As a sewing instructor who proudly learned to sew on a 40-year-old Bernina and basic mechanical Janome, I hope to teach others how to put fabric and thread together. After recently upgrading to the Babylock Jubilant, PHAFF Performance 5.2, and Juki DX5, I know how overwhelming shopping for a new machine can be. Therefore, I will help guide you through what to look for and how to buy that perfect machine while understanding how to operate the one you have. I've been teaching both adults and children sewing since December of 2021 when people bought machines during the pandemic and wanted to learn to use them.

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I've been sewing for over 15 years, starting with costumes. I grew up in Napa and then relocated to Berkeley, joining a costuming / dancing crowd in 2002. As an artist, I went from color pencil abstract designs to fabrics and hadn't looked back, starting with dance skirts and cravats. I then made purses, bags, belts, organizers, and art quilts. Sewing is my stress relief and go-to when times get tough. I love creating "happy scrappy" projects when possible. 

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In Berkeley, I worked primarily in the event catering hospitality industry. I found creative inspiration from event spaces: flowers, food, centerpieces, hanging orchid chandlers, and Silicon Valley holiday and charity events. I dreamt of becoming an event planner until the 2008 crash; however, I did not lose hope. Instead, I took my food event knowledge, cooking and selling food at Dance Jam events while selling hand-painted veils. I also taught waltzing and costumed for the Dickens Fair in my living room. 

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In 2010 I volunteered to create costumes for Debrah Moss at Berkeley Ballet Theater, and in 2011, I moved back to Napa. I returned to Napa Valley College to continue my education, starting first in the technical theater costume department. Then, as a costume seamstress, I volunteered, sewing for the college choir and dance showcase. After the technical theater department shifted focus, I turned to triple majoring -- graduating in 2020 with Graphic Design, Political Science, and History Associate's degrees while sewing during the summer and winter breaks.

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When the first California firestorms happened in 2018, I became a Napa Valley Quilter's Guild member, seeking out a community of other fabric lovers. These sewers are very proactive in their community. Napa Valley Quilters have donated charity quilts to fire victims, hospitals, kids in foster care, and now Ukraine through the guild's Quilts to Share program. When Covid hit, Napa Valley Quilter's sewed over 1,000 masks. I stitched close to 200. These fabric artists share tips and tricks and swap fabric every month that I utilize with my sewing students. These women are full of inspiration, wisdom, courage, and hope, expanding my sewing to new heights.