sewBoise

Instructors

Erin Retelle

Owner-Director

Erin has been sewing more or less all her life. She began designing and sewing clothing for her dolls as a child, and then moved on to full-sized fashions after learning to use a sewing machine.She’s been her friends’ go-to gal for custom costumes and outfits, mending and alterations for more than a decade.

After moving to Boise in 2004, she picked up some more advanced design and construction techniques from local instructors and fell into helping design and build costumes for the ballroom dance community she is a part of. She and partner Frank now own and operate Oversway Originals, a custom ballroom dance costume company.

Erin comes from a family of educators, and is no exception, many have described her as an exceptional teacher. She thoroughly enjoys teaching, learning and sharing sewing tricks with others.

In 2010, Erin joined the Association of Design and Sewing Professionals and began participating in the organization's annual educational conference where she continues to expand her sewing and design skill set, improve her teaching techniques and share her work.

Barbie McCormick

Couture Instructor - Alterations Chief

Barbie started sewing her freshman year in high school, and found she had inherited a knack for dressmaking from her mother and grandmother. After sewing for herself, her family and her friends for several years, she started a job doing alterations on an army post, then on to doing alterations for Macy’s in California.

Barbie moved to Idaho and officially opened her business, aptly named “Sew Good” in 1994. While she does all sorts of sewing, Barbie specializes in formal, bridal, and couture clothing.

A member of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals since 1996, she attends yearly educational sewing conferences to learn varied and new techniques in her field. She takes classes whenever she can to further her sewing abilities; she studied with Kenneth King to learn European pattern drafting and fitting, with Sandra Ericson to learn Madeleine Vionnet methods, as well as design techniques, and with Susan Khalje to further enhance her couture clothing construction knowledge. She even attended Susan’s “Couture Tour” of Paris, where she spent time in the city learning pattern draping and couture embroidery techniques.

Barbie is on hand at the Sewing School to teach any advanced sewing classes that they wish to offer, including French designer jackets, tailored jackets, trouser fitting/construction, sloper-drafting, and corsets! She is also in charge of the professional alterations the instructors complete in conjunction with the school.
Send Barbie an e-mail.

Arielle Kolb-Borup

Instructor - Alterationist

As a little girl, Arielle showed more interest in changing her outfits multiple times a day, rather than sewing them. Throughout her high school years she enjoyed ripping old clothes apart and haphazardly piecing them back together to create new looks. Finally, during college, while majoring in fashion design at The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, she began to develop a strong love for pattern making and sewing. Something inside her awoke. Ideas and opinions about the fashion industry began to develop, setting a foundation for her future career. Desiring home again after graduating, Arielle moved back to Boise in 2009. Since then, her skills have flourished under the wonderful instruction of the teachers at sewBoise, and through jobs as a tailor, bridal gown alterationist, pattern maker, and instructor. Arielle loves to sew anything from home decor to wedding gowns, simple quilting to geodesic domes. She is still learning... will always be learning, and truly loves passing the knowledge she has gained on to her students.

Tasha Adams

Assistant

Tasha is sewBoise’s newest addition. She is currently a senior at Boise State University finishing her last two classes to complete her Bachelor’s degree in Communication and English. She can be found helping out with general office tasks, updating the website and running errands to keep sewBoise running smoothly. She is here to help so let her know if you have any questions!
Send her an email.