Meet Tchad Elliott, President

Tchad learned to sew at a very young age by taking apart custom tailored suits that his grandfather wore in the 1920s and dresses that his grandmother had stored away from the early 20th century generally.  As young life moved on, he kept absorbing and practicing sewing and design - reading everything he could get his hands on, working independently while in high school and college on hats, dresses, and costumes while earning degrees in International Studies with foci in French and Post-Colonial politics.  

After graduating college, he returned to the US and moved to Chicago in 2000. He opened a small private design studio to put everything he had been doing over the years into broader practice.  In 2006, he opened up his private workrooms teaching sewing classes in Chicago to individual students and small groups.  

The main focus of his work over the past five years, aside from private commissions, has been small tailored sewing classes in his workroom focusing not just on the conventions and rules of sewing, but helping students and clients think about the use and nature of their sewing.  The classes range from the most basic to the most advanced. 

In his spare time he writes about sewing and design, does volunteer work in rural land use consulting and management, teaches small classes in old German hand-script (Current & Sütterlin), paints, and works on independent projects in historical preservation, restoration, and interpretive restoration.  
 
He writes about his classes and ideas on his classes blog: http://blog.classes.tchad.biz