Lisabeth Martin Karen Erickson Jill Stanbro Ginny Connor Carlette Cormier Minda Fernish Mary Ann Plumlee Anita Boetsma Trenia Bell Ray Ward Chris Nivin Allison Reid Eric Wells Scot Robbins Mary-Ann Quinn Debbie Green Patricia Sprinkle Claudia Buchanan

Lisabeth Martin owns a professional drapery workroom in central Georgia, with 20 years of experience in design, fabrication, and installation, doing both wholesale and retail jobs. Her articles, photos, and window treatments have been published in several magazines, and she is frequently found traveling to teach classes and to exhibit at trade shows. Based on her experience in creating custom patterns in her workroom, she has developed her own professional pattern line, Decorate Now Patterns. In addition to the pattern line, her design and workroom tips can be found at www.DecorateNowPatterns.com. She has also launched a drapery and upholstery forum at www.DraperyForum.com. Lisabeth specializes in teaching window treatment fabrication techniques, with seminar topics including soft cornices, window fashion shows, Kingston valances, and more. List of Topics: Window Fashion Show Window Fashion Show 2 Kingston, Empire, and Pick-up Valances Photoshop Basics Karen Erickson has been actively sewing and instructing in the Home Decor Interiors Industry for 21 years. In 2006 she teamed with Claudia Buchanan an associate in the industry to create www.SonoranSewing.com specializing in “Home Décor Sewing Workshops” in Arizona and Washington, plus Online Home Decor Sewing Classes at the “Discover-How2 site” on the Internet which encompasses education to both those in the sewing profession and those who sew for their own pleasure. In 1986 she started Fine Finishing by Karen a part-time home based business designing and fabricating draperies, slipcovers and other soft fabric accessories. In 1998, her company was became a corporation with a name change to www.SlipcoverAmerica.com. In 1999 www.SlipcoverNetwork.com was born to offer networking support to those who fabricate and love Slipcovers for furniture. Karen main objective is education. She encourages those new to the field to take classes, learn from those who have been in the industry and who keep up to date in techniques and materials. “If only there were teachers like there are today, I could have avoided some costly set backs when I had my workroom in St Louis.” Karen continues to work with designers, decorators and retail customers throughout the United States, specializing in ON-Site fabrication ( in customer’s homes). Karen instructs both in the US and Canada doing Seminars/Demonstrations of “how to sew for the home” at fabric stores, for sewing guilds, at professional workrooms, and for ASID groups. 4 years she was on staff at the Custom Home Furnishings Industry in North Carolina and has been workshop instructor at CHF Conferences, International Window Covering Expo, ASG Annual Conference, American Sewing Expo and Original Sewing Expo. Managing editor of the Slipcover Press a quarterly e-publication of the Slipcover Network and Hot News from Sonoran Sewing Experience a monthly publication. Facilator of the Slipcover Summit and annual education conference for Slipcover Professionals as well as the general public who are interested in being educated in how to sewing slipcovers using various techniques. Karen has been published in Sew News Magazine, Drapery and Window Coverings, Dreams Alive, Mary Englebreit Home Campanion Magazine, Meet Me in St Louis, St Louis South County Journal, St Louis Home and Garden Magainze, Better Homes and Garden Special Issue, SewWhat Magazine, Homespun Newsletter, and Window Fashions Magazine. List of Topics: Slipcover Basics Slipcovers for Cushions Slipcovers for Difficult Furniture Slipcovers for Dining Room Chairs Slipcover Certification Program (I, II and III) No Sew Roman Shade Pillow Talk Series Natural Fabrics Business and Photography? When to Slipcover Instead of Re-Upholstering Website Networking Jill Stanbro of North Canton, Ohio, has worked in nearly every phase of the window treatment business in the last 28 years. She began by working in a retail workroom, opened her own home-based business, which was both retail and wholesale, but ended up focusing on wholesale only. Over the ensuing years she has owned several different size workrooms, employing as many as seven workers. For many years Jill was a senior instructor at the CHF Academy, as well as an author of magazine articles, a speaker at CHF Conferences, and WCAA group meetings. In August 2003 she was the featured cover story for the D&WC Magazine. Dubbed "The Queen of Quick" by her colleagues, Jill is best known for her classes on tips and tricks, as well as her Versatile Swag Pattern and quick and easy valances. Her practical way of looking at projects helps shave valuable fabricating time. She has now done a 360-degree turnaround and has returned to a home-based workroom and is enjoying being back at the sewing machine - her biggest passion of all of her various "hats." List of Topics: My Swag Pattern Imposters: Window treatments that are not made the way you think they are Easy Valances Pieces and Parts: Mixing and matching valance sections and/or making things like Empires in separate pieces London Shades & Relaxed Romans Workroom Tips and Tricks Bottom Up: Fabricating drapery panels from the bottom up instead of the top down Ginny Connor was in the window treatment business for over twelve years. During that time she was not only involved in the creating, manufacturing, and teaching of window fashions, but also closely involved in the management aspect of the business. She experienced the challenges, disappointments, and accomplishments of a very small workroom, a large retail/wholesale showroom and workroom, and the many stages between these two. Ginny wrote numerous articles for the three top industry newsletters and magazines, as well as taught seminars for their national conferences. She occasionally comes out of retirement to share her knowledge with the window covering industry. List of Topics: From new to established, from small home-based to larger commercial businesses, I will tailor a presentation to give your organization valuable information and insight into your business covering a variety of business topics such as: Starting It Growing It Surviving It Marketing It Working In It Working On It Making a Profit From It