About Our Staff

Want to learn more about your instructors? Do you have questions about scheduling a private lesson? Need to know where to park? Not sure what workshop is right for you? Use this form! Reach out and get in touch — we love to collaborate!

Toni Mason

Toni graduated from Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in 1984 and then moved to NC. After working for 2 years at an architectural firm she opened her own commercial interior design firm, doing all corporate design work. In 2001 she shut down the firm, wanting to be available to care for her new grandchildren. She also ran the After School program at Durham Academy Middle School, using her crafty abilities to initiate a lot of crafting activities with the kids there. In 2010 she left DA and opened Sew Crafty, offering her own after school program, which is still very active. Toni has enjoyed sewing since she was 12 and loves to share her knowledge. She thinks it’s a great skill to have and wants to make it available to kids, especially now that it is rarely taught in school anymore. It is also a good counter-balance to all the time kids spend on their computers, exposing them to the gratification of creating something with their hands and feeling the pride that results from that.

Tamika Heard

Tamika came to Sew Crafty in March of 2022 looking for a place where she could teach her private lesson customers. She’d been teaching out of her home and wanted a more professional setting. She also offers tailoring and custom sewing services through her business called Meek Makings. She also teaches most of the evening adult sewing workshops.

Erin

Erin is Sew Crafty’s “go-to” teacher for anyone wanting to focus on learning to sew any kind of garments. She has an extensive background in garment sewing, having worked as a costume designer, costume technician, costume shop manager and wardrobe manager for regional and university theatres for over twenty years, and has extensive experience designing, patterning, and building costumes for theatre and dance. Erin holds an MFA in Costume Design from The Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and a BA in Studio Art from James Madison University. Most recently, Erin served as the Costume Shop Manager and Instructor of Costume Design at Duke University, and has worked with Meredith College, Washington & Lee University, James Madison University, Westminster College, American Dance Festival, Salt Lake Acting Company, Tuacahn Center for the Arts, The Virginia Repertory Dance Company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The American Shakespeare Center, and American Repertory Theatre, among others.