Meet The Sew Dandelions Expert Creative Team

Crochet Instructor

I grew up in a rural setting and 4-H was an important part of my life. Through 4-H as well as my mom, I learned crocheting and quite a few other home arts, starting when I was very young.

In the summer time, we would enter our projects in the county fair and I would cross my fingers in hopes of being awarded blue or even prized purple ribbons.

Well, I have dozens of ribbons, so you can only imagine how much time I spent crocheting, sewing, knitting, and doing other creative things during my formative years.

I have made so many different types of items – hats, scarves, shawls, baby blankets, afghans, and I truly enjoy working with patterns and materials that push my skills - projects that are not run of the mill.

Most of what I have made has been gifted away, as I feel hand crafted gifts are extra special and are just not something you can easily buy.

I think my most common article to make is the shawl or afghan (baby blanket too) - those are big projects. I take my time and enjoy the journey. And yes, I have to back track sometimes (aka “rip some out”), as I want the article to be something I am proud of.

The one crocheting project that I was most pleased with, was actually a repair. A friend of mine had an afghan made by a great-grandmother, and it had a hole, as it was chewed by a dog. Fortunately, there was left over yarn available for - which was very lucky. I volunteered to try to make the repair. It took some figuring out, but it sure worked.

I’d love to help you learn to crochet for yourself and others. I enjoy working with others, both kids and adults, in many ways in my life, and I will make sure you have a fun and rewarding experience.

Crochet/Knitting Instructor

I’m originally from southern New Mexico, where I grew up dancing ballet, playing violin, and doing many craft projects with my mom.

I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theater Arts, from New Mexico State University, and my Masters Degree in Dance Education, from New York University.

I learned how to knit around 8 years old, and truly began crafting pieces in my early 20’s.

Other hobbies include knitting, crocheting, refurbishing furniture, reading magazines, napping, and watching TV.

A New Providence, NJ, resident since June 2021, I live with my husband of 15 years, a 5 year old daughter, a 6.5 year old son, and a cat.  

Crochet/Knitting/Felting Instructor

From my earliest memories I have loved drawing. After studying art at Parsons School of Design and whilst working in the animation industry for over a decade, I learned that I don’t only like drawing but also love to create things. Whether it is drawing, animation, cooking, baking, knitting, crocheting, felting, spinning, weaving, embroidery, pyrography or woodworking… anything that involves creating something from a simple ingredient, I am interested.

My first knitting teacher was my grandmother, who I was a little too late to realize  was an amazing knitter, crocheter and seamstress. I knitted two scarves, didn’t touch yarn for about ten years, then decided to knit my then-boyfriend-now-husband a heavy alpaca scarf because he wasn’t prepared for the NY weather.  Then on, my knitting hobby blew up.

Since I had forgotten almost everything my grandmother taught me back in high school, a lot of my learning comes from independent learning and a lot of hands-on experiences. I probably have struggled through every possible knitting mistakes and learned how to fix most of them. Though currently  my main game is decorating cookies and baking, fiber arts are deep within my bones.  I knit for my husband and my two daughters all the time. I have a few original designs for knitting and crocheting projects for hats, scarves and hand/arm accessories on Ravelry and my website, YOROZU by AZURE. Since I have gone into spinning, I have dived deep into the different materials of yarn, so I will be happy to help you find the perfect kind of yarn for your project, also!

My goal is to see you to the end of the project to feel the accomplishment of finishing a project and the joy of using the item you have made, and thus giving you the drive to explore more possibilities. Let’s tackle this thing you’ve always wanted to try but was intimidated to get into, and start making some cozy items for yourself and your loved ones! (Trust me, your friends and families will be getting a lot of knitted gifts).

Sewing Instructor - QUILTING

Malathi Ananthakrishnan is an architect and textile artist who lives in New Providence, NJ. She develops beautiful designs, experimenting with creative methods to work with fabrics.  

Malathi dyes fabrics by hand, sometimes employing a cyanotype printing process with light sensitive emulsion on fabric. She has also worked with resist methods, such as batik dyeing with wax resists, and Ikat or shibori methods, which use stitching or tying as the resists to the dye.  

After preparing the fabrics, Malathi cuts and sews them into original patterns, experimenting with geometry and exploring different methods and mathematical solutions.

Color has always fascinated me from a very young age. Vibrant saris and striking tropical flowers surrounded me while growing up in India. At home, there was always colorful fabric and yarn around as my mother would sew, knit, and embroider. My great-great grandmother had learnt to sew and embroider from English missionaries in the late 19th century and passed it down. I learnt the creative arts from my mother and grandmother, making me a fifth-generation textile artist. Once I started working after college, I had time in the evenings, and I started experimenting with fabric and developing my own style.

In the beginning I made quilts with strips, squares and half squares using traditional patterns. Then, I started to make my own patterns taking inspiration from nature. I learnt to dye fabric so that I could get the exact colors and gradients I wanted.

Each piece, or sequence, takes a lot of time to design and execute. I start with an idea or inspiration and then design my own piece. I work out the methods of construction. I have to either find the right fabric in the store, or dye it myself, depending on the colors and designs I have in mind. Then comes the work of actual cutting and piecing the top in the most efficient way. Learning new things and enjoying the process are my main goals.

Founder of GlamourGoth Art | Paper Craft Artist & Educator

I’m Dana Lyons - a lifelong paper craft lover, collage artist, and the creative behind GlamourGoth Art. My artistic journey began in childhood, gluing decorative napkins onto Easter eggs with my mom (my first creative mentor). We made hundreds over the years, always experimenting with color, pattern, and yes - plenty of glitter.

That early love of paper never left me. These days, I bring that same passion to collage, decoupage, and mixed media art - whether I’m transforming thrifted treasures into bold home décor, or layering found images into rich visual stories. I studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, and when I’m not working as a corporate beauty executive or raising my two kids, I’m creating in my studio - usually in black, surrounded by vintage paper, punk nostalgia, and a touch of glitter.

My workshops are relaxed and welcoming - whether you’re brand new to paper art or a seasoned creative looking to get unstuck. I believe there’s no “right” way to make art. If you’re into breathing new life into forgotten things, finding inspiration in scraps, or just want to play with paper, come join me. Let’s make something beautiful together -and maybe a little weird, too.

Hey gang, it’s me Emily :D I design and make clothes. Most of my projects are pairs of pants that I take apart, sew together, and paint and add designs and such. I love fashion and design, but my main passion is music. I am learning guitar and I have been singing my whole life.

Hello!

My name is Maleeah or Millie, I am a 15 year old artist and work best with Digital Design or paints (ranging from gouache to acrylics). I have been working with premium materials for 7 years winning a multitude of awards.