What started out as a quilting habit has turned into a full-fledged sewing and alteration business for Joy Monroe, owner of Enjoyable Quilting and Sew Much More of Holt. Monroe has enjoyed sewing and quilting for many years, but they were always something she did on the side.
Monroe has always been an entrepreneur, previously owning and operating home care services for the elderly. Once she closed that business in 2000, she began thinking of making her sewing “habit” into something more, eventually opening Enjoyable Quilting and Sew Much More in 2007.
Enjoyable Quilting offers a wide range of services including sewing, alterations, quilt creation, quilt repair, and consulting. Monroe offers sewing and alteration services that range from formal wear such as bridal and prom dresses to tailored clothing. In particular, she has seen increased requests for men’s tailored clothing and can provide tailoring for items such as suits and dress shirts. She also offers services such as hemming pants, replacing zippers, and patching holes in clothing.
Monroe especially enjoys helping with formal wear alterations. “I love the prom season,” Monroe says. “I tell all my regular customers that I kind of put their stuff on the back burner during prom time so all the girls can get their dresses back in time. Prom time is a lot of fun for me.”
In addition, Monroe does bridal alterations. She has even helped with bridal dress repairs and emergency wardrobe malfunctions the day before the wedding. Most of the time though, Monroe recommends brides who come to her for alterations get their dresses to her at least four months ahead of time. “Bridal
books and everything tells you six months ahead of time, but I can usually fit it in to all the rest of my work.”
Enjoyable Quilting also offers Halloween costume creation or consulting. “I’ve made some costumes,” Monroe says, “but most of the time I tell parents how to make them inexpensively, rather than going and buying the costume and spending big money on it.”
Some of Monroe’s favorite work revolves around quilting. She can make quilts from scratch, including t-shirt quilts. But she can also do quilt repair for anyone who may have an old quilt they’d like to restore.
Monroe enjoys interacting with her customers and providing her sewing services for the special moments or memories in their lives. “My customers have become my friends. They might come to pick up something and we’ll sit down and talk for half an hour. I enjoy the people.”
Enjoyable Quilting and Sew Much More is open Monday through Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Customers can call for special appointment times if necessary. Enjoyable Quilting is located at 2189 Cedar Street in Holt, 517.694.3317.