Meet Our SHop Gals

 
 

“Yes, that is a real Prairie Dog!! I love them so much! So cute!”

Bobbie O’Keith, Shop manager

How long have you been quilting/sewing? 20+ years.

Quilting tool you can’t live without: My 6” x 24” ruler.

Favorite fabric designers: Lella Boutique and Sweetwater.

Technique you love: Getting 8 half square triangles out of 2 squares.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: Helping customers pick out fabric.

Non-sewing hobby: What? Like there is one?

Go-to sewing machine: My Elna 2004. It’s a work horse that I got for only $40! I love it.

Best quilting tip: Fold your backing over to the front to bind your quilt.

Favorite precut: Layer Cakes, Jelly Rolls, Charm Packs, and 1-yard cuts!

Favorite sewing time snack: Pretzels

What most inspires your creativity? Fabric and picking out patterns that would highlight the fabric, going to other quilt shops, and watching YouTube videos.

 
 

Joni Latham, Inventory manager

How long have you been quilting/sewing? Many years.

Quilting tool you can’t live without: All of them!!

Favorite fabric designers: Bonnie & Camille.

Technique you love: Piecing in general.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: Seeing the new fabrics and notions.

Non-sewing hobby: Gardening.

Go-to sewing machine: Janome.

Best quilting tip: Measure twice, cut once.

Favorite precut: Fat Quarter Bundle.

Favorite sewing time snack: Something salty.

What most inspires your creativity? Seeing other quilters’ completed projects.

 

Brenda Best, shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing? I sewed clothing in high school, but started quilting a few years ago by sewing squares together on my machine.

Quilting tool you can’t live without: I love learning different rulers, how to quilt with blue tape, and just having a good time :)

Favorite fabric designers: Jo Morton and Renee Nanneman - I love her wool applique and color design.

Technique you love: Not sure I have a favorite - I just enjoy following a pattern and how color looks.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: The learning opportunities and the advice and guidance received from people wanting to share their knowledge of quilting. Plus it’s a wonderful happy place.

Non-sewing hobby: Gardening! It’s so exciting when one cooks the veggies they grew or when the plant gives a bloom :)

Go-to sewing machine: Janome

Best quilting tip: Relax and enjoy.

Favorite precut: Charm Pack.

Favorite sewing time snack: Almonds, dried fruit, & a big glass of iced tea.

What most inspires your creativity? Color. It is everywhere. How we put it in a creative form - a quilt, clothing, a photograph, a painting - all of it tells a person’s story.

 

Jan Rice, shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing? 55

Quilting tool you can’t live without: My glasses!

Favorite fabric designers: Teresa Kogut and Kim Diehl.

Technique you love: Star blocks.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: Getting to see all the new fabric lines.

Non-sewing hobby: Reading.

Go-to sewing machine: My Bernina 770, used to be my old Pfaff.

Best quilting tip: Measure twice.

Favorite precut: Fat Quarter bundle.

Favorite sewing time snack: Pretty much any type of candy.

What most inspires your creativity? Visiting fabric stores.

 

Celia Sedano, shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing? I’ve been playing with needle, thread, and fabric as long as I can remember. Quilting specifically, I picked up in late 2021.

Quilting tool you can’t live without: My 6 1/2” x 24 1/2” ruler

Favorite fabric designers: Either Sweetfire Road or Lella Boutique.

Technique you love: Decorative or visible mending.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: Show and tell and seeing what people have been up to.

Non-sewing hobby: Tabletop role playing games.

Go-to sewing machine: My Bernina B570.

Best quilting tip: Find a marking tool you like and use it enthusiastically.

Favorite precut: I almost exclusively work out of yardage cuts. I will rework patterns to accommodate.

Favorite sewing time snack: Sourdough bread.

What most inspires your creativity? Seeing ideas in one project and wondering how it could be applied to others.

 
 
 

Elizabeth Brakenhoff, designer/ teacher

How long have you been quilting/sewing? 12 years.

Quilting tool you can’t live without: Stripology Ruler.

Favorite fabric designers: Stephanie Sliwinski from Fancy That Design House.

Technique you love: EPP is my one true quilty love. But I also love machine piecing.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: Seeing all the beautiful fabrics.

Non-sewing hobby: Exploring with my kids and reading slightly spicy romance novels.

Go-to sewing machine: Bernina B560

Best quilting tip: Quilting is supposed to be fun. If it's not fun, put the project in time out and work on something else.

Favorite precut: Layer Cake.

Favorite sewing time snack: Currently, it’s dried mango.

What most inspires your creativity? I love challenging myself to make quilts with less fabric and more efficiently than the pattern states. Plus, the less fabric I have to buy per quilt is more fabric I can buy for the next project.

 
Keegan.JPG

Keegan Kanter, shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing? 18 years quilting, but sewing since I was 5 years old.

Quilting tool you can’t live without: My rotary cutter, my Bloc-Loc template, and my rotating mat for trimming blocks.

Favorite fabric designers: 3 Sisters and Scott Flanagan.

Technique you love: Piecing in general - especially half square triangles/pinwheels. I have also dabbled with EPP, cross stitch, & embroidery.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: I love seeing all the ways people choose to put fabrics together.

Non-sewing hobby: Reading.

Go-to sewing machine: Janome 4120 QDC.

Best quilting tip: Read the directions carefully!

Favorite precut: Charm Pack.

Favorite sewing time snack: Any sugary candy will do, occasionally chips are good too.

What most inspires your creativity? Usually I'm asking the question, "I wonder if you could do this" or "what would it look like if you changed this" when I'm looking at projects that others have created.

 
 

DeAnn Gould, shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing? Off and on for 15 years, consistently for two.

Quilting tool you can’t live without: Stripology Rulers.

Favorite fabric designers: 3 Sisters.

Technique you love: Piecing.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: The people!

Non-sewing hobby: Playing the piano.

Go-to sewing machine: Haven’t found a favorite, yet.

Best quilting tip: You are the expert of your project.

Favorite precut: Mini Charm and Fat Quarter Bundle.

Favorite sewing time snack: Pretzels.

What most inspires your creativity? Me!

 
 

Jenni Miller, apparel/ shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing? Too long to count!

Quilting tool you can’t live without: I'm an apparel sewist, not a quilter, but I do like to use my Olfa rotary cutter.

Favorite fabric manufacturer: Probably Robert Kaufman.

Technique you love: I have done needle turn appliqué and enjoyed it.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: Learning new things and taking all the classes.

Non-sewing hobby: Cake decorating.

Go-to sewing machine: I have three, but my Pfaff creative 7550 is my favorite.

Best quilting tip: press, press, press.

Favorite precut: Jelly Roll.

Favorite sewing time snack: Any candy.

What most inspires your creativity? The fabric.

 
 

Liz Lumpkin, designer/ shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing? 30+ years!

Quilting tool you can’t live without: My iron!

Favorite fabric designers: BasicGrey and Tilda.

Technique you love: English Paper Piecing and Foundation Paper Piecing.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: Helping pick out the perfect fabric combinations.

Non-sewing hobby: Reading and watching all the Sci-Fi with my husband.

Go-to sewing machine: Juni TL2010Q

Best quilting tip: Just do it!

Favorite precut: Mini Charm

Favorite sewing time snack: Dark Chocolate

What most inspires your creativity? Being around other artists!

 

Melody Bean, shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing? I learned to sew in high school. I made my first quilt when I had my first daughter.

Favorite fabric designers: Too many to choose one.

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: I get to touch beautiful fabric every day, be surrounded by creative people, and look at beautiful quilts and projects.

Non-sewing hobby: Reading, singing, and playing piano.

Go-to sewing machine: I have one little old Singer. It’s amazing what it still can do. Time to upgrade.

What most inspires your creativity? Looking at what other people have made.

 

KATE HINTON, shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing?

Favorite fabric designers:

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop:

Non-sewing hobby:

Go-to sewing machine:

What most inspires your creativity?

 

jessica gilner, shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing? I don’t sew or quilt.

Favorite fabric designers: All of them!

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop: I like to see all the fabrics and seeing all the finished products that people have completed. I also love working with all these fantastic group of ladies.

Non-sewing hobby: Coloring, watching movies, and spending lots of time and love to my dogs.

Go-to sewing machine: My mom :)

What most inspires your creativity? Finding ways to do things that make it easier on me.

 

kathy teeter, shop gal

How long have you been quilting/sewing?

Favorite fabric designers:

Favorite thing about working at a quilt shop:

Non-sewing hobby:

Go-to sewing machine:

What most inspires your creativity?