About Us

Erica Doyle, owner/instructor

I've been teaching sewing for over 15 years now. I have a degree in Home Economics with an emphasis in Fashion Design/Merchandising from California State University, Northridge. When in college I used to say, "I want to promote home sewing!" and all my classmates would look at me like I was nuts. I learned to sew as a child, starting out with mumus for my Barbie dolls. When I was a freshman in high school, I took my first sewing class and fell in love with my sewing machine. It was such a thrill to take a piece of fabric, cut it up and sew it into something to wear. I thought everybody should be doing this and they'd love it as much as I do. My goal is to make sewing fun for you. Don't sweat the mistakes, we can take care of those. Just enjoy the process...I'm not grading you like you were back in the days of High School Home Ec. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!

Lynn Gertsch, instructor

It all started in 2003 when my daughter wanted to take sewing lessons.  I took a class with her and I was hooked.  Now I'm passionate about embroidery and quilting.  Machine embroidery is more than hooping a project and setting the machine to go.  It's about design placement and creating depth and detail with thread.  I love using software to take a basic design and creating a masterpiece.  When I'm not stitching, I'm a trainer for a national wireless company.  I have two grown children and have been married for 22 years.

Jennifer McMaster, instructor

Some of my very first memories as a 4-year old are of helping my mother smooth fabric that she had placed on the floor so that I would be occupied while she read the layout and pattern instructions of her latest project. I’m quite certain that she had to redo what I had tried to accomplish back then. My mother taught me all about sewing as I grew and I made my first garment when I was 8-years old. Throughout elementary, junior high and high school, I continued to sew and challenge myself. I attended the University of Arizona and majored in Fashion Merchandising and received a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics. During an unrelated 20-year career, I continued to sew by making my business suits and dresses. Now, I am back in the industry that I love and teaching Beginning Sewing Classes! I look forward to seeing you at The Sewin’ Asylum and exploring basic and new sewing techniques. Happy Sewing!!