In 1988 I launched Londa's Elegant Creations, focusing on heirloom sewing techniques and patterns for women. Then in 1990 I opened Londa's Sewing Etc. in Champaign, Illinois — a full storefront dealership for Elna, Pfaff, and Brother sewing machines, where sewists could find the finest fabrics, tools, and inspiration all in one place. I ran that store with joy for 13 years, until 2003.
After closing the store, I did what any passionate teacher does — I hit the road. From 2005 to 2016 I traveled the country teaching and vending at national sewing expos, guilds, and shops, sharing my signature approach to Creative Sweatshirt Jackets. I logged thousands of miles, met thousands of sewists, and loved every minute of it.
Along the way I wrote. A lot. I discovered that I loved to write technical directions.
I had a column in Creative Needle Magazine. I was published in Threads Magazine, Sew Savvy, Sew Beautiful, and Sew News. I wrote and self-published 15 sewing patterns — writing every word and photographing every image myself. I was nationally published by C&T Publishing with my book Sweatshirt Transformations in 2012. I produced two professional DVD sets: Creative Jacket Journey and Stretching Your Knit Sewing Know-How — both now available digitally. From 2012 to 2016 I was honored to appear in 15 episodes of It's Sew Easy, which aired on PBS, bringing my techniques to a national television audience.
In 2016 my husband and I 'retired' and moved to Jackson, Tennessee, where I sew most days in my Sunroom Sewing Studio as I design, stitch, chronicle and teach children age 6 through adults to love sewing as much as I do. I'm blessed to count my sewing customers as friends.
Today I love to create one-of-a-kind upcycled wearable art — garments made from reclaimed clothing and fabric that carry stories, honor memories, and make the women who wear them feel like themselves, only better. Every profit from my garment sales is donated to Tunnel to Towers Foundation and St. Jude Children's Hospital — because beautiful things should do good in the world.
Today I also teach online through my YouTube channel (220+ videos, nearly 27,000 subscribers), my Skool community where I host monthly live classes and weekly Monday Morning Sew & Share gatherings, and through occasional in-person classes and Escape Sewing Retreats here in my Sunroom Sewing Studio nestled in the rolling hills of TN between Memphis and Nashville.
My faith in Jesus Christ grounds everything I do — how I treat my students, why I give, and what drives me to keep creating and sharing after five decades. Without Him, I am nothing. With Him, I have been privileged to enrich the lives of thousands of sewists across this country, and I intend to keep doing exactly that.
I am a proud Christian, Constitutional Conservative, Patriot Academy Constitution Coach, and a founder of We the People of West TN. In this 250th year of our great nation, I am more grateful than ever for the freedom to create, to teach, and to give.
Welcome to my world. Pull up a chair, thread your needle, and let's sew something beautiful together.
I'm Londa Rohlfing — and I've been sewing for over 50 years. Not as a hobby. As a calling.
My journey began the way most great things do — with a mother who sewed. She taught me that fabric isn't just material. It carries people. It carries memories. It carries love. I truly came to realize that the day I wore a garment I'd made from my parents' clothing to my daughter's wedding — and realized I had carried both of them into a day they couldn't physically be a part of. That moment changed everything, and became the foundation of what I now call Memento Upcycle Sewing.
But let me back up.
After earning my Home Economics degree from the University of Illinois, I channeled my passion into dressmaking, taking in clients and selling fine dress fabrics through traveling sample collections from Leiter's Designer Fabrics and House of Laird. Those early years taught me the business of sewing and the joy of serving people who love fabric as much as I do. I learned I am truly a 'people' person.
When the world gets out of control,
I go to my sewing room.
Shop Sewing Notions
Every stitch tells a story, and I've got the perfect supplies to help you narrate yours. Whether you're piecing together a new garment or mending a cherished heirloom, my carefully curated selection of needles, threads, scissors, and more are here to assist. Dive into my world of sewist supplies where creativity meets craftsmanship, and let me lead you to tools that transform your vision into reality.