Business Spotlight: Sew What?

Sew What? is a home-based sewing business located in Orangeville that is owned and operated by Natalie Olsen. Olsen can’t remember when she really became interested in sewing. It could have been watching her grandmother sew clothing for her and her siblings when they were young. When Olsen was young, she remembers wanting a new dress for her birthday. However, she didn’t like any of the dresses at the stores so she decided to make her own.

As she got older and more experienced, Olsen began making aprons and selling them at craft fairs. She has sewn and sold over 300 aprons. Eventually, she had people coming to her with requests  to alter, hem or repair articles of clothing for them. She was spending so much time sewing for other people that she didn’t have time to alter clothing for her own family. It dawned on her that she should open a business and start charging people for her services instead of spending her time doing it for free.

In 2009, Olsen turned her talent into a business. She named the business Sew What? because she can sew anything. Olsen can hem a pair of jeans and make it look like the original hem. She alters, repairs, hems, tailors and refashions clothing.

Olsen’s passion for refashioning clothing is where, with a little creativity, she is able to give new life to all kinds of old, discounted or oversized clothes and turn them into something else entirely. She makes cute, creative scarfs and purses with t-shirts, skirts from dresses and various other articles of clothing, and so many more creative items.

In addition to alterations and refashioning, Olsen makes tablecloths, table runners, drapes, headbands, aprons and much more. She also alters and refashions prom dresses and wedding dresses. Olsen really enjoys seeing the joy and happiness as a bride along with her mother or a teenage girl getting ready for prom tries on the dress she has altered, repaired or redesigned for their special occasion. Olsen designs and creates wedding veils and refashions blessing dresses out of wedding dresses.

Olsen also made the costumes for the play “The Wizard of Oz,” which was performed by The Emery County Community Theater at Emery High School in March.

Since Sew What? is a home-based business, Olsen is available by appointment only and can be reached by calling (435) 749-0160.