Watch Kick it Up A Stitch! with Nancy Zieman and Mary Mulari
Nancy would sometimes say she was Entertainment Challenged. When casual conversation topics turned to the latest movies or escapades of Hollywood Stars, she would kiddingly say she was generally clueless. If you’re wondering why movies are being brought up in a sewing & quilting blog, there’s a slight connection.
One of the movies Nancy enjoyed was Eat—Pray—Love, starring Julia Roberts. She enjoyed watching Julia in movies, but Julia’s usual light-up–a-room smile was somewhat missed on a depressed character. Instead of traveling halfway around the world to find happiness, Nancy kept thinking, “This character needs a hobby—people who create are some of the happiest people I know!”
Nancy imagined if Julia’s character learned, let’s say, how to sew – a totally different movie could have been filmed. How about Sew—Cook—Laugh! In fact, Mary Mulari and Nancy wrote what could become the screenplay inspiration. (We certainly hope someone in Hollywood is reading this blog :-))
In past years, Nancy and Mary had presented their little comedy routine, guaranteed to get rid of the blues to sold-out audiences at major sewing/quilting events. They called it Kick It Up a Stitch!
At their last performance of Kick It Up a Stitch! the antics were recorded as a Public TV pledge special. Perhaps some of you watched the hour and a half special on your local PBS channel. If not, you can now order the Kick It Up a Stitch! DVD and watch Nancy and Mary—slightly out of character—making a whole lot of silly! The Kick It Up a Stitch! DVD is now available at shonzp.com.
As a summary, Mary and Nancy do a little sewing. Then, they “kick it up a stitch”, showing the same project in a much more, ahem, glamorous way. Then, they add a little cooking to the mix.
It all starts with a menu—five sewing techniques, then five recipes. Are you wondering what the Egg-cellent Table Toppings are all about? (You’ll just have to watch the TV special or the DVD to find out!)
Here are a few of the Kick It Up a Stitch! program highlights:
- Learn valuable techniques such as printing your own vegetable-inspired fabric pieces. You’ll never look at celery the same way again after viewing this DVD!
- See how a rotary cutter and cutting mat have equally as many uses in the kitchen as the sewing room.
- Plus, be entertained by the Sewing With Nancy band. YES! Nancy had her very own band!
- You’re sure to get a kick out of watching Kick it up a Stitch!
A Public Television broadcaster, in Oklahoma, sent Nancy the following note in an email:
You guys knocked it outta the park with the cooking show! Great production, excellent audience reactions, wonderful pace and funny. Congratulations to you, Mary and all the cast (the band) and crew for a job well done!
Watch Kick It Up A Stitch! Online at nancyzieman.com
So, if you’d like to watch the Lucy & Ethel version of sewing and cooking, watch Kick It Up a Stitch! online at nancyzieman.com
Or, pick up the Kick It Up a Stitch DVD now available at shopnzp.com!
NOW AVAILABLE for the FIRST TIME EVER at shopnzp.com!
Kick It Up a Stitch Bundle, Kick It Up a Stitch DVD, Kick It Up a Stitch Autographed Apron, and Kick It Up a Stitch Kitchen Gear Pattern NOW AVAILABLE for the FIRST TIME EVER, at shopnzp.com! Quantities are limited.
Kick It Up a Stitch Bundle – limited quantities
Kick It Up a Stitch DVD – limited quantities
Kick It Up a Stitch Apron Autographed by Nancy Zieman and Mary Mulari – limited quantities
Kick It Up a Stitch Kitchen Gear Pattern – limited quantities
For a chance to be the random winner of a Kick It Up a Stitch DVD, please leave a comment below sharing a favorite memory of Nancy.
Nancy Zieman Productions will give away one Kick It Up a Stitch DVD to one US resident in the 48 contiguous states. Winner must reply within 30 days to the official giveaway announcement email message – sent from Nancy Zieman Productions.
The Randomly selected winner of a Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack with S!S button & sticker, from the January 21 NEW! Cooler Grocery Tote Sewing Tutorial Blog Posting, is Tami.
Her comment is: Our county is going totally plastic bag-less. So when we shop we will need to bring our own bags. This will be perfect for those grocery trips. I already use the reusable bags, but none of mine are as sturdy or as pretty as this bag. I can’t wait to get the materials and give this bag a go.
Happy Sewing!
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.
Stitch it! Sisters is a production of NZ Productions LLC. Content in this feed is © copyright 2020 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website. The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
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Claudia Bodine
My favorite part of Sewing With Nancy was always at the end of the shows when she would interview people who are actually making a difference in so many ways by doing things for others. It was a treat when she interviewed Janet Raderer and Anna Gray Slagle in Louisville, KY who started the STITCH program teaching refugee women how to sew. I was blessed to get to volunteer at this worthwhile opportunity with these wonderful women starting news lives in Louisville, KY.
Helen Lee
I watched Nancy on Tv from her very first show. After one show I mailed a question to her and she mailed back a hand written answer to that question. I recently ran across that letter and it was a poignant reminder of the many years of enjoying her shows and finding just the sewing notion I needed from Nancy’s Notions.
Janice Briese
I remember watching my mother watch the TV show -Sewing with Nancy as a young girl. We used to sit on the floor playing next to Mom as she sewed on her old pedal Singer sewing machine. Mom is gone now but whenever I see things from Nancy I am comforted with memories of my mother and the talent she had. She passed the love of sewing to me with her first books of Sewing from Nancy. I now share them with my Granddaughters – what a legacy Nancy has left us with. Thank you
Janice Briese – Bismarck, North Dakota
Ann West
I remember so many of Nancy’s programs made me feel comfortable enough to try and make a quilt. She made things seem so easy to do. I am a very visual person and watching her work on quilts made so much sense to me that I could easily transfer what she did to what I would do. Thank you so much Nancy! She is greatly missed by us all.
Pat Bloomfield
I always learned something when watching Nancy. She seemed to know ALL the little tricks which make sewing easier. I still use her ideas and pass them on to others.
Julie Kill
I love all of the Sewing with Nancy shows! Her tips, the way she saw things with creativity, and using short cuts were AWESOME!
But, my favorite part of the show was that she brought others into it.
She thought enough of what others were doing to help people and to help make the world a better place, as well as finding some very interesting creativity! This was my favorite part of her show and of Nancy! Her kindness, generosity, willingness to help others, and touch other lives with her show. That’s what I found so inspiring and kept/ keeps me watching!
Joyce
I always loved to watch Sewing With Nancy. I picked up tricks and it gave me the inspiration to start sewing again.
Clovis
Just watching Nancy was a memory. Still watching her now on create and my PBS station.
Susan
Still enjoy watching Sewing with Nancy and love the tips that she would share such as pattern alteration. Her easy style makes viewing the shows such a joy. She instilled confidence and inspired many of us to try various projects.
beth d.
My favorite memory of Nancy was doing the invisible zipper installation on garments. Also I have learned a lot of techniques from her and her guests.
Barbara
My favorite project that Nancy did was a scenery with birch trees, using tiny cut pieces and glued them down. I used that method and made a Santa quilt that I still love today. I made up the pattern and could only think of what I would do the next day with my project.
Marygrace Ronan
I would sew love to win the DVD…I belong to ASG & Quilters unlimited my friends would love to see this…as would I…God Bless Nancy & her family & peeps.
Sue Anderson
My husband and I LOVE this show. I have fond memories of watching him laugh at their antics the first time we saw it, particularly the creative use of the rotary cutter. We would certainly enjoy the DVD. Thank you for offering it! I still miss her.
Shirley Clark
When I got to meet Nancy at a BabyLock event, I thought she was quite humorous. She kept us all laughing and engaged the whole time during her class. She was such an inspiration.
Beverly
I have seen many episodes of Sewing with Nancy, and one of the things that made me smile was her obvious genuine friendship with Mary Mulari. I would love to win this prize to be able to view the two of them “playing” together over and over again. Sounds like such fun!
Debbe Topel
It’s hard to pinpoint one video of Nancy’s because what I enjoyed the most was Nancy’s sincere interest in every guest and their project. When they worked on that project, Nancy showed the steps and talked about the steps in language I could understand whether I was a novice or had already made the project. She had a gift for teaching and compassion for humanity. She was a blessing.
Carol Skilling
I would just love to see this cd! I always noticed how easily Nancy and Mary got along. You could tell what good friends they were. This would be fabulous see. I learned so much over the years from Nancy.
Barbara Hughes
I laughed and laughed and still learned some great tips and recipes to try. I will Have to say his was the most enjoyable learning video, seeing Nancy and Mary let down their hair and kick it up a stitch. Thanks Laidies.
Barbara Hughes
I laughed and laughed and still learned some great tips and recipes to try. I will Have to say this was the most enjoyable learning video, seeing Nancy and Mary let down their hair and kick it up a stitch. Thanks Laidies.
Pat
My favorite memory of Nancy was when, in September 2015, I had the pleasure of meeting her at Quilt Expo. She was so gracious and pleasant. It was wonderful to learn that she was a real person who was just a nice as she seemed on TV.
Sandra
Watching Nancy for the 30 years make it so difficult to pick a favorite learning experience, but I think watching Nancy showing us how to steady a pattern on fabric using tuna filled cans taught me that you can use household items in sewing and be successful in making your projects. I watch reruns on my PBS channel and still learn some new techniques time after time. Thanks to Nancy and PBS!
Noreen
I’ve watched so many of Nancy’s shows. What I love about them is that she had such creative ideas for making sewing easier and presented these ideas in a way that is so easy to understand. She certainly changed the world of sewing.
Joy
I can’t choose one memory of Nancy. I have watched her for many years and learned soooo much. I can watch the same show over and over, and learn something new each time. She was a phenomenal teacher and had so many clever ways to get the job done.
Lorraine Alves
One of my favorite episodes was when Nancy was interviewing a young quilter who had a disability. Nancy shared her own issues with the young lady and with us, the viewers, as well. Nancy was always open and honest with her audience.
Gbemisola Wellington
I need to know how to sew bags
Katharina Nelson
I loved her landscape quilts. It gave me the courage to dive into quilting. Also how to hem jeans, I’m short so pants are always too long and I can no longer wear heels to fis the issue.
Martha O.
Nancy always inspired with step-by-step explanations the even children could understand: then she exceeded that by creating the “I Sew For Fun” line.
Pam
I enjoy what her teaching children how to sew.
Pam
I enjoy her techniques for teaching children how to sew. Got lots of great ideas and tips.
Chris Bowyer
I always enjoyed Nancy’s interaction with her guests. She asked questions that I would have asked.
Margaret G
I’ve been watching Nancy since the mid ’80s and taped a few early lessons in order to be able to “pause/rewind/and watch again” as I was in my living room, fabric on the table or floor and sewing through so many projects. (this was waaaay before today’s youtube , computers/laptops or streaming TV) I have learned so many new techniques, shortcuts or plain old common sense renditions of things over the years. A good lesson was that “mistakes happen” to the best of us. Knowing that we’re not alone is probably one of the best lessons.
Margaret G
I’ve been watching Sewing With Nancy since the mid-’80s and taped a few early lessons in order to be able to “pause/rewind/and watch again” as I was in my living room, fabric on the table or floor and sewing through so many projects. (this was waaaay before today’s youtube, computers/laptops or streaming TV) I have learned so many new techniques, shortcuts or plain old common sense renditions of things over the years. A good lesson was that “mistakes happen” to the best of us. Knowing that we’re not alone is probably one of the best lessons.
Rebecca Reil
I keep Nancy’s book, Seems Unlikely, by my bed. It makes me feel good to see her as I get ready to go to sleep. I miss her terribly. My favorite memories are of her interacting with young sewers. She had the ability to make everyone feel at home. To make them feel accomplished.
Mary Nasvik
I miss Nancy, but I’m still watching Sewing with Nancy every week and still learning SO much. She was a wonderful lady and very talented.
Gail Beam
My favorite part of sewing with Nancy was the way she demonstrated how easy it was to sew so many different items with so many easy tips and techniques. I have several of her books, which are priceless, and still love watching all of her videos .
JOANNE TRENT
I first watched Nancy when my first grandson was born, 17 years ago. I loved watching her, even tho I was struggling with my Sears machine just making a baby blanket, not much experience or know-how. Her presence filled the room for me and I felt she was a personal friend visiting me. I recorded as many of her shows as I could, and still have them on old video tapes. I admired her extremely; her grace, her compassion, her generosity, and her beauty. Her face and form were truly that of a very beautiful gracious womanly woman. One to be instructed by on so many levels beyond sewing, though she was excellent at that also. I miss her being in this world with us, but I am confident she is with the Savior she so obviously loved, as well as all the others who are in Heaven with her.
Thank you Nancy, for being who you are, and doing what you did. And God bless her husband, sons and family, too. They must miss her terribly.
Pamela Spaeder
Nancy was an inspiration to so many people, me for one. I never had the opportunity to meet her but I was always drawn by her charisma, personality, knowledge, and bravery. Nancy’s facial paralysis never stopped her from being out there for women and, I’m sure, men as well. She always made a project “DOABLE”, sewer or non-sewer. What I do know about sewing is due largely to her. Nancy still inspires from wherever good people go. Her legacy will live on.
Kim Cortina
Thank you for your show on PBS. I have watched you for a long time. My favorite moment was when I got to meet you at the sewing expo in Puyallup, Washington.
Bonnye
I watched and recorded many of Nancy’s sewing programs.. I still have all the tapes and play them on an old vcr.
Sherrie Johnson
I so enjoyed watching Nancy. I’ve been sewing for 60 years. But I always learned something new watching her teach us. It was because of her that I bought my beautiful Janome Embroidery Skyline9 machine last year. I would love to have purchased a Baby Lock…but that was not in our budget! I have many of her books with the DVD’s in the back that still teach me. She is so missed 🙂 But will always live on in our hearts.
Paul
Thank you for article!