My college degree is in elementary education. I lecture and teach nationally for shops and guilds, teaching a range of classes from miniature quilts to technique classes. I have designed a range of quilting tools through EZ Quilting. My first tool, Companion Angle, was introduced 15 years ago. I now have several more quilting tools on the market that are sold in independent quilt shops as well as chain stores and internationally. These tools are: Easy Dresden, Tri-Recs, Easy Scallop, Easy Square, Flip n Set, and three colored 60 degree tools (diamond, triangle and hexagon), and two 45 degree tools (diamond and petal shape).

I am a textile historian and have a large collection of vintage fabric and quilts, and get my inspiration for quilts and fabrics from the vintage textiles. For seven years I designed fabric for Chanteclaire. Currently I am designing new fabric lines with Robert Kaufman Co. Published my first book with EZ International (now EZ Quilting by Wrights) in 1992 called Companions; Quilts and Miniatures. Still in print. Co-authored 3 more books with EZ Quilting: The Quilter's Kitchen, Calming the Storm with Tri-Recs , and Quilts to Come Home To, the last one still in print. Designed individual patterns for EZ Quilting. Published 5 books with Krause Publications since 2001: Quick Quilted Miniatures, Granny Quilts , Granny Quilts Décor!, Fat Quarter Small Quilts, The Quilter’s Edge, and coming soon Quilting: The Complete Guide! Authored several chapters in several books from the Rodale Quilt series. Publish articles and patterns frequently in Am. Patchwork & Quilting, McCall's Quilting, McCall's Vintage Quilts, McCall’s Quick Quilts, Love of Quilting and more. My patterns are also found in Quilt Lover's Favorites (books) and the calendars put out by the magazine publishers. Design patterns exclusively (using my fabrics) for catalogs and for my pattern company, Needlings, Inc. Married with four grown children and one grandbaby, I live in a small farming community in rural Minnesota, very near the farm where I grew up. My grandmother was a quilter, my mother sewed for her 6 daughters and taught all of us how to sew garments. After I had children of my own I took up quilting as a hobby—which quickly grew into my business! I am greatly blessed to have the opportunity to work at what I love—designing fabrics, quilts, tools and books to bring the joy of quilting to others.