Janome Educators

Alba joined Janome America in April 2007 as an In-House Educator. She is currently a Dealer Training Specialist where she travels all over the country training dealers in the Janome and Artistic product line as well as teaching them new sales techniques.

Alba has been published in many magazines such as Sew News, Designs in Machine Embroidery, Creative Machine Embroidery, Vogue Pattern Magazine and trade magazines.

Digitizing embroidery designs with a quilting focus remains a passion for Alba as well as quilting and garment sewing.

 

Amy has traveled the US and Mexico demonstrating and educating on Janome sewing machines, sergers and software.

Amy has taught basic sewing, garment construction and pattern making at every level from children and adult beginners to advanced techniques in a university setting. Amy has also developed a program as a paraprofessional therapist teaching sewing and quilting as a skill set for adults with chronic mental illness and traumatic brain injury. 

Sharing her love of sewing, knowledge of machines and accessories to consumers and dealers is the reason Amy loves her job.

 

Ann began sewing in junior high school. Her first project was a pull-on, elastic waist skirt. From that point on, Ann sewed anytime she could and for any occasion - prom, costumes, clothes for her husband, etc.Throughout the years, Ann has done a little bit of everything: dolls, flags, wind socks, window seat covers, children's clothes, embroideries' of many things, digitized designs and quilting. 

Quilting and embroidery seem to be Ann's favorite and she loves experimenting with new things. Working with Janome has been a long time dream of Ann's and she is thrilled to represent the company and share her passion for sewing.

Ann lives in Wilmington, Delaware with her husband, two grown children and pets. 

 

Erin's love of sewing started when she was young and has turned into a passion that she shares with others through workshops, kid's summer camps and a variety of technique-based sewing classes.

Erin has been published in several publications, designs her own line of sewing patterns, works with several fabric companies designing projects to promote new fabric lines and continues to share her love of Janome sewing machines by teaching others all about the fantastic features available to inspire creativity.

 

Katy started sewing by taking her mother's scraps and making doll clothes. Her love of sewing is evident in her classes and workshops by stepping outside of the box. 

As an instructor and salesperson for a Janome dealer, she always tries to attempt to 'break it down' to make complicated techniques into simple instructions, while making it fun at the same time with her bubbly personality. 

Katy joined Janome as a Freelance Educational Coordinator in January of 2016.

 

As a Freelance Educational Coordinator, Kelley enjoys teaching others about quilting and sewing. She is very passionate about helping others learn more about her fulfilling hobby. 

Kelley's accomplishments include owning a Janome dealership and quilt shop for six years. She also enjoys being a long arm quilter and teaching all of the newest techniques at the local quilt show where she lives in North Carolina. Her excitement for Janome sewing machines is contagious!

 

Latifah is known for her bold and innovative modern quilts. Combining her training as an engineer with her lifelong passion for sewing, Latifah creates designs that are graphic and contemporary, featuring challenging techniques with meticulous attention to detail. 

A co-founder of both the Los Angeles Modern Quilt Guild and the worldwide Modern Quilt Guild, Latifah currently teaches workshops to guilds around the country.

Latifah is also working on a line of patterns and products. She is excited to be designing her first line of fabrics to be released with Me + You, the new modern fabric brand with Hoffman Fabrics. 

Latifah has been featured in over a dozen books and magazines and loves being an ambassador of Janome sewing machines. 

 

LuAnn has been in the sewing industry for over 30 years and has a unique knowledge of fabric behavior. While she enjoys quilting, she is a fabric embellisher at heart and often combines machine embroidery, heirloom sewing, quilting and garment construction with stunning results. 

LuAnn joined Janome in 2008 as an Educational Coordinator. Prior to that, she was a store owner and has taught classes at American Quilter's Society events. 

LuAnn's projects are examples of how to get the most from your sewing/embroidery machine and accessories. 

 

Mary has been an Educational Coordinator at Janome for over 15 years. Her 30 years of experience in the sewing industry have included a home-based, custom bridal business, her own retail sewing machine and fabric store as well as teaching sewing techniques across the country. She has also developed hands-on classes, dealer development and training seminars for Janome. 

Mary demonstrates how to use today's technology and precision accessories to transform simple projects into works of art. Her projects are developed to highlight sewing machine features with a simple approach for every skill level. 

Mary has been featured in Chilton's Wardrobe Quick Fixes, Janome Digest, Round Bobbin Embroidery, Designs in Machine Embroidery, Creative Machine Embroidery, Creative Sewing Techniques by Machine and American Quilter's Society Publishing. 

She appeared regularly on the PBS' programs, Aileen's Creative Living with Crafts, Crafting for the 90's and Sew Creative. 

Michele started sewing when she was a young child, making doll clothes with a hand crank toy machine. After graduating from high school Michele worked at a large department store in the alterations department, using the time to learn everything she could about sewing and alterations from her senior co-workers. While attending college in New York, she started her own home decorating business where she went to the client’s home, designed all fabric treatments and then went back to her shop and made the curtains, shades, bedspreads, canopies, pillows, wall hangings, etc. Michele moved back to the Seattle area to raise a family with a special-needs kid. She went to work for a friend in Olympia, WA in a sewing machine store and worked there for 15 years as lead salesperson selling six different brands of machines and teaching project classes.

Michele now does freelance training and teaching around the nation and hopes to continue to do this for many years to come!

 

As a young child, Miriam had a love for textiles and anything she could create with them. 

Miriam attended Maryland College of Art and studied textile arts. She taught herself to sew while in college and from that point, never looked back. 

Miriam has been involved in the fabric world in many different avenues: fashion design, managing a modern quilt store, creating award winning quilts, co-owning a long arm quilting business, serving as a sales representative and most excitingly as a Janome's Education Specialist.

 

Nancy is one of the lucky few who was able to turn her sewing hobby into a career. In 1977, after enrolling in a sewing class and finding that the fabric she needed was not available locally, she decided to open a store called Knits n' Bolts.

Moving forward, Nancy became a Janome dealer, opening Sewing Concepts. By offering a variety of different classes, Nancy helped her clients get maximum enjoyment and value from their sergers and sewing machines. 

Nancy enjoys creating projects to use in classes and working with dealers and consumers as they use their machines and learn new techniques.

 

Nancy has been teaching sewing techniques for over 25 years. Along with being an Educational Coordinator, Nancy has been a regular contributor to Janome Digest, Creative Machine Embroidery, Quilting and Embroidery, Designs in Machine Embroidery, Clotilde's Sewing Savvy and six other sewing books published by House of White Birches. Along with being a contributor, Nancy is also the editor of "Creative Sewing Techniques by Machine" and "More Creative Sewing Techniques by Machine", published by American Quilter's Society. 

Nancy joined the Janome Education department in 2004. She specializes in embellishment techniques, utilizing the features and accessories of Janome sewing machines, embroidery machines and software as well as sergers. Nancy also writes and designs in her studio in Dwight, Ilinois. 

 

Sam has been with Janome for nine years, but he has been sewing for the past 39. Prior to joining Janome, Sam had his own custom sewing business in Texas where he designed and made wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, home decor, costumes, hats and pretty much anything that can be sewn. He also spends time volunteering in the summer -  teaching Girl Scout troops sewing so they can earn their Textile Badge. Sam loves all sewing related gadgets and probably has every notion ever made, some still in their original packaging. When Sam is teaching a class or talking to fellow sewists, it is evident that he is passionate about sewing and teaching it to others. 

 

Susan is not your average instructor. Her extensive experience includes managing a number of dealerships and instructing consumers and dealers in the home industry since 1985. 

She is a professional digitizer, quilter, crafter and seamstress specializing in Machine arts. Susan has also authored many articles for different sewing industry magazines and newsletters as well as having published her own designs and patterns. 

Susan's secret passion is anything Artistic. Being certified by many industry professionals such as Sulky, Martha Pullen, Nancy Zieman and Jenny Haskins in their different styles and sewing techniques - she brings a unique approach to her sewing, crafting and teaching. 

From sergers to software, designing for the home to 18" dolls, Susan is able to inspire and motivate from the very beginner to the advanced professional in the industry.  

 

Valora's love for sewing began as a child and along the way, she has worked in a fabric store and made costumes for stage shows. 

Valora has been doing custom sewing since she was in high school - expanding to creating garments for contests, stage shows and special occasions. 

Valora graduated from Colorado State University with a major in secondary education and a minor in apparel production. She enjoys teaching Janome customers all the important things their machines can do for them. 

Along with teaching, Valora has contributed numerous articles to Janome Digest and Creative Sewing Techniques by Machine.