Geri Finio is a lifelong embroidery and sewing enthusiast with a love for the many mediums of stitchery and a critical eye for detail. Sewing is something she’s done since about five. Her father was an electrical physicist for Singer-Kearfott which meant sewing machines were readily available in her childhood home. Guess you can say she was a mechanical “tester” as well as a sewist!
After a successful career in corporate computer technology, she shifted gears to follow her passion. Her strong technology background compliments her artisan talents, as she combines digitized and hand-guided machine embroidery to create innovative designs. For 20 years, Geri owned and operated Studio 187 Custom Embroidery where she successfully collaborated with high profile artists, interior designers, and private clientele on tailoring designs to meet individual need.
In addition, she embroidered all embroidery examples in the book “Asian-Inspired Machine Embroidery” authored by an internationally celebrated embroidery artist; served on the Editorial Board of Stitches Magazine and was often featured, and served as a judge for the National Golden Needle Awards. Her focus is on elevating the status of embroidery to a level it once enjoyed - a symbol of beauty and refinement.
After shopping and testing every machine imaginable, she chose the Janome Memory Craft 15000 as her first replacement for her large commercial embroidery machines because it offered quality, reliable engineering, and superior stitching for both sewing and embroidery. Geri enjoys meeting like-minded individuals during her travels with Janome to various sewing events where she offers instruction and advice on sewing, embroidery, and machine selection.
Presently Geri lives in Maryland, and spends summers at their NJ shore home where the entire family can reconnect and unwind together. She spends her time sewing anything from garments to quilts, embroidering by hand and by machine, reading, cooking/baking, sailing, kayaking, exercising, and enjoying life’s moments with friends and family.