McKenna Linn is an accomplished artist, author, and vintage-sewing-machine mechanic who lives in Bradenton, Florida. McKenna's art-to-wear and ArtQuilts have been internationally recognized in competitions and publications. Her books and patterns have been widely acclaimed, and continue to sell through the publishing company she founded in 1995, Make It Easy Sewing & Crafts.
McKenna's recent art work includes a series of wall quilts that incorporate fabric from vintage men's ties, and a series of palm trees inspired by the Florida foliage. She also spends time refurbishing vintage sewing machines, many of which can be seen on her two other Web sites, http://www.grandmotherssewingmachine.com and http://www.necchilady.com.
McKenna and her husband used to live on a sailboat, "Tyche," but traded it in 2008 for a trawler, "Journey," with plans to do the "Great Loop," i.e., up the Atlantic coast from Florida, across the Great Lakes, down the mid-continental rivers (including the Mississippi, Tennessee, Tom Bigby), around the Gulf of Mexico, and back to Florida. This trip will take the better part of a year, beginning in March 2010, if the fixing-up goes as planned and finances allow.
McKenna has written numerous sewing and quilting books and patterns under the name Nancy Restuccia, including the best-selling Quilting By Machine (Singer Sewing Reference Library), the classic Hold It! How to Sew Bags, Totes, Duffels, Pouches & More, and the popular "Humbug Bag," "Rumbleford," "Jambalaya," and "Tukaway Tote" patterns. She founded and operated the publishing company Make It Easy Sewing & Crafts for seven years, before selling it in 2002.