Erika Fitzgerald
Erika earned her BFA in fiber arts degree from Southern Illinois University in 1997 and has been sewing since she was 12. She has studied hand-dying, silk-screening, and corset-making; has worked extensively with vintage 40s and 50s home sewing patterns; has worked in stained glass and taught workshops in that craft; and currently turns out beautiful custom embroidery work. After five years working for the Springfield Art Association, Erika recently relocated to Chicago and now works for Bernina of America.

Carrie "Martha Stewart" Malfeo
You name the creative endeavor, Carrie has done it. A graduate of both Ray College of design and the master gardening program at the Chicago Botanic Garden, she has designed men’s neckwear, worked in an African art gallery, and had businesses selling both hand-wire-wrapped jewelry and baby accessories. Most recently, Carrie worked as a floral designer at A New Leaf.

Sarah Steedman
Sarah has been making things with her hands all her life and learned how to use a sewing machine at the age of 9. Taught and influenced by her mother, Julie, who is a knitter and quilter, Sarah loves to sew, knit, paint, and grow vegetables and flowers. Since attending the agroecology apprenticeship at the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1995, she has been working as an organic gardener in Chicago. Currently she works part-time for Chef Rick Bayless and his family and spends the rest of her time making Scrappy Cats (see her website: www.scrappynation.com) and taking care of her most favorite creation, her daughter Sophia. Sarah has a studio arts degree from Sophie Newcomb College at Tulane University.