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2010 Educator Yearbook
Professional Educators Are Your Key to Sales Through Education!
A professional sewing, quilting, or embroidery educator is invaluable in getting your customers excited about “what’s new” in the industry. These educators are trained in various areas of technical expertise, and they are always ready to share their love of sewing, quilting and creating with your customers. When your customer base gets energized by a successful educational event, they are motivated to buy product. That means increased profits for you!
Classes and workshops taught by these professionals can keep your regular customers coming to your store often and can attract new customers who want to learn something fun and interesting. When you plan your events for next year, use this yearbook to get in touch with some of the best educators in the industry. They are ready to share their passion for sewing, quilting and embroidery with you, your staff, and your customers.
All members listed in this Educator Yearbook are members of the Sewing Educators Alliance!
Members:.
Peggy Anderson
P.O. Box 50503
Palo Alto, CA 94303
Phone: 408-564-7758
E-mail: peggyanderson@comcast.net
Peggy Anderson learned the sewing basics from her mother while in junior high school. Since then, her interest in sewing has grown and developed. Her primary focus has been sewing clothes (blouses, suits, pants, skirts and dresses). Recently, Peggy has broadened her horizon with tote and overnight bags as well as quilts. She has taken classes at the Back Porch, Eddie’s Quilting Bee and with Sandra Betzina and Loes Hinse. Sewing has become her passion!
Marci Baker
Alicia’s Attic, Inc.
204 N Link Lane #7
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Phone: 970-224-1336
Fax: 970-224-1362
E-mail: info@aliciasattic.com
Web site: www.aliciasattic.com
Places will travel: International
Marci Baker has loved sewing for years. She began teaching quilting in 1989 for her local quilting guild and shops. Marci graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in math. In 1993 she started Alicia’s Attic with the concepts that combine her love of math with her love of quilting. Quilting became a great way to share her knowledge with others. As an admirer of traditional quilts, Marci was inspired to author books on Not Your Grandmother’s™ Quilts. This series uses the traditional patterns people associate with their grandmother and simplifies the technique. She has invented several tools to help make quilting easier for all. Her Know Before You Sew™ solution cards take common problems quilters encounter and provide easy-to-understand solutions. In 2006 she expanded Alicia’s Attic by purchasing Clearview Triangle from Sara Nephew. They are collaborating on new designs and techniques. These ideas and Marci’s simplifying methods have come together as “The Clearview of Quilting”; inspiring today’s quilter.
Patricia C. Barry
By Design Quilting
5640 Tracy Circle
Racine, WI 53402
Phone: 262-681-2000
E-mail: Pat@ByDesignQuilting.com
Web site: www.ByDesignQuilting.com
Places will travel: International
Patricia Barry’s background is in business and computer technology, and she currently teaches business, free motion quilting and computerized quilting. Her first book ABC’s of Longarm Quilting was published by Krause Publications in 2007. In 2008 she wrote the user manual for the new Statler Stitcher software. Currently she designs a complete line of quilting machine templates produced by Creative Grids. They are sold exclusively by Checker Distributors. In addition to writing and designing, Pat still finds time to do custom quilting.
Janith Bergeron
The Sewing Tree
6 Cross Lane
Barrington, NH 03825
Phone: 603-664-6944
E-mail: janith@metrocast.net
Web site: www.thesewingtree.com
Places will travel: National
As an educator for The Sewing Tree, Janith Bergeron offers a “Step into Sewing Series” at the new Dover, NH, studio to schools and youth programs. She offers hands-on workshops and event planning for retailers, teaching the skills that bring fun into every stitch. Her sales background is a bonus in promoting profitable and focused classes. Designs by Janith, custom sewing since 1990, has proven alterations to be a unique education in reconstructing garments, thus making classes in recycling a big hit. With adding embroidery, embellishments, and excitement, students are returning to sewing and enjoying new techniques. Janith is a Master CSE for SEA and has been a contributor to Threads Pattern Review since 2003. She has also been a Trained Sewing Educator/HSA since 2002.
Marcie Brenner
Sew Beary Special
1025 East 28th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11210
Phone: 718-951-3973
E-mail: sewbeary@aol.com
Places will travel:
National, International
In her more than 30 years of teaching, Marcie Brenner has conveyed her love of sewing and quilting, demonstrating her extensive knowledge with a sense of humor whether she’s working with beginners or professionals. She has taught at local and national level sewing and quilting shows and from junior high to university level courses. For the past 16 years she has run her own sewing school and quilt shop, with classes covering all phases of sewing, quilting and home dec. Additionally, she is employed in the garment industry as a technical designer and was a technical writer for a pattern company. She has an A.A.S. in applied apparel design and patternmaking, Fashion Institute of Technology, a B.A. in home economics and women’s studies, Brooklyn College, with Graduate courses in education.
Nancy Burg
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Ave.
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail: nburg@janome-america.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Nancy Burg is an educator for Janome America. She’s one of the lucky few who was able to turn her sewing hobby into a career. In 1977, after enrolling in a sewing class and finding that the fabric she needed was not available locally, she decided to open a store called Knits n’ Bolts. Next she became a Janome dealer, opening Sewing Concepts. By offering many different classes, Nancy helped her clients get maximum enjoyment and value from their sergers and sewing machines. She likes creating projects to use in classes and demonstrations and she enjoys working with dealers and consumers as they use their machines and learn new techniques.
Maddie Bushman
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail:
maddie@janome-america.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Maddie Bushman is an educator for Janome America. She’s a sought-after instructor who also teaches for the American Sewing Guild and has appeared numerous times on The Kaye Wood Show and Quilt Central TV. She was a featured educator for Janome’s Love2Learn School in Muscle Shoals. Maddie teaches a wide range of classes, from embroidery for the beginner/intermediate, to quilting, to garment construction on a serger.
Mary Carollo
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail: mary@janome-america.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Mary Carollo is an educational coordinator for Janome America. Her more than 30 years in the sewing industry have included managing a custom bridal business, owning her own retail store and teaching across the country. Since joining the company, she has developed Janome hands-on classes, dealer development classes, training seminars and software education. Her projects and classes are focused to bring out the creative artist in everyone.
Pam Clarke
Log Cabin Dry Goods Homestitches
Designs With Lines
4922 East Union Avenue
Spokane, WA 99212
Phone: 509-747-0315
Fax: 509-624-0383
E-mail: sales@homestitches.com
Web site: www.homestitches.com
A noted machine quilter, teacher and artist, Pam Clarke has been machine quilting and creating her own quilting designs since 1986. Designs with Lines, a company started by Pam in 1988, has several stencils and sketchbooks available with hundreds of sketches to guide machine quilters in creating a style of their own. Pam’s work can be seen in several published magazines and books. She has been creating her own stencils for several years, and her technique is used for home machine quilting as well as the longarm machine quilting. Pam was voted Teacher of the Year for the Home Machine Quilt Show in 2009. Be sure to visit her on the Web at www.homestitches.com. Pam also owns Log Cabin Dry Goods, a quilt shop that offers longarm supplies, fabric, and longarm rental machines.
Connie Crawford
Fashion Patterns by Coni
P.O. Box 370
Hansville, WA 98340
Phone: 360-638-2629
Fax: 360-638-0296
E-mail: fashionpatterns@centurytel.net
Web site: www.fashionpatterns.com
Connie Crawford is a licensed designer for Butterick Patterns and is owner of Fashion Patterns by Coni. She is a nationally recognized lecturer, fashion specialist, educator, and author of sewing and pattern books, including A Guide to Fashion Sewing, The Art of Fashion Draping, and Patternmaking Made Easy. Drawing on her 35 years of experience in apparel manufacturing and 23 years teaching fashion design classes in patternmaking, sewing and draping at The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, Connie created her own pattern line with true-to-body fit from sizes X-Small to 6X.
Pam Damour
The Decorating Diva
495 Point Au Fer Road
Champlain, NY 12919
Phone: 518-297-2699
Fax: 518-297-2698
E-mail: decor8d@aol.com
Web site: www.pamdamour.com
Places will travel: International
Known as the “Decorating Diva,” Pam Damour offers professional drapery workroom training to the trade. Co-author of Pillow Talk, Pam is generous in sharing the knowledge of her 27+ years as an interior designer and sewing professional. As a seasoned career speaker, she’s a member of SEA, ASG, and AQS. Pam travels internationally teaching her specialty techniques that have brought her years of continued business as the “Couture of Home Dec Sewing.” Producer of 13 how-to DVDs, national spokesperson for The Warm Company and Rowenta, Pam enjoys the hands-on aspect of the window treatment industry. She has developed a 12-part template system to make custom window treatments that are taking the industry by storm! Pam’s new projects include a fabric collection, a new book, and her own Web-TV show called At Home with the Decorating Diva. Pam lives on the shore of Lake Champlain in a log cabin, nestled at the foot of the Adirondack Mountains, where she teaches sewing retreats and her teacher certification programs.
Janet C. Dapson
Fabrications LLC
8860 N. 32nd Street
Richland, MI 49083
Phone: 269-629-0190
Fax: 269-629-0191
E-mail: janet@fabricationsonline.com
Web site: www.fabricationsonline.com
Places will travel: Midwest Region
Janet Dapson is a Palmer/Pletsch Educational Associate and Certified Sewing Instructor, specializing in garment fitting, construction and tailoring techniques at her fabric store (Fabrications) near Kalamazoo, MI. Besides regularly scheduled classes, individual instruction and group programs are available. Group programs may be conducted at Fabrications or at the group’s meeting place. Presentations range from one hour lectures to all day hands-on sessions.
Karen Eckmeier
The Quilted Lizard Fiber Art Studio
19 South Road
Kent, CT 06757
Phone: 860-927-4201
E-mail: karen@quilted-lizard.com
Web site: www.quilted-lizard.com
Places will travel:
International, National
Karen Eckmeier is an award-winning fiber artist and international teacher, author, and pattern designer. Her books Happy Villages, Accidental Landscapes, and Layered Waves emphasize her no-stress approach to playing with fabric, whether it be raw-edge collage or her layered/topstitching technique. Karen believes that lots of intense playing tends to yield wonderful results, and she shares this philosophy in her workshops, books, and patterns. Students always go home with an “I can do that attitude.”
Karen Erickson
Home Fashions U
Slipcover America, Inc.
1101 Ave. D Ste. C102 PMB 128
Snohomish, WA 98290
Phone: 800-267-4958
E-mail: homefashionu@gmail.com
Web site: www.slipcoveramerica.com
Karen Erickson has been involved with home decor interiors for 23 years. In 1986 she started Fine Finishing by Karen as a part-time home based business designing and fabricating draperies, slipcovers and other fabric accessories. In 1998, her company became a corporation with a name change to Slipcover America, Inc. Karen works with designers, decorators and retail customers throughout the United States, specializing in on-site fabrication (in customer’s homes). Karen continues to instruct both in the U.S. and Canada doing seminars/demonstrations of slipcovering at fabric stores, for sewing guilds, and at professional workrooms. She was on staff for four years at the Custom Home Furnishings Industry in North Carolina. In January of 2007 she partnered with Claudia Buchian of Sew What! Home Decor & Slipcovers. Karen is dedicated to custom home sewing education. She loves to share her knowledge by writing articles for various publications, and she has three videos available.
Diane Faulkner
She Sews Fine
323 Calm Ct.
Powder Springs, GA 30127
Phone: 404-788-3974
E-mail: shesewsfine@gmail.com
Web site: shesewsfine.blogspot.com
Places will travel: National
Diane Faulkner has been sewing since she was a child. She has owned her own custom sewing and alterations business and has taught classes for 25+ years. Her passion is to teach others to love all aspects of sewing: sergers, garment construction, fitting, wearable art, embroidery, and embroidery software! Diane is a Palmer/Pletsch Certified Instructor, a member of the Sewing Educators Alliance, and the Association of Sewing & Design Professionals. As an independent educator she has taught classes all over the southeast. Her more popular classes include serger classes from the basics to advanced techniques (any brand); Viking/Pfaff, Janome and Brother software classes; the Origami Jacket (adapted from Shirley Adams); Patterns from RTW; Pant Fitting; and Updated Sewing Techniques. Diane knows the impact classes can have in promoting merchandise and adding to the bottom line in an independent dealership. Her goal is to promote sewing to a new generation of potential customers.
Alba Fekete
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail: afekete@janome-america.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Alba Fekete joined Janome America as an educator in 2007. For 16 years before that she ran her own sewing business. She designed and created her own garments and also did custom home decorating sewing of all kinds. Right before joining Janome she taught beginning sewing, parent/child classes, and quilting -- her true love and passion. Alba is skilled at instructing all skill levels, teaching creative sewing on everything from the 1200D to the MB-4.
Nancy Fiedler
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail: nfiedler@janome-america.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Nancy Fiedler worked 19 years for a Janome dealership in Illinois. During that time she managed the remote store, sold machines, developed and taught sewing, serging, embroidery, software and technique classes for all skill levels. In 1996 Nancy became a regular contributor to Janome Digest, Janome On-Line and participated in two project books published by Janome. She has also been a contributor to Creative Machine Embroidery. In 2000 Nancy published her own patterns under the label “Just Fiddlin’ Around.”
Lee Fletcher
Fletcher Ross Designs
23992 Steelhead Drive
Corona, CA 92883
Phone: 951-277-2571
E-mail: lfletcher@pat-e-patterns.com
Web site: www.pat-e-patterns.com
Places will travel: National
Lee Fletcher’s mother supported her family as a dressmaker and embroidery artist using an old Meistergram machine before computers controlled them. Lee got her first machine at 10 years old because her mom got tired of her begging to use the power equipment and has been sewing ever since. In college she was responsible for the costumes in several school drama productions. Her major was home economics specializing in textiles. Lee has been involved in costume making for ballet, owned her own manufacturing company producing her designs, and now owns Fletcher Ross Designs which produces sewing patterns created as skill builders for quilters and non-quilters, alike. She supports her customers by teaching classes. Lee has also enjoyed an extensive career in sales management for consumer product companies. She loves to sew and to teach sewing.
Sam Fung
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail: sfung@janome-america.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Sam Fung is an educator for Janome America. Prior to joining the company Sam had his own custom sewing business in Texas where he designed and created wedding gowns, bridesmaids dresses, home decor, and other things. Some of Sam’s creations appeared in the opening numbers of the Miss Texas Pageant. Whether teaching adults or children, his passion for and love of sewing is apparent.
Marilyn Gatz
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail:
mgatz@janome-america.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Marilyn Gatz is an educator for Janome America. Her career began as an employee at a Stretch & Sew store in 1975. Along the way she purchased a Memory Craft 8000 and realized that Janome machines are something special. Marilyn has taught at many dealer workshops and quilt shows. She’s also been a regular contributor to Janome Digest and Janome On-Line.
Gay Gerlack
Sewabration
18 Dickson Lane
Martinez, CA 94553
Phone: 925-228-6717
Fax: 925-370-1267
E-mail: sewabration@aol.com
Web site: www.sewabration.com
Places will travel: National
Gay Gerlack is the owner of Sewabration. She has a line of patterns and booklets, and is available to teach at educational seminars. She is a member of the American Sewing Guild and the Sewing Educators Alliance. Gay has taught for the Original Creative Festivals, International Quilt Festival, the Sewing and Stitchery Expo, the International Embroidery Conference, the Creative Embroidery Conference, the Machine Enthusiasts Embroidery Conference, the Janome Sew Easy Retreat, the Sparkle Cruise, the Sew, Quilt and Embroidery Festivals, the Valley Stitcher’s Guild, and at a variety of sewing centers. Gay’s designs have been featured in Threads Magazine, Sew Stylish Magazine, Designs in Machine Embroidery, and The Embroidery Journal. She has also written articles for Pattern Review. The classes and projects are part of a simplified sewing series designed to make sewing fast, fun and creative….a Sewabration!
Dianne Giancola
DG Communications
14 Westover Avenue
Stamford CT 06902
Phone: 203-325-3286
Fax: 203-359-2418
E-mail: diannesews@aol.com
Places will travel: National
Dianne Giancola is a well-known educator specializing in sewing notions and fabric dyeing. She has appeared on many TV shows, including Quilting Arts and Sewing with Nancy. Dianne also has experience working in the home sewing industry as education manager for a large thread manufacturer and as director of communications for a sewing notions company. Dianne enjoys writing, teaching and demonstrating.
Valora Hammond
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail:
vhammond@janome-america.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Valora Hammond is an educator for Janome America. Her love of sewing began as a child and along the way she’s worked in a fabric store and made costumes for state shows. She has been doing custom sewing since she was in high school, expanding to creating garments for contests, stage and special occasions. She graduated from Colorado State University with a major in secondary teaching and a minor in apparel production. She loves to teach Janome customers all the things their machines can do for them.
Sue Hausmann
S and H Presents
30628 Detroit Road #250
Westlake, OH 44145
Phone: 440-725-7626
E-mail: sewhausmann@gmail.com
Web site: www.sewandquiltwithsue.com
Hostess of America Sews public television series, Sue Hausmann has been sewing since age 10 in 4-H. Her proficiency resulted naturally from a lifetime of sewing for herself and her home, her four children and now 10 grandchildren. Her enthusiasm for sharing the lifeskill of sewing and quilting with others is her passion, and for more than 40 years her profession focused on sewing education. Today, Sue and her husband Herb travel together to present “Sew and Quilt with Sue.” Sue and Herb enjoy sharing the joy of sewing and quilting and meeting new friends across the country. She has produced and hosted more than 900 public broadcasting programs and has published 33 books.
Barbara Hershey Handler
The Quilt Handler
1800 Kinglet Lane
Knoxville, TN 37919-8917
Phone: 865-212-0079
Fax: 865-584-1408
E-mail: thequilthandler@aol.com
Web site: www.thequilthandler.com
Places will travel:
International, National
It all started in a class with Jodi Barrows, originator of the Square in a Square technique! Barbara Hershey Handler become one of the first certified instructors for this awesome method. Recently, she has added Creative Curves and Jenny Haskins’ techniques to her certification list. She is an experienced teacher who likes to combine technique and humor in the classroom. Barbara has taught at major shows in both quilting and embroidery and loves to combine the two.
Joan Hinds
Fancywork and Fashion
P.O. Box 3554
Duluth, MN 55803
Phone: 218-728-7966
E-mail: joan@fancyworkandfashion.com
Web site: www.fancyworkandfashion.com
Places will travel: International
As the author of many sewing books and patterns for the popular 18-inch doll, Joan Hinds specializes in classes and seminars for sewing for dolls. She also teaches a variety of embellishment techniques for both humans and dolls, including machine and hand embroidery, smocking, etc. Her book, All Dolled Up, will be released in 2010. It features patterns for girls clothing with matching doll clothes. Joan enjoys sharing her fun and easy techniques that appeal to beginning and experienced sewers alike.
Kathi Jensen
Sew Crazy
14 Hall Road
Sebago, ME 04029
Phone: 207-650-1933
E-mail: sewcrazy14@yahoo.com
Sewing is therapy, an outlet for creative energy and ideas. It is a very personal means of self-expression. Additionally, it is a useful skill. Kathi Jensen has been sewing since she was 10 years old. Her neighbor taught her to sew in exchange for babysitting her two young sons. One lesson and Kathi was hooked! She began teaching sewing in 1992, a quilting class for 11-14 year olds, and then progressed into teaching adults. Beginner classes are the most fun for her.
Suzanne Johnson
Sewing Design Studio
211 Newman Street
East Tawas, MI 48730
Phone: 989-362-5057
E-mail: suzannejstudio@aos.bz
Suzanne Johnson’s first sewing instructors were her mother, grandmothers, and her mother’s best friend. All of them were very good teachers, and she also learned a lot about sewing through her 4-H participation. She graduated with education in home economics and has a minor in clothing, textiles, and patternmaking. Suzanne was hired at the Bay Arenac Skill Center as the instructor of the business and sewing program. She worked for Jacobsons as the bridal department manager and as the alteration specialist. Suzanne redesigned bridal gowns, designed and constructed head pieces, altered new gowns and managed a successful sales staff. She has had sewing studios as she grew and traveled, and now she has the Sewing Design Studio in East Tawas, MI. Her business today focuses on designing, patternmaking, dressmaking, tailoring, and altering readymade clothing.
Fred Lebow
Lebow Consulting
P.O. Box 1240
Marion, MT 59925
Phone: 406-854-2322
Fax: 406-854-2320
E-mail: flebow@lebowconsulting.com
Web site: www.lebowconsulting.com
Places will travel: National
Fred Lebow is nonwovens manager for Cotswold Industries, a manufacturer of top-quality embroidery stabilizers based in New York. He has been developing nonwovens and interlinings for the sewn products market for 33 years. For the past 25 years, he has focused on embroidery stabilizers and has been a pioneer in the development of many new products that are in widespread use today. He is a contributor to industry trade publications such as Impressions and Stitches as well as a speaker at the Imprinted Sportswear Shows, National Network of Embroidery Professionals, and several other venues, including the VDTA/SDTA.
Pamela Leggett
Pamela’s Patterns
1502 Carlisle Avenue
Prospect Park, PA 19076
Phone: 610-534-4182
Fax: 610-534-4182
E-mail: pamela@pamelaspatterns.com
Web site: www.pamelaspatterns.com
Places will travel: National
Pamela Leggett has been teaching sewing to adults and children since 1981. Specializing in serger techniques, pattern fitting, and fine garment skills, she has developed a fun and informative teaching style that is now available in her pattern line, Pamela’s Patterns. One of Pamela’s passions is creating garments that flatter and fit the wearer. Her desire to teach others to achieve the perfect fit led her to the Palmer/Pletsch pattern fitting method, which she has used to help hundreds of women successfully achieve good fit and a renewed love of garment sewing. It is with this knowledge that she created a line of patterns that have many fitting issues and adjustments built in to the patterns. Pamela’s Patterns have been reviewed and featured in Threads and Sew News magazines, Sawyer Brook Distinctive Fabrics, PatternReview.com, GeorgeousFabrics.com and Nancy’s Notions Catalogue. She is speaker and instructor for many American Sewing Guild events, a contributing author for Threads magazine, a project creator for Janome for Hancock Fabrics and manages Steve’s Sewing, Vacuum, and Quilting in King of Prussia, PA.
Joi Mahon
Dress Forms Design Studio, LLC
4614 Polk Street
Sioux City, IA 51108
Phone: 712-239-9921
Email: joi@dressformsdesign.com
www.dressformsdesign.com
Representing Baby Lock USA, Designer Joi Mahon bridges the gap between the fashion industry and home sewing. She is a successful, trendy and popular fashion designer with an established business designing for clients all over the US. She is the proud owner of a clothing patent, a published author, award winning designer and educator presenting the series Love of Fashion. Popular with the younger aspiring fashion student and fashion sewer, Joi teaches students the exact design processes and techniques she uses when working with her clients bringing ideas from concept to fabric. Classes include topics such as Fashion Draping, Sewing as a business, Fit and Measuring the Body and Trends and Design. Joi is a member of National Sewing Council
Mary McCarthy
17 Burlington Ave.
Rockledge, FL 32955
Phone: 321-635-8640
E-mail: mmsewing@bellsouth.net
Web Sites: www.marymccarthysews.com &www.custombridalwear.com
Places will travel:
International, National, Regional
Mary McCarthy has an extensive background in sewing, teaching, and business. She owns a custom bridal wear business and teaches all levels of garment sewing, from beginner teens to couture design students. Her relaxed and informative style allows students to enjoy the learning process as they develop the creative, life long skill of sewing. Her teaching venues include retail stores, sewing guild groups, specialized workshops, and individual classes. She is currently an adjunct faculty member of the International Academy of Design and Technology in Orlando, FL, and she is a national trainer for the Sewing and Craft Alliance. Her formal background includes a B.S. in clothing and textiles, and M.B.A. She is also a Palmer/Pletsch Educational Associate and has authored two books on sewing techniques. Her creative and inspiring ideas have been featured in Threads Magazine, Sew News, and Pattern Review.com. To learn more, go to www.marymccarthysews.com.
Marsha McClintock
SAF-T-POCKETS Patterns
15942 SE Brooklyn Street
Portland, OR 97236
Phone: 503-761-6460
Fax: 503-762-1617
E-mail: marsha@saf-t-pockets.com
Web site: www.saf-t-pockets.com
Places will travel:
International, National
Marsha McClintock is the designer and owner of SAF-T-POCKETS Patterns, where she creates patterns suited for travel or everyday. She enjoys teaching and creating classes that inspire and motivate students to try new things. Marsha uses creative samples to show techniques and supplies good handouts showing the steps to complete the project. You can count on her to have innovative ideas that will get students excited about sewing. Her knowledge and sense of humor make for informative, fun classes. She has taught at the American Sewing Guild national conferences, sewing shows across the U.S., and at her annual SAF-T-POCKETS’ Sew Inns, held on the Oregon coast.
Carol McKinney
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail: carol@carolmckinney.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Carol McKinney is an educator for Janome America. Ever since she taught herself to sew, Carol has been perfecting her skills. She went from making clothing for herself and her family to designing and marketing wearable art vest patterns and teaching classes on the applique cutwork construction. In 1997 she won first prize in the Sulky Challenge and had projects featured in two Sulky concepts books. In 1996 Shirley Adams featured Carol’s Cherokee Nations vest on her program. Two of her Peek-a-Boo Pleats garments were included in Serger Art by Diane Bossom, published in 1997. In 2002 Threads Magazine featured her machine embroidery lace technique. Carol has had numerous projects featured in Janome Digest and has taught at Janome Institute three times.
Alta Meunier
Custom Parent Gear
P.O. Box 606
Pine, CO 80470
Phone: 303-564-6479
E-mail: quiltr9k@msn.com
Web site: www.customparentgear.com
Living in the Colorado foothills allows for lots of “creative juices” to flow freely. Alta Meunier has been sewing for 55 of her 60 years and quilting for the last 25 years. She loves to make all sizes of quilts as well as clothing for babies on up. She teaches these skills to anyone who wishes to learn. Her Web site was started by her daughter and her, and it shows some of the diversity and quality of her products.
Darlene Miller
Clothes For You
6 Rosebud Lane
Missoula, MT 59801
Phone: 406-728-0086
Fax: 406-728-0086
E-mail: darlenemillercloz4u@yahoo.com
Web site: www.darlenemillercloz4u.com
Places will travel: International, National
Darlene Miller, teacher, author and designer, has revolutionized the lives of countless women by redefining the standards for choosing garment styles. Her book Your Shape, Your Clothes and You – Secrets of a Successful Wardrobe teaches women how to dress based on their triangle, square, circle or oval body shape. Her unique concept fostered the development of a line of basic patterns for each of the shapes. These patterns eliminate time consuming fittings to create garments that fit perfectly. Recently she has adapted quilting techniques for her patterns so garments not only fit well, they look fabulous as wearable art. Her patterns have been reviewed in Threads Magazine and Sew News.
Sue Moats
Freelance National Educator Representing Sulky of America
109 Normandy Drive
Silver Springs, MD 20901-3032
Phone: 301-587-6177
E-mail: moatsue@aol.com
Web site: www.sulky.com
educators/index_educators.php
Places will travel: National
Sue Moats is a quilt artist and teacher who loves to “play” with different fabrics to create new textures using metallic and variegated threads and yarns. As a national educator for Sulky of America, Sue enjoys teaching Sew Exciting Seminars and teaching at consumer shows. Sue, a longarm quilting expert, was a celebrity quilt teacher for Quilt Central and the Machine Quilters Showcase featuring longarm quilting. Sue really does stand UP for quilting!
Caryne Finlay Mount
P.O. Box 3103
Livermore, CA 94551-3103
Phone: 650-430-2311
E-mail: caryne6@gmail.com
Web site: www.kimonodesign.com
Places will travel: International,
National, & Regionally in SF Bay, East Bay, Mid-California and North
California
Caryne Finlay Mount is an internationally award-winning designer of couture artwear, textile designer, and sewing instructor for adults, teens, and children in Livermore, CA. Caryne holds a Bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Kansas, and an Adult Education Credential as well. She has been teaching sewing since 2002. Caryne also teaches surface design classes which emphasize having fun, exploring one’s creativity, and experimentation. She is married and the mother of two daughters. When not teaching, she volunteers her sewing skills to the local ballet, building tutu and other costumes for such ballets as Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Firebird, Rose Adagio to name a few.
Mary Mulari
Mary’s Productions
P.O. Box 87
Aurora MN 55705
Phone: 218-229-2804
Fax: 218-229-2533
E-mail: marym@marymulari.com
Web site: www.marymulari.com
Places will travel: International
Mary Mulari has been teaching and sharing creative sewing projects since 1982. A frequent guest on Sewing with Nancy, she has written 23 books, designed embroidery/applique cards, patterns, and her own line of apron and accessories patterns. Her inspirational, fun-filled seminars are available at sewing stores and sewing guild chapters across the U.S. Her special topics include applique, accessories and travel gear, sweatshirt embellishments, and zipper projects. A new topic Mary will focus on this year is “sew green makeovers.”
Luveta Nickels
The Junk Jeans People
16184 422nd Avenue
Clark, SD 57225
Phone: 605-532-5625
Fax: 605-532-5465
E-mail: luveta@itctel.com
Web site: www.junkjeanspeople.com
Places will travel: International
Luveta Nickels specializes in recycling old blue jeans, but teaches all areas of sewing. She will introduce “All Bleached Up” techniques using her private label power drill and stones. Perfect for machine embroidery enhancement. You get a bonus when Luveta visits your store because her products can be worked on consignment. She is well versed in multi-brand machines and is anxious to work with individual stores. She promotes sales and return business after leaving her audience in awe! Luveta has appeared many times on PBS TV with Kaye Wood, Nancy Zieman, and Sue Hausmann. Her students have lightheartedly given her the title of “Denim Diva.”
Ellen Osten
Sulky of America
National Education Director
980 Cobb Place Blvd, Suite 130
Kennesaw, GA 30144
Phone: 800-874-4115, Ext. 174
E-mail: ellen.osten@sulky.com
Web site: www.sulky.com
Places will travel: National
Ellen Osten has decades of experience sewing and teaching professionally. She has contributed to numerous books and is the creator of a unique pattern line, Sew…What’s New. Ellen has been with Sulky of America, Inc. since 1988 and is the national education director. She travels throughout the country giving lectures, demos and hands-on classes. She enjoys teaching all skill levels and instructs in many subject areas including free-motion thread painting, computerized embroidery, pattern fitting, bridal, tailoring, cutwork and design.
Ann A. Poindexter
Sewing With Ann
343 Montgomery Dr.
Erie, CO 80516
Phone: 720-939-9916
E-mail: sewingwithann@comcast.net
Places will travel: National
Ann Poindexter is a sewing instructor, author and speaker. Her love for sewing was instilled on her mother’s knee at a treadle machine and has grown her entire life. Ann’s sewing experiences have run from sewing for her family to speaking at major sewing conferences around the country -- but her true passion is in teaching. A public school teacher for 32 years, Ann has a keen sense of what it takes to teach children and adults. Ann received her Bachelor’s in home economics from Oklahoma Central State University and Master’s in textiles from Central Missouri State University. Ann is a Martha Pullen Certified Viking Heirloom Instructor, and a member of the American Sewing Guild and Professional Clothiers Association.
Suzanne-Marie T. Rak
The Image of Nashua
50 Parrish Hill Drive
Nashua, NH 03063
Phone: 603-438-9025
E-mail: sewnh@yahoo.com
Places will travel: National
Suzanne-Marie Rak has been teaching others since 1979 and has been sewing for others in business since 1991. She was trained in computer software digitizing in Ohio at Husqvarna and has studied with world famous sewing professionals. She does restoration work with the University of New Hampshire, and she is also a sewing teacher at Rivier College in New Hampshire. Her classes bring “simple brilliance” to everyone. With comic relief and a knack for speed join the fun as this pro leads you through the pleasure completing a project in one sitting. She is a new notions nut on the scene with a sidekick cartoon you don’t want to miss.
Londa Rohlfing
Londa’s Creative Threads
804 Vista Drive
Savoy, IL 61874
Phone: 217-398-5166
Fax: 217-398-9853
E-mail: Londa@Londas-sewing.com
Web site: www.londas-sewing.com
As a past shop owner herself, Londa Rohlfing understands what shops expect in guest teachers. Her niche is transforming and recycling sweatshirts into amazingly stylish jackets that people say they would never have guessed started as a sweatshirt. Informative, entertaining, and info-packed Power Point lecture classes, hands-on workshops and trunk shows “work” for both quilters and fashion sewing enthusiasts, and have been extremely well-received in her travels to national sewing expos and guilds. Londa will travel nationally and internationally.
Kathy Ruddy
Live Guides Inc./Unique Patterns
10207 Marine View Drive
Mukilteo, WA 98275
Phone: 425-501-1801
Fax: 206-361-6188
E-mail: kathyruddy@earthlink.net
Web site: www.uniquepatterns.com
Kathy Ruddy, whose knowledge and enthusiasm spans five decades of sewing fun is a specialist in sewing, serging, and fitting. Her education seminars include a large group presentation using pre-made samples and a presentation wherein she is the designer, seamstress, commentator and only model. Her tagline for this type of presentation is the “stripping” teacher. She also offers hands-on seminars and in-depth classes where she sits and sews while the audience watches. Contact her for a list of her newest class topics. Kathy is the star of 10 serger and sewing videos and author of 12 serger and sewing booklets and her new enhanced books on CD. On these CDs you can look at pictures of her projects from start to finish and read the words as she imparts her wisdom and experiences on a microphone.
Martie Sandell
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail: msandell@janome-america.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Martie Sandell’s enjoyment of sewing has been part of her creative expression since a small child. She has taught sewing and quilting most of her adult life. Her professional career began by teaching quilting for the Los Angeles College District in the 1970s. Martie was one of 15 exhibitors at the first Houston Quilt Market and Festival, selling her patterns. She continued to teach for both venues over the next 10 years, placing her on the national teaching circuit for many years. In addition she has written numerous magazine articles and sewing columns. Creativity and color have been key motivators for her, and she is often known for her whimsical applique and surface embellishment on clothing. Martie’s garments have been featured nationwide. Her designs have been featured in fabric ads and as printed fabric cut-and-sew panels for Concord Fabrics. Her first introduction to Janome was with the Memory Craft 5000. In 1999 Martie joined Janome and continues to work as a freelance educator, encouraging both children and adults as they discover the joy of sewing.
Louise Schubert
2910 Berkshire
Mesquite, TX 75150
Phone: 972-681-1936
E-mail: glschubert@sbcglobal.net
Louise Schubert started sewing at the age of 13. She studied clothing and textiles at the University of North Texas and was a professional stock pattern maker for several years. She now works as a sales associate for Viking sewing machines. She enjoys tailoring, alterations, and embellishments of any kind. She also does costumes for theatrical production.
Kim Schultz
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail: kschultz@janome-america.com
Web site: www.janome.com
Kim Schultz is a freelance educator for Janome America. She has taught beginning sewing classes to children and has run a monogramming business from her home. Kim loves all types of sewing and her passion is quilting. When her famiily’s home was destroyed by hurricane Katrina, she created a quilt to express her feelings about the experience. It was featured in Janome Digest. She said that after Katrina, quilting just seemed to fill in all the “cracks” the event left. “My design for the Katrina quilt just came to me. It is so easy to get sucked down into the negative aspects of Katrina. I chose to focus on the positive.”
Margo Shaw
Janome America, Inc.
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430
Phone: 201-825-3200
Fax: 201-825-1488
E-mail: mshaw@earthlink.net
Web site: www.janome.com
Margo Shaw has been a Janome educator for five years. She is from Rockvale, TN, just south of Nashville. She has taught at Janome Institute, AQS in Paducah, KY, and at quilting shows and dealerships across the country. Her work has been featured several times in Janome Digest Sewist Showcase. This garment sewer from the South also delights in making dolls and unique articles of home decor.
Patsy Shields
Sew Better Seminars
381 So. Fern Street
Sellersburg, IN 47172
Phone: 812-246-4079
Fax: 812-246-9406
E-mail: patsysews@insightbb.com
Places will travel: International
Patsy Shields began working in the sewing industry in 1983 with a major sewing machine company. Since that time she has done Sew Better Seminars through Chilton Book Co., pants fitting and blazer construction seminars, Sew Exciting Seminars with Sulky of America and is currently working with Floriani Stabilizers and Walter Floriani. Patsy travels presenting seminars, serger workshops for groups and shops as well as workshops in free motion quilting. She is a certified “Cotton Theory” quilting instructor, and also teaches at various embroidery retreats. She is a freelance national educator with Janome America and DALCO Embroidery Designs. She is a current winner of the first ever Certified Master Sewing Educator award which was presented in 2007 to her along with eight other prominent sewing educators across the country. She also has her own video on Ribbon Embroidery by Machine.
Linda Stewart
Linda Stewart Couture Designs
49 Claremont Circle
Bristol, VA 24201
Phone: 276-669-3299
E-mail: LStewartCouture@bvunet.net
Web site: www.LindaStewartCoutureDesigns.com
Places will travel: National, International
In March 2004 Linda Stewart launched her class series “Alterations for Professionals” to train alterations specialists. Her classes have drawn students from across the U.S. and Canada. Linda has two books on CD, Alterations for Professionals and Bridal & Formal Wear. Linda was a 2006 and 2007 Bernina Fashion Designer and is in the Bernina Artisan’s program. She is a member of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals and has been the driving force behind their Master Sewing and Design Professionals Certification Program.
Meg Stoner
660 S. Bolling Road
Pahrump, NV 89048
Phone: 775-513-9914
E-mail: megstoner@msn.com
Meg Stoner began learning to sew at the age of 12 and later earned a design degree leading to a career in the garment industry for over 15 years. She began as a pattern maker and was promoted to product development and merchandising positions. She became interested in education and began teaching in the classroom and online. Her teaching includes garment construction, alterations, and fashion history.
Cheryl Stranges
Cheryl Stranges Design
& Sewing Studio
173 GreenPointe Drive
Welland, Ontario Canada L3C 6Y8
Phone: 905-735-5452
E-mail: cheryl_lynnsews@yahoo.ca
Web site: Under Construction
Places will travel: International
Cheryl Stranges is a freelance sewing and serger specialist, inspiring sewing across Canada. With very high energy, you will usually find her at Husqvarna Viking dealerships, adult sewing workshops, seminars, trunk shows, and retreats. She is also a certified Sulky educator who enjoys teaching surface embellishment, fiber art, machine embroidery, quilting and serging. Inspire and Be Inspired is her motto. Cheryl’s background includes fashion design, home decorating, and serger instructor for community colleges for over 10 years. She has taught children and teens to sew over the last 12 years in her Design & Sewing Studio, travels across Canada, and absolutely loves to inspire. She loves to write and is co-author of many sewing and serger books, and national sewing publications.
Linda Teufel
Dragon Threads LTD
490 Tucker Drive
Worthington, OH 43085
Phone: 614-841-9388
E-mail: linda@dragonthreads.com
Web site: www.DragonThreads.com
Places will travel: International
Linda Teufel is the dynamic owner of Dragon Threads quilt book publishing company and has herself authored several books about quilting and wearable arts. Linda teaches from her book Koos Couture Collage, written after long association with Koos and the fashion industry. Her large repertoire of classes also includes innovative, contemporary sewing and quilting techniques with silk to create intense, kaleidoscopic, gorgeous garments, quilts, and other unique items for the home.
Mary Tiffany
4825 Tobosa Road
Las Cruces, NM 88011
Phone: 575-532-1740
E-mail: matiffany@aol.com
Mary Tiffany attended the second Trained Sewing Educator class offered by the Home Sewing Association. She has taught a variety of sewing classes, judged clothing and doll clothes competitions. Mary is a member and past president of the Las Cruces Chapter of the ASG, the Las Colocheras Quilt Guild, and the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals.
Kaye Wood
Kaye Wood, Inc.
P.O. Box 456
West Branch, MI 48661
Phone: 800-248-5293
Fax: 989-345-3049
E-mail: kaye@kayewood.com
Web sites: www.kayewood.com &www.kayewoodtv.com
Places will travel: International
Kaye Wood has taught quilting for over 40 years and is still going strong. She began teaching the machine arts, such as free motion embroidery, in 1973; then the quilting bug hit her in 1977, when a student asked if they could do some of that “quilting stuff.” She now teaches her original techniques internationally through classes and lectures, her books and patterns, through her PBS series Kaye’s Quilting Friends, and her video Web site, www.kayewoodTV.com. Her quilting shows are also broadcast on several local independent channels. Kaye describes herself as a “quilt engineer.” Her main quilting interest is to simplify the quiltmaking process which results in easier and more accurate techniques so her students can have an easier time making quilts. She breaks a lot of the “rules” with her original piecing tips. Quilting cruises are one of Kaye’s passions. She has taken quilters on 25 cruises. She also is well known for her charity quilt project, The LoveQuilt Connection, which is presented at consumer shows around the country. Quilts made during these shows are donated to charities.
Kay Wright
Seams And Such
P.O. Box 628
Eastlake, CO 80614-0628
Phone: 303-255-3174
E-mail: info@seamsandsuch.com
Web site: www.seamsandsuch.com
Places will travel: National
Kay Wright believes sewing is a skill anyone can learn and takes every opportunity to share her love of sewing and inspire others. As a Trained Sewing Instructor from the Sewing & Craft Alliance with almost 40 years sewing experience and a Bachelor’s degree in business administration, she teaches a variety of garment construction classes, ranging from basic to advanced. Kay also teaches classes at national sewing expos and guilds. She is available for workshops, classes and lectures nationwide.
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