Deborah J. Nelson founded Satin Stitches® in early 1978, as a one-woman venture after working as a Fashion Designer/Patternmaker for a 'high-end' woman's apparel company for five years in Minneapolis, MN. By 1979, Deborah added a team of professionals to help create the very best custom performance costuming available. Satin Stitches moved to our current location in 1989, and we expanded to double our space in 1994. Many changes have occurred at Satin Stitches in our thirty-plus years as a high-quality custom performance costume manufacturer. But, our company still remains true to our beginnings- of NOT mass-producing designs, but instead specializing in creating truly original and custom costuming for all types of performers, soloists or groups of any size.

Deborah's 40+ years of professional design, fitting, alterations, and patternmaking experience hails her as a leader in the industry. A Bachelor of Fine Arts (Major: Fashion Design) graduate and former instructor at The Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), Deborah continues to share her knowledge and experience as both a speaker and writer on topics related to the design, selection, and care of performance costumes and uniforms. Her articles and designs have been featured in magazines including Dance Spirit, Dance Teacher, Survival Guide, Cheerleading/Dance & Drill, Synchronized Skating, and other national publications. Deborah also presents informational seminars at dance, skating and music educator clinics across the country, is a member of United Dance Merchants of America and served on the Editorial Advisory Board of Dance Spirit Magazine for its first five years.

Melissa Feidt joined our Satin Stitches Customer Service Team in 2011. In addition to sharing her dance expertise by judging at local dance team competitions, Melissa has extensive customer service experience, along with three years as a Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader and 13 years dancing with Stage Door of Performing Arts. She was a 4-year member of the Totino-Grace HS dance team, serving as captain and choreographer. Melissa’s interest in dance fashion, coupled with her college education in Communications at the University of Minnesota makes her well suited to work with our new and returning clients.

Michael Arthurs has been with our design team since 2007. Michael graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Apparel Design from UW-Stout, after achieving the highly acclaimed awards: "Best in Show" and "Trendsetter" from the UW-Stout Spring 2007 Fashion Show. His duties at Satin Stitches include designing, CAD patternmaking, supervising production and also working directly with some of our clients.

Our cutting department continues to run very smoothly with our cutter - Jan Hickle. Jan has been a Satin Stitches team member since 1999, doing a wonderful job with our Lectra CAD cutting system. Her previous garment industry experience includes machine sewing, hand cutting and bridal veil embellishment.

Our talented sewing and embellishing staff has been trained under Deborah to maintain our high standards, to create the very best in custom performance costuming.

We offer expert design consulting, patternmaking, cutting, and sewing, in order for you, our customers to get superior styling, proportioned fit and incredibly precise quality from start to finish, with all of your custom designed Satin Stitches performance garments. Additionally, we have the latest technology in rhinestone attaching equipment so your high-quality Swarovski® rhinestones apply quickly and stay on!

When you order from Satin Stitches Ltd. you are getting THE BEST in the design and production of your performance apparel.

Please call during our regular office hours of 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, Central Time Zone!