Sally Terry Bio
1999-Present
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Nationally Recognized AQS Author, Quilter, Educator, Machine Quilting Instructor, Designer, Innovator, and Creative Free Motion How-To Techniques
Sally Terry began professional longarm machine quilting over 20 years ago, although began sewing at the age of 3 as soon as she could hold a needle. With her art and graphics background and heart of a teacher, she “cannot get her ideas out there fast enough.”
Her true belief about Machine Quilting is, “We all have the talent and the ability; I feel it is up to me to show quilters where to find it within themselves through the classes and books.”
Once students learn her special skills and techniques, from running specialty threads to free-motion quilting; they quickly discover that they can actually do this and feel “it is easier than I thought it would be” and confidence abounds. Many of Sally’s concepts have become common practice and a standard for machine quilters.
She feels that you do not have to copy her exactly to be productive and truly successful without unstitching. Which, after experiencing one of Sally’s classes, every class after that the student takes is so much more meaningful, no matter who the instructor.
Her joyful enthusiasm for sharing, results in full-day workshops for longarm, midarm, and short arm machine quilters and traditional sit-down quilting, in her studio, in Paducah. Her teaching career includes all major quilt shows and quilt markets nationwide.
She received the prestigious IMQA, International Machine Quilting Association, Teacher of the Year Award.
Sally has participated in over 200 quilt shows and taught thousands of quilters. She has produced over 14 instructional videos, written numerous articles for professional quilting magazines, and has many quilts features in American Patchwork and Quilting, American Quilter Magazine and Favorite Quilts by Better Homes and Gardens.
Her Hooked On Feathers Book was No. 1 for 2009 from AQS Publishing and has transformed the art of feathering for beginners and pros alike.
The classic Pathways to Better Quilting Book is still as popular today as the day it was when released.
Her newest book Pathways From Quilt Top To Quilted is devoted to troubleshooting plus included chapters on her new Shadow Rhythms and Walking Border techniques.
The Terry Twist® design concept helps quilters incorporate control with minimum marking creating true free-motion freedom. With hundreds of published quilting patterns, stencils, rulers, templates Sally is continuing to bring the freshest designs and free-motion quilting practices to her students.
With many television appearances, she continues to be at the forefront of quilting design, application, and style. Her business savvy and a keen sense of marketing help many professional machine quilting businesses thrive.
Most students feel she has a relaxed way of teaching machine quilting which encourages confidence and a joy of learning. Sally approaches the information in her classes from the student’s point-of-view with in-depth knowledge that is creative and inspirational.