Quilt St. George - Instructors 2017
Lisa Bongean - Primitive Gatherings
I’m Lisa Hoefler Bongean…a fabric designer for Moda Fabrics. I am married to Nick, the love of my life since 1998…I am
the mother of 3 sons, Lance , Luke and Jake. I live on the lake in WI. I love to quilt (of course), garden, read, hunt for
antiques and other treasures, we as a family enjoy boating, jet skiing, paddle boarding and just being active. Nick and I
own Primitive Gatherings Quilt Shop in WI and CA and travel the US going to the big quilting shows where I have the
opportunity to teach and share my quilts across the country along with quilting guilds and other shops. Hope to see ya
soon!
Lynette Bingham – Main Street Quilters
Lynette Bingham has always acknowledged that her "claim to fame" in the quilting world is that her mother is Blanche
Young. Blanche was an internationally known quiltmaker, teacher and author of books and patterns. Lynette coauthored a book with her mom in 2003 for C&T Publishing.
Lynette, with her mother and sister Helen, started Young Publications in 1979, when their
first book was self-published (because no publisher would even talk to them because they
didn't think a quilting book would go very far). For the next 12 years, they enjoyed much
success by entering the industry on the ground floor. Lynette traveled the various trade
shows and Quilt Markets that were all over the United States. In the early 1990s, the
publishing rights were sold to C&T Publishing.
After moving to Hurricane, Utah from California, Lynette spent 20 years working as an
Escrow Officer in St. George. She always found time to stitch every day, even if it was
after midnight! When the economy took a nosedive in 1988, Lynette was laid off. Three
months later, along with quilting friends Wendy Lemmon and Sariah Mortensen, opened
Main Street Quilt Cottage in Hurricane. More than 8 years later, Quilt Cottage is still
providing a fun and helpful destination for quilters.
In 2016, Lynette and Wendy became the new owners of The Winter Quilt Retreat and The Gathering. This very popular
quilt retreat is 28 years old and is held at Ruby's Inn at Bryce Canyon, Utah every February.
Lynette and her husband Jim will celebrate 47 years of marriage this year. They have one son, three daughters, and
fifteen grandchildren and a house full of fabric and quilts!
Flora Anderson Gillman
Utah native, currently living in Orem. Quilting since 1989, I have been teaching around the
state of Utah since about 2000. Co -chair of “That Alpine Quilt Group” for 25+ years,
teacher at Ruby’s Inn, Winter Quilt Retreat since 2002, Utah Quilt Guild “Quilt Fest”,
American Quilting Zermatt Retreat, Pie Plate Pattern Retreat, Broadbent’s Quilt Shop and
American Quilting in Orem. I love handwork, especially applique, big stitch and English
paper piecing. Really, I love all things quilting. I belong to several quilting groups and am
blessed by the friendships I have made in association with quilting.
I am a mother of 2 daughters, grandmother of 8. I love to read and travel and sew and just
keep moving!
Sandra Mack
Sandra sewed her first quilt in 1995 after 5 years of designing dolls and sewing clothing and
has never turned back. She finds it hard to choose her favorite quilt. Her Bride's Bouquet is
a nine-inch y-seamed block. Many quilts show a lot of practice in both machine and hand
applique. Her trips to St. George included time at the marathons in 1998 and 1996. She still
runs daily preparing for her next event in the Big Cottonwood Marathon.
Paula McKinlay
I have been designing, creating, knitting, stitching, and sewing for many years…..actually I
started with Betsy Wetsy, Barbie, Ken, Midge and my troll dolls. I then moved on to
designing clothes for myself. 30 some years ago I started piecing quilts…..I love every aspect
of quilting except binding….What I want in life is MORE TIME and world peace. I am: wife to
1, mother to 5, mother-in-law to 3, granny to 11. I live a charmed life. Follow me on
instagram @pauladmckinlay, you’ll recognize me, I am the one hula-hooping.
Bonnie Miles
Sewing since I was 10 - loving the process of designing and playing with fabric. Made first
quilt about 50 years ago - really. That makes me old ! But it was when our oldest three
children were very young. Probably about 1966. It was a “make it do” quilt, constructed
from left overs from my own and children’s clothing (which I had sewn) and scraps from my
mother’s Home Ec. sewing classes. It’s hilarious. But I knew how to put things together,
even if I didn’t have a pattern. My first NICE pieced quilt was a Grandmother’s Flower
Garden, which I hand cut, and sewed on the machine. I had never heard of the paper
piecing method, and maybe I’m glad I hadn’t. It was hand quilted and ended up in the
possession of our 2nd son.
I’ve been seriously quilting since about 1990, and teaching since 1994. My very favorite thing about teaching is not
necessarily a project class. I love teaching techniques, and the “aha” expressions, when my students realize there is a
better, or short cut method. In fact, for many years, I taught a class on just “short cuts”. My second love is scrap quilts.
I prefer those to a quilt made from a single line of fabric, or even carefully selected “coordinates”.
I suppose, if you looked at my recent flower gardens, you’d see that kind of randomness there too.
I have taught all over the state, in many different settings, and love the camaraderie of my fellow quilters. For 27 years I
organized, conducted and taught at the Winter Quilt Retreat at Bryce Canyon / Ruby’s Inn. I have also conducted history
/ quilt related tours since 1991, under the name of my company “American Heritage Tours”. What a great combination history and quilting. They go hand-in-hand.
I am married - have 5 children and 18 grandchildren - and 15 great grandchildren. Wow - how did that happen? Love to
travel, sew, read and cook.
Was honored - and totally surprised, to receive the “Silver Thimble “ award from the Utah State Quilt Guild a few years
ago. Looking forward to rubbing shoulders with our quilting friends at this summer gathering.
Gloria Parsons and Vicky Iannucci
Olde Green Cupboard Designs
We are a duo team that has been in the sewing and quilting industry since 2000. We
were a top 10 Better Homes & Garden – American Patchwork & Quilting store in
2004. Also selected as one of the top new businesses in the Country/Farmhouse
industry from Country Business Magazine…with our 10,000-sq. ft. store full of fabric,
hundreds of quilt samples, antiques, primitives, home décor and gifts. Located in
Jacksonville, FL
We have since retired from the actual retail part of the business and now design and
instruct. In addition, we specialize in long-arm quilting, event planning and hosting
retreats/special events of all types… from small private groups, to those held in
universities, unique venues, cruises and quilt shops. 2017/2018 is already booking up with many of our great events to –
Missouri Star Quilt Company, Amish Country, Outer Banks of North Carolina and cruises.
Our home-based business currently gives us the freedom to focus our efforts on quilt designs, chalking instruction,
basket weaving, wool projects, stitcheries, fabric designs along with designing for a huge gift and home décor company
based in Sandusky, OH. What a fairy tale job we have! Our goal is to provide you with stunning products, fun classes,
quilts and projects that reflect our love for all things primitive, antique, repurposed and reproduction.
Sandra Starley
Sandra Starley is a nationally certified quilt appraiser, historian, researcher, quilt collector,
lecturer, designer and instructor. She maintains an extensive collection of both antique
quilts (early, unusual and masterpieces) and research materials and is active in the
American Quilt Study Group and the Quilt Alliance.
She presents trunk shows on quilt history/dating and antique quilts as material culture.
She enjoys reproducing quilts from her collection especially in small scale. She has won
national awards for both her antique reproductions and has been part of several traveling
exhibits and has quilts featured in national quilt magazines and several historical quilt books.
Krisanne Watkins - Quail Valley Quilts
My early exposure to quilts began under the quilting frame at my grandmother’s house
when she hosted a quilting bee. I was hooked, and have been in love with fabric and
making quilts ever since. Sharing those skills developed via teaching over the past 20 or so
years, publishing original patterns under Quail Valley Quilts, and contributing quilts for
national publication add joy to the mix. As far as I am concerned, the best quilts are made
with modern techniques that utilize speed piecing, accurate methods, and great fabric.
Shannon White
Sewing, quilting and decorating are my passions. I love to travel, teaching and getting
acquainted with new quilting friends. I am very fortunate to use my hobbies as my work. I
have been employed at Corn Wagon Quilts in Springville, Utah for nine years. It is there I
started my love of teaching bags and quilts. Fittingly my co-workers have given me the
nick name "The Bag Lady"! Besides traveling with my biggest supporter, my husband
Stuart I enjoy spending time with my three kids, spouses and spoiling our eight adorable
grand kids.
1/26/17