As a teenager, she worked in the old Parkspin mill on Metcalfe St. in St. Thomas.  The challenge of keeping huge spinning machines smoothly running made her crave the peacefulness of spinning at a wheel. While living in South Dakota in 2002 she finally got a chance to learn the craft.

Joan has knitted avidly for many years.  While living in the U.S., she completed the correspondence courses for the Master Knitting program from The Knitting Guild of America (TKGA) and later marked the coursework of other knitters for several years.  She is a Certified Knitting Teacher with the Craft Yarn Council of America.  Joan has a Bachelor of Education, and has experience both as a school teacher and a piano teacher.

Joan and her husband, Matt, are now thrilled to be living in their hometown again after almost 30 years away (in Caledonia, Kitchener, Kincardine, Chatham and Brookings, SD).