Episode 142 - Becky Peelen – A lifetime of making memories…and now she’s retiring
After 37 years of serving the Milwaukee community through custom garment creation, educator and artist Becky Peelen joins Sew & So to reflect on a remarkable career and the relationships that made it meaningful.
Becky traces her sewing roots back to rural Wisconsin, where she learned at her mother's side and made her first garments from flour-sack fabric. What began as a childhood skill quickly became a lifelong calling. From sewing her own clothes in junior high to creating bridal gowns in college, Becky never questioned that sewing would be part of her future.
A graduate of Alverno College with degrees in art and education, Becky built parallel careers as a teacher and seamstress. She shares how her artistic training shaped her approach to garment design and why creativity remains essential to the human experience. Becky also recounts the transformative influence of master instructor Harriet Sherbach, whose insistence on precision and excellence elevated Becky's craftsmanship and helped define the quality standards that became the hallmark of her business.
Throughout the conversation, Becky reflects on opening Becky's Custom Sewing & Design Shoppe in 1988 and the countless people she has served since. From creating wedding attire for multiple generations of the same family to sewing costumes for community performance groups like the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, Becky has woven herself into the fabric of her community. Her philosophy is simple but powerful: every person deserves clothing that fits beautifully and reflects who they are.
As retirement approaches, Becky shares her hopes for spending more time painting, writing, traveling through memories of adventures in Tanzania and Nepal, and enjoying her growing family. Looking back, she expresses deep gratitude—not for what she gave others, but for what sewing gave her: a life filled with purpose, creativity, friendship, and joy.
This touching episode celebrates a woman whose artistry, generosity, and dedication have impacted generations of sewists, students, and clients alike.
Episode Notes: For nearly four decades, Becky Peelen has been helping people look and feel their best through the art of custom sewing. As the owner of Becky's Custom Sewing & Design Shoppe in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood, she has created garments for weddings, graduations, performances, and countless milestone moments, becoming a trusted part of generations of families' lives.
In this special episode of Sew & So, we honor Becky as she prepares for retirement after 37 years in business. Becky reflects on learning to sew from her mother at age eight, balancing family, teaching, and advanced sewing studies, and building a career centered on craftsmanship, creativity, and care for others. Along the way, she shares lessons from influential mentors, stories from decades of custom sewing, and her belief that sewing is truly an art form—where every person is a unique canvas and every garment tells a story.
It's a heartfelt conversation about legacy, creativity, community, and a life beautifully stitched together.
(3:00) How did Becky learn to sew and who inspired her? Learn about her mother Margerite, broomstick skirts and her first store bought dress.
(7:05) When did Becky know that sewing wasn’t just a hobby…it was her path?
(8:44) How did art and her teaching career influence her sewing
(10:30) Becky talks about the season in her life when she was going to school and raising her children and teaching at night – many thanks to her mom!
( 12:21) What specific lesson did Becky learn from Harriet Sherbach?
(14:45) How did teaching influence her sewing practice?
(15:55) What made her open Becky’s Custom Sewing Shop in Milwaukee in 1988?
(16:22) Her favorite thing to talk about…the many stories of the people she’s sewed for…like the Milwaukee Sewing Granny’s, individuals and so many more!
(19:11) How does her family feel about her retiring?
(20:41) Becky is an artist and describes sewing as art. She talks about her creative process of sewing.
(24:39) How dies she feel when she looks back on the families she’s sewed for…and the memories she’s made for them.
(26:15) What’s her dream for retirement?
(27:39) What was her favorite place to visit in her travels? Here some wonderful stories.
(30:20) Some final thoughts from Becky.
Want to reach out to Becky? Facebook – Becky Peelen. Tell her you heard her on this podcast!
Subscribe & Listen: Don’t miss future episodes! Follow Sew & So Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.
If you know someone you think has an outstanding story – a story that should be shared on this podcast, please drop me a note to meg@sew&sewpodcast.com or complete the form on our website.
Key Words: Becky Peelen, Sew & So Podcast, custom sewing, garment construction, Milwaukee sewing, Bay View Milwaukee, sewing educator, custom dressmaker, retirement, sewing legacy, women's formal wear, bridal sewing, sewing artist, sewing business, sewing mentor, Harriet Sherbach, Alverno College, Milwaukee Area Technical College, sewing craftsmanship, sewing inspiration, sewing community, handmade clothing, fashion sewing, tailoring, custom garments, sewing teacher, creative entrepreneurship, sewing stories, sewing history, Bernina, Made to Create, sewing podcast, Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, art and sewing, lifelong sewist, women in business, sewing career, garment design, sewing creativity, sewing excellence, sewing traditions, Wisconsin sewing community