Presenter Information
Behm, Michael (Beginning Weaving)
Mike and his wife, Alda, live on a small farm in Sheridan where they raise sheep, angora goats, and a llama. They have been vendors at the BHFG Spin-In and at other events in the Midwest for about 12 years. A few years ago, Mike made a purse loom for Alda out of a block of wood. From there, they decided to go into the loom business. Mike makes all the mini looms and the tops for the larger looms in their basement. Now he wants to show people how to use them by teaching classes.
Breeggemann, Lee (Turn a Heel, Close a Toe)
Lee got her first taste of fiber arts at daycare at age 5 and has been acquiring new hobbies ever since. She enjoys knitting, spinning, and tablet weaving. She lives in Chillicothe, IL with her partner, Birch, and 1 year old daughter Wren.
Garand, Julie (Wet Felting)
Julie Garand lives in New Lenox, IL with her husband and two children. She is a graduate of Ray College of Apparel Design and has been a fiber artist all her life. She is working on completing her Bachelors Degree and hopes to bring art to people in a therapeutic way.
Goldsmith, Maryella (Triangular Loom Weaving)
Maryella has been doing needle projects for over 40 years, selling much of her
work since she was a teenager. Maryella sewed clothes and knitted hats and
mittens for her 5 children when they were small. The older Maryella got the more
diversified her interests became, leading her to the Bishop Hill Fiber Guild
where she has been a member for 12 years. Tom Svihla taught her how to weave on
the Triangular Loom.
Hartley, Mary (Color Blending on the Drum Carder)
Mary has been spinning for over 25 years. She and husband, Richard, have a flock of Romney / Merino sheep numbering over 300 that lead them to spinning, knitting, and weaving with handspun. Mary is skilled in all fiber arts and happy to share her knowledge.
Hartley, Richard (Wheel Mechanics I and II)
Richard says he has been spinning, weaving, etc. since forever and has been raising Romney/Merino sheep even longer than that. Richard thinks his wife, Mary, keeps him around only to repair the equipment that she breaks and to provide veterinary services on the sheep.
Huggins, Judy (Lawn Chair Macrame)
Judy learned to knit from her mother at age 7 and has been interested in a wide variety of fiber arts ever since then. She started reclaiming aluminum chairs with macramé in 1990. Judy works, fulltime, in a local hospital lab and raises dogs and sings in her “spare” time.
Kingsbury, Kathy (Drop Spindle Spinning)
Kathy has been spinning for over 20 years and is an excellent drop spindle spinner. She is also an avid knitter, having learned to knit from her grandmother, dyes her own fiber, weaves, is a pencil artist, and a member of the Illinois Art League. Kathy loves to work with all types of fiber.
Rickey, Char (Microwave Dyeing)
Char has been spinning since the early 80’s and used to dye most of her wool on the stove top until her eyes were opened to the world of microwave dyeing. She has fun with this and hopes you do too!
Schenkel, Leslie (Beaded Scissor Fob)
Leslie learned to knit from her mother in elementary school. After cross stitching for years she has returned to knitting. She makes her own lamp work beads, sold under the Twisted Chicken logo. Leslie is also a substitute teacher and raises organic produce and eggs for a local farmer’s market and subscribers to her CSA.
Shreeves, Betty (Knit a Silk Hankie)
Betty has been a weaver and spinner for 40+ years, teaching weaving and spinning in NC, WI, and IA. Betty started as a weaver in NC, teaching herself to spin in order to feed her loom. She has developed a special fascination for silk and its myriad uses. She sells dyed fibers with her hand woven scarves and knitted hats as “Lone Tree Wools.”
Staker, Mary Anne (Reuse, Refurbish)
Mary Anne began knitting at age 9 and has been interested in textiles of all kinds since grade school. Her interest deepened with marriage and a degree in Fashion Merchandising. Mary Anne’s interest in reclaiming, refurbishing, and reusing began about 4 years ago. Since that time she has developed this interest into a business utilizing this craft.
Svihla, Tom (Beginning Spinning and “Let’s Ply” – Beyond Beginning Spinning)
Tom has been a member of the Guild since 1995. He and his wife are owners of TOJAPA alpaca farm and are actively involved in the fiber arts. Tom has taught beginning spinning at the Spin-In for the past several years. He says his favorite fiber to spin is silk, but he is also a weaver, blacksmith, and avid woodworker. Tom builds and repairs spinning wheels and looms.
