At an early age Loretta was taught to sew her own clothes and mend clothes for her brothers, and to use materials at hand to make numerous useful things. Sewing exposed Loretta to many types of fabrics, their different properties and textures. 

That exposure remained with her as she grew into adulthood, when she continued to create art out of everyday items. These traits are conveyed through her work. Her facility and creativity in working with these materials led some to say “she could make something beautiful from nothing.”