Susanna’s passion for Sasha Dolls was born from her early years of playing with her cherished collection of dolls as a young girl. Many of these rare and valuable dolls are still in her collection today. She began collecting Sashas in the mid sixties for her own daughters, as she recognized the artistry and unique qualities that were the hallmark of every Sasha doll. During this period, she was well into her journey of becoming one of the most prolific textile artists of her time. She earned her BA at Western Michigan University and then her Master’s degree at Columbia’s Teachers’ College. After moving to New York City with her illustrator husband, she devoted herself to raising her family and focusing on honing her skills in the fiber arts, including sewing, crocheting, knitting, lace making, pattern making, and appliques. After neighbors caught sight of the one-of-a-kind curtains that she crocheted for her own Brownstone, she was continuously commissioned to create wall hangings and curtains for many residents in their historical landmark neighborhood. Susanna was also well into publishing at this time, contributing articles to hundreds of publications and several books about lace making and machine knitting. She was an early pioneer of the knitting machine, and taught at Parson’s School of Design, as well as travelling the world teaching workshops. Her goal was to incorporate all aspects of fiber arts and elevate the medium to create museum quality pieces. To this day, many of her pieces of wearable art remain in permanent collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Brooklyn Museum. Susanna started knitting pieces for the Sasha Doll by hand and by machine. She created and shared many patterns for her iconic outfits, and became a devoted participant in the ever growing Sasha community. In her later years, she became known as a well versed expert on all things Sasha, and went on to publish 3 books that she collaborated on with two Sashaphile friends. These books have become treasured reference books for fellow collectors. Her extensive research and knowledge of the Sasha Dolls has earned her the reputation of a trusted, enthusiastic, and respected pillar in the community.