I’m Marisa and I have a passion for sewing, knitting, needlework, and other fiber arts. I began sewing at the age of 8 when my mother taught me how to use her sewing machine to make stuffed animals and clothes for dolls. I also learned how to knit at the age of 8 but did not become as obsessed with it as I did with sewing until I was an adult. In middle and high school, I began altering my own clothes to fit myself better and making new clothes by creating patterns out of clothes that I already had.

I have a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and a minor in ethical philosophy from New Jersey Institute of Technology. Studying at a technical school gave me the skills to be able to fix my own sewing machines, design my own patterns, and make a living off of a creative hobby. While in college, I started my own business selling my sewing creations, first to my friends, then to my social media followers, and then to the world through Etsy. I also practiced costume design for the theatre department at my university while I was studying. I specialize in making cosplays, special occasion dresses, and delicate undergarments. I’ve taught many of my friends, family, elementary students, and fellow students in college how to sew and it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life.

I believe that needlework and fiber arts are crafts that are meant to be learned and practiced with your community, as they once were centuries ago, and I strive to make my tutoring sessions both a learning and a social experience. I am patient with new sewers and adaptable to fast learners. I am open to teaching children, adolescents, college-age students, and adults of all ages.

I look forward to working with you or your child and sharing a craft and life skill that brings me so much joy allows for self-expression, and encourages independence.