Meet the BERNINA & bernette Brand Ambassador Class of 2026
We are honored and excited to present our BERNINA and bernette Brand Ambassador Class of 2026!
Selecting the new class of BERNINA and bernette Brand Ambassadors is an extensive process. The Brand Ambassador Selection Committee is made up of members from the BERNINA Education and Marketing teams. Every application is considered, as we understand how much time and effort each applicant took to submit their proposal. It is amazing to see how many talented sewists there are in the industry.
Applicants are evaluated on a variety of criteria, including creativity, originality, quality of work, social media presence, community outreach, and more. The committee seeks to find Ambassadors who represent a variety of sewing styles, backgrounds, and interests. Another consideration is which machines will be showcased, so we can share new ideas across the full range of products we offer.
Christy Burcham, Vice President of Education & Training, said, “We also consider how our Ambassador class can support each other. We want to build a class that will not only help represent the BERNINA and bernette brands but also help each other to grow in the industry. So much of sewing is about community, and we see our Ambassador Program as a way to help reach not only a variety of communities, but to help build between them.”
Each of our Ambassador classes bring a new sense of creativity. That, paired with the quality and innovation of BERNINA and bernette machines, lead to inspiring new projects and techniques. You will see inspirational content, creative project tutorials, innovative tips and tricks, plus so much more. Discover more great ideas on the WeAllSew blog, and follow us on social media: BERNINA on Instagram and Facebook, and bernette on Instagram and Facebook.
Please welcome our new additions to the BERNINA and bernette Brand Ambassador Program!
Ada Chen
Ada Chen is an accomplished garment sewist, co-host of the Asian Sewist Collective podcast, and co-founder of Unfold Den, Denver’s modern sewing studio and school. As a sewing instructor, Ada has taught hundreds of beginners how to sew and primarily teaches adults interested in garment sewing, upcycling and slow fashion. Sewing has been a mindful creative outlet for Ada, allowing her to learn more about her personal style and identity.
Follow Ada on Instagram.
Isabel Gransaull
Isabel Gransaull, founder of Beau Jé Designs, is a sewing and pattern making instructor with over 35 years of experience in custom garment creation. She learned these skills in The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, where she grew up. Passionate about pattern making, garment construction and fitting, she combines traditional techniques with practical instruction to help those learning to sew, build skills and confidence. Isabel is a self-acclaimed “Home Chef” that enjoys putting together dishes that are both pleasing to the eyes and the palette.
Follow Isabel on Instagram.
Jessamy Battuello
Jessamy is a former elementary school teacher, mom of two, and self-taught sewist. She started sewing small quilts and garments for her kids when they were young on a borrowed machine from her mother-in-law. In 2013, she bought her first BERNINA (a B 350 that she still sews on almost every day!) and quickly found joy in sewing garments for herself. Building a handmade wardrobe has become a cornerstone in her life. She has been an active member of the making community on Instagram for over a decade.
She focuses on creating well-crafted garments and loves to share her process along the way. When she’s not participating in pattern testing and online sew-alongs, you can find her working in her local fabric store where she can connect with the local maker community. From hosting in-person knitting and sew-alongs to helping customers find the perfect patterns and fabrics to create their own handmade wardrobe, working in a fabric shop means she can talk sewing all day long!
Follow Jessamy on Instagram.
John Gardner
John Gardner is a designer, educator, and creative professional with more than 20 years of experience in luxury fashion, retail, and brand development. His career includes creative leadership roles with Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade New York, and Jeff Leatham Studio, with work spanning international markets. He holds a BFA in Fashion Design and Architecture from SCAD, an MA in Design Leadership from MICA, and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University. He is also an adjunct professor at MICA, where he developed and teaches a graduate course exploring luxury management, ethics, and sustainability.
A lifelong maker and BERNINA enthusiast since 2002, John brings his background in fashion and design to his creative platform, JCrafthouse. Through sewing, textile design, and home projects, he explores the relationship between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design, encouraging others to experiment, develop their own aesthetic, and find joy in making.
Follow John on YouTube.
Kelsey Swatske
Kelsey is a quilter, fabric designer, mom of 2 (soon to be 3), and married to her high school sweetheart living in Houston, TX. She learned to sew in middle school and hasn’t stopped since. She released her first quilt pattern in January 2021 and began designing fabric for Art Gallery Fabrics a few years later. Kelsey is a part of the Sewcial Bee Collective design group with AGF, and they released their first collection in September 2025. When Kelsey isn’t sewing or designing, you can find her painting, roaming an antique shop, or trying out a new gluten-free recipe.
Follow Kelsey on Instagram.
Kelsey White
Kelsey is a colorful and lively pattern designer, content creator, and self-taught sewist living in sunny Tampa, FL along with her husband, two daughters (with another on the way), and two dogs.
After having her first child in 2020, sewing went from a once-a-year hemming to a full-on obsession. After several years of sharing tutorials and her handmade garments, she began teaching local classes and got a formalized education in pattern drafting. In the fall of 2025, she released her first pattern, specializing in both women and children.
On social media, you can catch her sharing lots of tutorials both with a regular sewing machine as well as helping to demystify the elusive serger. You can follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Follow Kelsey on Instagram.
Mimi / Synaptic Seams
Synaptic Seams is an award-winning cosplayer with over a decade of experience, specializing in couture level costume design and construction. Based in New York City, she brings a refined skill set in needlework, wig styling, makeup artistry, and advanced fabric manipulation to every piece she creates.
Her work is distinguished by its intricate detail and commitment to screen/stage accurate design, with recreations spanning theater, anime, video games, film, and the ornate works of Sakizo. Through her social platforms, she invites audiences into her creative world, sharing in depth works in progress, tutorials, and craftsmanship-focused videos, all balanced with relatable cosplay and sewing humor that resonates with makers at every stage.
Follow Synaptic Seams on Instagram.
Penelope Peters
Penelope Peters is an apparel designer based in Portland, Oregon, who established her brand CLAMMY HEART in 2017 with one embroidery machine and a dream. Building her sewing and drawing skills since childhood, her creative work focuses on the simple joys that make life a little happier—animals, fruits & vegetables, flowers & nature motifs—with elements of retro anime nostalgia and Japanese street fashion.
One of her specialties is the art of contemporary and innovative machine embroidery. Incorporating her charming illustrations into her practice and digitizing all of her own embroidery results in complex designs that are unique in her field. A few of her favorite items to make are berets (sometimes adorned with rabbit ears), sweaters (often with ribbons and lace), and skirts (gingham is one of her favorite patterns). When creating clothing and accessories, Penelope believes in long-lasting, thoughtful construction that prioritizes natural fibers while simultaneously maintaining color and charm.
When she’s not daydreaming of new clothing concepts or drawing bunnies, you can find her at an anime convention artist alley, or at home with her crew of six pets reading translated Japanese literature.
Follow Penelope on Instagram.
Sandra Lee Chandler
Sandra Lee Chandler is a textile artist, educator, and founder of Sandra Lee Design, based in Nashville, Tennessee. Trained in fashion design with a B.S. in Clothing, Textiles, and Design from Arizona State University, she creates large-scale contemporary art quilts from reclaimed denim and repurposed fabric, finished with expressive hand stitching. Her work honors African American legacy and history, inspired by her great-grandmother Martha, who bought ten acres of Louisiana farmland one acre at a time — the story behind her signature Ten Acres series. Sandra’s quilts are held in collections including the Stark Museum of Art, and her work has been featured in What Women Create, on Quilting Arts TV, and on CreativeBug. With nearly four decades of teaching experience, she has taught in more than 50 states and multiple countries, and she leads weekly online classes through the Saddleback College Emeritus Institute. Whether in a guild workshop or a museum lecture hall, Sandra believes every scrap of fabric carries a story worth stitching.
Follow Sandra on Instagram.
Sydney Nordgren
Sydney Nordgren is a lifelong quilter and the designer behind Stuff Sydney Sews Quilt Co., where she creates joyful, modern quilt patterns full of color and personality. With an eye for the unexpected, Sydney brings a touch of whimsy to traditional piecing techniques, creating quilts that are fresh and fun. As a former kindergarten teacher, she brings her passion for teaching into her pattern writing, creating clear, approachable instructions that help quilters build confidence and enjoy the creative process. She believes that making a quilt should be just as enjoyable as the finished product. Through her patterns and online community, Sydney hopes to inspire others to embrace creativity in every season of life, rather than waiting for the elusive “someday” when life slows down. She lives in Utah with her husband and three children.
Follow Sydney on Instagram.
