My journey into garment sewing started when I was a teenager scouring the racks of the local thrift stores for a vintage find I could alter and refashion. I studied fiber art in college with a strong focus on weaving, felting and dying while still picking up the odd vintage dress or coat. Along the way I started sewing clothes from scratch and taking workshops to improve my skills. I enjoy helping others learn and develop the skills to make a garment they can wear with confidence.

When did you start sewing? Who taught you? I learned to sew in junior high so I must have been about 13. Everyone including the boys had to take Home Economics, which included sewing and cooking. My first project was a giant cheeseburger floor pillow.

Growing up my Gran sewed clothes and linens on a treadle sewing machine, and my mom sewed most of the clothes my brother and I wore, using the scraps to make ties for my dad. Story goes everyone where he worked loved to see his new ties.

What's your favorite project? Currently, I have been obsessed with making jeans.

Where do you get your materials? I get my materials anywhere I can. Road trips find me stocking up on fabric for projects and over the years I have come across some wonderful shops. Fiddlehead Artisan Supply in Belfast, Maine was a great find when I was in the area, and Burlington, Vermont has Stash, which makes a fun day outing.

Any books, artists, or places that you'd recommend folks to check out? Makers markets and craft fairs are fun places to see what craftspeople, artisans and creators are up to. In terms of books, check out:

• The Golden Thread – How Fabric Changed History by Kassia St. Clair

• Threads of Life by Clare Hunter

• Fibershed by Rebecca Burgess

What other crafts pique your interest? I love all things fiber with an affinity for wool and linen. Generally, I have a knitting project going, some hand-stitching which I am always trying to improve. Wet-felting is fun and I recently took a workshop on flax.

What's in the trunk of your car? Snowshoes, XC Skis, a picnic basket, and a cooler. You never know when you will come across a trail or a farmstand.