Liz Hawkes, Harvard resident and owner of Windows by Liz, announced she will be retiring as of Dec. 31 this year. With no successor to take it on, the business will be disbanding. However, Hawkes said she is grateful for her time working as a seamstress in town and that her career journey has given back to her as she has created window treatments for homeowners and interior designers.
Hawkes founded the company, Windows by Liz, in 2004 after realizing her sewing skills would make for a productive business. Hawkes grew up in England, where she learned her sewing skills in home economics classes in school and through her mother’s teaching.
Over the years, Hawkes expanded a workspace in her home, where she sews and constructs unique window treatment designs for office spaces and homes. She has ready access to the tools and equipment she needs to create her one-of-a-kind pieces.
Hawkes told the Press that she runs the entire company alone. She said she is tasked with sewing and building the creations, managing the company’s finances, organizing and planning, and more. “Basically it’s a … one-woman show.” When asked why she cares about her job as a seamstress, Hawkes said, “I take pride in what I do. If I have a problem, I’m going to fix it.”
Hawkes is the vice president of the local chapter of the Window Coverings Association of America. The organization brings together seamstresses from the area. The chapter participates in activities such as field trips, where members go to shops and vendors to look at materials such as fabrics or hardware for building window treatment designs.
After years of fashioning window treatments of all kinds, Hawkes is ready for retirement. She said she plans to spend time traveling with her husband and that they hope to visit England and travel by narrow boat through its canals. “We want to get in a few more great adventures while we still can,” she said.
Hawkes said business has been busy since she announced her retirement. But looking back, she said she is amazed by the success of the business. “When I started, I never imagined I’d still be in business 20 years later, and that it would be so successful.”
Mia Guaetta is a student intern at the Press. She attends UMass Amherst.
