Malissa Long

Bio

About Malissa Long

My life has been geared to fashion and home fashion. Both my mother and grandmother sew, I can't conceive of a home without at least one sewing machine. I can't remember not having a needle and thread in my hand. At five I received my first set of fashion plates. At 8, I had family that worked for Jordache jeans in Crockett, TX (1984) and they were emptying their warehouse of fabrics that they were just giving away. My mom and grandmother loaded us up in a green F150 with a camper and we drove over 100 miles to pick up what we could it was an amazing experience, we even got to tour the factory. I was so mesmerized they had to come get me several time because I stop to watch and the tour had moved on. It was a tight ride back with 6 people in the front seat (couldn't do that now). My father owned a feed store so we had a platform scale on wheels, in total we had over 2000 pounds of denim and corduroy. Until I was in high school my mom made all my jeans, I just wish I still had a pair. That next Christmas I got my own sewing machine, a plastic Sears and Roebuck which broke the same day. My mom then gave me the first sewing machine she had purchased herself, a 1960s Brother Model. In high school, my mother and grandmother did contract sewing for a local designer. I watched a business grow from the garage to $2 million a year and then go back into the garage, she didn't adapt her style to changing time. I wanted to go to design school but my family wouldn't support me moving to California, so I settled for a Fashion Merchandising degree from Sam Houston State. I tried to transfer to Texas Tech in Lubbock during my sophomore year but my family still disapproved and I wasn't independent enough at the time to make the move on my own. After collage I went into retail management, off and on for 10 years (Dillard's 4 yrs 2 years in home lines, 2 year various ready-to-wear, Jo-Ann's 2 ½ yrs, Tuesday Morning1 1/2), but it just didn't fit with my introverted personality. The best experience I had was managing a Jo-Ann's Fabrics and Crafts in Austin, TX. That's where I made most of my connections with other sewers and local DEs. I got my first job as a sample maker from a DE I meet there, www.babytalavera.com, she made so many mistakes and more than I realized until I read KF book. I now manage (only myself not others) at a local fabric store (upholstery and drapery), www.fannysfabricsaustin.com , am working on the first distributorship for small DEs, Necessary Elements, by combining small orders from DEs to meet wholesale minimums , www.n2e5.com, still making samples and patterns for up and coming locals (www.alysonfox.com and Big Bertha's) and preparing myself to take the next leap, into my own line, MLW (Malissa Long Wearable). I am an active member of the Austin Chapter of the American Sewing Guild, Capital Area Quilt Guild, Fiber Artist of San Antonio and BabesinBiz. I'm also a founding member of the Fiber Artist of Austin. I've been entering contest lately I was given nation recognition for my sewing skills and pattern manipulation www.asg.org/html/contests.html, had a design made out of one of my fashion sketches ww.burdastyle.com, and have a handbag touring the nation www.hoffmanchallenge.com/. I come out of my shell if it's sewing or fashion related other wise I'm a wall flower!