Marlys

Marlys is a true Oregonian, born in Eugene, growing up in rural Salem and moving to Portland as a teenager. She grew up with a love of drawing, spending countless hours making paper dolls and imagining their ideal wardrobes. Her mom introduced her to the sewing machine, and a very basic dress for a favorite doll. Seventh grade required learning to sew, back in the day when sewing/homemaking was a requirement for all female students. The class instilled the basics of sewing, though she'd already been well exposed to hand-made clothing. Her Grandmother made most of Marlys' clothing until she took to sewing for herself. Grandma's clothes were fine for grade school, not so for a teenager! 

Marlys went to the Museum Art School (now PNCA) to expand her art/design education. Making art took a back seat to baking (a new love) for her family's restaurant for years, but sewing remained her most accessible creative outlet. She loves the engineering, the problem solving, and the creativity of sewing. The unfolding of a fresh length of fabric at the start of a project is still a thrill! She lives in the neighborhood and became a member of the Bolt team in January, 2019.