Nancy Davenport of Big Prairie, OH learned to knit from an unsuspected source. Most women pass skills down to their daughters. In Nancy’s case, the reverse is true. Her eight-year-old daughter taught her. During the years, her love for fibers progressed from knitting for herself to knitting for others and opening a yarn shop. The yarn shop is no longer open, but Nancy has another venture. She organized a weekly knitting group, which meets at the Shreve library and once a month she provides help as “The Knitting Doctor.” She has taken advanced studies in Mosaic and Bacarian Knitting, Guernsey, and several lace classes. Nancy holds teaching certifications with the Craft Yarn Council of America, The Knitting Guild of America, and The National Needlework Association.
Kathy Dümmer of Columbus OH, has been working in polymer clay since 2001. Her work has been published in 400 Polymer Clay Designs, Polymer Cafe, and was a winner in Bead & Button Magazine’s 2009 Bead Dreams competition. Kathy has experience in a variety of polymer clay techniques but her favorite is canework, which is reminiscent of the glassmaking technique millefiori. Her art can be viewed online at www.brouhahadesigns.etsy.com. Kathy is co-inventor of the Precise-A-Slice clay cutting tool used for cutting accurate and even clay slices. She also serves as both treasurer and membership coordinator for the Columbus Polymer Clay Guild and has done many demos for the organization. While relatively new to teaching, she looks forward to sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm for the art of polymer clay to both beginning and advanced students alike.
Barb Gallagher of Guilford, IN has been dyeing for over 15 years. She has developed her own line of hand dyed yarns called Yarns of Distinction. She has taught her cold-water method to many groups and guilds. Barb has a BA in Art from Xavier University in Cincinnati where she did her thesis in weaving. She also owns The Weavers Loft, which is a retail weaving, spinning & knitting supply shop as well as the home of her weaving & dye studios. She is an active member of the Weavers Guild of Greater Cincinnati as well as a member of the Miami Valley Weavers Guild, the Central Ohio Weavers Guild, Black Swamp Spinners Guild, HGA, SWIFT, and SWA.
Marlene Gruetter of Scottown, OH is a traditional feltmaker and a very enthusiastic teacher. Having received professional training by felting artists renowned both nationally and internationally she now shares her passion and knowledge to others. Her teaching credentials include fiber venues such as the Southeastern Animal Fiber Festival (SAFF), Midwest Felting Symposium (SAFF), A Wool Gathering and, The Great Lakes Fiber Festival. She also enjoys teaching at fiber guild functions, public schools and gives private lessons in her studio.
Anne Hanson, owner of Knitspot and designer, is a life-long knitter with a background in the fashion and graphic design fields began designing knitwear sometime in the 1970s. Anne, who teaches and writes about knitting, spinning, and designing at her blog, knitspot.com, lives and works in Ohio with David, who loves wool, too. Anne’s background as a patternmaker/draper, technical designer, and costumer in New York City’s garment industry informs her work, providing a rich source of experience in garment construction and fit, as well as knowledge of a wide range of fibers and fabrics. Anne’s design work/profile has been included in Knitty, Interweave Knits, and Twist Collective, as well as several upcoming publications. In addition, her designs have been commissioned for several popular sock and lace clubs, including the Rockin’ Sock Club®, the Woolgirl sock and lace clubs, the Yarn4Socks club, the Fearless Fibers clubs, and Dye Dreams Sock Club.
Kate Larson is a knitting and handspinning instructor from the Alexandria, IN area. A former SOAR scholarship recipient, she teaches regularly at Knit Stop in Indianapolis and is the current chairman of SWIFT (Spinners and Weavers of Indiana-Fiber and Textiles). She modeled techniques for Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning (McCuin, 2007) and has been published in Spin-Off Magazine. When she isn’t teaching, she can be found in the barn with her ever-growing flock of Border Leicester sheep.
Peggy Strang has been a fiber junkie for over 45 years. She knits, crochets, spins, weaves, and does a few other odds and ends of fiber-related activities. She is the owner of French Creek Fiber Arts in Avon, OH.
Andrea Wong of Powell, OH learned to knit from her mother when she was 7 years old. Her mother has learned from a Portuguese lady and this is the only style she knew until she came to the USA in 1991. Since then she has been knitting avidly, designing and teaching. For the last 6 years she has taught Americans and Canadians in how to knit with the yarn tensioned around a knitting pin on their shoulder or around their neck among other classes. She also teaches on regular basis on yarn shops and guilds around the country. She has designed for yarn companies like Fiesta Yarns and Ironstone and she has won a contest for XRX for the book “Kids, Kids, Kids”. Andrea has published three technical DVDs: Learn how to Knit Portuguese Style, All about Socks – Portuguese Style and Portuguese Style of Knitting II.