Teacher
For as long as she can remember, Melissa has always been drawn to many kinds of arts and crafts. As a young child on a family vacation at a campground in Canada, she remembers watching a kind German lady named Grace knit away every afternoon. She was fascinated and wanted to learn. The next year, they vacationed at the same campground and Grace arrived a couple hours after they did. She remembered Melissa's fascination and gifted her a skein of ivory colored yarn and a pair of pink aluminum knitting needles. Melissa was elated! Her journey had begun. She learned to knit that summer and crochet came next, along with embroidery and cross-stitch. She joined the local 4-H club. Her mother taught her basic sewing and dressmaking skills. By the time she was in her early twenties, she had purchased her own machine and began making her own clothing. The first time she saw a double wedding ring quilt hand sewn and quilted by a lovely lady named Ruby, she was smitten. It was a labor of love! At the time, Melissa could not imagine sewing all those little pieces together. Years later, she became a frequent flyer at her local quilt shop and learned how. She acquired many new skills. Eventually, she began teaching embroidery classes, wool appliqué, quilt as you go projects, and bag classes. As much as Melissa enjoys creating her own projects, she enjoys helping others turn their visions into their own creations. Melissa's favorite fabrics are reproduction and modern vintage fabrics. She enjoys piecing quilt tops and especially loves to make small quilts. She thrives on the challenge of sewing all those little pieces together accurately. Melissa loves working with fabric, selecting colors and patterns that compliment one another, and especially creating something usable from them. Melissa lives in Maryland and is an eighth generation Fredericktonian. She is married and loves day trips with her husband and family days with her kids.
