Meet the Staff
Meredith Duke
Owner
Favorite Blender: Grunge, grunge and more grunge!
Favorite Designer: BasicGrey
I love to sew: Half Square Triangles – they are so versatile and fun to make!
When I’m not sewing, my favorite thing to do is … Read, listen to Murder Mystery Podcasts, and binge Netflix true-crime documentaries
Melissa
Jill of all Trades
Fav Blender: Ruby Star Basics & Grunge
Fav Designer: ALL of the Ruby Star Society folks!
I love to sew: Big quilts and I cannot lie..... Go big or go home is usually my motto (for myself).
When I'm not sewing, my favorite thing to do is... Reading and cooking things that take a minimum of 6 hours to prepare. Partner and friends are either delighted or too polite to say otherwise. HA!
Cheryl
Fabric Specialist
Favorite Blender: Thatched
Favorite Designer: Zen Chic, Me & My Sister, & Kate Spain
I love to sew: Quilts that look hard but are easy
When I’m not sewing, my favorite thing to do is… travel
Kennedy
Retail Extraordinaire
Favorite Blender: Ruby Star Society
I love to sew: Anything
When I’m not sewing, my favorite thing to do is… I enjoy reading, being active and really anything creative
Upstairs Staff
Jeanette
Long Arm Quilting Guru
Favorite Blender: Just solids
Favorite Designer: Ruby Star Society
I love to sew: Quilts, bags
When I’m not sewing, my favorite thing to do is … Cycling, especially across the state of Iowa, hang out with my two pugs, Gary and Hazel, and when there is time, watercolor painting. I like photography, too.
Carson
Long Arm Quilter
Favorite Blender: All of them
My favorite things to do are…Build Legos, read, play video and board games, and build puzzles
Joanne
Finishing Room
Favorite Blender: Grunge
Favorite Designer: Deb Strain
I love to sew: Wedding Gowns
When I’m not sewing, my favorite thing to do is … read and spend time with family and friends
Hazel
Shop Dog/Quilting Supervisor
I am a pug. I like to oversee all the goings-on upstairs, but when I'm not at work, my favorite things to do are to sleep, eat, play outside with my dog nephew, Manu (wheaten terrier) and brother Gary (pug). I also love to eat. And get couch snuggles with my family. And eat. (Batting is delicious. Oh wait, I wouldn't do that!)
Sample Makers
Megan
Sample maker
Favorite Blender: Bella Solids (especially the whites)
Favorite designer: Camille Roskelly, Lella Boutique, Fancy That Design House, BasicGrey, and Stacy Iest Hsu (yay for project panels).
I love to sew: Holiday quilts and anything for my 2 boys
When I’m not sewing, my favorite thing to do is ... spend time with my family, travel, and read a good book.
Kay Sledge
Sample Maker - Patient Teacher
Favorite Blender: grunge
Favorite designer: Deb Strain, Bunny Hill, and Judy Niemeyer
I love to sew: quilts----with lots of paper piecing, applique, and little pieces that give the quilt depth and beauty. I also enjoy making quilted Christmas ornaments
When I’m not sewing, my favorite thing to do is ... travel with my sweet hubby.
I am a retired public educator (34 years as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent) and then a school evaluator for 5 more years traveling the US with the accreditation agency.