Shows & Contests

Registration - Instructor Biographies

Alex Anderson

Alex Anderson made her first quilt as part of her work toward a degree in art from San Francisco State University. Since then, her award-winning quilts have been displayed at shows around the country, and she has published several books. With an understanding of fabric and traditional quilt and surface design, Anderson teaches techniques and shares the history of this art with "anyone who will listen." She currently lives in northern California with her family. Website: http://www.alexandersonquilts.com/

Charlotte Angotti

While shopping with her mother in 1978 Charlotte wandered into a quilt shop and everything changed from there. Educated in fine arts, speech and drama she brings a variety of talents to class in a most humorous way. She has been teaching quilt making since 1979 because someone asked her to teach them. Her first quilt was sold right after making it and she has sold her quilts ever since. She owned her own quilt shop in Virginia Beach, VA from 1981-1999. She began teaching nationally in 1991 and has taught for many large shows as well as small groups. Along with her kit business, Quilt Maker’s Studio, she now teaches and lectures full time and lives in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Known for her humor, her way with fabric/color and her pre-cut kits Charlotte believes her hobby is quilt making and her job is teaching others to enjoy it as much as she does. Website: http://www.charlotteangotti.com

Bobbie A Aug

Bobbie Aug is a nationally known quilt judge, teacher, and lecturer residing in Colorado Springs, CO. She has taught and lectured at the International Quilt Festival, the American Quilter's Society Show, The Vermont Quilt Festival, The Columbia River Gorge Annual Quilt Show, Stevenson, WA, and The Road to California, among many others. She has co-authored eight books, including String Quilts With Style, Vertical Quilts With Style, Charm Quilts With Style, Vintage Quilts, and Antique Quilts and Textiles: A Price Guide to Functional and Fashionable Cloth Comforts. Bobbie has appeared on Simply Quilts with Alex Anderson and the American Quilter TV show. Her articles and quilts have appeared in several national quilting magazines. Bobbie is a Quilt Appraiser, certified by The American Quilter's Society, a Co-Administrator of the Appraisal Certification Committee for AQS, and a member of The Colorado Quilting Council, American Quilt Study Group, International Quilter's Association (Bobbie is Vice President of Education), The National Quilter's Association, and several other guilds. In addition to being a contemporary quiltmaker and collector, Bobbie collects antique quilts and is a full-time quilt scholar. You may contact Bobbie for workshop and lecture information at: 719-639-3763, email qwltpro@msn.com, and website http://www.bobbieaug.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/

Carol Butzke

Carol is a National Quilting Association Certified Judge, American Quilter's Society Certified Appraiser, teacher, lecturer and quiltmaker. She began quilting in 1980 and has won numerous awards at national state and regional shows. Her quilt, "Bright Hopes, Bright Promise" was one of seven quilts in the contest to receive special recognition and traveled for three years with the Folk Art Museum of New York to Japan and across the United States. Other awards have included the Grand Showcase Award (Best of Show) at Quilters Unlimited, Kansas City, MO and a first place award at the American Quilters Society Show, Paducah, KY. She has served on the Board of Directors of the National Quilting Association and Wisconsin Quilters, Inc., and as a panelist for the Twentieth Century's Best American Quilts. She currently serves as a Program Advisor to the AQS Appraisal Certification Committee and is a member of PAAQT. A published article written by Carol called Ins and Outs of Quilted Textile Appraisal recently appeared in an issue of $100,000 Quilting Challenge Magazine produced by The Quilter Magazine and a second article on packing and shipping quilts will appear before the end of the year. Her quilts have appeared in: American Quilter, Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, All Flags Flying, Great American Quilts 1995, Quilt Art Engagement Calendar, The Quilt, Beauty in Fabric and Thread, America's Glorious Quilts, Pine Tree Quilts, One Quilt, One Moment: Quilts that Change Lives and on the cover of a college history text book.

Rachel D. K. Clark

Rachel D. K. Clark is a contemporary folk artist, teacher, and lecturer who comes from a long line of sewers, beginning with her great-grandmother. She has been doing wearable art since 1973 and teaching on the national circuit since 1990. Eclectic fabric mixes, vibrant designs, and a keen sense of humor characterize Rachel’s work. While her garments and quilts can be whimsical, political or a personal statement it always reflects her love of traditional quilt making. She has done many one-woman shows around the country and her work has been featured in various gallery shows, magazines such as Threads, and “The Quilting Quarterly” on HGTV's Simply Quilts. Rachel has designed her own pattern line, RDKC Patterns. Website: http://www.rdkc.com.

Susan K. Cleveland

Susan’s enthusiasm for quilting is said to be contagious! Students enjoy her upbeat attitude, well-written instructions, and one-on-one attention included in every workshop. Eleven of her original quilts have been juried into AQS shows and five are winners. Judges comment on her fine workmanship and appreciate her original style as she adds specialty threads, prairie points, piping, and great binding techniques to make her work stand out. She’s demonstrated her techniques on several TV and internet shows, written articles for magazines, and taught at many major shows and quilt guilds. Susan is inventor of the Groovin’ Piping Trimming Tool, developed the Piping Hot Binding technique and authored Piping Hot Curves. Susan is passionate about sharing quilts and teaching her techniques. Website: http://www.piecesbewithyou.com

Beverly Dunivent

Beverly Dunivent of Olympia, WA is a quiltmaker, quilt historian, lecturer, quilting teacher and quilt appraiser certified by the AQS as well as a curator of quilt exhibits. She is an authority on quilts of the 1930s, Crayon quilts, kit quilts, scrap quilts, and the making of reproduction quilts. Her articles have appeared in many publications including American Quilter, Traditional Quiltworks, Quilting Today, Lady's Circle Patchwork Quilts, Quilters Newsletter, Vintage Quilts and McCall's Quilting as well as the book, Class Act Quilts. She served as consultant for RJR Fashion Fabrics and their Posey Quilt Collection and Butterfly Hope Collection were based upon her quilts. She also was featured on three recent segments of Simply Quilts. Beverly's quilt Beverly's Forest appeared on the cover of Quilting Today magazine. Website: http://home.sprynet.com/~bevquilt/homepage.htm

Lisa Erlandson

Lisa Erlandson is a compulsive quilt collector whose habit has led to several quilt-related specialties. Lisa is an AQS Certified Appraiser of Quilted Textiles, quilt restorer, quilt show judge, and quilt historian. In addition to collecting and occasionally selling vintage quilts and fabrics, and restoring and repairing new and old quilts, she finds time to make a few quilts of her own. In 2002, she was named "Best Quilt Restorer" by Home and Garden Magazine. She has spoken internationally and has taught at national quilt shows. Lisa has a Master of Arts degree in Public Communication from the University of North Texas. She is an adjunct instructor at North Central Texas College. Lisa is a native Texan and lives outside Gainesville, TX with her husband, family, and pets. Website: http://www.lequilts.com

Nancy Fiedler

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, 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 projects for two project books published by Janome. She has also been a regular contributor to Creative Machine Embroidery and their special interest issues. Other magazines she has contributed to are Designs in Machine Embroidery and Clotilde’s Sewing Savvy. Her projects have also been published in Serger Savvy, Sewing Smart with Fabric, Sew It Easy with Fleece and Flannel, Pattern Free Sewing, Sewing Basket Fun and two more hard cover books yet to be released all published by House of White Birches. In 2000 Nancy published her own patterns under the label “Just Fiddlin’ Around.” These patterns include wearable art, quilting and three quilting/plus embroidery. Nancy joined Janome as an educator in 2004.

Tammy Finkler

Tammy Finkler has been quilting professionally since 1991. She began free-motion quilting on her Bernina sewing machine and then moved on to longarm quilting machines. For the last 16 years, Tammy has run a full time machine quilting business from her studio, located on a 205 acre family farm in Michigan. She has recently started teaching machine quilting and AutoSketch classes across the country and has made her digitized and printed patterns available for sale on her website. Many of her original whole cloth quilts have won awards in national shows, with the most recent being the Gammill Longarm Award at the AQS Paducah show in 2007. Her work is also featured in several books and magazines. Website: http://www.tkquilting.com.

John Flynn

Montanan John Flynn is a prize-winning quilter, author, designer, and inventor of the no-baste machine quilting system, the Flynn Multi-Frame. With over a dozen years of experience leading quilt workshops coupled with his engineering background, John brings a unique blend of skills to the classroom. He is always challenging himself to make piecing and quilting techniques faster, easier, and more accurate for his students. What time saving trick will you learn in his next class? Website: http://www.flynnquilt.com

Cathy Franks

Cathy is an international award winning quilt artist for her innovative design techniques and quilting style. She has won Judges Choice, Best Machine Quilting, Best of Show, Viewers Choice and numerous other ribbons at these prestigious events. In addition, her work has been displayed in many national quilt shows in the U.S. as well as on exhibit in special displays and art exhibits. Cathy has been quilting for 30 years, machine quilting for 15 years and long arm quilting since 1993. Shortly afterward Cathy began teaching all over the US and as far away as Norway. Her work has been published in numerous quilting magazines, including international publications in France and Japan. Cathy’s work has been showcased on the covers of books and in special promotion publications. Cathy is in high demand for her quilting talents and has been commissioned by such famous quilters as Brenda Pappadakis, Harriet Hargrave, Mary Ellen Hopkins, Kaye England, Jennifer Chiaverini, Nancy Odom, Cindy Walters and Pepper Cory. Cathy has also quilted for such famous people as President George W. Bush and Steven Spielberg. Cathy has also been a guest on television’s Quilt Central and Linda's Long arm Quilting. As a teacher, Cathy in infectious! She has a delightful, positive personality and the energy of several 2-year olds! Cathy is able to help each student understand the principles she is teaching; but more than that, she encourages each student so that they feel they can incorporate her techniques into their own quilting designs. Website: http://www.cathyfranks.com

Gail Garber

Gail took her first quilting class in 1980. A long-time sewer and crafter, friends challenged her to try a new media. It was love at first stitch! By the mid 1980's, Gail began to explore hand-appliqué, and became known for her unique Southwestern pictorial quilts. She created a series of quilts in this style between 1984 and 1992, when, once again, she was drawn to geometric star designs. Many of her geometric star quilts and pictorial quilts have won awards at shows throughout the US and have also been featured in publications throughout the world. Gail’s first book, Sensational Stars, was published by Animas Quilts in 1995. This book features her quilts and those of her students. Her second book, Stellar Journeys, was released in September 2001 by the American Quilters Society. This book showcases the quilts from Gail and her students and combines the circular star design with innovative borders and free-form flying geese which provide “motion” and interest to the quilts.

Today, Gail lectures and conducts workshops to quilters throughout the United States, and internationally. She is considered to be a contemporary quilt artist known for her innovative geometric quilts and bold use of color. Throughout her career, she has explored a wide range of styles that include bold, geometric star designs, appliqué patterns, samplers, and garments, as well as hand-dyed fabrics and related notions. Her quilting travels have lead her to fascinating locales such as New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, and Northwest Territories, Manitoba, and British Columbia, Canada. She also leads tours for quilters and birdwatchers to exciting “off-the-beaten-path” locations.

Klaudeen Hansen

Teaching is Klaudeen's area of greatest interest and teaching is where you find her when she isn't judging, appearing on TV, or writing articles for quilt magazines, or serving as an NQA judges training instructor, editing Quilt Art Engagement Calendar, and exhibiting her own work in Europe, Japan, as well as at U.S. shows. Email: klaudeen@wmconnect.com

Bettina Havig

Bettina has been quilting since 1970, teaching since 1974 and owned a quilt shop from 1977-1985. Bettina Havig is a quiltmaker, teacher, lecturer, judge, quilt historian, appraiser, and consultant. She has been on the programs of Quilters' Heritage Celebration, Quilt America, Quilters' Unlimited Showcase, and American Quilters Society Annual Show, the National Quilt Festival, Pennsylvania Quilt Extravaganza, Williamsburg Quilt Festival, and Quilts Across America and has taught for guilds throughout the US as well as in Germany, England, and Scotland. She has served as consultant to EZ/Wrights on the development of a new product for quilters. In addition she has served as a competition judge for many of these same events. Bettina was a director of the Missouri Heritage Quilt Project in 1980 and again in 1984 she was chairman of the symposia hosted in Columbia, MO. She has been an active member of the American Quilt Study Group since 1980 and presented a paper on the findings of the Missouri Heritage Quilt Project at their annual seminar in 1986. She currently serves on the Board of Directors. She is President of The Quilt Conservancy, a not for profit organization formed to assist museums in the acquisition of important regional quilts. While as consultant to the National Quilt Festival for Silver Dollar City she developed the concept of the quilt challenge. Her work has been featured in such magazines as Quilter's Newsletter, Quilt, Lady's Circle Patchwork, and Quilting Today, and the British Patchwork and Quilting magazine. She was the designer of the 1999 American Patchwork and Quilting Sampler Series. Her quilts have been invited to and been exhibited in many national quilt shows. Website: http://www.bettinahavig.com

Ann Hazelwood

Ann Watkins Hazelwood began her quilting career in 1970 by producing a line of patchwork items called Patches, etc. In 1979, her home-based business became brick and mortar on Main Street in Historic St. Charles, Missouri. (In 2004, she celebrated 25 years in that endeavor.) By 1984, Ann had opened the Patches Craft Center for needlework clientele, and in 1992, she opened the Button Shoppe on the same street. In 1995, the premiere issue of "The Quilt Sampler" featured Patches, etc., as one of the Ten Best Shops. Among other awards, the shop also received the Craftrends Hall of Fame Award. Ann has become a quilt historian, collector, lecturer, and author of many quilt-related writings, including "Pretty Perky Polka Dots," in which she shares her love of vintage linens and quilts. Her love of red and white was celebrated with an exhibit of her quilt collection at the Museum of the American Quilter's Society, in Paducah, Kentucky. She is also a quilt appraiser certified by AQS. Giving back to the community is important to Ann. Her awards include Small Business Person of the Year, Retailer of the Year, and the Sacajawea Award for historic preservation. She was recently presented with the Lifetime Civic Award from the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce. Published works include: "A Thought-a-Day Calendar for Today's Quilter 2005." Website: http://www.patches3.com.

Suzanne M Hyland

Suzanne operates her business and lives with her family in Salt Lake City, Utah. Suzanne is a fifth generation quilter whose been sewing and quilting since the age of eight. Machine quilting captured her attention in 1998. Since then, she has designed products and taught classes to help machine quilters capture the beauty of their quilts through fine quilting and finishing techniques. In 2001, she developed Machingers™ quilting gloves and started her own company, Quilters Touch. Suzanne continues to develop products for machine quilters, has filmed many machine quilting videos for Handi Quilter®, and appeared on America Quilts Creatively. Her classes help quilters finish their quilts beautifully through interpretive design and freehand, free-motion techniques. Website: http://www.quilterstouch.com

Mary Kerr

Mary Kerr is an AQS certified appraiser, lecturer, teacher, and quilt historian. She grew up with quilters and has been teaching since 1987. As an Army wife, she traveled frequently, and has taught all over the world. Mary is the owner of Pieced of Olde, a small business that specializes in restoration and repair of antique textiles, in Woodbridge, VA. Her lectures and workshops focus on quilt history and the preservation of antique textiles. Mary is currently volunteering with the DAR museum and conducting independent research. She is an active member of the American Quilt Study Group, AQS, PAAQT, Cabin Branch Quilters, Mason Dixon PQN, the Virginia Quilt Consortium, The Quilt Professionals Network, MMS, and several quilt dating groups in her area. Website: http://marywkerr.com

Rami Kim

Rami Kim is a DNA scientist-turned fabric artist/quilter/instructor known nationally and internationally. She is a 11-time Best of Show winner, distinguished for her innovative art-to-wear. Her passion is in contemporary art-to-wear, quilts, cloth dolls and bags with special interest in 3-dimensional textures and she is known for her own distinctive colors and techniques. Her new book, Folded Fabric Elegance, published by AQS, is about her 3-D texture techniques and new projects. Come and check out her latest news and blog at www.ramikim.blogspot.com. She graduated from University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) majoring in endocrinology and worked at the Cancer Research Institute at UCSF before her passion and talent in fabric art drastically changed this biochemist's career years ago. She says she'd rather spend even more time with beautiful fabrics and threads and beads than with DNA sequencing gels and radioactive isotopes of cold, gray science. Website: http://www.ramikim.com/

Jan Krentz

Jan Krentz is a nationally recognized quilt instructor, author and designer. Winner of the 1998 Teacher of the Year award, Jan's motivating workshops are packed with practical tips, techniques and methods to insure success. Author of Lone Star Quilts & Beyond, Hunter Star Quilts & Beyond and Diamond Quilts and Beyond, Jan lives with her husband in Poway, California. Website: http://www.jankrentz.com

Linda Baxter Lasco

Linda has been a quilter since before the advent of the rotary cutter. She has taught a variety of machine classes at the Quilter’s Stash in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, and at guild programs around New England. Her work has been juried into shows in Kentucky, New England, and Oregon. An editor with AQS and an award-winning quilter, she lives in Paducah’s LowerTown Arts District where she maintains a quilting studio. Between commissions, she’s working her way through a diminishing collection of UFOs.

Libby Lehman

Libby began making quilts 27 years ago and over the years has evolved from a traditional handworker to one of the leaders in innovative machine stitching. Her studio art quilts have won many awards and appear in private, corporate, and museum collections. She is the author of Threadplay with Libby Lehman, and her quilts have appeared in many books and international publications. In addition to making quilts, most of her time is spent teaching, judging, and lecturing in the US as well as internationally. Libby lives in Houston with her husband and enjoys exchanging threads and gadgets with their son, an acclaimed fly-fisherman. Website: http://www.libbylehman.us

Suzanne R Marshall

Suzanne Marshall learned to quilt by checking out library books and making quilts for her children. As a self-taught quilter, she has made her quilts by trial and error. She began entering national competitions in 1988 because she wanted critiques from judges on her work. She was surprised when her quilt won first prize in the first competition entered. Since then, Suzanne's creations have regularly won prestigious awards, including six prizes at the AQS show in Paducah (two of which were Best Hand Workmanship), Grand Prize in Appliqué for three consecutive years from Better Homes & Gardens Books, the Silver Award at Fabric Gardens in Osaka, Japan, and several awards at Houston's International Quilt Festival. One of her quilts, Toujours Nouveau, was selected as one of the 20th Century's 100 Best American Quilts and is in the permanent collection of the Museum of the American Quilter's Society along with Mother's Day, which won the Hand Workmanship award in 2002. A retrospective exhibit of Suzanne's work raised $53,000 for pediatric cancer research in St. Louis in 1994. Suzanne was selected to be included in the Thirty Distinguished Quiltmakers of the World exhibit in Tokyo, Japan in the winter of 2003. Suzanne enjoys meeting quilters as she teaches and lectures around the country. She has written the book Take-Away Appliqué to share the novel techniques she has developed; but most of all, she still loves to make quilts. Website: http://www.suzannequilts.com

Linda McCuean

Linda is a professional longarm quilter and teacher, lecturer, and Master Quilter. She began making quilts in 1978 and has won numerous awards at international, national, state, and local shows with both her hand and machine quilted pieces. Linda became an NQA Certified Judge in 2004 and has judged 30 shows, totaling 3364 quilts. Linda is a highly awarded longarm machine quilter, having received many longarm quilting awards, machine workmanship awards, and several best of show awards including the grand prize in the first $100,000 Quilting Challenge. Her quilt “Jubilee” was awarded the Gammill Longarm Quilting award at the American Quilter’s Society Show in 2003. Linda’s quilt, “Bella” was awarded Masterpiece Quilt status in June 2007. In January 2007, Linda appeared on the NBC Today show with her quilt “Bella” for the official announcement as the first $100,000 Quilting Challenge winner, and has appeared twice as the feature quilter on “Linda’s Longarm Quilting” television show, hosted by Linda Taylor, noted longarm quilter and Gammill dealer from Texas.

Annie Moody

Annie Moody joined Janome America in November, 2005, and she has experience in sales, marketing, academia, engineering and the insurance business. Annie attended Elgin Community College in Illinois where she studied business, psychology, and real estate. Two of Annie’s favorite passions are sewing and quilting. She owns a MC7500 and MC10001 and has attended quilt shows in Houston, Paducah and Nashville where her “crazy quilt” was on display. Sewing is Annie’s passion and addiction. Whether the quilt or garment is bold bright colors or tone-on-tone elegance with machine trapunto Annie enjoys creating using Janome’s top-of-the-line sewing machine. Annie’s quilts have been exhibited at shows at the local and national level. Annie has been a guest on Kaye’s Quilting Friends. She loves her current position as an educational coordinator with Janome America.

Fran Morgan

Fran started sewing and exploring needlework when she was only six years old and by the time she was a teenager, she had mastered many needlecraft techniques. In 1986 she was able to pursue her love of needlecraft by working at a major needlecraft publishing company. After many years of working for the publishing company, her and her business partner started Fabric Café in 2001. Since the launch of Fabric Café, Fran has authored eight quilt books, appeared on national TV demonstrating her quilt techniques, and spends most of her time traveling teaching her techniques. Website: http://www.fabriccafe.com/

Laura Murray

Laura Murray’s journey through experimentation with color and texture began in 1989 and continues unabated to this day. Her quilts have been exhibited internationally in major quilt shows and galleries, and have won numerous awards including Best Wall Quilt from the American Quilter’s Society in Paducah, and first place in the Houston International Quilt Festival. Her quilts have appeared in books, magazines, and quilt calendars. An author, teacher, artist, and business owner, Laura designs stencils for the fabric artist. Website: www.lauramurraydesigns.com.

Kay Nickols

Kay is known for her enthusiastic teaching methods and for incorporating exotic fabrics into her quilts in unique ways. She is a self-described shopaholic and loves to collect fabrics from around the world for the ultimate stash. She incorporates special fabrics into her quilts for both charity and competition. Kay thrives on being able to teach others the joys of designing one-of-a-kind quilts with one fabric. She also teaches a variety of classes, from beginning quilting to precision piecing. Through the years, she has taken classes with international instructors and has taught as far away as Rabat, Morocco. Her quilts have been juried into a number of prestigious international quilt shows, exhibited at the Michigan Women’s Historical Center, and featured on a Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine cover. Ever on the go, Kay is a member of the Capitol City Quilt Guild, the Lansing Area Patchers, the Shiawassee Quilters, the Saginaw Piecemakers, and the Pedal Pushers, a group that meets once a month to bike to nearby quilt shops. She and her husband, Rollie, live in Laingsburg, Michigan. Website: http://www.kaynickols.com

Nancy J. Prince

Nancy Prince, an award-winning quilt artist from Orlando, FL, specializes in thread painting. She has created a thread painting technique that is fun, easy, and a new way for quilters to broaden their quilting experience. Nancy's techniques lets quilters everywhere - even the most un-artistic - create beautiful designs in thread. She is the author of Simple Thread Painting published by AQS, has appeared on several episodes of Simply Quilts, has been published in national magazines, and won numerous quilting awards. She travels the country teaching and lecturing, sharing the excitement and creativity thread painting brings to her quilting world. She excels in taking the mystique out of thread painting, making it easy for anyone to master. Website: http://www.nancyprince.com

Mary Ray

Mary has a long and varied career in the sewing industry. She was the manager and buyer for a specialty retail fabric store; an independent sales rep for a fabric importer; a custom designer specializing in bridal couture; a designer of award-winning wearable art; a teacher; and an associate editor of Threads magazine. Now an Atlanta resident, she remains involved with Threads as a contributing editor, is a part-time instructor in the fashion design department of Bauder College, is on the board of PACC (Professional Association of Custom Clothiers), and continues to travel around the country teaching and lecturing about sewing. Website: http://www.maryraydesigns.com

Patricia Rodgers

Pat Rodgers is a wild blend of artist and teacher, entertaining/teaching at quilt and sewing shops, guilds and seminars. “I love the communal joy of the creativity that explodes in class,” Pat explains. She is also a Free Lance National Educator representing Sulky of America teaching “Sew Exciting” seminars throughout the US. Pat was selected to participate in the Fairfield Fashion Show in 1995 and 1996. Pat has three videos: “Free Motion Machine Embroidery and Beading by Machine” ,“Cutwork and Needlelace, Traditional and Contemporary” and “Innovative Innovations”.

Londa Rohlfing

Around central Illinois, "Londa" is synonymous with creative sewing. In 2003, with 13 years of running my fabric shop behind me, she switched to an internet-based business to go world wide. Londa's Creative Threads’ first website (www.londas-sewing.com) offering fabric, patterns and notions, which rapidly became mom to 6 additional sites. Her current obsession is with transforming sweatshirts into wonderful, couture jackets - and she has created over 150 different pieces which are sold at area fine art shows and through her website: www.londas-sewing.com/newestcsj.htm. In 2005, she published her first book, "Creative Sweatshirt Jackets" on CD.

Becky Jean Rogers

Becky Rogers is an AQS certified quilt appraiser and has been teaching quilt making for 30 years. She also holds an Adult Education credential in Patchwork, Quilting, and Sewing. She lives in Los Osos, CA. Becky also runs quilt retreats several times a year, along with teaching regular quilting classes in Morro Bay, CA. Becky is a member of AQS, AQSG, PAAQT, and two local quilt guilds. She founded the Bear Valley Quilt Guild in 1987, coordinated the first 2 major quilt shows in San Luis Obispo County, and has been involved in quilt documentation at the San Lois Obispo Historical Museum. She was nominated as Teacher of the Year by Professional Quilter Magazine in 2001. Becky odes quilt appraisals, lectures, and teaches at various quilt guilds, antique guilds, and women’s groups. She has also taught quilt making to the Navajo reservation in Arizona for five years and in the Philippines at the Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary in the summer of 2003. Her passion is to share her knowledge in hopes of continuing the art form of quilting for future generations. Email: quiltfever18@aol.com

Gerald E. Roy

The owner/curator of the Pilgrim/Roy Collection and the Pilgrim/Roy Quilt Conservatory in New Hampshire, Jerry is internationally known as an artist, designer, collector, teacher, lecturer, author, judge, certified quilt appraiser, and quilt historian. Author of Quilts by Paul D. Pilgrim: Blending the Old & the New, Jerry provides inspiration for turning unfinished blocks and patchwork bits into stunning quilts. Website: http://www.pilgrimroy.com

Marie Seroskie

Marie has been quilting since the early 1980s and has taught stained glass quilting since 1990. Her first published pattern was a traditional bias strip stained glass tulip published by Marie's business, Katie Lane Quilts. After developing and teaching many traditional pattern designs, she developed her "Victorian Style" technique in 1999, inspired by the stained glass windows of Louis Tiffany. This new, authentic look of uneven leading lines was perfected when she was commissioned for the 2004 Houston International Quilt Association Raffle Quilt 'A Tribute to Louis Comfort Tiffany.' Website: http://www.katielane.com

Margo Shaw

Margo Shaw’s life-long sewing hobby started as a young girl making doll clothes, but her first memory of a sewn article of clothing was actually a hand-sewn skirt for herself with stitches that could only be measured by the inch—each stitch crudely meandered its way up the uneven sides of her fabric and she had left no opening in which to put it on, but that didn’t stop her from beaming with pride. She had created something for herself by sewing pieces of fabric together and she had had fun doing it. She carries that same enthusiasm with her today as she sews on her Janome sewing machine; her stitches are straight, her fabric is even, and yes, she has left an opening for unique ideas, creative technology, and fun techniques. Margo has experience in teaching, management, graphic design, advertising, and in the sewing industry where she served as manager of advertising and sales promotions for another sewing machine manufacturer prior to her being a Janome educator. She is mainly a garment sewist and a very fortunate one to have been able to turn her beloved hobby into a career.

Joan Shay

An award-winning quilter from Cape Cod, MA, Joan has developed a new and exciting appliqué technique she calls "Appli-bond". With this technique you are able to construct flowers that would be very difficult to achieve with traditional appliqué such as the geranium, hydrangea, lilac, and African violet. She has written three books on her new technique, Petal by Petal, Petal Play the Traditional Way, and 3 Quilters Celebrate the 4 Seasons co-authored with Bethany Reynolds and Karen Combs. Joan has also published articles in many popular quilting magazines, in the US and abroad. Joan is intrigued by all aspects of quilting and has won many local, state, and national awards. Her work has been exhibited at The Schweinfurth Art Center, the National Quilters Association Show, The AQS shows, and she has had a one-woman show at the headquarters of NQA in Ellicott City, MD. Website: www.petalplay.com.

Sarah Ann Smith

When Sarah’s family returned to the US when she was six, she had lived on four continents. Shortly after that, a neighbor girl made her an apron for her doll. Sarah promptly started sewing clothes for her dolls, and she hasn’t stopped sewing or traveling since, In 1988, Sarah began quilting, which morphed into the perfect marriage of two of her favorite things – sewing and art. Sarah’s work has been juried into shows and published in magazines and books in the US and Europe, and is in public and private collections including the International Quilt Festival Collection. A former US diplomat, Sarah draws on her assignments in Africa, South America and North America, as well as travels to Asia and Europe for her art. She specializes in machine work, coloring with threads, and using whatever technique will help turn the picture in her mind into cloth. Sarah is now a full-time artist, member of the Frayed Edges mini-group, quilt teacher, pattern designer, and mom living in Camden, Maine with her husband, two sons, two dogs, four cats and assorted dust bunnies. To see her art, teaching schedule, blog or contact her, visit http://www.sarahannsmith.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, Kentucky. Web: http://www.helensquire.com

Gabrielle Swain

Best known for her use of color and her craftsmanship, Gabrielle Swain is a former theater rat who began quiltmaking in 1983. Ranging from realistic to abstract, she continues to explore man and his relationship to nature through her work. The author of two books on appliqué, Gabrielle has been featured in many publications both national and international. She has received a variety of awards, winning Best Handworkmanship in the Wall Quilt division of the AQS 2000 and Best of Show in the Wall Quilt division in 2003. Her work has also been shown in many venues, such as Fiber Structure National, Materials: Hard and Soft, the Artist as Quiltmaker, and FiberNational. Gabrielle is one of the founding members of North Texas Quilt Artists. She is also a member of the Studio Art Quilt Association, the American Quilter's Society and the International Quilt Association. She maintains a working studio in her home which she shares with her husband, Ron. Website: http://www.gabrielleswain.com

Ricky Tims

Ricky Tims is known in the international world of quilting as an enthusiastic and encouraging teacher, an award-winning quilter, and a talented and spellbinding speaker. His innovative and entertaining presentations, feature live music and humor combined with scholarly insights and wisdom. His quilts have been displayed worldwide, and are highly regarded as excellent examples of contemporary quilts with traditional appeal. Ricky began designing and making quilts in 1991, and was recently selected as one of "The Thirty Most Distinguished Quilters in the World." He maintains an extensive international schedule of teaching and speaking engagements, hosts the week-long Rocky Mountain Quilt Retreat in Colorado Springs, and is in the process of developing a small retreat facility in the mountains near his home in La Veta, which is located in south central Colorado. Ricky is passionate about quilting, and is delighted to share his experience and enthusiasm with quilters of every level of expertise. He is challenged by creativity in all forms, and encourages individuals to cultivate self-expression, reach for the unreachable, and believe in the impossible. Quilting is a relatively new interest compared to Ricky’s lifelong passion for music. He began formal music lessons at the age of three. He is a conductor, composer, arranger, music producer, and performing artist. Ricky is proud to have implemented and conducted the 1998 concert "When We No Longer Touch" featuring the St. Louis Voices United Chorus and members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Passage, the CD recording of this unique concert was released in December 1998. He has also produced several solo piano recordings. His blend of music and quilting is unique and remarkable. Website: http://www.rickytims.com

Barbara Vlack

Barb Vlack has turned a passion for quiltmaking into a second career. She has become internationally known for her work with The Electric Quilt Company through the internet and was invited to do a three-week teaching tour in Japan in 1999. Patchwork Quilt Tsushin, one of the major quilting magazines of Japan, published her column about quilt designing and the computer in 1998-1999. The Electric Quilt Company has published three books written by Barb to supplement their manuals: Too Much Fun, EQ4 Magic, and EQ5 Quilt Design. She travels nationally to teach classes about using the Electric Quilt software as well as quiltmaking. She has taught at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, the AQS show in Paducah, the Martha Pullen Quilt Academy in Huntsville; and at symposia sponsored by statewide guilds in Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, and North Carolina. Website: http://www.barbvlack.com

Virginia Walton

Virginia is an international teacher who regularly teaches throughout the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Australia. She is the inventor of the CREATIVE CURVES RULERS, the CREATIVE CURVES ELLIPSE RULERS and the CREATIVE CURVES KALEIDOSCOE RULER. Virginia has been chosen to design and make the donation quilt for the International Quilt Festival and Market in Houston, TX for '06. Her specialties include easy sewing machine techniques (a 'No Pins' curved piecing method in particular) and color or fabric selection (how to combine fabric to create the effect desired in a quilt). Her patterns and quilts can be seen in the January '04 issue of the German quilt magazine "PATCHWORK iDeen", the June '05 issue of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, the August '06 issue of the English "Patchwork and Quilting Magazine", and the European quilt magazine "Magic Patch" in its' November '02, October '03, April '05 and February '06 issues. Fon's and Porter's "Love of Quilting" magazine will be featuring one of her patterns in its' March '07 issue. Her television appearances include Kaye Woods' "Quilting With Friends" television series and the PBS Show "Creative Woman". In addition, her quilts can be seen on Georgia Bonesteel's "Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonsteel" television show. Website: http://www.creativecurves.com/.

Pat Yamin

Raised in the Midwest, Pat Yamin learned to sew and knit in 4-H clubs. After college, she married and moved to Brooklyn, New York. While pursuing her Master's degree in guidance and counseling, she needed a creative outlet. Pat taught herself to quilt while she became familiar with the city. Quilting supplies were hard to come by but she learned that Jeff Gutcheon had a studio in SoHo where he sold a few books, batting, and his line of fabric. Pat was working as a vocational counselor to high school seniors and quilting kept her sane in the evenings. She moved from an apartment to a Victorian-style home and began teaching quilting classes in the evenings. Pat's classes became popular, and in no time, she was teaching four nights a week in Manhattan, conducting workshops in her home studio on the weekends, and working full time in counseling. Pat now teaches at many national shows. She has taught in Houston, both at Quilt Market and Quilt Festival; Vermont Quilt Festival; Pennsylvania Quilt Extravaganza; Pacific International Quilt Festival; World Quilt and Textile Show; Road to California; Williamsburg Quilt Show; Quilter's Gathering; Bernina University; plus many others. She was the quilting consultant for the movie "Sweet Liberty" with Alan Alda and has appeared on several quilting shows. Pat's latest book, published by AQS, is "Back to Basics: Quilt Templates & Patterns Explained". Website: http://www.comequiltwithme.com/shop/home.php.