With her new Singer Dress Maker she produced quilts and doll clothing for family and friends. Now, 43 years later, she is an accomplished seamstress who puts a little love in each garment she works on.
“There are no tailors in my family. I just naturally knew how to sew and knit,” she explains.
As a teenager, she convinced her teachers that she could sew well enough to make the outfits for the cheerleaders. Being one herself, she needed the uniform but couldn’t afford it. With her skills and a sewing machine, she outfitted the whole group and got her own costume for free. She called her business “Straw into Gold” at the time.
“By the age of twenty, I was a single mother and had to make ends meet. I had a day job and in addition did sewing at home,” Tara recalls, pausing while looking back on the tough years.
Later on she got work at Burlington Mall - working as a seamstress, of course.
“There were some conflicts with that job. I’m a giver at heart, and that’s not always good for business. If someone doesn’t have money, I’ll sew on that button for free,” Tara states. “If you release the need to get the most, it comes back manifold.”
She felt it was time she started her own business. Eighteen months ago, she took that brave step.
“I happened to be driving around town and saw the “For Rent” sign in front of this house. I called the agent and an hour later I was signing papers in her office. My heart was in my throat, but I knew it was the right thing.”
She didn’t have a proper sign for her business when she first opened. With a piece of marking chalk and some cloth, she made a banner with “My Tailor” written on it.
“Customers started coming in the first day, and it hasn’t stopped since,” Tara says with a happy smile.
Having your own business is hard work and a great financial risk.
“I don’t always know where the money is coming from. Just this September, the water bill was too high. The next day, a woman came in the door with the exact amount of work for me to cover the charges. God came through for me. I want my children to see that with faith, things fall into place,” she points out.
Tara feels happy and rooted in Anacortes. There is a lot of support for small businesses.
“I have met other independent entrepreneurs at the Center of Happiness. There are enough customers for everyone. I’m not greedy, I’m content,” Tara states with a peaceful look.
In order to give back to the community, she looks for three opportunities every month to do free sewing for people.
“One night at 8:30 a woman came to my door with an armful of blankets. Her apartment was cold and she needed to cover her windows,” Tara recalls.
They sat for an hour, Tara sewing and her customer talking. There was no charge for the work. Now the parents of that late night visitor are regular customers at “My Tailor”.
“I always wanted a shop of my own, to wave to people walking by. And here I am, with this big window facing the street. I wave to people all the time,” she says. (During the interview, one of her customers passed by the building and raised a hand in greeting, as if to prove a point).
During the past year-and-half, she has seen two Home Comings and a Prom. One of her teenage clients came running up to her at the grocery store parking lot and gave her a big hug. The prom dress had been perfect.
“I can see them coming back in a few years for their wedding gowns. I like to think of myself as their tailor, a part of their lives,” Tara says, wiping away happy tears.
She is quite an expert in most any kind of a sewing task. Every now and again, though, a surprise comes along. Such as the biking booties she recently worked on. It took some brainstorming with the customer and Tara’s old purse for material to accomplish the mission.
With the old Singer hammering away at the tough leather, the booties finally received new soles and Tara added a new skill to her many existing ones.
Besides cycling-related jobs, she anticipates quite a few service dog projects, as well. There are many such animals in town and Tara is willing to help where she can.
“I’m grateful and content. When I turn out the lights, I know I’ve done good work. People trust me with their garments, they have personal meaning. That makes me happy. And there is nothing else besides sewing that I would rather do,” she says while hemming a pair of gray slacks.
My Tailor is at 1010 17th St. in Anacortes.
Jaana Hatton is an occasional contributor to Anacortes Now.