Meet the Teachers

 

We take the time to search out the best in the industry, introducing you to exceptional designers, best-selling authors, creative thinkers and visionaries. Taking classes at Original Sewing & Quilt Expo adds to a memorable and satisfying experience.

 

Libby Ashcraft

Fort Worth, TX

libbyashcraft.com

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Libby has been teaching sewing, embroidery and embroidery software for over 20 years. She has specialized in embroidery software, but has recently expanded her expertise to include electronic cutters such as the Silhouette Cameo and Brother Scan 'N Cut. Libby is a Terri Johnson Creates Licensed Instructor and teaches the Silhouette Cameo at workshops and classes around the country. She teaches three software clubs a month in her local area, providing unique and detailed lessons for her students, with many lessons based on student requests. Libby is a presenter the All Things Silhouette Conference, Original Sewing & Quilt Expo events and other events. As a Martha Pullen Licensed teacher, Libby travels the U.S. helping bring the joy of sewing to many students. In addition to her teaching, Libby was a Technical Sewing Editor for Classic Sewing magazine.

 

Deb Atchison

Prosper, TX

debatchison.com/quilting.html

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Deb Atchison is an experienced educator, international technology consultant, and quilter that enjoys leading students of all ages through the process of creating beautiful works of art with fabric! Teaching is her lifelong career and quilting is her passion. Combining them both...her dream job! Deb has many years of training students of all ages including adult learners. As a technology education expert, Deb has taught numerous workshops virtually as well as face-to-face! She is certified in Scrappy Applique, and is a Legit Kits Ambassador and Educator and enjoys teaching quilters of all experience levels how to make beautiful works of art with Legit Kits! Deb enjoys sharing her love of applique using embroidery machines as well.

 

Sandra Chandler

Nashville, TN

sandrajohnsondesigns.com

Sandra Lee Chandler is a Nashville-based textile artist, educator, and social media storyteller with over 38 years of experience in quilting and fiber arts. Holding a B.S. in Clothing, Textiles, and Design from Arizona State University, she specializes in repurposed denim, wearable quilted garments, and sustainable design. Sandra teaches a weekly virtual quilting class through Saddleback Community College and has presented at leading events such as QuiltCon, Quilt Canada, Craft Napa, and the Festival of Quilts in England. Her work has been featured in Threads, Quiltfolk, American Quilt Magazine, and more, and she has appeared on The Quilt Show and Quilting Arts. Passionate about storytelling through textiles, Sandra fosters creativity, community, and lifelong learning in all her workshops—making her a sought-after instructor for guilds and events worldwide.

 

Linda Davis

Hurst, TX

Sew It Up BERNINA

sewitup.com

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Linda has been inspiring the quilting community at Sew It Up for more than 13 years, sharing her sewing knowledge through teaching from our Quilt it Up Club over donuts & coffee, to virtual Zoom classes during the pandemic. She has lived in Washington, Michigan, California, and now Texas, where she is a busy Mom & Grandmother to twelve children. Outside of quilting, she loves spending time with her family, researching family history, and dolls. She uses her Bernina Q24 nearly every single day, and especially loves working with Lori Holt, Alison Glass & Tilda fabrics. Linda is responsible for creating so many beautiful samples for our store, and we are very fortunate to have such a kind and patient teacher here at Sew It Up!

 

Tamara Evans

Williamsburg, VA

Sewing has been a lifelong passion for Tamara. While raising her children, she discovered the limitless creative options of machine embroidery, software, quilting and began a home-based embroidered gift business. Coming back to the corporate arena as a professional in the sewing industry, focusing on new product development, creative project design, embroidery education and quilting with an embroidery focus was full circle. Her joy is education, publishing articles, teaching at trade shows, conventions, and other events. Her goal is to simplify the tedious and frustrating aspects and inspire creativity and confidence. Now, as an impartial independent expert, she will educate and inspire students of all skill levels.

 

Stephanie Folsom
Cape Coral, FL

Beach Potato Embroidery

beachpotatoembroidery.com

Stephanie is an embroidery instructor and business owner of Beach Potato Embroidery. She has been sewing since she was nine years old and learned about machine embroidery in middle school. She has been a part of the sewing, embroidery, and longarm communities for the past ten years. While she loves making new designs, helping others is her first passion. She is a former 911 dispatcher and mother of two. Now as embroidery designer and instructor she loves sharing new techniques and making unique in the hoop projects. Stephanie and her husband Joe travel the United States teaching machine embroidery as well as vending at large expos and shows. Stephanie is excited to meet you in person for an awesome hands-on event!

 

Thomas Friedenbach

Hurst, TX

Sew It Up BERNINA

sewitup.com

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Tom is currently a Bernina technician at Sew It Up Bernina in Hurst, Texas. He has formerly worked as both a professional embroiderer and as a costumer with Travis Halsey in Chicago.

 

Karen Greer

Victoria, TX

Karen Greer is a passionate sewist, educator, and quilter who loves teaching all ages to sew and create fun, functional pieces. A former Home Economics teacher and sample maker for a high-end garment company, Karen brings decades of experience and a deep love for the craft to every project.

She has presented programs to numerous guilds across Texas and leads "Sew Fun" camps for children, inspiring the next generation of makers. Now an avid quilter, Karen devotes much of her time to creating pieces for community service projects and sharing her knowledge through workshops and presentations.

 

Eileen Guerrero-Hendricks

Pearland, TX

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Eileen Guerrero-Hendricks is a creative sewist and mixed-media artist known for her fun, hands-on workshops and unique style. As the owner of Creations Galore in Pearland, Texas, she blends traditional sewing with modern techniques using Chalk Couture silk screen transfers. Eileen teaches across Texas and at major events like the International Quilt Festival, inspiring crafters of all ages to create with confidence and joy.

 

LuAnn Hartley

Lexington, NC

Sanluchell Designs

LuAnn Hartley has been teaching a variety of classes for over 30 years. Her background includes education consultant, sewing machine sales, and a store owner for over 25 years. She has a passion for embellishing, quilting, and creating new ways to use techniques for both sewing and serging. She has taught all over the country and at major quilting shows.

 

Barb Hembree

North Richland Hills, TX

Richland Sewing Center

richlandsewing.com

Over the past 25 years Barbara has taught Brother classes at Richland Sewing Center in her spare time. From embroidery digitizing to creating ScanNCut projects, her passion for learning new techniques shines through as she shares her knowledge. Now that she has retired she can't be more tickled to create and design in her sewing room every day.  

 

MJ Kinman

Louisville, KY

mjkinman.com

MJ Kinman’s passion is creating quilts inspired by beautiful gems. The key is freezer paper, that wonderful product that adheres to fabric when ironed. MJ’s work has been exhibited at the National Quilt Museum, the International Quilt Museum, the New England Quilt Museum, Quilt Festival (Houston, TX), Quilt Week (Paducah, KY), and Festival of Quilts (Birmingham, UK). Most recently, MJ’s piece “Torch Song” was exhibited at the Art Quilt Elements 2024 Biennial (Wayne, PA), where she received the Cindy Friedman Master Award for Excellence. Her work is included in collections as varied as Maker’s Mark Distillery, the National Quilt Museum, the International Quilt Museum, and private collections. MJ’s Birthstone Series patterns feature traditional birthstone gems, and her Diamond Divas Series offer large, artistic quilts easily customizable by makers. Her first book, Gemstone Quilts, was released by C&T Publishing in 2020.

 

Michael Kralicek

Fort Worth, TX

Michael has been a figure in the sewing community for almost 30 years. His career started at Cloth World as a sales associate in 1993. He became a manager at the age of 21 and then continued with Jo-ann Fabrics for another 15 years. After too much of the corporate world he began a career in the sewing machine business. With encouragement from many customers he opened his own store in 2012. Michael has a passion for learners. He loves to see his students thrive in their creativity. He is a business owner, teacher, encourager, and overall fun guy to learn from.

 

Susan Luaces

Tampa, FL

susieluaces.com

Susie began sewing at nine, taught by her mother, and honed her skills through high school classes, sewing magazines, and books. She created her own clothes, including tailored suits. Despite college and a career in engineering limiting her sewing time, her passion never waned. After leaving engineering to focus on family, she dedicated more time to sewing. Susie has sewn clothing, Halloween costumes, wedding dresses, home décor items, quilts, toys, and nursery items, with garment sewing being her favorite. She has teaching experience from her engineering career, as a part-time fitness instructor, and as a sewing instructor at Joann Fabrics. Since 2002, Susie found the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo, to be a great source of knowledge. Discovering Lorraine Henry’s fitting classes, she resonated with the Seam Method of pattern alteration. Susie trained with Lorraine and Judith Rasband in 2024 to ensure the method's continued availability and is now ready to share her expertise.

 

Donelle McAdams
Marion, IN
Representing Sew Steady
sewsteady.com
sewbizmarion.com
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Donelle McAdams is the owner of SEW BIZ, Marion, Indiana, now an online quilt resource. Donelle is the designer of Quick Easy Mitered Binding and Border Tools for the Sewing and Quilting industry that are sold internationally and she is also a pattern designer. Previously a Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher, she has been a quilt store owner for 36 years. She has taught a variety of SchoolHouse and Take & Teach classes and Business Management Seminars at International Quilt Market, Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff Sewing Conventions, Vacuum & Sewing Machine Dealers Trade Association Convention and has participated as a Quilt Store Owner/Educator on numerous panels and advisory boards. She writes a column Profitable Promotions - for FabShop News, an industry magazine and also writes for VDTA. As a promoted Educator for Sew Steady/Westalee Design Templates, Donelle teaches classes in Ruler Work Quilting. Her love and enthusiasm for sewing and quilting is infectious. Taking a class with Donelle is guaranteed to be information-packed, inspirational and FUN!

 

Jill McCloy

Colorado Springs, CO

Jill McCloy Designs
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Jill's sewing career started at an early age – she received her first sewing machine for Christmas just after her fourth birthday. In high school, she did custom sewing and taught at fabric and sewing machine shops using original patterns. In 1992 Jill was hired by Viking Sewing Machines, Inc. as a national educator designing projects for the Viking Club and teaching at Viking World Conventions. She then became an independent educator working with many brands of sewing machines. Jill was featured in the Threads magazine design challenge in 2000, wrote for McCall’s and Threads magazines, designed embroideries for Cactus Punch and taught at many Expo events. Her specialties are machine knowledge and creating original designs. She has over 50 patterns and recently had a truly beautiful line of fabric come out with Northcott fabrics.  

 

Linda McGehee

Shreveport, LA

Ghee's

ghees.com

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Designer, Linda McGehee has a diverse sewing background with 50 years experience from garments to handbags, piecing to heirloom, surface manipulation to combining a variety of methods into a sampler of various techniques. Linda has traveled the globe demonstrating and lecturing from her books and patterns. She is much sought after at trade and machine conventions, consumer shows, guilds, shops & television. Her style is easy and fun with a flair for detail.

 

Susan Miller

Doylestown, OH

Susan has been quilting, sewing and embroidering for many years. She has a quilting studio in her home where she provides longarm quilting services to her customers. Over the years, she has taken Martha Pullen’s Teaching classes for sewing and surging, also Quilt in a Day teacher training and event training with Eleanor Burns Master Quilter in Paducah, Kentucky. Susan has taught at a local quilt shop many classes: longarm program, Kids sew, machine usage classes and embroidery programs. Susan also plans event classes for quilt guilds in her local area. Sewing and quilting has been her love and hobby for over 40 years.

 

Tana Mueller

Crowley, TX

Designs by Tana

designsbytana.com

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Tana Mueller is a Designaholic and crayon art enthusiast. Opening a new box of crayons, with their own unique colorful fresh smell, quickly motivates her to begin work on her next project. Tana has been coloring and drawing since age three. She started drawing her own artwork designs in 1986, through "designs by tana". Tana is a native Texan and specializes in western, country and farmhouse designs related to childhood experiences or memories. Tana crayon technique to creates beautiful artwork. The “Magic” is in the Blending! Tana also specializes in “Stitchless Applique,” with her technique no stitching is required.

 

Pattie Otto
Falling Waters, WV
Great Copy Patterns and Embroidery
greatcopy.com
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Pattie Otto, the creative force behind Great Copy Patterns, brings boundless enthusiasm to the world of sewing. With expertise spanning garment design, machine embroidery, and alterations she not only creates but also imparts that knowledge and shares her inspirations through classes across the country. Beyond her professional endeavors, Pattie finds joy in spending time with her husband, Rick, and their grandsons in Ellicott City, MD. Their travels along the East Coast further enrich their experiences. In her well-stocked home studio, Pattie's passion for sewing shines through as she crafts patterns for beautiful garments and accessories. She has also been busy building her alteration business which encompasses everything from prom and pageant attire to menswear and for everyday. Pattie Otto is not just a sewing enthusiast; she's a creative powerhouse whose love for the craft knows no bounds.

 

Corey Pearson

McKinney, TX

Linda's Electric Quilters

lindas.com 

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Corey Pearson is the Chief Quilter at Linda’s Electric Quilters in McKinney, Texas, where he combines traditional techniques with modern flair. Taught to sew by his grandmother at age six, Corey now shares his expertise through classes, tutorials, and events across North America. Known for his engaging style and innovative approach, he inspires quilters of all levels to explore the art of longarm quilting.

 

Carrie Philpott
Big Rapids, MI

Carrie simply loves to sew! Once she took her first sewing class at age 14, she has never looked back from the textile/fashion/sewing/quilting/embroidery world.  This has led her on an international journey through all phases of the textile/fashion world at the manufacturing, wholesale, retail, and consumer level.

In the 1990’s, Carrie discovered both sewing machine quilting and embroidery.  Since that time, she has created her own digitized embroidery designs, quilting patterns, clothing, and costume lines.

Her teaching career has spanned 3 continents with certifications from Sue Hausmann, Martha Pullen, Connie Crawford, Nancy Ziemann, and many others. Her quilts have been displayed at numerous major national shows and as part of Michelle Obama’s Quilts of Valor display in the White House.

Not having space for a longarm quilting was thrilled to discover Westalee Design rulers and templates that worked with her Sew Steady Table. The new EmbroideLee collections perfectly compliment her love of machine embroidery.

Classes with Carrie bring a wide variety of quilting, sewing, embroidery and crafting techniques from beginner to advanced level with excitement, humor, and fun.

 

Rhonda Pierce

Willowbrook, IL

Schmetz Needles
SCHMETZneedles.com

SewMoreStitches.com

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Rhonda Pierce has a dream job. . . teaching sewing enthusiasts about the hardest working 2” piece of steel in the sewing machine – the SCHMETZ needle. She lives in the Chicago area. Whether presenting SCHMETZ virtually or in-person – she averages 100+ presentations annually and happily provides SCHMETZ facts to make your stitching easier. Rhonda created and published 100 issues of the now archived SCHMETZ Inspired to SEW ezine. She publishes the “must read” SCHMETZ needles monthly newsletter. Her quilt, Color Splash, hung at three International Quilt Festivals. Rhonda’s personal website is www.SewMoreStitches.com. With quilt shop, wholesale management experience, and the love of sewing, Rhonda delivers a unique perspective as VP/Marketing Director of Euro-notions, and Spokesperson for SCHMETZneedles.com North America. Sew SCHMETZ!

 

Jeannie Plant

Hurst, TX

Richland Sewing Center

richlandsewing.com

Jeannie Plant is a seasoned sewing educator and co-owner of Richland Sewing Center in Hurst, Texas. With decades of experience in the sewing and quilting industry, she is known for her expertise in machine embroidery, garment construction, and quilting techniques. Jeannie leads classes and workshops that empower sewists of all skill levels, fostering a supportive and creative learning environment. Under her guidance, Richland Sewing Center has become a hub for sewing enthusiasts, offering a wide range of classes, events, and high-quality sewing products.

 

Catherine Redford

Naperville, IL

catherineredford.com

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Catherine Redford was born in England where she learned to knit and sew as a young girl. After relocating from London to Naperville, Illinois, she learned to quilt and never looked back. She's an award-winning quilter, an active member of her local guilds, and a popular teacher at the local and national level. Catherine is a frequent magazine contributor and has enjoyed being a guest on Quilting Arts TV. She is enjoying the resurgence of interest in handwork with an embroidery book, Butterfly Stitches, published Fall 2020, and, with two DVDs and a book on Modern Machine Quilting techniques, Catherine delights in finishing her own quilts on a domestic machine.

 

Annie Smith

Fort Worth, TX

Award Winning Quilter, BERNINA Ambassador & Aurifil Artisan

anniesmith.net

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Annie Smith is a quilt imagineer, author, national and international quilt instructor and a podcaster. She walked in to a quilt shop in 1984 to buy a new sewing machine and walked out with an invitation to teach quilting classes. You could say that Annie’s life is filled with quilts, and she knows a thing or two about quilting. Machine Applique, Color and Fabric Selection are Annie’s passion and expertise. Give Annie cloth, a sewing machine, thread and a great pair of scissors and she turns out spectacular pieces — from prom dresses to quilts to intricate appliqué coats. A life-long Californian, Annie now resides with her family in Justin, Texas.

 

Jim Suzio

Pittsburgh, PA
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Jim Suzio is an award winning artist, designer, digitizer and sewing instructor (including embroidery software, heirloom, fashion and serger sewing). A self taught sewer, Jim was inspired to try the craft after watching a neighbor's enthusiasm in the art. A new sales position at a machine dealer found him literally "thrown" on stage at an ASG convention where he was discovered by Sue Hausmann, host of the PBS series "America Sews with Sue Hausmann." Jim soon found himself teaching all over the US, Canada and Australia for Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff Sewing Machine Companies. His work has been featured in numerous books and magazines and several ads for Husqvarna Viking and the launch of Ty Pennington's new fabric line. he has been seen on several television programs here ("America Sews with Sue Hausmann,"and "It's Sew Easy") and in Canada ("the Big Breakfast Show").

 

Michelle Umlauf
Sabillasville, MD
Sewing Machine Artistry
SewingMachineArtistry.com
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Michelle Umlauf has made a career for herself in the sewing industry working as an independent educator. She loves to share her passion with others and enjoys sharing her knowledge. She began taking teacher certification courses with the Martha Pullen Company and Sulky of America. Today she is a Demonstrator for Clover and a National Educator for Baby Lock, Sulky of America, and Pam Damour - the Decorating Diva. She helped found and hosted the Sewing Online with Sulky webinar. Michelle enjoys traveling across the country working for one of these companies in their booths or teaching in a classroom at national expos. She also enjoys bringing classes and lecture/demos to sewing shops, quilt guilds, and online. When she is home, she enjoys spending time with her family at their home in the mountains of Maryland. Her German Shepherds and rescue kitty enjoy taking mom on nice long walks in the woods! To learn more about Michelle, lookup her Facebook page Sewing Machine Artistry and join her for a UFO Friday Live. Become one of her "Sewing Friends" at SewingMachineArtistry.com.

 

Jess VanDenburgh

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Hi I'm Jess! I was born and raised in upstate New York where I still live with my husband & 2 dogs. My grandma taught me at a young age how to sew and encouraged my creativity. I stumbled upon bag making in 2005 due to a major obsession with bags and a large fabric stash. I started making bags for friends and family at first and then selling them. From there my company, Sew Many Creations was born. Originally the company focused solely on making custom bags but slowly developed into a pattern company after many requests. In 2012 I expanded my pattern company to also include bag hardware, cork, fabric, kits, zippers and more. In 2020 I finally started my Youtube channel where I chat live every Friday about anything and everything bag making. I also upload tutorials, free patterns and educational videos. Teaching is my absolute favorite and if you watch any of the hundreds of YouTube videos I have on my channel, I think you'll agree!

 

Joe Vecchiarelli
Glendale, CA
French European Dress Forms

frencheuropeaninc.com

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Joe Vecchiarelli, founder and president of French European Inc., has worked in the fashion industry for over 40 years. During his college years, Joe worked in the family business, sharpening scissors for the industry's top designers. He later graduated from USC's business program and began to realize that opportunities in the apparel business were unlimited. Mr. Vecchiarelli's career took another fascinating turn when he made a foray into the entertainment business working in production with shows like Dancing with the Stars and The X Factor. A few years ago he was approached by NBC to help produce the competitive design talent show, Fashion Star. Presently Mr. Vecchiarelli is ever so busy maintaining his business and helping fashion students and enthusiasts grasp their dreams and become successful within the industry.

 

Joline Wunderl

Southlake, TX

Sew It Up BERNINA

sewitup.com
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Joline Wunderl is a lifelong sewing enthusiast with a special fondness for sewing for herself and her daughter. She spent many years teaching middle and high school English. In 2015, she happily merged interest and experience and became an educator at Sew It Up Bernina. Now an experienced and enthusiastic machine embroiderer, she enjoys teaching students at all levels the amazing things they can do with their embroidery machines!