Contributors

Michelle Kempner (Knit Caution Tape) is half tomboy, half craftster, which explains why her KitchenAid mixer and her laser cutter get equal placing in her heart. When she’s not baking, she can be found watching movies, thinking about knitting internal organs, or playing touch football. Michelle lives in Brooklyn, N. Y., with her husband, James, and their two cats, Io and Milo. Michelle and James are partners in crime under the disguise Robot Clothes ( robotclothes.com).

Susie Bright (Susie’s Home Ec) takes time out of her busy schedule as a sex-radical anarchist to study sewing and fiber arts with her guru, Jill Sanders ( heartgallery.com), who taught her everything she knows about needle and thread. Susie blogs about sex, politics, and dressmaking at Susie Bright’s Journal ( susiebright.com), and never gets tired of putting two right sides together.

Tim Lillis (Project intro illustrations) is a San Francisco-based illustrator, graphic designer, musician, and aspiring professional zombie actor. He frequently works with Kaiju Big Battel, the world’s only live monster wrestling spectacle, and enjoys playing extreme bocce, applying wood grain to everything, and lighting things from below to see if there’s anything that doesn’t look creepy. Some of his work can be viewed at narwhalcreative.com, and some of his thoughts can be heard at continuityconcern.com.

A freelance writer who loves to craft, Anna Dilemna (Not Your Grandpa’s Embroidery) is always on the lookout for the quirky side of life. She loves to travel and has lived all over the world, including New York, Chile, Paris, and Tokyo. Currently, Anna lives in Switzerland with her husband and 2-year-old son, and is excited about exploring the perfect balance between motherhood, feminism, and a crafty lifestyle. She can’t quite decide whether her favorite tool is her seam ripper or garlic press. annadilemna.typepad.com

An evangelist for playing, Judith Lange’s (101: Natural Dyeing) all-time favorite question is “What happens if …?” She believes this question is the key to opening doors that don’t open otherwise. Her science background (pre-art school) and research lab work were perfect foundations for a lifetime of working experimentally. She’s a fan of wheels (yarn spinning and pottery) because they have a mind of their own and are capable of making the most beautiful messes. Not a fan of pastels, Judy prefers colors that are mouth-watering. Her favorite tool is a sense of humor.

Beth Perkins’ (Burlesque Bouquet photography) easygoing personality not only makes her job easier, but eases her subjects into making great photos. She’s particularly fascinated with photographing factories and the people in them, and hopes to compile her collection someday. Beth was recently on assignment in Utah photographing salt miners and millers, and describes it as a photographer’s dream. When she’s not taking pictures, she’s playing softball, taking surf trips with her husband, Keone, or eating pizza from Two Boots in Manhattan.

After years of watching various technologies become obsolete, Joe Szuecs (Backyard Birdhouse) moved from a hectic, high-tech life in San Francisco to the simple life in the small Sonoma County town of Occidental, Calif. Instead of long days in front of a computer screen, “Sooch” now creates functional art made from real-world reclaimed materials. Most likely because of his love of nature and animals, Joe began making modern, fully functional birdhouses. Joe also creates furniture, hypertufa planters and fountains, and other works.