The “Bourbon Diamonds” series captures the fire and brilliance of Kentucky’s iconic spirit.
The “Bourbon Diamonds” series captures the fire and brilliance of Kentucky’s iconic spirit.
Mary-Jeanine Ibarguen is the publisher of the popular Florida Quilt Network website and newsletter, as well as a quilting teacher and lecturer. She is our newest Gem Affiliate, teaching my technique of freezer paper piecing (not your typical paper piecing). She is available to teach at quilt guilds, quilt shops, workshops, retreats, and private events.
Mary-Jeanine’s been quilting for 30 years and teaching for 17 years, all over the state of Florida. She has published six patterns, appeared on a sewing TV show and has developed a popular series of lectures on Stashbuster Quilts. Her specialty is adding extras to the learning process, whether it’s a quick lesson in pressing, how to clean and change rotary blades, or new thoughts on free motion quilting designs. Mary-Jeanine resides in Maitland, Florida with her husband.
Give Mary-Jeanine a call/email to set up an event in your neck of the woods!
Maitland, Florida & Willing to Travel
Kelly Zuber
Kelly Zuber believes there is just something special about creating beautiful quilts that melts away the stress of the day. She spent 35 years in local television news and has certainly seen her share of heroism and heartbreak. Quilting has always been her refuge and her muse. Now she turns her attention to bringing the joy of quilting to a new generation of eager students as a Gem Affiliate.
With a degree in Communications and Journalism she knows how to tell a story and share her love of quilting in small classes and large workshops. Kelly believes that teaching is learning, and learning is a lifelong journey. She is an award-winning quilter who especially enjoys foundation paper piecing and hand appliqué. When first introduced to my Birthstone Series and Diamond Diva Series, she knew she had found a totally different technique she wanted to share with confident beginners and seasoned quilters everywhere. She’s always excited to book a class at your quilt shop or visit your guild for a lively gem workshop.
Kelly lives in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and is a member of the Star Quilters Guild and the Virginia Consortium of Quilters. She and her husband have managed a successful small business for more than 30 years, and she recently launched her quilt venture appropriately named Kelly Loves Quilts.
Contact Kelly to set up a class today!
Roanoke, Virginia
Karena Wells
Karena Wells is an artist, teacher, tutor and lecturer. She comes from a long line of sewists, makers, and re-creators. Since she was a small child, sewing, quilting, tailoring, leather and canvas work has been taught to her. She made her first quilt in third grade as part of a section on learning about the American West. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado, where she studied art, history and education. Her passion for learning has led her to study and take classes worldwide.
As a lifelong artist with a dedication for teaching, quilting and working with textiles, Karena has traveled and lived around North America, Europe and Asia. Combining her passion and interest in learning about textiles, she has collected a vast knowledge of different techniques for sewing, piecing, dying, fiber manipulation, and quilting from around the world.
In 1996 Karena introduced a quilting seminar to Festival of Arts, at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico. She has been invited back every year, and you can find her there instructing a week long seminar every summer during Festival of Arts. She is always happy traveling to conduct fiber workshops for groups, retreats, shops and guilds.
In her quest to continue learning new skills to pass on to her students, in 2015, Karena traveled to North Carolina to attend the inaugural Tuffet Source Affiliate program. In 2018, Karena was thrilled to attend the inaugural Gem Affiliate class in Kentucky.
Karena now lives in her forever home in the Olympic Peninsula. When she is not creating or teaching, she works as a managing broker, helping people sell or buy homes.
Port Ludlow, Washington and Available to Travel
Anne-Margaret has been sewing and crafting her whole life. Her parents bought her first sewing machine for her 10th birthday and she hasn’t looked back. She has made her own wedding dress, her daughter’s graduation dress, crafts and quilts. While she knits, crochets, cross-stitches, paper canvas, papier toles, scrapbooks and sews, her focus lately is quilting. She usually has help in her craft room from her Bengal cat named Delilah who likes to steal her pins and roll on her quilts while she is sewing them.
Anne-Margaret loves to learn new techniques and share the skills she has learned with others. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone accomplish something from scratch. Her fabric inventory is her joy…all the colours, textures and possibilities.
Chilliwack, British Columbia (Canada) & Willing to Travel
Nancy Von Seggern
Nancy Von Seggern has been a quilt-piecer since childhood, teaching herself to hand piece and hand quilt before moving on to piecing with a sewing machine and becoming a longarmer.
She teaches a myriad of piecing classes at her shop in Fremont, Nebraska, embracing everything from traditional to modern to art quilting and teaches all levels of ability and interest. She has been successfully teaching my Birthstone Series as a Block of the Month, using freezer paper technique since the summer of 2018, when the patterns first came on the market. In December 2018, she became one of the first Certified Gem Affiliates.
In her shop she offers Block of the Month, Birthday Block Parties (for her A’ La Carte customers each month) and Birthday Bling Blast Parties two times a year for those that may want to make four gemstones.
Nancy loves to teach textile related classes and sharing her years of experience and tips in an interesting, relevant and fun atmosphere. She understands the needs of shop and guilds, and her goal is to help you grow your quilt business profit or guild member engagement and new member numbers through the Birthstone Series and upcoming patterns. Let Nancy help you energize your group/shop!
Fremont, Nebraska
Bonnie Taylor began quilting when she retired after many years in Property Management. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Drafting and a minor in Secondary Education, she is well qualified to work with students on all skill levels. And, having worked part-time in two quilting/fabric shops following retirement, she has further developed her people-skills and knowledge of fabrics.
Bonnie is available to conduct workshops for quilt groups, shops and guilds in her surrounding area.
Louisville, Kentucky
Sandi is the Chief Quiltmaker in Charge at Windy Moon Quilts in Reno, Nevada. She is an expert when it comes to caring for your sewing machine and can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about needles and more! She’s also an amazing quiltmaker. More information about Sandi is on its way!
To find out more about classes at Windy Moon Quilts, give her a ring!
Reno, Nevada
CJ discovered her love of quilting after a long career as a scientist for a major pharmaceutical company. Now she helps people plan for their financial futures — that is, when she’s not in her quilt studio creating beautiful projects. She loves teaching people about quilting, including her own daughters who now also make lovely quilts. (More info about CJ coming soon!)
CJ is excited about becoming a Gem Affiliate and sharing gems and joy around upstate New York and beyond.
Syracuse, New York & Willing to Travel
Debbie Stuart is a quilter, computer longarm-er, manufacturer of quilting products, teacher and lecturer. She has been making quilts for over 30 years. She has a Bachelors degree in Education and taught Middle School Math for 10 years before returning to the corporate world. She retired in 2016 and now devotes her time to all-things-quilting.
She lives in South-Central Texas and is available to teach these Gems as either a Block of the Month Program or as a Gem Technique Class. Contact Debbie for more details and to schedule a class/lecture today!
Round Rock, Texas
When Nancy started making quilts 20 years ago, the quilt making process brought her so much joy that she wanted to share this with the world. In 2011, she built a day retreat facility on their family farm near Carseland, Alberta (Canada) where she teaches and hosts open sew days to give creative souls the opportunity to pursue their passions away from the distractions at home.
In 2014 Nancy became a Certified Instructor with Judy Niemeyer Quilting, she completed Teacher Training with Westalee Rulers and most recently became a Gem Affiliate.
Nancy loves traveling to teach for guilds, shops and groups of creative friends, or she hosts workshops at her own studio, Bow Bench Retreat. Please email her for more information.
Carseland, Alberta (Canada)
678-938-6618
[email protected]
http://www.StitchwithColor.com
Facebook: Carol.Stanek.52
Instagram: StitchwithColor
Etsy: StitchwithColor
Carol brings a unique set of skills to the Certified Gem Affiliate Program with her background in corporate meeting and event planning: she has the expertise to organize retreats and special teaching events. Carol has also been sewing since she was 10 making garments and progressing into home-décor projects for interior decorators. She has been teaching classes since 2012 at quilt shops and guilds in the Atlanta area. She loves teaching and seeing people have fun while growing more confident in creating beautiful quilts.
In 2015 Carol became a Certified Instructor with Judy Niemeyer Quilting, she also completed several years of Sulky Certified Instructor Training and now has become a Gem Affiliate. Carol lives in the Atlanta metro-area and will be teaching in the southeastern region, but is always willing to travel wherever the quilter’s want to hold class!
To schedule a class with Carol, you can give her a call or email (see her contact info below). You can also find out more about this amazing quiltmaker by visiting her website or social media sites.
Atlanta, Georgia area & Willing to Travel
Allison Spence B.Ed. has a long association with crafting in the form of knitting, sewing and quilting. Her introduction to quilting was a tied quilt given to her newborn daughter by her sister-in-law almost 40 years ago. This was the start of an incredible and most enjoyable journey. She began teaching sewing and quilting while working at a sewing machine dealer in Calgary, Alberta.
Allison loves to teach others how to quilt and owned her own fabric store and sewing school in Calgary for 6 years. The joy and satisfaction in student’s eyes when they “get it” is almost payment enough! Allison encourages students to go further and see what they can do on their own. Allison splits her time between teaching others about all aspects of quilting and sewing, quilting on her longarm for customers and herself and creating new projects to piece and quilt. In addition to being a Gem Affiliate, Allison is a Handi-Quilter National Educator.
Calgary, Alberta & Willing to Travel
It’s not by accident that Carey loves sewing, quilting and working with fabric. She is a third-generation fiber artist and displays many of their masterpieces proudly in her home. As a child, she watched as her grandmother pieced quilts and helped “tie” them together with “yarn” for each grandchild as keepsakes. Her aunt and mother taught her the fundamentals of working with fabric in all mediums. She uses their advice to this day when working with her quilts. Upon graduating from high school, she received her first BERNINA sewing machine — still her favorite.
Carey Smith is a native of Grants Pass, Oregon and has worked in the pupil transportation industry for more than thirty years. During this time, she loved taking classes and attending workshops from instructors across the country to keep current with new skills and techniques. In December of 2018 she retired to pursue her passion for quilting full time and spend more time with her family.
In August of 2019, Carey became a Certified Gem Affiliate to teach the same freezer-paper technique I use to make my giant gem quilts. She is available to teach at quilt guilds, quilt shops, workshops, and private events. To schedule a class with Carey, give her a call or send her an email.
Grants Pass, Oregon
Born and raised on the Canadian prairies, Caroleigh learned to sew and quilt at a very young age. She started making her clothes and quilts after receiving her first sewing machine at age 6. After having spent 35 years in the import/retail industry, Caroleigh has returned to her passion — quilting! It’s been a 3-year journey during which she took lessons from professionals to learn the newest and latest techniques. She’s been teaching quiltmaking techniques since 2018.
After completing numerous quilts in various styles — from a traditional Log Cabin to a Quilt-As-You-Go pattern to paper piecing — she was searching for new ideas and a new challenge. Once she was introduced to the Birthstone Series gems she was hooked! She’s passionate about the gems and is excited to pass freezer-paper piecing techniques on to her students.
Caroleigh makes her home in Calgary, but will travel wherever necessary to show others that they, too, can create their own gems! To schedule a class with Caroleigh, shoot her an email at [email protected]
Calgary, Alberta & Willing to Travel
Lyvonn is a mighty force of joy. She loves quilters and makers of all kinds….So much so that she has dedicated her life to creating marvelous spaces for them to gather, create, and relax. Her Threads Retreats in Murfreesboro (just southeast of Nashville) and on Edisto Island are spacious, gracious get-aways that refresh one’s creative spirit. Lyvonn hosted our second Gem Affiliate retreat in August 2019 where she, herself, became a new Gem Affiliate. We loved spending time with her in her wonderful environment. (More info about Lyvonn is in its way!)
She would love to share that environment with you and your group, so give her a call and book a class or get-away! You can reach her at 615-714-8132 or visit https://threadsretreats.com/to learn more about her marvelous places.
Murfreesboro, Tennessee & Edisto Island, South Carolina
Mary took her first quilting class over 20 years ago and has been quilting ever since….minus a short pause when her boys were born. Mary lives in the Nashville area with her husband and 3 boys; her grown daughter lives nearby. Mary also enjoys cross-stitching, a craft she learned from her aunt when she was 9. Mary loves working with quilts and teaching and can’t wait to teach gem quilts!
To schedule a class with Mary, drop her a note at [email protected]
Nashville, Tennessee
Jayne’ Nelson is a quilt maker, teacher, and color consultant with degrees in Interior Design and Civil Engineering. She has also attended classes at the Gemological Institute of America.
Quilt making combines Jayne’s love of color, design, and precision. She began garment sewing in grade school and progressed to costumes, bridal gowns, and tailoring. About 20 years ago she was introduced to quilt piecing which has become a passion. She has been guided by wonderful teachers and mentors and enjoys working with traditional patterns, modern quilts, and has paper pieced extensively including several Quiltworx patterns.
After seeing publications of Quilt Con winner “Bling”, Jayne’ actively sought out patterns focusing on piecing of jewel quilts, specifically diamonds. The journey led her to the Gem Affiliate program. She became a Certified Gem Affiliate in 2019, and is anxious to share this quilt making technique.
Jayne’ lives in Washington State with her husband, daughter, 1 dog, and 2 cats.
To schedule a class with Jayne, send her a note at [email protected]!
Olympia, Washington
Debbie’s first foray into sewing was creating Halloween costumes for her kiddos when they were little. Now she sews costumes for the grandkids! What Debbie loves most about quilting is building community. She is excited to bring my gem patterns to your community. (More info about Debbie to come!)
To schedule a class with Debbie, you can contact her at 352-428-0264.
Springhill, Florida (Tampa area)
Alma is an AQS Certified Appraiser, a member of PAAQT (Professional Association of Appraisers-Quilted Textiles), and a Quilt Historian. She loves to share her knowledge and collection of quilts with others. She lives in Pensacola, FL with her husband, Grover, and three pets. She is a Mother and Grandmother. Her love of quilts began as a 4 year old and she has been quilting since 1969.
To schedule a class with Alma, send her a note at [email protected]!
Pensacola, Florida
Debbie started sewing with her mother and grandmother as a young girl, which involved clothing and home décor. Her quilting career began about 21 years ago, after taking a beginner’s class in a local quilt store, called Fabric Fantasy, in Innisfail. Little did she know how much she loved learning this craft, and how inspired she became seeing the beautiful quilts that others had made.
For a time, she loved to make clothes and outerwear for her family. However, when her children kindly requested that their clothing come from a store, she needed to find a new outlet for her sewing skills. Quilting allowed her to revive my sewing skills to create them something of sentimental value.
Debbie has always challenged herself to try different techniques. Classes are her favorite way to learn and she is constantly inspired by the instructors’ knowledge and experience. She has made many quilts that have been gifted to her family and friends over the years. She purchased an embroidery machine about 3 years ago and loved the machine’s ability to create intricate items. (And her hands loved the break!) Her other craft favorites are hand embroidery, cross stitch, crochet and knitting. Debbie’s crafty side has been passed down from her Mother and Maternal Grandmother. Debbie’s grandmother was an amazing needlework stitcher and sewer. Her mother continues to create beautiful hand and machine projects with expert ability.
Recently, Debbie has started teaching classes, for both work and as a freelance instructor. She loves working with other quilters and sharing the tips and techniques she has learned. Debbie is one of the founding members of the Wild Rows Country Quilters Guild in Innisfail, and an active member of the Central Alberta Quilters Guild in Red Deer. She enjoys the social and community work for charities with these two dynamic guilds. Retreats are another personal favorite, as they provide her the perfect opportunity to share ideas and finish projects while playing with friends.
The fabric store where Debbie works satisfies her addiction with the task of making quilt samples for display. She no longer needs to buy every beautiful fabric and pattern she sees, although she still find kits and patterns that she’d like to make. Debbie’s retirement package, not called “a stash”, continues to grow in my cozy little sewing room.
I’m thrilled to have Debbie join us as a Gem Affiliate in Alberta, Canada. To schedule classes with Debbie, you can contact her at [email protected]!
Red Deer, Alberta (Canada)
“Line. Shape. Texture. Size. Color. Tone. These are all elements of composition and design that have been part of my artistic expression for forty years. My camera was my main medium. As an award-winning photographer, I have exhibited and sold many of my images. But something was missing. I kept being drawn to working with fabric. Then a friend introduced me to quilting and it opened the door to an entirely new and exciting dimension. Like assembling a beautiful puzzle, sewing fabric pieces together to create a work of art is a uniquely intimate and deeply satisfying process. Much like developing film in a darkroom, the picture starts to take shape and it has the potential to take your breath away as the end result comes into view. This is particularly the case with the Gem Patterns. As a Gem Affiliate for San Diego County and the surrounding area I am excited to share what I know in assembling the exquisite gemstone quilts. I am happy to teach at any Quilt Shop, Guild or venue to those who want to experience this novel new perspective to modern quilting.” — Kati
To contact Kati and schedule a class, send her an email at [email protected]
Escondito, CA
Janet started her actual quilting and patchwork life in 1991 when she and her Mum attended a quilting class together at their local quilt shop. Her first quilt was all hand done. She loved the slower pace of hand work to balance her and her husband’s very busy work lives. Eventually machine work took over as she became impatient that the quilts were taking too long to complete. About a year later she was asked to teach at a particular shop which was Perth Sewing Centre. She says she was scared to death, but just took deep breath and went for it.
Fast forward a few years to when she met Leonie and Bill West from Westalee Designs whose Aussie business is now a worldwide business. She became one of her ‘testers’. The rest as they say is history. Janet has traveled extensively and went to Houston with Westalee Designs to launch her first book about ruler quilting ‘Janet’s Ruler Quilt Design Book’. She didn’t realize it at the time, but it was the first Ruler Quilt Design Book to be published in the world. She now travels to Houston every year with Leonie and Bill to demonstrate and teach and show my new creations.
I’m thrilled to have Janet teaching my gem patterns on the other side of the world! To contact her to schedule a class, send her an email at [email protected].
Perth, Australia
Terry has been working in property management and retail management for a total of 35 years while raising eight children! She has lived her life with a can- do attitude. She jumps in feet first in all that she does, laughing all the way. She wanted to learn to quilt…and did just that. She also taught herself to use a longarm. Terry has been quilting for about seven years.
In October, she learned about my Birthstone Series when she took one of my classes at eQuilter.com in Boulder, Colorado. The rest, as they say, is history. She attended our first Gem Affiliate retreat and is now qualified to bring gems into the lives of her students. In addition to teaching in the Colorado area, she is happy to travel to the Southwest to teach classes.
What I love most about Terry is that she teaches as she lives her life — with kindness, grace, and humility. She knows there is a gem to be found in all of us. Terry’s advice: “Keep smiling and enjoy the journey.”
Terry can be reached at [email protected] or by calling her at 303-908-7140, You can also learn more about her by visiting her Facebook page (@Terry’s Treasures).
Jayme Duncan
As a natural born entrepreneur, Jayme has transformed her love of quilting into an online retail business. She also teaches quilting throughout the lower central area of British Columbia and is now excited to share gems and joy with her students. (A more detailed bio for Jayme is coming soon!)
108 Mile Ranch, British Columbia
Merritt Crawford has been making award winning quilts for over 18 years and has taught a variety of quilting classes for the past ten. Her classes are full of fun techniques that propel her students to achieve stunning results by paying attention to details. This love of detail inspired Merritt to become a Gem Affiliate. She enjoys teaching in all settings from quilt shop classrooms, to beautiful retreat centers, to local quilt guild venues.
Quilting and creativity are a part of Merritt’s family heritage. Descended from a long line of creative women, Merritt knows that being creative is a part of who she is and desires to be. Even when she married her husband, she gained a sweet mother-in-love, who enjoyed the creative process of sewing and quilting, too.
Sew…let Merritt be a part of your quilting journey. She is willing to travel to share gems with your quilting community.
Contact her today to schedule your classes.
Stamping Ground, Kentucky & Willing to Travel
Not only is Michelle an amazing artist, she’s built a great business teaching and vending in the Northeast. Michelle’s smile brightens up the room and her quick wit will keep you laughing. More information about Michelle is on its way!
To schedule a class with Michelle, give her a ring or send her an email.
Lunenburg, Massachusetts
After Judy Bowers was introduced to stitching at 5 years old, she developed quite a reputation for always having some stitchery in her hands. She started quilting in 1982, learning hand quilting techniques. Over the years she honed her machine piecing and machine quilting skills by taking classes at quilt shops, shows and retreats.
Judy learned basic paper piecing skills, including Judy Niemeyer’s (Quiltworx) techniques, and earned her Quiltworx Certified Instructor credentials after retiring from her Pediatric Registered Nurse position at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.
Judy is now certified to teach the same freezer paper piecing techniques I use to create my Birthstone Series and Diamond Diva patterns. She teaches in Arkansas and is also willing to travel to share her knowledge.
Judy splits her time between her retirement home in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas and her cabin near the Canadian border at Crane Lake, Minnesota. Judy teaches beginning and advanced classes and is available for lectures, truck shows and demonstrations.
Please contact Judy to schedule classes and lectures at:
Judy Bowers
13 Palacio Circle
Hot Springs Village, AR 71909
More information about Karen is on its way!
Columbus, Ohio
After a successful career of owning and operating a custom drapery business for 15 years, Gwen’s passion for creativity was still strong. Her desire to continue to be creative was fueled by exposure to quilting by a dear friend of hers over 20 years ago. Almost immediately a desire to pursue her own long arm business ensued. And that step led her to this point. She is now one of our new Gem Affiliates in the Alberta province. She is eager to teach and willing to travel wherever people want to learn about gems and joy.
Contact Gwen to schedule a class!
Edmonton, Alberta and Willing to Travel
Viv Lazich is an artist, quilter, teacher, quilt shop owner, knitter, mother and wife. Not necessarily in that order. She has been sewing for over 40 years and has extensive experience creating garments, traditional quilts and art quilts using a variety of techniques from felting to free motion quilting.
Viv’s background is in graphic design and marketing communications. She left a 21-year career in the corporate world to open Sew Inspired Quilt Shop & Studio in Simsbury, Connecticut in 2005. Viv leads a team of sales staff, teachers and long arm quilters and is focused on creating community by teaching a variety of classes and hosting clubs. Her greatest strength and passion is demonstrating techniques and tools for quilters and sewists of all abilities.
As a Gem Affiliate, Viv is available to teach classes or present demos at your next quilt show, retreat or event. When she’s not sewing, Viv is knitting, reading, cooking or playing with Bella, her beautiful, large, yellow-lab “grand-dog.” A recent empty nester, Viv is available to travel. Contact her at [email protected]
Simsbury, Connecticut & Available to Travel
More information about Karen is on its way!
Reno, Nevada
Tammy Kuse is a mostly self-taught quilter who enjoys many different styles of quilts. She started sewing while a teenager and made her first quilt after getting married for her step-daughter, finding her passion. Free motion quilting was the next exciting skill that she mastered and Tammy loves the creativity of making designs on the fly.
She has won Best of Show in her county fair, along with many blue ribbons over the last several years. Tammy’s quilt for the 2018 Cherrywood Fabrics Challenge – Prince was selected as a finalist in 2018. She also had a quilt selected to show in the last Machine Quilting Unlimited –Midwest show. Commissions for quilts have included t-shirt quilts, photo quilts and quilts with specific themes.
As a Gem Affiliate, Tammy enjoys sharing her knowledge with others and teaching fun, positive, upbeat quilting classes. She thinks that being creative is fun but teaching other people the skills to do their own creative work is amazing.
Tammy is available for weekend teaching engagements and shows in the Chicago and northwest Indiana area.
Manhattan, Illinois
Victoria has been sewing and quilting since she was a young girl. She made all her clothes for high school. She sewed for a tent company after class in high school assembling tents. She sewed leather clothing for Leather Odyssey. She constructed auto upholstery for Pacific Seating. And – in her spare time! — made bridesmaid dresses for family and friends. She did this all while working full-time and being a single mom of a daughter with Cerebral Palsy.
In 2012, Victoria saw a Judy Niemeyer wedding ring pattern and started her journey to become a Judy Niemeyer Certified Instructor, completing the program in 2014 all while teaching quilting classes in the California Central Valley region.
Because of Victoria’s wide variety of skills, I am so pleased that she has joined the Gem Affiliate Program!
Victoria lives in Stockton, California, and teaches from Reno (Nevada) to Reading (California). She will travel all the way down to Hilmar (California) to teach for you — and anything in between. Victoria is available for classes, Quilt Guild presentations, trunk shows and one on one classes.
California Central Valley
Tina Hoss is a longarm quilter, sewist, and nurse. She has been quilting for 6 years, but sewing for over 25 years. Her love of sewing is inspired primarily by her mother. She began sewing in high school but her love of quilting came many years later when she bought a book and taught herself how to quilt on her domestic machine. Her first longarm machine came shortly after and her passion for quilting was ignited a few years later when she attended her first quilting retreat and “found her people.” That first retreat took her beyond the act of quilting and she fell in love with the community of people she now counts as her closest of friends.
She also began to understand her “calling” to quilting as she began experiencing many parallels to her nursing career. She comes from a large family of nurses, 9 total across 3 living generations, and never imagined doing anything else. Until she started quilting that is! Quilting parallels nursing by making others feel good. Nursing and quilts provide warmth, celebrate new life, comfort the ill, and provide memories to those who have left before us.
Tina enjoys sharing her love for quilting to anyone who is interested, and a few who aren’t. (LOL!) She enjoys teaching others and getting new people interested in sewing, quilting, or just hanging out with quilters! She enjoys encouraging others and helping them grow in whatever area she can. Tina has recently expanded her reach into fabric painting and loves anything that sparkles or shimmers! Naturally, when she saw the Gemstone quilts she knew it was something she needed to do! What girl doesn’t like large gemstones?!
She encourages you to experience the art of quilting with her and to build lasting friendships during one of her classes. After all…only quilters understand the act of buying a fabric bundle so beautiful you never want to take the ribbon off…only to cut it up into tiny pieces and sew it back together again.
Contact Tina to schedule a class today!
Kansas City, Missouri
Angel Hawks has an irresistible, friendly personality. Her students get a Texas-sized helping of humor along with tips and tricks to becoming more proficient at quilt-making.
After 20 years in the technology industry, Angel is now focused on her passion for sharing the joy of quilt artistry with others. Her immense technical background gives her the ability to break down the complex processes into simple, achievable steps. She provides innovative approaches to getting excellent results.
Angel is available for weekend teaching engagements and shows throughout the North Texas and Oklahoma area.
Plano, Texas
Lisa Hallsworth
Lisa lives and works on the island paradise of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. She is a talented and prolific quiltmaker and teacher. When she is not teaching or making quilts, she is mom to seven (yes, SEVEN!) adorable French Bulldogs. (More information on Lisa to come!)
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Cindy has lived and traveled across the US and abroad. She has been sewing and crafting for over 30 years, and has been following her passion for quilting for six. Cindy lives in East Tennessee and is willing to travel throughout the Southeast United States.
As a previous sales trainer, manager, and retail store owner, Cindy loves working with people and helping them succeed by transferring her knowledge and enthusiasm.
Cindy has a teacher’s heart and engages others with humor and grace. She is scheduling workshops featuring the Birthstone Series by MJ Kinman, the “Jewel Box” Block of the Month, and Northcott’s newest collection titled “Facets by MJ Kinman”.
Harrogate, Tennessee & Willing to Travel
Julia Graves started her quilting business, Special Occasion Quilts LLC, in 2007 and teaches, lectures, designs patterns, makes commission quilts and longarms for others throughout the Mid-Atlantic area, but is willing travel further afield. She won Best Longarm Machine Workmanship Wall Quilt Category at the 2016 Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, has had quilts published in books by Gloria Loughman and Katie Pasquini-Masupust, was an Artist in Residence at Empty Spools Seminars in 2019, and will return to Empty Spools in 2021 to teach Amazing Abstracts.
Julia has been sewing since she was ten and always loved fabric, needle arts and the entire creative process. She did her apprenticeship as a quilter by making a quilt for each of her nieces and nephews (and thinks she should have counted them before making this promise – there were 32!). She has since made more quilts than she can count, many for charity, and is partial to scrap quilts and working with color to achieve amazing results. Visit her gallery on her website at http://www.soquilts.com.
Leesburg, Virginia & Willing To Travel
Susan Deshensky
Susan has an extensive background in needlework and quilting. She enjoys teaching, designing and has an eye for color. Susan’s quilts have won awards in regional and national quilt shows. Susan is excited to be a gem affiliate and she is available to teach at your guild, shop or retreat, and she is willing to travel.
New York
Linda started her journey of stitching and quilting over 34 years ago. In 2008 Linda was introduced to the amazing world of fiber arts. This gave her a way to combine her love of stitching and quilting. At that time Linda began creating her own works of art. She loves learning new techniques and takes classes and workshops on a regular basis to increase her skill set. In 2018 she was the featured artist in an art exhibit in Colorado Springs, Co. She loves outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, kayaking and horseback riding. Linda currently lives in Colorado with her husband, 2 boys, 2 dogs, 2 horses, and parrot.
December of 2018 Linda became a Certified Gem Affiliate to teach my technique of single-foundation paper piecing (not your typical paper piecing). She is available to teach at quilt guilds, quilt shops, workshops, retreats, and private events. Private and semiprivate sessions are available.
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Margaret works with Janet Collins at Janet’s shop From the First Stitch to the Last/Janet Collins Designs in Wangara, Western Australia. Along with Janet Collins, Margaret was one of my very first Gem Affiliates. She teaches all things gems and is a great representative for Gem Affiliates.
Calgary, Alberta (Canada)
Just recently introduced to the artistry of creating gemstones within quilts, Kendra knew that being a part of the Gem Affiliate team is something that she wanted to be a part of. Kendra lives in Minnesota, just south of the Twin Cities, with her husband Bret, two daughters Kilyn and Brynnli and her English Bulldog, Gemma. Kendra started her quilting journey shortly after her youngest daughter was born in 2010. Since then she has been taking classes, attending retreats, and learning the process of quilt making. In 2016 Kendra started her very own longarm quilting business, Quilted Stars. Some of the classes that she enjoys teaching range from machine embroidery to paper piecing. I am delighted that Kendra has chosen to add gemstones in the Birthstone Series and Diamond Diva to her teaching resume. She became a certified Gem Affiliate in October 2019.Kendra is available to teach at quilt shops, guilds, workshops, retreats, and private events throughout the upper Midwest. Please contact her today to discuss and schedule your event!
Cannon Falls, Minnesota
I’m thrilled to have a quiltmaker as talented and artistic as Linda Fisher on the Gem Affiliate team. When Linda isn’t wearing her accountant hat — helping businesses navigate their finances — she is creating gorgeous quilts inspired by master artists like Gustav Klimt. (A more detailed bio for Linda is on its way!)
To reach Linda and schedule a class, please contact her via her email or phone number listed below.
In the spring of 2018 when I (MJ) put out a call for interested teachers, Kerin Ferrin responded immediately with enthusiasm, energy and excitement. I felt my vision and her previous experience as a program affiliate were beautifully aligned. After many conversations and brainstorming sessions filled with ideas and spirit, we set out to co-create a comprehensive Gem Affiliate program; Teach the Teacher retreats to build a dynamic team of quilting instructors certified to teach in-person classes based on my gemstone quilt patterns.
In December of 2018, we welcomed 20 quilt teachers and shop owners to Kentucky to become the US and Canada’s first Gem Affiliates. Ready to market themselves and their unique opportunities for the classroom, Gem Affiliates are well prepared to share the Gem patterns with quilters everywhere.
Prior to Gems, Kerin was an early adopter in the tuffet business just as tuffets were taking the quilting world by storm. In 2014, Kerin traveled to North Carolina to become one of the first members of the Tuffet Source Affiliate Program. She became one of the most successful Tuffet Source Affiliates in the country, teaching more than 100 classes in 14 shops throughout New Hampshire and Maine.
Kerin has become a valued part of my team. In addition to assisting me with Gem Affiliates and another Gem Affiliate retreat scheduled for April 2019, Kerin will be teaching both Birthstone Series Block of the Month and technique classes in New England beginning in January of 2019. Kerin has been teaching quilting since 2009 and lives in Rye, NH with her family.
Lynda has been sewing since she was 7 years old eventually moving onto designing and sewing wedding dresses. In the early 90’s she got the quilting bug and has not looked back.
Her favorite type of quilting is hand applique combined with embroidery. She has been fortunate to have training from some of the best quilt teachers in the industry. Lynda loves to share her passion with students by showing tips and tricks for making any project a bit easier. Lynda is thrilled to be part of the Gem Affiliate “family”.
“A quilter is an artist using fabric and thread instead of canvas and paint.”
To reach Lynda and schedule a class, please email her at [email protected]
