When he was 7, Rob Appell walked into his mother’s sewing room and pleaded for new clothes for his G. I. Joe doll. Sensing an opportunity, his mom, Judi, handed him a needle, thread and a scrap bag of fabric, then talked him through his first stitches.

As it turns out, that initial sewing lesson paid off. Today, Rob is now a highly acclaimed textile artist who lectures at quilt shows nationwide and has appeared on the HGTV and DIY television networks... [read on!]