Demonstrators
2012 Demonstrators
Diana Berns
Diana is from Watertown, S.Dak. where she is owner of Expressions Gallery/Knit Nook. (Diana's mother started the Knit Nook over 50 years ago). The business has grown from a nice hand knitting shop to the largest needlework shop in the Midwest.
A huge share of the business now is custom framing----not only for the beautiful needlework pieces produced, but also everything else imaginable.
The shop has limited edition prints by various nationally known artists as well as a wonderful assortment of posters----to be framed of course. We boast of two Certified Picture Framers on staff. We've added a large array of home decor items and a beautiful assortment of gifts for all occasions.
Diana grew up with a knitting machine available---but earlier preferred to knit by hand----over 500 sweaters by the time she graduated from high school. She took a fashion merchandising class at Patricia Stevens in Mpls.Mn. Then became head knitting instructor and Dayton's----downtown Mpls. This opened her eyes to all types of needlework.
Next her life led her to live in Italy for almost a year. After returning to Watertown to help advance the family owned shop she began checking into the Brother knitting machines. In the 1970's there were so few patterns around for the machines. Diana began writing and teaching techniques for the knitting machines. She has designed over 20 books and several leaflets----all developed with special things to teach.
A special challenge is to do garments for the Plus sizes.
The trends now are so much more for the "Hand Knit look"---so she is working on items with both hand and machine directions.
"Maybe we can pull the two groups of knitters together at last!"
Eileen Montgomery
Eileen has been knitting on a variety of machines since 1986, publishing and teaching since 1991. Although she has several electronic machines, she specializes in patterns for punchcard and manual machines. Her patterns and articles have been published in most machine knitting magazines and countless newsletters. She has produced a number of books on techniques as well as baby, Christmas and home decor items. She teaches a great deal in her area so she is always working on new techniques and classes to inspire her local knitters. This means she always has new ideas to share at seminars as well.
Sandee Cherry
owner of Sandee's Kwik Knit - Sandee's lifelong passion for designing and knitting began when she picked up her first pair of knitting needles at the age of 7. She has been machine knitting for the past 29 years and has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada teaching seminars and workshops. Sandee has written 47 books, and is producing CD's making it easier to watch and learn along with her. The Sandee's Kwik Knit series of books are known worldwide along with the ease of her knitting techniques which she shares in her classes. You will find her garments are classy and comfortable yet very easy to knit. After meeting Sandee you will find her love of teaching and sharing is what brought her back to the industry after losing her business in a fire a few years ago.
Barb Endler and Sue Adams
Barb Endler and Susan Adams are long time members of the Silver Needles
machine knit club and are familiar faces at the Fingerlakes Knits seminars.
Barb has been hand knitting since childhood which lends itself to
combining both hand and machine work to create one of a kind garments as well as
converting hand knit patterns to the machine.
Susan's grasp of dimensional thinking allows her to write or adjust patterns from one
gauge of machine to another.
We have written original patterns and have led groups to knit them,
Together we have wide ranging experience with multiple makes and types of
knitting machines.
Due to our close association we are able to collaborate on many creative levels
and our "tag team" style of teaching results in successfully helping knitters to
understand their machines and patterns so they progress as knitters.