Shows & Contests

Registration - Instructor Biographies

Judy Allen

Familiar with every feature of the quilted feather, Judy focuses a great deal of her workshop instruction on this popular motif. A longarm quilter, trainer, pattern designer, and author, her quilting experience is as multifaceted as the feather design itself. Before quilting, Judy was a china painter. She incorporated her painting skills, such as curved crosshatching, into quilting. Judy's Quick Quilting, her longarm business, has been in operation since 1990. She hosts five-day training workshops, in her home, on the fundamentals of the feather design, basic to advanced machine skills for planned or freestyle quilting, as well as teaching how to create your own designs. She also travels nationally teaching her feather drawing techniques.

Jodi Barrows

Jodi Barrows is a nationally known quilting teacher, speaker and writer, currently living in the North Texas area. Over the past twenty years, Jodi has remarkably touched thousands of quilters throughout the world with her unique method called Square in a Square®. Her point of view provides the quilter with the freedom to create most any quilt design with speed and accuracy. Jodi has written fourteen books (ten of which have been on the best seller list), produced four tools, two video/DVD's and five teacher's books. Additionally, she has a pattern book and fabric line based on a fiction novel she wrote from the 1865 time period entitled Leaving Riverton. She also has a Certified Teacher's Program in the United States and Canada. Jodi has had numerous quilts appear in McCall's, The Quilter, Quick and Easy Quilt World, House of White Birch publications, Quilter's Newsletter Top Ten New Products and a Featured Teacher in the Traditional Quilter. She has also appeared on numerous quilting shows. Jodi has been commissioned to compose quilts for many state and national organizations as well as working with the Kansas Historical Society. She has been active in guilds as well as owning several crafting and sewing related businesses over the years. Jodi was raised in southwest Kansas, has 2 grown sons, and is married to Steve, her high school sweetheart. Website: http://squareinasquare.com.

Tammie Bowser

Tammie Bowser is the author and inventor of Simply Amazing Quilted Photography™, More Amazing Quilted Photography™, Amazing Chenilled Quilted Photography, and the companion computer software Quilted Photo Xpress™. She was taught to sew as a very young child and made her first garments at 4 years of age. Before starting her quilting career she spent 18 years as a professional fashion designer and patternmaker. Tammie's creative career has enabled her to design contemporary quilts and contemporary quilting techniques without traditional rules or restrictions. She has demonstrationed her ideas on "Simply Quilts", "Sewing with Nancy", "Friends of Kaye" and "Friends in the Bee" on Quilter's News Network. Website: http://www.mosaicquilt.com.

Eleanor Burns

Twenty five years ago Eleanor Burns introduced her first Quilt in a Day book, cultivating a quiltmaking revolution. She presented her unique style, a diverse combination of cutting and sewing applications, creating new techniques altogether that replaced scissors and templates with rips and strips, bringing rotary speed to patchwork. She also presented an incredibly rapid stitching system, applying the method of assembly-line sewing to piece work, and her efforts sowed the seeds that have grown into many techniques that are commonly used today. Since 1978, when Eleanor self-published that first book "Make a Quilt in a Day: Log Cabin Pattern," she has authored seventy additional books. Today there are thousands of instructors teaching her quiltmaking methods. Her Quilt in a Day TV series began airing on PBS in 1990 and is still broadcasting nationwide and abroad, teaching patchwork in countries like Japan. Website: http://www.quiltinaday.com/

Maddie Bushman

Maddie Bushman is a bi-lingual international educator for Janome America. She teaches embroidery for the beginner/intermediate, Digitizing, Customizing, garment construction, pattern fitting, Quilting, home decor and crafts. Several of her projects are featured on the Janome website and in the Janome Digest. She has also been a television guest several times on the Kaye Wood Show (Kaye's Quilting Friends) and Quilt Central TV. She has traveled throughout the United States, Central America, Belgium, Holland, Spain, Costa Rica and The Dominican Republic teaching and promoting the benefits of owning Janome Sewing/Embroidery machines and sergers. Website: http://janome.com.

Darlene Christopherson

Darlene Christopherson has been an accomplished quiltmaker since 1979 and has had her work published in several books. Darlene taught on the staff of the Jinny Beyer Hilton Head Seminar for 5 years prior to moving from northern Virginia to Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1992 and has been teaching and lecturing for guilds and large events since about 1990. In 1997 she and her husband moved to China Spring, Texas near Waco.

Darlene teaches hand appliqué piecing and quilting as well as design classes. Years of experience have developed time honored techniques and an understanding of the elements of design and their importance to quilt making. Many guilds have hosted Darlene’s programs and workshops. Darlene has contributed to the success of many events such as the International Quilt Festival in Houston, AQS in Paducah, and Nashville, Quilt America! in Indianapolis, the Pennsylvania Extravaganza in Ft. Washington, PA, Road to California, Quilter’s Heritage Celebration in Lancaster, Minnesota Quilter's Inc. Shows, the NQA Show, Georgia Quilt Council and Quilt Colorado. Website: http://www.darlenechristopherson.com.

Bernadette Coppola

Bernadette Coppola is an Educator Coordinator for Janome America. Prior to joining Janome’s staff, Bernadette’s quilting expertise grew as the owner and operator of a quilt shop in northeast New Jersey. Her credentials included the publication of many quilts in various magazines including The Quilter Magazine, Fabric Trends as well as the Janome Digest. She is recognized as an expert on the Janome 1600P and the popular Gracie quilt frame, which she taught at the recent Janome Dealer’s convention. Currently teaching classes on all the Janome sewing, quilting embroidery and serger machines, Bernadette travels the United States promoting Janome sewing machines and the love of all sewing projects. Website: http://janome.com.

Joe Cunningham

Joe Cunningham began making quilts professionally in 1979, after a ten-year career as a musician in Michigan. His early mentors were steeped in the history and traditions of quilts, leading Cunningham to a life of study in quilt history and a love of traditional technique. Over the years his work has evolved into a unique personal style both original and shaped by the tradition. Cunningham travels throughout the country to give lectures and workshops on quiltmaking. Joe’s eight books on quiltmaking include the first biography of a living quilter and a definitive book on marking quilts for quilting called Quilting with Style, published by AQS. He has been seen on the HGTV series “Simply Quilts with Alex Anderson,” as well as “The Quilt Show” with Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson. Cunningham has performed his musical quilt show, “Joe the Quilter,” for guilds and theaters nationwide. The musical quilt show has been made into a DVD, “Joe the Quilter,” and Joe’s methods of basting and quilting are also available on DVD. Website: www.joethequilter.com.

Daphne Greig

Daphne Greig began sewing as a young girl, making outfits for her dolls. Her first teacher was her mother, an experienced sewer and embroiderer. She then began quilting in 1984 when she enrolled in a beginner class at the local shop. She jumped in with both feet to cover all the beds and many walls with quilts and now refers to her life before this time as "BQ"–Before Quilting. Daphne has had several careers including secretary, financial coordinator, and data analyst, but her career as a quilt designer, teacher, and author is the most fun and rewarding. She is an enthusiastic and patient teacher, encouraging her students to try new techniques and expand their repertoire of skills. Together with Susan Purney Mark, she has developed a successful pattern company–Patchworks Studio. They have designed, published, and marketed over 50 quilt patterns and coauthored books published by AQS. Daphne regularly writes articles for several quilting magazines and teaches internationally and online at Quilt University. Her work has been exhibited in Canada and the United States. Daphne lives with her husband, Alan, in North Saanich, a rural community near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Website: http://www.patchworkstudio.com.

Klaudeen Hansen

Klaudeen Hansen is listed in WHO'S WHO IN AMERICAN QUILTING and is the editor of QUILT ART ENGAGEMENT CALENDAR which features the work of regional quilters and the ADDRESS & BIRTHDAY BOOK featuring miniature quilts and their stories. Klaudeen's quilts have been in many invitational shows both in the US and Europe. Her AMISH INFLUENCES exhibit of 12 wall quilts was in Oslo, Norway, during the Olympics. Teaching is Klaudeen's area of greatest interest. A recent trip to Japan's International Quilt Expo in Tokyo (1,000 quilts) gave Klaudeen a new focus for her popular exchange quilt classes and lots of new ideas to share. Published works include: "Klaudeen Hansen's Addresses & Birthdays." Email: klaudeen@wmconnect.com

Cathie Hoover

For almost 45 years, Cathie has been quilting and designing wearable art for herself, her family and others. Cathie loves sharing her quilting skills with the novice as well as experienced quilters all over the world. Cathie’s specialties include all types of machine appliqué, decorative machine embellishment, wearable art design, and a wide range of piecing and quilt construction techniques. Her credentials include a Home Economics degree and textile skills honed over forty-four years of sewing. Cathie’s goal in a workshop situation is to empower each student with enough knowledge and confidence to continue experimentation beyond the classroom. Cathie has earned numerous awards and is the author of Wild & Crazy Quilt Pattern with Acrylic Templates. Website: http://www.cathiehooverstudios.com

Judy Irish

As long as Judy can remember, she has collected and created in all matter of media. Judy graduated from Michigan State with a degree in art and was son teaching art in California. Her interest in quilting began in the 60’s, but it wasn’t until the early 90’s when her sister introduced her to rotary cutters and mats that she knew that she had found a great way to create art with fabric and thread. Soon after starting her own business in 1997, she also began teaching quilting. Website: http://www.wildirishrowsquilting.com.

DeLoa Jones

DeLoa Jones has been a quilter since 1979 and started teaching quiltmaking classes in 1983. She has taught in several shops in several states and has won many awards in local quilt shows. One of her quilts was selected for the Houston International quilt show in 1991. DeLoa has made commissioned hand-done quilts and wallhangings and started her own machine quilting business in South Haven, Michigan, where she lives with her husband and eight children. She continues to teach quiltmaking workshops and lecture in shops and guilds throughout the country. Website: http://www.deloasquiltshop.com.

Mary Ellen Kranz

Mary Ellen Kranz has sewn and quilted since childhood. She found her career path in computers but continued to pursue quiltmaking. Her twenty years of experience teaching computer technologies provided her with an understanding of how PCs, printers, scanners and digital cameras could help tremendously in the process of creating fiber art. She now shares that knowledge with quilt makers across the country. Her article, Joyful Image Quilts, appeared in the Spring 2003 issue of American Quilter magazine. Mary Ellen and Cheryl Hayes are co-authors of Blending Photos with Fabric: A Beautiful New Way to Combine Photography, Printing, and Quiltmaking published by The Electric Quilt Company. Mary Ellen has been a featured guest of Alex Anderson’s Simply Quilts on HGTV. Website: http://www.quiltingimages.com/.

Faye Labanaris

Faye Labanaris is known for her award-winning appliqué work and her beautifully executed three-dimensional flowers. Since 1990, she has taught throughout the United States, including Hawaii, Canada, and Europe, eagerly sharing her knowledge with students of all skill levels. Her humor and the no-stress learning environment she creates ensure that class participants achieve successful results and personal satisfaction. Her specialties are Baltimore Album appliqué, Hawaiian quilting, and dimensional French ribbon flowers. Her love of Hawaiian quilts and Hawaii led to the development of Quilt Hawaii, a quilt conference held on a different island each year since 1992. Faye began quilting in 1976 and was twice a state winner in the Great American Quilt Festival’s contests, Memories of Childhood and Discover America. Faye lives in Dover, New Hampshire. She is married and has two grown sons. Website: http://www.fayelabanaris.com.

Billie Lauder

Billie is proud to be a third generation quiltmaker. She has been teaching quilting since 1976. When asked what quiltmaking meant to her, Billie said “It is the past, the present and the future.” The past is her learning from her grandmother and mother. The present is her current teaching of her students. And the future is the people who will pass on the knowledge of what they have learned from her to others.

Writing and designing books has been a great challenge for Billie. With 24 books published by Easymade Publications over the last several years, Billie has a vast library to draw upon for her workshops and lectures. The HGTV show “Simply Quilts” helped Billie launch her lecture tour, which continues to take her all over the world. Website: http://www.easymade.com.

Laurie Malm

Creator of the popular Lollipops Designer Bindings, you can find Laurie’s influence in a number of fabric projects – handbags, quilts, knitted projects, garments, and more! Laurie’s outlook is fun and infectious … and she enjoys sharing her tips and techniques to add a special touch to your next project. The latest in designer fabrics can be used in a whole new way when Lollipops Bindings are a part of your supplies. Website: http://www.popsbindings.com.

Chris Moline

Chris Moline is an AQS Certified Appraiser of Quilted Textiles and member of the Professional Association of Appraisers – Quilted Textiles, American Quilt Study Group and Iowa/Illinois Quilt Study Group. Chris has been teaching since 1987. As a quilt maker, seamstress, needleworker, quilt and antique sewing item collector, and quilt restorer she has a broad experience in all aspects of quilt and textile history, construction, care, repair, and restoration. Since 2005, chris has served as a program assistant to the AQS Appraiser Certification Program. She has guest-curated antique quilt exhibits for the Museum of the American Quilter’s Society, Naper Settlement, and the AQS Quilt Expo – Nashville.

Sue Nickels

Sue Nickels has been quilting for 29 years, starting by hand and gradually focusing on machine work. Sue has been teaching machine techniques for the past 18 years. Sue has taught and lectured nationally for shops, guilds and major conferences, including AQS, IQA and NQA. She has also taught internationally in England, Norway and Spain. Sue’s major awards include 1998 AQS Best of Show for “The Beatles Quilt” made by Sue and her sister, Pat Holly. Their quilt, “The Space Quilt” won the 2003 IQA Master of Machine Artistry Award and the 2004 AQS Machine Workmanship Award. Sue books include “Machine Appliqué: A Sampler of Techniques” and “Machine Quilting: A Primer of Techniques”. Her new book “Stitched Raw Edge Appliqué” is co-authored with Pat and was released in February 2006. Sue’s priority in the workshops she teaches is to provide a relaxed environment for students to learn machine techniques that are timesaving. Sue emphasizes the best quality workmanship, never compromising quality for speed! Website: http://www.sue.nickels.com.

Annette Ornelas

Annette Ornelas has always expressed a special interest in art and textiles. In 1991, when her husband was deployed to Desert Storm, she decided to enroll in a basic quilting course. When he returned, he was very surprised to find their house was “quilted over.” After being reassigned to Germany in 1992 and finding herself far removed from traditional quilting sources and her quilting friends, Annette explored her own quilting style. In more than a decade of teaching, she has earned a reputation for solving quilting problems creatively and putting her students at ease. She has been published in magazines here and abroad and publishes patterns through her own company, Southwind Designs. She aims to present complex-looking designs that are easy to piece, making curved designs achievable for all levels of quilters with her dimensional curved piecing. Annette lives in North Carolina with her husband, Mike, and son, Kyle. Website: http://www.southwindquilts.com.

Susan Purney Mark

Susan Purney Mark took her first quilting class over 20 years ago, and since then, quilting has been a very important part of her life. Susan's studies have included intensive design courses in England and Canada, as well as quilting techniques, history, fiber and dyeing workshops. She began teaching in 1993 and has enjoyed sharing her expertise and enthusiasm with students across Canada. Susan formed Patchworks Studio, a quilt pattern company, with her partner Daphne Greig, another Quilt U faculty member. Patchworkstudio.com offers a variety of original designs, quilting software and features a "series of the month." Susan coauthored "Quilted Havens: City Houses, Country Homes." Her patterns and articles have appeared in "American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine," "American Quilter Magazine," "McCall's Quick Quilts Magazine," and "Canadian Quilter." Susan encourages quilters to enjoy the process, to gather as much knowledge as possible, and to challenge themselves with new techniques and processes. Published works include: "Quilted Havens: City Houses, Country Homes." Website: http://www.patchworkstudio.com.

Mary Ross

Mary Ross has taught classes, lectured, and demonstrated quilting around the Midwest. She enjoys hand quilting the most but delights in all forms of the art of quiting. She began quilting in 1979 and prefers the more traditional designs. Mary has had quilt patterns published and has won many awards in local and state quilt shows. Website: http://coloradoquilter.com.

Anita Shackelford

Anita Shackelford has been making quilts since 1967 and teaching since 1980. She has taught in her home, for adult education, for shops and guilds across the United States, and for AQS and NQA during their annual shows. Anita has been a member of the National Quilting Association (NQA) since 1982 and is currently serving as membership chairman. She is a charter member of the American Quilter's Society (AQS) and also belongs to the American Quilt Study Group, and Country Crossroads Quilters in Bucyrus, Ohio. Anita's quilts have won awards in shows across the United States, including six Best of Shows and several for technical excellence. Two of her quilts have received the Mary Krickbaum Award for best hand quilting at a National Quilting Association show. The focus of her work is on dimensional appliqué and fine hand quilting. She enjoys using and teaching nineteenth-century techniques, combined with her own designs, to create today's album quilts. She is also an NQA certified quilt judge and has been involved in judging shows at local, regional, and national levels. Website: www.anitashackelford.com.

Donna Slater

Donna Slater grew up in New Providence, IA and learned to sew from her mother. In the 80’s while living in Wisconsin, Donna won a free quilting class at the local store and made a Trip Around the World as her first project. It is only right that “Scrappy Trails to You” has brought her back around the world to teach and create memory quilts from scraps. Donna’s studio, The Feathered Nest, is located in Loves Park, IL where she resides with her husband and cat. Website: http://www.sewpressandcut.com/.

Helen Squire

As the question and answer expert for Lady's Circle Patchwork Quilts for 20 years, and the designer of Creative Quilting Designs in the American Quilter magazine in recent years, Helen recognizes the change in traditional quilting beliefs. Her series of books published by AQS are focused to better accommodate today's hand and machine quilters, people with busy, time-evaporating lifestyles. Helen presents faster, easier, more successful ways to mark and quilt projects, without sacrificing the principles of good design and the timeless appeal of the finished quilt. Helen teaches locally and nationally, and makes her home in Paducah, KY.

Jamie Wallen

Jamie Wallen entered the Quilting Community with a background in Fine Arts. After a long arm purchase in the late nineties he began to develop his own style of quilting. During this time he developed a large and loyal community of piecers throughout the USA that "wanted him to put his unique style of work on their quilts". Eventually, he began mentoring new quilters in his area. It was during this period that he met and became friends with Nichole Webb with whom he collaborated and released the book No Boundaries which includes Jamie's TM design "Flurry of Angels". In 2004 Jamie began teaching workshops and classes throughout the US. In 2005 Jamie began "Heading back to his Roots of Fine Art "WITH" the long arm". He has developed a new series of quilting technique's he calls "Thread fusion", and continues to teach nationally. 2005 also brought Jamie into a new Studio where he works and teaches workshops in Kalamazoo Michigan. Jamie is presently also collaborating with Fine Artist Patrick Whalen on original hand dyed artist's cloth for long arm quilters use in artist's whole cloths. Website: http://www.jamiewallen.citymax.com/home.html.

Terry White

Over the years Terry has been published in over 50 articles in magazines and books, including: McCall's Needlework; Quilter's Newsletter; Machine Embroidery and Textile Arts; CMA trade magazine; Stitch n Sew Quilts; Quick n Easy Quilts; Quilt World magazine and Calendar; Quilting Arts Calendar 2003; America from the Heart; America's Best; America Sews. Terry has also made numerous TV appearances and won several awards for her work. Website: http://www.threadpaint.com.