About Custom Sewing Institute
 The Custom Sewing Institute (CSI) provides professional educational seminars with a focus on professional techniques and methods, to assist attendees in achieving beautiful and well-crafted window treatments and other soft furnishings.
Our Events:
Why are events called “Camp!”?:
The “Camp” title describes the emotional environment rather than the physical one. The event facilities are neither rustic nor outdoors and indoor plumbing is readily available!
Outlined below are the reasons for the “Camp” title as well as how the idea for The Custom Sewing Institute began.
Our Inspiration:
Learning
In 2000, after five years in business, Susan Kostelecky attended the Professional Drapery School (now known as The Custom Home Furnishings Academy www.chfschool.com) to take a four day class taught by then-owner and instructor Cheryl Strickland. With eight students in the class, students used commercial equipment, learned professional methods and bonded as colleagues in the drapery industry. It was a wonderful environment to learn new skills in a professional setting.
 Camaraderie
Another attendee in this class invited Susan to begin attending the Sew What Conferences annually (this event has been purchased by Draperies & Window Coverings Magazine (www.dwconline.com) They became fast friends and looked forward to attending each year and networking, learning and visiting with so many others in the industry.
Inspiration for “Camp!”
Later Susan read a series of books by Jennifer Chiaverini (www.elmcreek.net) involving women gathering annually at a Quilt Camp to learn techniques, recharge and have fun. This setting inspired the Creative Camp name in an effort to replicate the ambiance of relaxation, fun, creativity and sharing in a learning environment.
Goals
These events fostered the desire to provide an environment and event that would:
- Promote networking and sharing among colleagues
- Foster future relationships and support between attendees
- Teach advanced skills and techniques to experienced workrooms (Creative Camp)
- Encourage talented instructors to share their specialized skills
- Provide a small group environment
- Allow students to complete sample projects to showcase to their clients or designers.
Success!
The inaugural Creative Camp event was held in February of 2007. This event featured small-group networking, hands-on classes and wonderful instructors (Leslie Fehling, Gillian Wendel, Donna-Marie Lee, Joyce Hernandez and Susan Kostelecky).
Attendees flew in from 11 states, had a wonderful time and returned to their workroom groups to share their happy experiences. Potential new attendees began contacting CSI to register for the next event, which had not yet been planned or scheduled. Soon the March 2008 event was scheduled, planned and registration opened, with talented instructors Chris Watt, Leslie Fehling, Gillian Wendel, Joyce Hernandez and Ginny Conner.
Within two weeks of announcement, and a full year in advance of the event, the 2008 Creative Camp was fully booked. Attendees came from 17 states to Houston for the event in Navasota, Texas.
Again, it was a roaring success… and Creative Camp 2009 had 50 registrants from 21 states and Canada!
We hope to see you at a future event!
 Susan Kostelecky, the owner of the Custom Sewing Institute, has owned a custom drapery design and fabrication studio since 1994. The award winning SK Designs (www.picturetrail/skdesigns) has created hundreds of creative window treatments in the greater Houston area (including many featured on area home tours), as well as Austin, Dallas, Corpus Christi and even California.
With commercial equipment and the latest methods and styles, SK Designs creates, fabricates and professionally installs your custom window treatments and bedding. Additionally, Susan offers blinds, shutters and shades.
Based in Houston, Texas, professional custom drapery seminars will be presented to fabricators, workrooms, decorators and designers to teach professional custom drapery sewing methods, marketing, design, and more.
Industry Affiliations and Recognitions
- Window Fashions Certified Professional - Master
- Past President - Houston Area Custom Drapery Association (HACDA)
- Speaker - Window Fashions IWCE 2008 and 2009
- Speaker - Window Fashions West Coast Expo 2007
- Member - WAA (Workroom Association of America)
- Award Winning Window Treatment and Slipcover Designer
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