MEET OUR CERTIFIED EDUCATORS

Sallie Tomato Educators are passionate and skilled sewing enthusiasts dedicated to sharing their love for sewing and crafting with others. Get to know our wonderful educators below, and contact them to teach a Sallie Tomato class at your store or event. They're eager and excited to teach! 

Abby Arthur

Location: Wichita, KS. Willing to travel: anywhere in the United States

Abby learned sewing from her mother and grandmothers. She enjoys teaching others how to create beautiful bags and loves seeing students succeed with projects they can use and cherish.

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Alisa Robinson

Location: Laurel, Maryland. Willing to travel Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia

Alisa believes sewing is a powerful form of self-expression. She teaches students to create professional-quality bags while encouraging confidence, creativity, and pride in their finished projects.

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Amanda Fisk

Location: Amery, WI. Willing to travel in Wisconsin and Minnesota within 3 hours

Amanda’s creativity began at age 7. With her business ANNISSEAU, she teaches custom sewing and handbags. She believes in sharing her God-given talents to inspire others to create.

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Amy Schulze

Location: Sheboygan, WI. Willing to travel and teach anywhere in the US.

Amy has crafted since childhood and taught elementary school for 30 years. Bag making allows her to combine her love of accessories with her passion for teaching and creativity.

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Angie Hall

Location: Sycamore, Ohio. Willing to travel to West Virginia and Kentucky.

Angie began sewing in 4-H and developed a deep love for it over the years. She is enthusiastic about sharing her passion with others.

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Barb Wheeler

Location: Indian Head, MD. Willing to travel anywhere.

Barb has over 30 years of sewing experience. She enjoys teaching in studio or college settings, making bag projects, quilting, embroidery, and costuming fun and approachable for her students.

Social Media: IG @theaterbaw

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Barbara Johnson

Location: Sun City, AZ. Willing to travel North America and Abroad

Barb’s lifelong love of sewing evolved into bag making after discovering cork fabric. She brings decades of experience and a joyful spirit to students of all levels.

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Barky Graziano

Location: Mandeville, LA. Willing to travel anywhere in the United States

Barky has been sewing for over 40 years, from children's clothing to quilting and bags. She’s excited to share her skills and passion as a Sallie Tomato educator.

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Becky Schauf

Location: Canyon Creek, MT. Willing to drive up to 100 miles for classes.

Becky has been sewing for over 10 years and loves working with cork and new fabrics. She enjoys Sallie Tomato’s patterns and looks forward to sharing her creative energy.

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Billie Klegraefe

Location: Attleboro, MA. Willing to travel throughout New England

Billie’s 20+ years of sewing evolved into a passion for bag making. She loves transforming materials into finished bags and sharing that sense of accomplishment with her students.

Social Media: IG & FB @mimisgonnamake

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Bonnie Parnall

Location: Crystal River, Florida. Willing to travel to anywhere in the United States.

Bonnie has 30+ years of sewing experience, focusing on bags, garments, and home décor. She’s a passionate maker excited to share her hands-on knowledge with Sallie Tomato students.

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Camilla Wright

Location: Los Alamitos, CA. Open to travel both domestically and internationally. 

Languages: English, Swedish, Finnish

Camilla studied fashion design and worked in NYC before starting her own sewing business. She loves sharing her experience and inspiring students with hands-on, confidence-building instruction.

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Carrie Wilquet

Location: Carpentersville, Illinois. Willing to travel to Northern Illinois, Eastern Iowa, St. Louis Area, Summers: Twin Cities and Duluth, MN.

Carrie learned to sew nearly 30 years ago. Taught by her mom, library books and YouTube; sewing grew into a passion. Currently a public school teacher, she is eager to share her love for sewing with others.

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Cecilia Ohman

Location: Central Washington State

Celia owns Carryon9gifts and began sewing bags in 2022. She now teaches in her community through “Make Room to Sew,” sharing skills, techniques, and a love for Sallie Tomato.

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Cheryl Bray

Location: City/State:  Aurora, Illinois  Willing To Travel Anywhere in the US

Cheryl has 35+ years of sewing experience and a background in custom drapery. Now passionate about bag making, she’s excited to teach and inspire creativity with a confident approach.

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Elvira (Vera) Lupien

Location: Roswell, NM

Vera inherited her love of sewing from her mother. Now the owner of “Quilting Memories,” she enjoys teaching and inspiring others to find joy in sewing.

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Glo Jensen

Location: Pensacola, Florida. Willing to travel to anywhere in the United States

Glo has been sewing since she was little. With a Doctorate in Education, teaching is SEW empowering for her. She hopes others will join her in exploring the possibilities with Sallie Tomato products.

Social Media: IG @TheCraftyGlo

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Jane Barz

Location: Tripp, South Dakota Willing to travel anywhere in South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota.  Willing to have a conversation with inquiries from other states. 

Jane began sewing in childhood and started making bags in 2012. Now leading workshops, she finds joy in student success and is eager to continue growing and teaching.

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Jeanette Weider

Location: Central Illinois

Jeanette has 20+ years of sewing experience. She specializes in quilting, bag making, and more. With a patient and enthusiastic approach, she helps students discover their creativity and sewing confidence.

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Joyce Gunder

Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Willing to travel to anywhere in the United States.

Joyce has over 50 years of sewing experience. She began with garments, moved to quilting, and fell in love with bag making. She loves teaching and seeing students' joyful accomplishments.

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Kathy Easter

Location: Villa Grove, Illinois

Kathy teaches classes to customers ranging from teens to those well into their 80s. She loves seeing the excitement and sense of accomplishment on their faces when they finish their projects.

Social Media: IG @kathycnm

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Kathy Seymour

Location: Glen, New Hampshire. Willing to travel to New England

Kathy has been sewing for more than 40 years and teaching for more than 20. She loves teaching and helping others develop their creative spark and find joy in making something special.

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Kim Innes

Location: Anderson, Indiana. Willing to travel anywhere in Indiana and also North America.

Seeking a creative outlet after getting two kids down for naps in the afternoons, Kim started making baby shoes, which eventually led to making slippers and bags. She’s been selling her makes since 2013.

Social Media: IG @jumpingpineapple

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Kyna Veatch

Location: Gilbert, AZ. I am willing to travel anywhere in AZ, CA, NM, NV & UT

Kyna brings bold color, creative energy, and enthusiasm to her sewing classes. She invites students to laugh, stitch, and leave with beautiful, handmade bags they’re proud of

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Linnet Henningfeld

Location: Union Grove, Wisconsin

Linnet’s passion for sewing started in 4-H. Sewing has given her the opportunity to compete in fairs and quilt shows to share her skills and creative side. She looks forward to helping others in the same way.

Social Media: IG @linnetwilks

Email: lhenningfeldeducator@gmail.com

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Liz Foster

Location: Dallas, Texas

Liz started her bag making journey by making simple drawstring bags as party favors and the rest is history. She loves seeing all the details add up to a spectacular, fun, and functional bag!

Social Media: IG @yelladawg_creative

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Lori Loehr

Location: Location: Campbellsport, WI. Willing to travel anywhere in the US

Lori, a retired educator, shares her love of sewing with clear, supportive instruction. She’s passionate about helping students of all levels feel confident and successful in their sewing journey.

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Mara Anderson

Location: Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Willing to travel anywhere

Mara’s journey into sewing began with her mother teaching her to sew clothing as a teenager. When teaching a class, she finds it very rewarding when students fully understand the techniques.

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Marsha Hafer

Location: Bonney Lake, Washington. Willing to travel throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Marsha is a retired educator with a love for sewing. She inspires students to customize patterns, explore techniques, and grow creatively while crafting high-quality, unique bags.

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Mary Turpin

Location: Laurel, Maryland. Willing to travel anywhere in the United States and territories (US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico).

Mary is a lifelong maker who began crafting as a Girl Scout. Now a fiber artist, she teaches wearable art and bags, inspiring others to create with joy and pride.

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Melanie Grace

Location: Yorba Linda, CA. Available to teach in the Southern West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho).

A Southern California native, Melanie is passionate about sewing and creativity. She’s your enthusiastic West Coast connection for inspiring, hands-on bag making instruction and fun project experiences. 

Instagram | Website

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Myra Ortmann

Location: Corinth, Texas. Willing to travel to anywhere in the United States

Myra has been sewing for over 20 years and enjoys sharing her knowledge with others. Known for her creative approach and attention to detail, she loves inspiring students to develop their sewing skills.

Social Media: IG @Myra_sew_perfectly

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Patty Greening

Location: Walled Lake,, Michigan. Willing to travel to anywhere in the United States

Patty has over 30 years of sewing experience and 20 years as a public school educator. She loves teaching new sewists about quilting, bag making, and home decor.

Social Media: IG @patty_greening_educator_page

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Rhonda Stevens

Location: West Texas, The Texas Panhandle, New Mexico, Colorado. 

Rhonda blends her education background with a passion for sewing. She encourages creativity, understands all learning levels, and uses Sallie Tomato as a perfect platform for self-expression and growth.

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Samantha Fuller

Location: Gainesville FL. Willing to travel, continental USA.

Samantha has over 40 years of sewing experience. She’s a dedicated educator who loves teaching bag making and accessories to learners at all skill levels with warmth and enthusiasm.

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Sharon Thompson

Location: Pittsburgh, PA area. Willing to travel anywhere to teach.

Sharon is a retired Family & Consumer Sciences teacher with a long sewing history. She runs an online sewing business and loves helping others learn through hands-on, creative instruction.

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Shauna Walwooc

Location: Grand Haven, MI. Willing to travel anywhere in the United States

Shauna is a passionate modern quilter and sewist who began in 2008. She finds great joy in helping others discover sewing and loves sharing her knowledge through hands-on instruction.

Social Media IG: @sewmodernshauna

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Sheré Hills

Location: Summerville, South Carolina. Willing to travel to South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Jacksonville, FL, Richmond, VA

Shere has always loved accessories, especially handbags. As a Sallie Tomato Certified Educator, she's thrilled to share the joy of creating professional-looking handbags on domestic machines.

Social Media: IG @SimplyShere

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Teresa Finnerty

Location: Cazenovia, New York

Teresa has always enjoyed sewing, her love for sewing has grown over the past decade. Her favorite bags are crossbody purses, totes and backpacks. She looks forward to sharing her love of bag making!

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Traci Mitterling

Location: Warroad, Minnesota

Traci has been sewing since she can remember. She loves creating a variety of different bags using a variety of different fabrics and looks forward to inspiring others on their bag making journeys.

Social Media: IG @tracimitterling

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Tracy Connolly

Location: New England

Tracy rediscovered sewing in grad school and now loves bag making. She shares her skills with a creative friend group and values Sallie Tomato’s quality, support, and inspiring community.

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Trish Jackson

Location: Fort Worth, TX

Trish blends her background in education with over 30 years of sewing. She specializes in handbags, accessories, and clothing, and loves helping others on their creative sewing journey.

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