Susan Bittner Sampson, CHEP '79, often walks into other people's homes and finds her designs on their windows.
Her Home Dec In-A-Sec sewing patterns, a sort of paint-by-numbers for the stitching-inclined, have sold more than 3.5 million copies for the McCall Pattern Co. Sampson figures more than a million American homes feature traditional swags cut from the first pattern she designed with her neighbor and business partner, Ellen De Lucia.
McCall's spokesperson Kathy Marrone says the duo always has at least one pattern in McCall's top 10. Sampson and De Lucia continue to work from their homes in Fairfield County, Conn., handling the business around three children each and extensive volunteer activities.
"Ellen and I think a key to our success is we're exactly like our customers,'' she says. "You know, we lead very busy lives, but we want our homes to look good and reflect our own thoughts and interests.''
Sampson, who worked for McCall's in New York City for five years before her first daughter was born, was the one who came up with the name everyone agreed was marketing magic--"Home Dec In-A-Sec."
"The idea popped into my head one day when we were thinking about approaching McCall's with the concept of designing a line of patterns. We knew from the start we wanted the patterns to offer quick and easy sewing directions because nobody has time,'' Sampson says. "I never have time. If there could be another six hours in a day, that would be great.''
Home Dec In-A-Sec patterns estimate how long it will take you to complete the project if you are not Martha Stewart. A simple valance takes 90 minutes--not counting the time it takes to read the step-by-step instructions.
"We tell people to read the pattern ahead of time, which may be a wishful thought, but it really does help,'' Sampson says. "Also, the issue of measuring can be intimidating for people. We make it easy by telling you all you need to know. This helps ensure timely success.''
McCall's Marrone says Sampson and De Lucia's patterns are popular because they elevate the standard pattern's terse litany of sewing steps to a sewing lesson--showing exactly how to measure, how to lay out fabrics and how to calculate the correct number of patterns for a particular window.
Sampson says that's a direct result of her UD double major--teaching techniques learned from her home economics education major and business acumen from her consumer economics major.
For the 15 years their patterns have been hot sellers, Sampson and De Lucia have been hearing from people who like the patterns but don't have time to sew them. Spurred by requests from people who wanted the designers to do the sewing for them, they opened an online store in November.
HomeDecInASec.com offers 15 of the top-selling window treatments in the Home Dec In-A-Sec line--jabots, swags, roman shades, drapes and designer valences. The web site has an interactive "studio" that allows shoppers to select their wall colors and see what style and fabric they like before they order ready-to-hang custom widow treatments.
"We know from the pattern line that most people cannot visualize what the fabric will look like in their room,'' Sampson says. "Our interactive studio makes selecting styles and fabrics easier. People are reluctant when it comes to window treatments. They'd rather have their windows bare than make a mistake.''
The partners contracted with a manufacturer to produce the window treatments, but when customers call or e-mail the web site's help line, the phone rings or the e-mail pops up in Sampson's or De Lucia's home.
Sampson and DeLucia spend some of their spare time sewing quilts for foster children or other community projects with their daughters as part of the National Charity League, a mother-child volunteer group. And, they spend some time trying out new ideas.
"My husband will always come home and say, 'Oh, I see we're redecorating,'" Sampson says. "If we design a new pattern and Ellen and I both like it, one of us will try it somewhere.
"The best part of Home Dec In-A-Sec is it's pretty neat getting up every morning and loving what you do,'' Sampson says. "I'm not saying things are perfect or there are no problems, but it just makes a heck of a lot of difference when you love what you do. And, I like the fact that we help people beautify their lives."
--Kathy Canavan