The Nimble Thimble - Authorized dealers for Bernina sewing machines

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The Future Fashion Designer Challenge winners were chosen Sunday afternoon in a runway fashion show at the Boones Creek Christian Church fellowship auditorium cosponsored by The Nimble Thimble and Bernina of America.

High school students from six counties were invited to compete in four categories: casual, purchased and embellished, fabric inspired, and semi formal. In a format similar to the popular Project Runway TV show, contestants were asked to design their garments and then model them before a panel of judges from Bernina of America, including Vice President Tom Justic.

Students from Cloudland High School in Roan Mountain swept the awards in all four categories. They included:Brooke Johnson - casual design; Jordan Miller - purchased and embellished; Sydnie Buchanan - fabric inspired; and Shellie McKinney - semi formal. All four juniors are students of Kenny Lou Heaton, Family and Consumer Sciences instructor at Cloudland. Cloudland also took the Best School Team Award, winning a new Bernina 210 sewing machine for their classroom.

The Best Individual Effort for a single garment went to Elizabeth Potter, a student of Karen Cunningham at Johnson County High School in Mountain City. Elizabeth received a new Bernina 210 sewing machine as well as an all-expense paid trip to compete in the Bernina National Runway next summer in Omaha, Nebraska.

Cailyn McCool of Science Hill High School won the People’s Choice award with her creation, an elegant evening gown of fuschia and tangerine.

Welcoming the crowd of 300 to the event, Johnson City Mayor Dr. Phil Roe called The Nimble Thimble “a wonderful example of small business partnering with education to inspire young people."

The Future Fashion Designer Challenge is part of The Nimble Thimble's 25th anniversary celebration. “We wanted to celebrate our anniversary in a way that would encourage as well as challenge the fashion designers of tomorrow,” explained Sandra Conley, one of the Nimble Thimble owners.

Ticket sales from the fashion show were donated to the Susan G. Koman Foundation to help fight breast cancer.




2313 Browns Mill Road • Johnson City, Tennessee 37604 • 423-282-1075 info@nimblethimbletn.com


Left to right: Shellie McKinney - winner, Semi Formal Category Sydnie Buchanan- winner, Fabric Inspired Category Teacher Kenny Lou Heaton Jordan Miller - winner, Purchased & Embellished Category Brooke Johnson - winner, Casual Category Cloudland also captured the Best Team Category and won a Bernina 210 Activa 210.

	Elizabeth Potter of Johnson County High won the Individual Best of Show Category and took home a Bernina Activa 210.		Cailyn McCool from Science Hill High won the People's Choice Award with this semi formal gown modeled by her mother.
Special Thanks to all our participants: Samantha Sutherland, Margaret Conley (modeling for Jessica Slagle), Olivia Taylor, Johnna Kemp Allison Buckles, Emily Ward, Emily Asher, Jessica Ketterman Jennifer Morrow, Amanda Shelton, Ashley Hemphill, Jessica Guinn, Amanda Arwood and her model. Kristy Owens, Angel Cogdill, Brooke Bowman
		View more photos here The Future Fashion Designer Challenge winners were chosen Sunday afternoon in a runway fashion show at the Boones Creek Christian Church fellowship auditorium cosponsored by The Nimble Thimble and Bernina of America. High school students from six counties were invited to compete in four categories: casual, purchased and embellished, fabric inspired, and semi formal. In a format similar to the popular Project Runway TV show, contestants were asked to design their garments and then model them before a panel of judges from Bernina of America, including Vice President Tom Justic. Students from Cloudland High School in Roan Mountain swept the awards in all four categories. They included:Brooke Johnson - casual design; Jordan Miller - purchased and embellished; Sydnie Buchanan - fabric inspired; and Shellie McKinney - semi formal. All four juniors are students of Kenny Lou Heaton, Family and Consumer Sciences instructor at Cloudland. Cloudland also took the Best School Team Award, winning a new Bernina 210 sewing machine for their classroom. The Best Individual Effort for a single garment went to Elizabeth Potter, a student of Karen Cunningham at Johnson County High School in Mountain City. Elizabeth received a new Bernina 210 sewing machine as well as an all-expense paid trip to compete in the Bernina National Runway next summer in Omaha, Nebraska. Cailyn McCool of Science Hill High School won the People’s Choice award with her creation, an elegant evening gown of fuschia and tangerine. Welcoming the crowd of 300 to the event, Johnson City Mayor Dr. Phil Roe called The Nimble Thimble “a wonderful example of small business partnering with education to inspire young people." The Future Fashion Designer Challenge is part of The Nimble Thimble's 25th anniversary celebration. “We wanted to celebrate our anniversary in a way that would encourage as well as challenge the fashion designers of tomorrow,” explained Sandra Conley, one of the Nimble Thimble owners. Ticket sales from the fashion show were donated to the Susan G. Koman Foundation to help fight breast cancer.