SUE NICKELS Ann Arbor, MI

Sue has been quilting for 28 years, starting by hand and gradually focusing on machine work. Sue has been teaching machine techniques for the past 18 years. Sue has taught and lectured nationally for shops, guilds and major conferences, including AQS, IQA and NQA. She has also taught internationally in England, Norway and Spain. Sue’s major awards include 1998 AQS Best of Show for “The Beatles Quilt” made by Sue and her sister, Pat Holly. Their quilt, “The Space Quilt” won the 2003 IQA Master of Machine Artistry Award and the 2004 AQS Machine Workmanship Award.  Sue books include Machine Quilting: A Primer of Techniques and her newest book Stitched Raw Edge Appliqué is co-authored with Pat and was released in February 2006. Sue’s priority in the workshops she teaches is to provide a relaxed environment for students to learn machine techniques that are timesaving. Sue emphasizes the best quality workmanship, never compromising quality for speed!  Visit her web site at www.sue.nickels.com

CAROL TAYLOR Pittsbord, NY

Internationally known, award-winning quilt artist, Carol Taylor, approaches her quilt making with intensity and a seemingly boundless energy. Vibrant colors, striking contrasts, use of value, as well as heavy machine quilting and embroidery distinguish Carol’s quilts. She has created over 475 quilts since she began quilting in 1993.Carol has won six “Best of Show” awards in her career…with six different quilts! A teacher by degree, and outgoing by nature, she has been a sales recruiter for 22 years and just closed her business in October 2003 to quilt full time. Her quilting classes are said to be “fun, motivational, and non-threatening.” Carol delights in using hand-dyed fabrics in her abstract, motif-driven designs, accented by the use of value. Her art quilts grace the walls of several companies as well as many private collectors. Visit her web site at www.caroltaylorquilts.com

KIMBERLY EINMO Stuttgart, Germany

Kimberly Einmo is an author, designer, quilt judge, and international instructor of quilting, machine embroidery and heirloom sewing techniques. Her work has been featured in many publications including her book, Quilt A Travel Souvenir, published AQS, and periodicals such as McCall’s Quilting and McCall’s Quick Quilts Magazine, American Quilter Magazine, and Japanese Patchwork Tsushin Magazine. Kimberly has designed a line of rulers manufactured by the EZ Wright Co. including the Easy Star and Geese Ruler and the EZ Hearts Cut Tool. Acclaimed both nationally and internationally, she has appeared as on the PBS series America Quilts Creatively. Kimberly has taught classes on several cruises including destinations to the Caribbean and Mexico, with many more international appearances scheduled in 2009 and 2010.  Please visit her website at www.kimberlyeinmo.com.

COLLEEN WISE Puyallup, WA

Colleen’s background is in engineering, and her quilts reflect that in their strong graphic quality.  Creating designs and solving problems are her favorite parts of the process; cutting, sewing, and pressing are just the means to the end.  She loves to play with illusions in her quilts, creating a third dimension on a two-dimensional surface.  Her quilts have won prizes in national and international shows and she was accepted in Quilt National 2001.  She has written a book, Casting Shadows: Creating Visual Dimension in Your Quilts (C&T Publishing), and she has appeared on several episodes of Alex Anderson’s Simply Quilts.  Colleen teaches, lectures and exhibits her work throughout the US.  Colleen and her husband have three children in high school and college.  In her spare time, she loves working in her perennial garden and hiking in the mountains.  Visit her web site at www.colleenwise.com

SHERRY SERAFINI Natrona Heights, PA