Sew Fabulous

By Richard Martinovich

After World War I, soldiers recuperating from battlefield trauma were introduced to the craft of fine needlework. Focusing on an intricate, pleasant task was known to promote a positive mental state. Sewing enthusiasts and quilt makers just know how enjoyable and rewarding it is to create something of your own!

Sew Fabulous in Portage has everything you need to start and finish your sewing projects. Top–name new, and used, sewing machines; books and patterns, embroidery supplies, fabric, kits, and sewing accessories. Owner Heidi Degenkolb has had a passion for sewing and quilt making since grade school, and realized her dream of owning a sewing business when she opened Sew Fabulous in March 2021.

Heidi has made Sew Fabulous a one-stop destination for fun and creativity! You’ll get lost in exploring the extensive collection of assorted sewing materials; hundreds of stylish 100-percent cotton fabrics to choose from, ideal for quilting; 423 different colors of embroidery thread, fluorescent glow-in-the-dark thread, and high-quality serger thread. There is always something happening at the Sew Fabulous store. Weekly “Sit ‘N Sew” sessions are popular, and attract large groups. Every year, Sew Fabulous plans a Destination Retreat; a sewing excursion! Last May, it was a journey to Drummond Island in the UP. Each person brought their own project to work on, and Heidi also gave them a small project. In 2024, there will be a “Mystery Destination Retreat” that will include clues along the road to a final “mystery” destination!

There is a full schedule of sewing classes offered at Sew Fabulous, like the Jump for Joy Quilt-a-Long, and the “Let’s Ditto” class that created a cuddly keepsake teddy bear!

Sew Fabulous is a Bernina, Janome, and Pffaf certified maintenance and repair shop. Their qualified technicians perform a detailed maintenance service; cleaning and making any necessary adjustments!

Step inside their Romence Road location and you’ll quickly discover why Sew Fabulous is so…amazing!

Fought in 1485, the Battle of Bosworth Field marked the end of the Wars of the Roses and the reign of Richard III, the last Plantagenet king of England. Tradition held that after he was struck down, his body was unceremoniously dumped in the River Soar by the victorious Tudor forces who considered him a usurper. 500 years later, doubts fueled by incongruous historical sources concerning that event and the reputation of Richard III in general remained. The Lost King is the mostly true story of the correction of that narrative. Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) stars as Phillipa Langley, an unassuming Englishwoman who falls in with The Richard III Society, a group of enthusiastic amateur historians dedicated to setting the record straight. Phillipa swiftly demonstrates a talent for research and as she becomes increasingly invested in the life and humanity of King Richard, she begins to see and even converse with his ghostly apparition (Harry Lloyd). Balancing family and her newfound obsession, she navigates the worlds of dismissive academics and eccentric enthusiasts as she methodically zeroes in on the site which she believes to be the final resting place of Richard III: a parking lot on the former grounds of a Franciscan Priory. Charming, optimistic, and broadly appealing, The Lost King is a wonderful reminder of the value of self-determination and the challenging of assumptions. – Submitted by Patrick J.