The People Behind Inspired to Sew
Every stitch of expertise, every warm welcome, every class taught with passion — it all comes from our team. Get to know the people who make Inspired to Sew the community it is.
A Simple Idea That Became Something Special
Most businesses begin with a detailed plan. Ours began with a simple idea: "Hey, we could open a fabric store." Six weeks later — we did.
Pine Needles Quilt Shop opened in Cresco, Iowa, on January 2, 1999 — during a snowstorm. We were only open three hours before the roads closed, but the warmth of those first customers set the tone for everything to come.
We've always been a family business. Our kids grew up in the shop — helping where they could, often paid in pizza, and learning the value of creativity, hard work, and community.
Owner Jill Reicks began her journey in 1988 with a handmade goods business that grew into a successful wholesale operation, Lydia's Sisters. When it was time for a new chapter, the idea for a quilt shop took hold — and quickly became reality.
"People who sew dream in fabric and color. Let us inspire you to bring your dreams to cloth."
That spirit became our mission: Let Us Inspire You.
In 2003 we expanded to Cedar Rapids with Pine Needles Sewing Center. In 2008 we moved to our current location on Old Marion Road, where we continue to offer thousands of square feet of inspiration, education, and community.
In 2015 we became Inspired to Sew — a name that reflects not just what we sell, but what we believe.
In 2017 Joel and Therese Gansen became partners in the business, helping carry our vision forward and grow our impact for future generations of makers.
Today we're proud to be a destination for sewing enthusiasts of all kinds — offering machines, fabric, classes, and expertise both in-store and online. Thank you for being part of our story.
— Henry & Jill Reicks · Therese & Joel Gansen
Meet Our Team
Our team is made up of passionate, knowledgeable makers who genuinely love what they do. Whether you're shopping in-store, taking a class, or reaching out online — you'll always find someone here who's happy to help.
Henry
Henry@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 1999
Bio
Qualifications
- Advanced Technical Training
- BabyLock Technical Expert
- BERNINA Technical Expert
- Industrial Machine Technical Expert
- Serger Technical Expert
- Multi-Brand Trained Technician
- Featherweight Expert
- Vintage Machine Experts
- Serger + Overlocker Specialist
- Needle Consultant
I love to serve customers by .... Rejuvenating their machine to get them running as good as they ran when they were new.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? I enjoy visiting with our customers and offering solutions to their sewing machine needs.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? I MUST have my reverse tweezers for threading sergers.
What inspires you? I am inspired when I can come up with a solution to repair an older model machine to get it up and running smoothly again.
Jill
Jill@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 1999
Bio
Qualifications
- Edge-to-Edge Quilting Specialist
- Machine Quilting Enthusiast
- AccuQuilt Specialist
- Babylock Expert
- BERNINA Expert
- Bernette Sewing Machine Expert
- OESD Embroidery Expert
- Garment Construction Specialist
- Foundation Paper Piecing Enthusiast
- Heirloom Techniques Specialist
- Color Selection Consultant
- Quilt Design Consultant
- Serger + Overlocker Specialist
- BERNINA Software Specialist
- Top-of-the-Line Specialist
- Piecing Consultant
- Thread Specialist
- Aurifil Expert
- Interfacing Consultant
- Cuddle® Expert
- Sewing Furniture Expert
- Decorative and Creative Serger Use Specialist
- Free-Motion Quilting Aficionado
- Home Decorating Consultant
- Tailoring Expert
- Batting Consultant
- Needle Consultant
- Pattern Selection Specialist
- AccuQuilt Conversion Expert
- Beginning Sewer Expert
- Machine Mastery Instructor
- Embroidery Instructor
- Cutting Tools Expert
I love to serve customers by .... Helping simplify patterns and pair up fabrics with opportunities to improve their sewing experiences is the best part of my role. Understanding and making the most of fabrics with AccuQuilt and specialty rulers is the way we help our friends get more confident in their sewing.
Sewing is the creative voice that helps our customers be Inspired to Sew more when we get to work together to raise up the inspiration for everyone.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? Having been with Inspired to Sew since we were Pine Needles, I love the privilege to meet customers, hear their dreams and enjoy their enthusiasm to be creative. Building a team to meet our customers and to help them be Inspired to Sew is my favorite thing. Watching customers tap into their creative voice is great energy for the creative community. This is the best feature of our being Inspired to Serve you.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? My Gingher thread snips…they are long-term serving with a set by each of my sewing machines and one in my hand-stitching kit. My Gingher snips cut threads tidy and even double up as a seam ripper in those moments I just want it done in one thread cutting.
What inspires you? Raising up sewers with education and ideas is the fuel that stirs new ideas for me. I love researching ways to bring sewing to all types of sewers and match the instruction to the understanding and skills of many customers. I’m a firm believer that when we sew from our heart and soul, we embrace the opportunity to share our love and celebration through our creativity.
Therese
Therese@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2003
Bio
Qualifications
- BERNINA Q-Series Expert
- BERNINA Q-Matic Expert
- Computerized Quilting Specialist
- Edge-to-Edge Quilting Specialist
- Machine Quilting Enthusiast
- AccuQuilt Specialist
- BERNINA Expert
- Bernette Sewing Machine Expert
- OESD Embroidery Expert
- Garment Construction Specialist
- Heirloom Techniques Specialist
- Color Selection Consultant
- Quilt Design Consultant
- Top-of-the-Line Specialist
- Piecing Consultant
- Thread Specialist
- Aurifil Expert
- Interfacing Consultant
- ByAnnie Enthusiast
- Bagmaking Practitioner
- Cuddle® Expert
- Sewing Furniture Expert
- Arrow Furniture Expert
- Free-Motion Quilting Aficionado
- Home Decorating Consultant
- Longarm Expert
- Batting Consultant
- Needle Consultant
- Laurastar Specialist
- Pattern Selection Specialist
- AccuQuilt Conversion Expert
- Beginning Sewer Expert
- Machine Mastery Instructor
- Embroidery Instructor
- JuneTailor Expert
- Cutting Tools Expert
I love to serve customers by .... Giving them the confidence to try something they didn’t think they could master.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? I love that we get to build relationships with our customers, our team members, or vendors and our community partners. The friendships that we have built and have seen built through our partnerships are so fulfilling to be a part of.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? Tools that don’t frustrate me. I love having sharp pins that pierce my fabric without snagging, Perfect Scissors that cut like butter, Famoré rotary cutters that are smooth, AccuQuilt Tools that make me more accurate and productive. If you can’t own EVERYTHING, at least make sure what you invest in is good quality that will bring you joy!
What inspires you? I am inspired by new ideas, which are sometimes old ideas but with a fresh perspective or enthusiasm. I LOVE seeing things get used up that maybe otherwise would be discarded. Old quilt blocks incorporated into a new project, a damaged project revived with mending or repurposing, digging into your scrap collection and making something beautiful from it.
Joel
Joel@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2008
Bio
Qualifications
- Advanced Technical Training
- Top-of-the-Line Servicing Expert
- BabyLock Technical Expert
- Grace Technical Expert
- BERNINA Technical Expert
- Industrial Machine Technical Expert
- Serger Technical Expert
- Multi-Brand Trained Technician
- Featherweight Experts
- Vintage Machine Experts
- Coverstitch Servicing Expert
- LauraStar Technical Servicing
- Needle Consultant
I love to serve customers by .... Finding the correct answers and solving problems.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? Our community of customers. They are just lovely.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? The correct needle and oil
What inspires you? Solving new problems.
Abigail
Abigail@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2026
Bio
I love to serve customers by .... Helping them make choices. Being a resource of knowledge.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? Seeing what everyone is working on! Picking colors
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? Pins, Sewing Machine
What inspires you? The beauty of God’s creation.
Amy
Amy@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2024
Bio
Qualifications
- Computerized Quilting Specialist
- Edge-to-Edge Quilting Specialist
- Machine Quilting Enthusiast
- Babylock Expert
- BERNINA Expert
- Bernette Sewing Machine Expert
- Bernette Serger + Coverstitch Expert
- OESD Embroidery Expert
- Foundation Paper Piecing Enthusiast
- Color Selection Consultant
- Quilt Design Consultant
- Serger + Overlocker Specialist
- Coverstitch Expert
- Piecing Consultant
- Thread Specialist
- Aurifil Expert
- Interfacing Consultant
- ByAnnie Enthusiast
- Bagmaking Practitioner
- Sewing Furniture Expert
- Arrow Furniture Expert
- Decorative and Creative Serger Use Specialist
- Rulerwork Aficionado
- Free-Motion Quilting Aficionado
- Batting Consultant
- Needle Consultant
- Laurastar Specialist
- Pattern Selection Specialist
- Beginning Sewer Expert
- Private Lesson Instructor
- Machine Mastery Instructor
- Embroidery Instructor
- Serger + Coverstitch Instructor
- JuneTailor Expert
- Cutting Tools Expert
I love to serve customers by .... Assisting in setting them up for success in their stitching adventures. Whether that be learning their machine or seeing how they could further their techniques.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? I enjoy that every day is a different day and being a part of a sewing community which thrives to grow.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? The OESD perfect pencil. Also the #37 quarter inch piecing foot for my machine Bellamy (BERNINA B475)
What inspires you? Getting to see “Ah-Ha” moments and seeing all the projects that are done.
Angie
Anige@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2017
Bio
Qualifications
- AccuQuilt Specialist
- Babylock Expert
- BERNINA Expert
- Bernette Sewing Machine Expert
- Bernette Serger + Coverstitch Expert
- OESD Embroidery Expert
- Foundation Paper Piecing Enthusiast
- Advanced Technical Training
- Top-of-the-Line Servicing Expert
- BabyLock Technical Expert
- Grace Technical Expert
- BERNINA Technical Expert
- Serger Technical Expert
- Multi-Brand Trained Technician
- Serger + Overlocker Specialist
- Top-of-the-Line Specialist
- Piecing Consultant
- Thread Specialist
- Aurifil Expert
- Interfacing Consultant
- ByAnnie Enthusiast
- Bagmaking Practitioner
- Needle Consultant
I love to serve customers by .... Being knowledgeable and a friendly face.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? There is always something to learn. I love getting to be inspired by fellow team members and customers.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? OESD Perfect Snips. They grab the thread and I don’t have to worry about damaging the project/chocolate.
What inspires you? Chocolate and seeing new techniques.
Chrissy
Chrissy@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2025
Bio
Qualifications
- Machine Quilting Enthusiast
- BERNINA Expert
- Bernette Sewing Machine Expert
- OESD Embroidery Expert
- Color Selection Consultant
- Quilt Design Consultant
- Thread Specialist
- Aurifil Expert
- ByAnnie Enthusiast
- Cuddle® Expert
- Decorative and Creative Serger Use Specialist
- Needle Consultant
- Pattern Selection Specialist
- Beginning Sewer Expert
- Private Lesson Instructor
- Machine Mastery Instructor
- Embroidery Instructor
I love to serve customers by .... Being their inspiration for trying something new or helping them bring ideas to life.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? How helpful and creative everyone is who works at Inspired to Sew and shops with us.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? My rulers and Karen Kay Buckley scissors (all 3 sizes!)
What inspires you? When people come in with projects they are working on or finished to show us. I love seeing everyone that comes in with ideas that we can help bring them to life. Experiencing the joy of a work in project or a finished project.
Dana
Dana@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2025
Bio
Qualifications
- Garment Construction Specialist
- Color Selection Consultant
- Piecing Consultant
- Thread Specialist
- Aurifil Expert
- Interfacing Consultant
- ByAnnie Enthusiast
- Bagmaking Practitioner
- Batting Consultant
- Needle Consultant
- Laurastar Specialist
- Beginning Sewer Expert
- JuneTailor Expert
- Cutting Tools Expert
I love to serve customers by .... I love to get them/let them be excited about what they are working. I am everyone’s #1 cheerleader
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? Seriously, SEW Inspiring! Customers and my teammates are so creative, prolific and excited.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? I LOVE my BERNINA B570. It’s my sewing Porsche!
What inspires you? Beauty – Challenges – Learning – Learning – Learning. Being pushed a little by my peers or customers. They can do it, so can I!
Dawn
Dawn@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2025
Bio
Qualifications
- Garment Construction Specialist
- Color Selection Consultant
- Home Decorating Consultant
- Tailoring Expert
- Alterations Consultant
- Beginning Sewer Expert
I love to serve customers by .... Learning what brings them sewing joy and finding ways to inspire more creative possibilities. It’s so rewarding when a customer find “the perfect thing” for their project or learns something new to enhance their sewing journey.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? I love the community of customers and colleagues. Every day I learn something new that helps me better serve our customers. It’s especially FUN to see the finished projects that customers create – so inspiring!
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? A good seam ripper, or course…I recently discovered the ByAnnie stiletto and can’t believe I managed to sew for almost 60 years without it! I also love our super-strong magnetic pin organizer.
What inspires you? Everything – nature, the environment, everyday objects. Color, shape and patterns are all around us – I’m always formulating some kind of visual composition or project in my head.
Holly
Holly@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2011
Bio
Qualifications
- BERNINA Q-Series Expert
- BERNINA Q-Matic Expert
- Computerized Quilting Specialist
- Edge-to-Edge Quilting Specialist
- Machine Quilting Enthusiast
- AccuQuilt Specialist
- BERNINA Expert
- Bernette Sewing Machine Expert
- Bernette Serger + Coverstitch Expert
- OESD Embroidery Expert
- Foundation Paper Piecing Enthusiast
- Serger + Overlocker Specialist
- Coverstitch Expert
- Thread Specialist
- Aurifil Expert
- Interfacing Consultant
- ByAnnie Enthusiast
- Bagmaking Practitioner
- Cuddle® Expert
- Sewing Furniture Expert
- Arrow Furniture Expert
- Rulerwork Aficionado
- Free-Motion Quilting Aficionado
- Longarm Expert
- Batting Consultant
- Needle Consultant
- Laurastar Specialist
- JuneTailor Expert
I love to serve customers by .... I enjoy helping customers discover products they may not have considered, but end up loving as it makes sewing easier.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? Our customers and working in a creative environment.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? My go-to tool is AccuQuilt! It cuts accurately every time which saves me time and allows me to sew more!
What inspires you? I get inspired by our customers. I love seeing what they create and how much joy it brings them.
Kate
Kate@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2026
Bio
Qualifications
- Garment Construction Specialist
- Color Selection Consultant
- Interfacing Consultant
- Cuddle® Expert
- Tailoring Expert
- Alterations Consultant
- Pattern Selection Specialist
- Beginning Sewer Expert
- Private Lesson Instructor
I love to serve customers by .... Listening to their needs and guiding them in the right direction.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? Seeing the good results of hard work
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? MANY long sharp pins
What inspires you? Inspiration and environment
Katie
Katie@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2025
Bio
Qualifications
- Garment Construction Specialist
- Foundation Paper Piecing Enthusiast
- Color Selection Consultant
- Quilt Design Consultant
- Bagmaking Practitioner
- Pattern Selection Specialist
- Beginning Sewer Expert
I love to serve customers by .... Helping them pick out fabrics and coordinate colors. Offering great customer service. Answering or finding the answers to all their sewing questions. Finding projects our customers will love.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? EVERYTHING! The atmosphere, the community, customers & coworkers.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? Famore rotary cutting blades paired with a GOOD cutting mat. 2.5 inch wide ruler and Thread Snips.
What inspires you? Our customers, my family, random surprises throughout my day to day life.
Maddy
Maddy@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2025
Bio
Qualifications
- Color Selection Consultant
- Quilt Design Consultant
- Piecing Consultant
- Aurifil Expert
- Bagmaking Practitioner
- Cuddle® Expert
- Batting Consultant
- Pattern Selection Specialist
- Beginning Sewer Expert
- Cutting Tools Expert
I love to serve customers by .... Asking about their projects and needs. Learning about them and what they do. Helping guide them to find perfect solution. Showing them all the possibilities we have in store.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? The environment. It’s a beautiful place to work with wonderful team members and great customers. Everyone is so kind no matter what the circumstance and it’s always so much fun and so easy to engage with people.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? Famoré rotary cutting tool and sadly, my seam ripper. And my Clover Hera Marker, that thing is amazing!
What inspires you? Colors, patterns, product demos, literally anything at i2Sew.
Sarah
Sarah@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2023
Bio
Qualifications
- BERNINA Q-Series Expert
- BERNINA Q-Matic Expert
- Computerized Quilting Specialist
- Edge-to-Edge Quilting Specialist
- Machine Quilting Enthusiast
- AccuQuilt Specialist
- Babylock Expert
- BERNINA Expert
- Bernette Sewing Machine Expert
- Bernette Serger + Coverstitch Expert
- OESD Embroidery Expert
- Garment Construction Specialist
- Heirloom Techniques Specialist
- Color Selection Consultant
- Quilt Design Consultant
- Serger + Overlocker Specialist
- Coverstitch Expert
- BERNINA Software Specialist
- Multi-Needle Embroidery Specialist
- Top-of-the-Line Specialist
- Piecing Consultant
- Thread Specialist
- Aurifil Expert
- Interfacing Consultant
- ByAnnie Enthusiast
- Bagmaking Practitioner
- Cuddle® Expert
- Sewing Furniture Expert
- Arrow Furniture Expert
- Decorative and Creative Serger Use Specialist
- Rulerwork Aficionado
- Free-Motion Quilting Aficionado
- Home Decorating Consultant
- Longarm Expert
- Batting Consultant
- Needle Consultant
- Laurastar Specialist
- Pattern Selection Specialist
- AccuQuilt Conversion Expert
- Beginning Sewer Expert
- Private Lesson Instructor
- Machine Mastery Instructor
- Embroidery Instructor
- Serger + Coverstitch Instructor
- JuneTailor Expert
- Cutting Tools Expert
I love to serve customers by .... Helping our customer honor their inner artist! We each have such creative gifts to share. It is a JOY.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? I love the creativity and learning opportunities each day. The Inspired to Sew community is AMAZING, and I love to understand the WHY for each one of us and why we create.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? Oh, there are so many good ones. My favorite sewing tool combination is a straight stitch plate and BERNINA quarter inch foot for easiest piecing. These two pieces have leveled up my sewing game!
What inspires you? Nature continues to inspire me, alongside art and meaningful conversations. And COLOR! I love living life in color and translating nature into stitched beauty with color and shapes.
Tina
Tina@InspiredtoSew.com
Inspired to Serve since 2025
Bio
Qualifications
- English Paper Piecing Enthusiast
- Piecing Consultant
- ByAnnie Enthusiast
- Bagmaking Practitioner
- Arrow Furniture Expert
- Beginning Sewer Expert
- JuneTailor Expert
I love to serve customers by .... Helping them pick fabric for their project. Teaching them new techniques. Inspiring them to complete a new project.
What do you enjoy about working at Inspired to Sew? The customers that come in looking for help and making their day when you find the perfect fabric. Also, the wonderful team that works here and how we inspire each other.
What is your go-to sewing tool that you can’t live without? The Point-to-Point turner. I use it every time I am piecing. It saves time from getting up and going to the iron. I can press my seams right at the sewing machine.
What inspires you? The people I work with who give me that push to make beautiful things and seeing what they make. As well as the customers and seeing what they are working on.
Love What We Do? Come Do It With Us.
We're always looking for warm, enthusiastic people to join our growing team. No sewing experience required — just a genuine love of serving people and a passion for inspiring creativity.
Join the Inspired to Sew Family
At Inspired to Sew we're seeking individuals who have an interest in serving people and inspiring creativity. While our business is built around sewing supplies and education, we don't require applicants to be sewists — being of genuine service to people and looking for ways to motivate and inspire alongside our team are the best qualities we look for in a candidate.
Our training program provides clear instruction in sales as well as education on the products and services we offer. We're committed to fair wages and benefit packages that aren't often seen in a small business — because we believe great people deserve great support.
Our leadership team's number one priority is to help every team member succeed, to enjoy the respect of our customers, and to grow both personally and professionally in an environment that is beautiful, positive, and deeply rewarding.
If you're looking for a job that opens up new experiences, surrounds you with gracious and grateful customers, and gives you room to grow — we'd love to hear from you.
How to Apply:
Send your resume to Sew@InspiredtoSew.com or download and complete our application below.
Mail completed applications to:
Inspired to Sew
Attn: Human Resources
1000 Old Marion Rd NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
