Quilt Life Bio
Susan’s enthusiasm for quilting is said to be contagious! Students enjoy her upbeat attitude, well-written instructions, and one-on-one attention included in every workshop. Her quilts have been shown in international-level competitions since 1997 and have received many awards. Judges comment on her fine workmanship and appreciate her original style. She bases her designs on traditional patterns then adds specialty threads, prairie points, piping, and great binding techniques. Susan is inventor of the Groovin’ Piping Trimming Tool which is used to trim piping seam allowances and inventor of the Prairie Pointer pressing tool. She is proud to have been named 2010 Minnesota Quilter of the Year!
Susan lives on 70 acres in southeastern Minnesota with her husband, 2 dogs, and a cat. Her two incredibly smart, talented children are in college.

Awards (IQF = International Quilt Festival, AQS = American Quilter’s Society, NQA = National Quilting Association, MQ = Minnesota Quilters)

• Psychedelic Big Bang: third place IQF 2010 Houston, second place AQS show Paducah, severa awards at NQA show Columbus 2011 (first place small quilt mixed techniques, Best Use of Embellishment, Best of Show Small Quilt)
• Hidden Tikis: finalist AQS 2007
• Bouncin': first place IQF 2005, best of show-wall quilt MQ 2005, third place AQS 2005
• Carnival Star: finalist IQF 2003, second place AQS 2004, first place MQ 2004, first place Quilting on the Waterfront 2004, third place NQA 2005
• Kauai Chicken Star: finalist AQS 2004
• Spangled Star Banner: second place IQF 2002, second place MQ 2002, third place AQS 2003, first place NQA 2004
• Twirling Tassels: first place IQF 2001, Second place MQ 2001, finalist AQS 2002, first place Quilt America! 2002
• Party of Three: Best of Show Wall Quilt MQ 2000, first place IQF 2000, first place AQS 2001
• Pretty Flaky: first place IQF 1999, finalist AQS 2000, third place MQ 1999
• Opposites Complement: third place MQ 1998, finalist IQF 2001
• Celestial Chocolate: first place MQ 1997
• Darin’s Slitherin’ Snakes: Teacher’s Choice Award and Judge’s Choice Award MQ 1997, finalist AQS 1998
• Erica’s Candy Quilt: finalist AQS 1998
• Star Obsession: second place MQ 1996, Minnesota State Fair Sweepstakes winner 1996, finalist AQS 1997

Other recognition

• Nominated for 2010 Professional Quilt Teacher of the Year as awarded by the International Association of Professional Quilters; Psychedelic Big Bang featured in Spring 2011 issue of The Professional Quilter magazine announcing winner and nominees
• American Quilter magazine March 2011 issue shows my Psychedelic Big Bang on the cover
• American Quilter magazine March 2011 issue published article, Bold Threads Big Impact
• Bouncin Trio exhibited in "Star Power" at Minnetonka Center for the Arts in October and November of 2010
• Wonderfil Thread of Canada released a line of 12wt cotton thread, Spagetti, in 20 colors designed by Susan in April of 2010. ...more colors to come!
• Named 2010 Minnesota Quilter of the Year!!!
• Prairie Pointer pillow project published in McCall's Quilting magazine, August 2010
• Vogue Patterns magazine (June/July 2010) featured Marvelous Miters in New Products - Editor's Choice column
• Hidden Tikis quilt exibited in TheQuiltShow.com special exhibit, A Twist on Tradition, at 2010 Road to California Show
• Prairie Pointer pressing tool released April 2009
• Marvelous Miters book published April 2009
• Groovin' Piping Trimming Tool GRANDE released May 2008
• 2008 Professional Quilt Teacher of the Year nominee as awarded by the International Association of Professional Quilters
• Featured artist in Fall 2007 Journal of the International Quilt Association
• Piping Hot Curves released May 2007 ~ This 96-page book includes quilts designed by Susan and was written, designed, and published by Susan.
• www.TheQuiltShow.com episode #109, Piping Hot Curves
• www.NowSewing.net Behind the Seams show "Love Those Curves"
• Piping Adds Pizzazz aired on HGTV's Simply Quilts episode #1136 in December 2005.
• Binding Pizzazz, an article on piped bindings, was published in American Quilter magazine Winter 2005.
• Carnival Star appears in Judy Mathieson's Mariner's Compass Quilts - Setting a New Course and in American Quilter magazine Summer 2004.
• Susan demonstrated her mitering technique on HGTV’s Simply Quilts episode #1012, Easier Attic Windows.
• Party of Three was used in American Quilters Society advertising for “The All-American Quilter” (summer 2003) and to advertise AQS published books (spring 2002).
• Spangled Star Banner and Nine-patch Medallion were used in magazine ads and posters for Pfaff Sewing Machines.
• Twirling Tassels appeared on the cover of The Journal of the IQA, Spring 2002.
• Lucy Fazely’s coffee table book, Quilt Style, includes Opposites Complement, Pretty Flaky, Party of Three, Darin’s Slitherin’ Snakes, and Twirling Tassels.
• The Groovin’ Piping Trimming Tool, invented by Susan and her husband has a patent pending.
• Slides of Susan’s quilts have appeared in programs by Libby Lehman, Maurine Noble, and Elsie Campbell.
• Party of Three appeared in American Quilter, Fall 2001; Quilting Today, issue 86; Journal of the International Quilter Association, Fall 2001; Lone Star Quilts and Beyond by Jan Krentz.
• Pretty Flaky appeared in The IQA Journal, Spring 2000 and in Quilters Newsletter magazine, December 2001.
• BYOP--Build Your Own Plaid was pictured in an article by Libby Lehman in Quilting Today magazine (issue 83).
• Rochester Women magazine published a cover story on Susan and her quilting, winter 2001.
• American Quilter magazine published Susan’s article about the making of Pretty Flaky in the Winter 2000 issue.