Karen is a QuiltWorx Certified Instructor with more than 35 years of experience teaching quilters how to confidently create with their sewing machines. She is especially passionate about helping students—particularly those new to paper piecing—learn complex techniques in a clear, organized, and stress-free way.
Karen’s love of sewing began at a young age, inspired by watching her mother create elaborate handmade projects. That early creativity grew into a lifelong dedication to sewing, quilting, embroidery, and garment construction. Her first quilt, made for her young daughter’s “big girl” bed, sparked a love of quilting that continues today and shapes her thoughtful, encouraging approach to teaching.
As an instructor, Karen is known for her calm, supportive classroom environment and her ability to break QuiltWorx techniques into manageable steps. She emphasizes accurate preparation, organized workflows, and understanding the process, helping students build confidence and skills they can carry into future projects. In her first two years working with QuiltWorx, Karen completed over 40 QuiltWorx projects and enjoys creating stunning designs using Quiltster software. She especially loves helping students with fabric selection, color placement, and layout to achieve beautiful, precise results.
In addition to being a QuiltWorx Certified Instructor, Karen holds numerous industry teaching certifications, including Kids Can Sew, Palmer Pletsch, Jenny Haskins, Martha Pullen, FitNice, KimberBell, HoopSisters, and is a Certified OESD Master Embroiderer. Her diverse background allows her to meet students where they are and adapt her instruction to a variety of learning styles.
Karen’s goal at every retreat and class is for students to feel welcomed, supported, and successful—and to leave inspired, confident, and excited to continue their quilting journey.
