Dotted Swiss Sewing Co.

03/31/2026

It took eight years but this went to its new home today.

02/20/2026

Renee Fraser

Myth Busted: You don’t need flannel for a gorgeous fluffy seams✂️
This one’s three layers of woven cotton with inlays, and it frays like a dream on its own.

Pictured: Kaleidoscope 1/2 inch seams snipped 1/8‑inch apart.

02/20/2026

“At 84, she got a call from the Met asking to exhibit her closet. By 102, she was a fashion icon who taught the world that style is rebellion, age is an accessory, and ‘more is more’ is a philosophy for life. Meet Iris Apfel. 👓✨ "

For six decades, Iris Apfel lived a dazzling double life. As co-owner of Old World Weavers, she and her husband Carl sourced rare textiles for the White House and elite interior designers. But her real masterpiece was her personal wardrobe—an exuberant, fearless collection built from global flea markets, thrift stores, and tribal bazaars. She layered couture with costume jewelry, mixed patterns that “clashed” on purpose, and turned her small frame into a canvas of creative joy. No one in fashion was watching; she was simply dressing for herself.

Then, at age 84, the Metropolitan Museum of Art discovered her closet and mounted the exhibition Rara Avis (Rare Bird). Overnight, the octogenarian with oversized glasses and crimson lipstick became a symbol of audacious self-expression. She rejected the idea that style had an age limit, famously stating, “More is more and less is a bore.” In her 90s, she signed a modeling contract, starred in a documentary, and collaborated with major brands, inspiring millions to embrace boldness at any age.

Iris Apfel lived to 102, a testament to living fully and creatively until the very end. Her legacy isn’t just in the clothes she wore, but in the permission she gave us all: to be unapologetically ourselves, to treat aging as an adventure, and to remember that true style is not about what you buy—it’s about the story you tell with what you already are.

“Style isn’t something you put on—it’s something you radiate. And the most revolutionary accessory you’ll ever wear is the courage to be exactly who you are, at every age.”

02/20/2026

This is our new home, #1104. Come by for a visit, just let me know before so I can be sure to be there. Bonus, the farmer's market is right outside on 5th Street on Sundays.

01/03/2026

A little basket to hold all that stuff in your pockets at the end of the day. This is the prototype and shoutout to my 10th grade geometry teacher, Mr. Safford.

12/06/2025

Making progress.

11/28/2025

It’s coming along.

11/11/2025

I’m super excited. I have leased a space for sewing and can’t wait to finish setting it up so you can come by and sew. So far, there are shelves and chairs but give it a month and there will be a lot more.

10/13/2025

Some news coming soon.

Send a message to learn more

07/31/2025