Sue Kassler, Owner, Manager, Store Staff and Teacher
Sue has been an avid sewer all her life and has been quilting since 1990. Prior to opening Quilter's Stash, she taught in quilt shops, for seniors' programs, and privately. Her professional background is in floral design, and she loves to experiment with color. Sue's quilting specialty was originally hand piecing and quilting, but she's happily moved on to machine sewing.

Terri Bearer, Store Staff and Teacher 
Terri started quilting with friends about 20 years ago and is still going strong! A retiree from Bell Atlantic and former quilt shop owner, she now teaches quilting for enjoyment. She particularly is fond of working with color and non-traditional quilting techniques.

Irene Bhatti, Store Staff and Teacher 
Irene started quilting when Quilter’s Stash opened its doors in 2002.  She had always wanted to learn the craft and was very happy to see a shop open up right around the corner! Her love of working with color as a decorative painter made working with beautiful fabrics an easy transition.  She took her first class in hand quilting from Sue, and went on to make several hand quilts, enjoying the whole process. Before long, finding so many fabrics and patterns she wanted to use, she moved on to making quilts by machine and hasn’t stopped since.  With her creative background, Irene has a great sense of color coordination.

Donna Jean Downer, Teacher
Donna Jean has been sewing for most of her life. A former home economics teacher, she has been "quilt addicted" since 1994 and is enjoying every moment of it! She has taught quilting to adult ESL (English as a Second Language) students. Her true love is designing original art quilts. Donna Jean is a member of the Quilters' Connection guild.

Janet Elia, Store Staff and Teacher
Janet made her first sampler quilt 20 years ago and has been following her quilting passion ever since. By day, she's a high school nurse and by night, a quilting maniac! Her motto is: "One can never have too much fabric or too many projects."

Debbie Falcone, Store Staff and Teacher
Debbie learned embroidery, needlepoint, and crochet from her grandmother when she was a child, and has been an avid crafter ever since. But she learned to sew and to quilt in classes here at Quilter's Stash. Debbie started quilting with the goal of making just one quilt – for her parents’ 50th wedding anniversary – and got hooked on quilting. She has made a number of bed quilts and many smaller quilts over the past five years (like potato chips – no one can make just one!), and has become an skillful, confident quilter. Debbie has a great sense of color, and especially enjoys making traditional block patterns using bright, modern fabrics, including batiks. 

Janet Farrell, Teacher
Janet discovered quilting after becoming fascinated watching a friend making a quilt.  Intrigued, she took a quilting class, and from that point on she's been, as she says, "really hooked".

Bev Fears, Teacher
Bev has been quilting since 1993. She has always loved sewing and crafting. As a youngster she made Barbie clothes out of fabric scraps and old clothing. She learned garment construction in high school, and continued to sew as a hobby after she graduated from college. After her third child was born, she took a beginner’s quilt class in hand piecing and has been passionate for quilting ever since. She thinks quilters are the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and has never met a quilter she didn’t like!

Linda Baxter Lasco, Teacher Emeritus; Guest Instructor
Linda has been quilting since the pre-rotary cutting days, making her first quilt in 1967. She has been a key member of a number of local guilds, and served as Program Chair for the Rhododendron Needlers. Linda has enjoyed being auctioneer for many guilds, and for the New England Images Show. As a quilter and teacher, she especially likes quick-cut techniques and finding new ways to use up scraps -- so much so that her colleagues at Quilter's Stash affectionately dubbed Linda the "Scrap Queen."  Linda is currently living and working in Paducah, Kentucky, and is Senior Editor at the American Quilter's Society (AQS). Linda visited Quilter's Stash as a guest instructor in 2008.

Laurel Nielsen, Teacher
Laurel started sewing when she was ten years old, and has never really stopped. She owned a country craft business in the 1990s with handmade dolls and animals. Her introduction to quilting was through another teacher at Quilters Stash, Terri Bearer. This started her love of the process of quilting and the calming effects of piecing. Laurel has also worked in the Franklin school system, teaching sewing to children as an after-school activity.

Antoinette Riskalla, Teacher
Antoinette has been "sitting in front of a sewing machine since she was nine."  A confirmed fabri-holic even before taking up quilting, she has long since given away most of her non-quilting stuff to make room for more quilting fabric. Antoinette prefers piecing traditional blocks using lush, contemporary fabrics. 

JoAnn (McCluskey) Slaney, Teacher
JoAnn has been quilting for more than 12 years, though she’s been sewing for as long as she can remember. She enjoys the challenge of learning new things, stretching beyond her comfort zone, and sharing what she knows with others.

Denise White, Store Staff and Teacher
Denise began sewing and quilting as a teenager, and has been an avid quilter since then.  She is a member of the Rhode Island Watercolor Society, and has a strong interest in conservation.  Denise has worked in Education throughout her life.  She also has experience working in fabric and crafts stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.  Denise is patient, dedicated and creative, and we are pleased to have her on our staff.

Deb Woodhams, Store Staff and Teacher
Deb has been a crafter all her life. Besides quilting, Deb is also a fabulous knitter.  When she took up quilting, she said, "I wanted to learn to quilt like my Southern relatives."  The first quilt class she took was an adult education course in hand quilting, thus beginning her collection of fabric -- and UFOs! With her creative ability and extensive crafting background, Deb is now an accomplished quilter. 

Claudia Zink, Teacher
Claudia’s grandmother taught her to sew at a very early age, and was a “huge influence” in her life, instilling a sense of confidence that has stayed with her ever since. She says, “There is something comforting about having a needle in your hand and trying something new.” Indeed, she states, her grandmother gave her “permission to try anything” that she wanted to learn. In addition to her familiarity with quilting, knitting, and other needlecrafts, Claudia has also been needle felting for the past few years. Claudia has experience teaching quilting and crafts classes in a variety of venues, and we are very happy to have her here at Quilter's Stash!