Grandmother ways to appreciate a slower pace of life and respect for the natural order of things on that small (1/2 mile X 3 +miles) isolated island. Grandmother gently urged me to learn the value of keeping alive the processes' of the ancient arts and crafts, a vital part of the creative process that I utilize today, leaving me with a respect for their importance in contemporary society.
BITTEN BY THE SEWING BUG!
Learning to first stitch by hand and then eventually have the honor at age eight of sitting at Grandmother's treadle sewing machine was a humbling experience! I can still "hear" her gentle suggestions as I sit at my own machine today whenever I hit a stumbling block.
Creating an ensemble of clothing in fabrics that are comfortable to us makes a huge difference in the way we feel about ourselves and the world around us. It is with that thought that I have begun to concentrate on creating or RE-creating special wardrobe pieces, often with Vintage fabrics.
My latest passion has me focusing on women's fashion jackets in interesting fabrics utilizing exotic or Vintage trims. The fun, "indie" styles I create are the more comfortable pieces of designs offered by Swango Designs. I especially enjoy creating matching or complimentary handbags and/or unique purses as the final accessory to complete that feel-good look!
Seamstress Retrospective
1977
Production stitcher at Filter Belts, Inc., Lewiston, Maine
Responsible for achieving incentive goals set in stitching 6-12 foot long graphite fabric filter "tubes" or bags, necessary in manufacturing as compliance with emission control requirements.1978-79
Instructor in Adult Education hand-quilting classes at Oak Hill High School in Wales, Maine. Class size varied from 10-15 students, ran two sessions per week throughout this period.
1979-80
Private sewing instruction in my home under the business name: Log Cabin Crafts.
Log Cabin Crafts – exhibitor in Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association (MOFGA) annual fair held in Litchfield, Maine. Showcased handmade quilts, original designs/quilted garments & hand painted greeting cards.1991
Timeless Windows – In conjunction with an upholstery shop in Carlsville, Wisconsin, provided custom draperies and curtains to the Door County peninsula area of Wisconsin.
1992 Seamstress Plus
Specialized in advising customers on providing "workplace wardrobes" or accessorizing comfortable rooms for Sturgeon Bay (Wisconsin) area residents.
1993
Traditions & Fantasies – Reviving & embellishing the craft arts of yesteryear. Through Webber's Corner Gallery in Farmingdale, Maine managed a "booth" showcasing smaller quilted items and hand sewn crafts for home decorating.
1999
L.L. Bean – Brunswick facility.
Hired as a "topstitcher" on flannel bathrobes, achieved all production incentives within one month. Assigned to train other employees on various stitching procedures in the assembly of robes for the purpose of their return to China to manage off-shore production for L.L. Bean.2003
Student of New Ventures course through Women, Work & Community on University of Maine, Augusta campus. Following completion of the course, selected to showcase as a "new business" exhibitor at WWW's 25 Anniversary Gala Event held at the Augusta Civic Center. Interviewed as manager of Reflections of Maine by Governor Baldacci, featured speaker.
2007
L.L. Bean – Seasonal monogramming machine operator. Learned production techniques for applying special-order monograms to L.L. Bean products.
2008
Hosted a Swango Designs Fashion Show in Richmond, Maine, showcasing over 21 originally designed garment ensembles on seven live models to over 100 attendees. Times Record newspaper article on Swango Designs done by reporter, Rachel Ganong, featured in Business Section.
2008
Provided research and development of sample hospital wear garments for Royall Wear, LLC, a Richmond, Maine based company providing innovative, stylish garments for cancer patients and other medical applications.
2008
Grand Opening of Swango Designs, a retail garment and home decorating storefront on Main Street in Richmond, Maine during Richmond Days events.
MASK MAKING:
Experimenting with clay from the banks of the Kennebec River, I made pieces that incorporated old buttons, glass marbles or anything else that interested me prior to leaving these treasures to bake in the sun. Today I have discovered a mixture that will become too brittle to be worked if not done continuously and rapidly as the mixture is self-hardening.
The legends that accompany the masks are fragments of a particular personality, figure or icon. All masks are dated and signed on the back of the piece. Masks begin as a series of ideas and rough sketches, advancing into various bits of personalities or memories encountered in a lifetime.
Once the design is established, the personality or legend emerges. The features being formed in the warm mixture of fibre pulp contain dried herbs, abandoned paper wasp nests (making the piece appear to be made of granite), cotton, botanical teas for color, recycled cellulose for fibre and a self-hardening clay agent mixed with water.
GOURMET RECIPES:
My love of cooking certainly began by watching the delightful surprises Grandmother prepared on the wood cook stove in that big old kitchen. The hard work she endured "putting food by" through canning, pickling, preparing scrumptious jellies and storing vegetables in the dark root cellar did not go unnoticed.
The ingredients she used were mainly from Grandfather's well-tended, lush garden. This background led me to raise my own organic herbs and experiment with what has turned out to be some pretty scrumptious recipes!
I hope you find recipes you absolutely enjoy within this website. Contact me with any questions! Thank you for visiting, come back soon to see the many additions we have to offer! Be well. ~ Terri
