We were lucky to catch up with Annette Ridge recently and have shared our conversation below.

Annette, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I’m completely self-taught—built by pure trial and error, stitch by stitch.
Looking back, if I could sit down with my younger self, I’d gently say: “Create more for you. Don’t chase custom orders, money, or the need to be validated. That noise will only pull you further away from who you really are.”

But the truth is, I needed that journey.
I had to go through the distractions, the doubts, and the detours—because that’s how I learned the most important skill of all: self-validation.
It didn’t come easy. I had to be pushed to my breaking point before I finally stopped looking outward and started trusting what I felt in my bones.

For a long time, I was my own biggest obstacle.
I watered myself down to keep others comfortable. I tiptoed around my passions, unsure if I was “good enough” or “ready” to own the gifts I’d been given. I let fear dim what came naturally to me—because I hadn’t yet realized what was possible when I fully believed in myself.

But here I am.
And now, I move differently. I create from a place of knowing, not proving. I let my hands speak for me. I trust my instincts, my eye, my story.
And if sharing this helps someone else come home to themselves, then every misstep along the way was worth it.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hey y’all, I’m Annette Ridge—just a country gal with busy hands, a curious mind, and a heart full of stories.

I didn’t learn to sew in a classroom. I learned by trial, error, and a whole lot of patience. It started as a necessity—a way to make clothes that actually fit me, because nothing I found in stores ever felt like me. Everything I tried on seemed to ask me to shrink or squeeze into someone else’s idea of “normal.” I finally got tired of settling and decided to make room for myself—thread by thread.

I was born and raised in Mississippi, where “making do” wasn’t a phrase—it was a way of life. My mama and the women around me didn’t have much, but what they did have, they made stretch with grace and ingenuity. Watching them turn scraps into meals, thread into garments, and love into legacies lit a fire in me from an early age. Their quiet strength, their creativity, and their ability to make a way out of no way shaped who I am today.

What began as frustration with fashion turned into a love affair with fabric, and eventually, a spiritual practice. Sewing gave me something I didn’t know I was missing: silence. In that silence, I heard my own voice. In every stitch, I processed emotions I’d buried. In every finished piece, I saw a version of myself I hadn’t yet met—confident, calm, whole.

That’s when I realized this was bigger than fashion.
Sewing wasn’t just something I did—it was helping me become who I am.

That healing became the root of Patchwork Hues—a name that reflects not just fabric, but life. We’re all made of layers, textures, and colors—memories, dreams, scars, and hope. I created Patchwork Hues at a time when I was trying to avoid myself. But in the silence, there were no distractions. Just me and the truth. And in that truth, I found the child I’d left behind—the one who used to dream freely, create fearlessly, and express herself without needing permission.

I started imagining a world where more people could feel that kind of freedom.

That’s why I’m building something more than just a brand.
I’m building a retreat-style experience—a slow, soulful space for people to unplug, breathe deep, and reconnect with their creativity.
Here, sewing isn’t about perfection. It’s about play. It’s about mindfulness, curiosity, and honoring your story through your hands. Whether you’re turning jeans into art, scraps into meaning, or silence into self-awareness, you’re doing more than making clothes—you’re making yourself.

In a world moving fast and full of noise, I want to offer an alternative:
Less external validation. More inner guidance.
Less pressure to be perfect. More space to be real.
Less following the rules. More honoring your truth.

I also believe that sewing shouldn’t be a gatekept skill or a dying art. We’ve become too reliant on fast fashion and too far removed from the beauty of making something with and for yourself. Teaching others to sew, upcycle, and create custom fabric from preloved items has become one of my greatest joys. And I keep it real—no rigid methods, no pressure to get it all right the first time.

When someone asks for help, I don’t start with rules—I start with a question:
“What do you want to make?”
Then we walk the path together. I guide them step-by-step, skipping the fluff and diving straight into what brings their idea to life. We laugh, mess up, learn, and grow—together.

I always tell folks: I don’t know everything. But I’m stubborn enough to figure it out.
And I believe that makes me the kind of teacher I needed once—one who walks beside you, not ahead of you.

At the end of the day, I just want people to feel what I’ve felt: the quiet pride of making something with your hands… and the deeper healing that comes from realizing you made something beautiful out of yourself, too

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I want to see people shine—not in someone else’s spotlight, but in their own light.

We were all born with something sacred and unique to offer this world. But life has a way of dimming that light. Between expectations, disappointments, and the constant noise telling us who to be, so many of us forget who we really are.

Sometimes, it’s not about chasing a big dream or creating a funky new wardrobe. Sometimes, it’s just about getting quiet enough to hear your own voice again. That’s where the magic lives—in the silence. That’s where breakthroughs happen, not just in the mind, but in the soul.

I want to be part of that process.
I want to hold space for people as they remember the parts of themselves they thought they lost—the child who used to dance without shame, the artist who used to color outside the lines, the dreamer who once believed they could be anything.

Because the moment someone realizes they were never broken—just buried under noise—is the moment they begin to shine.
And watching that light come back on in someone’s eyes?
There’s nothing more beautiful. Nothing more satisfying.

I’m not here to tell anyone who to be.
I’m just here to remind them they’ve always had permission to be fully, unapologetically themselves.

And if I can play even a small part in helping someone reclaim that light—
then every stitch, every struggle, every step of my journey has been worth it. ✨💞🫂💞✨

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Self-expression is my sanctuary.
I love creating for me—not for approval, not for trends, not for anyone else’s comfort. I’m not interested in shrinking myself to soothe someone else’s fears or insecurities. Jealousy, judgment, projection—I’ve learned none of that has anything to do with me. That energy belongs to them, and I choose not to carry it.

When I wear something I’ve made, there’s joy stitched into every seam. Confidence radiates from me not because I think I’m perfect, but because I’m free. People often tell me, “I wish I felt as good as you look,” and I tell them gently: “You can—you just have to be willing to do the work, and quiet the noise.”
Some get it. Some don’t. But either way, if my presence plants even a small seed of inspiration, then I know I’m still on the right path.

What truly moves me is how children respond to my work. Their faces light up with wonder, and they begin to imagine—imagine who they could be, what they could wear, what stories they could tell. I see the same spark in my granddaughter. When she sees a garment she loves, she twirls in it like it’s made of magic, and I fall in love with that moment every time. I wait patiently, hoping she’ll tell me what she dreams of making for herself, so I can teach her, and one day, we’ll wear our creations together. 🥹✨

Her mama—my daughter—grew up in a home where self-expression was a birthright. I let her wear whatever her heart desired. She tells me now how strange it felt when her friends shared how they weren’t allowed to be themselves, how their dreams were silenced. She’d come home heartbroken, asking why anyone would shut down a child’s light like that.

The truth is, I grew up without much money, but my mom gave us something priceless: the freedom to imagine. She couldn’t afford the things we wanted, but she never denied us the power of creativity. We made magic out of what we had. That foundation stayed with me, and now, as an adult, I lean on it like a soft, worn quilt—it’s always there to catch me.

Sometimes, words aren’t enough to explain what you’re feeling. Sometimes, you don’t even want to speak—you just want to express.
That’s what creativity is for me: a sacred space where I can speak without words, where emotion flows safely through fabric, color, texture, and form.
Art is a language for the soul—and it has saved me more than once.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patchworkhues?igsh=MXdqcnYxcWgxODllcw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Other: TikTok: @patchworkhues

Image Credits

Patty Barham ( pattyb_studios) Instagram

Pictureprojectclt Charlotte, North Carolina

Annette Ridge