Diane Distelcamp is the sewing instructor at Red Tent Women’s Initiative, working at the Pinellas County Jail. She teaches our clients hand and machine sewing, embroidery and crochet. Teaching includes emphasizing the mental and physical health benefits that happen when we work with our hands. She emphasizes the need to add creativity and beauty to life, despite the circumstances. The program teaches organizational skills, planning, measuring, decision making and time management.

Diane is a retired doctor of Physical Therapy. She has been sewing, painting and embroidering since childhood. She’s taught sewing to elementary school kids, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and adults. It is very rewarding to watch the blossoming of creativity and the sense of accomplishment that comes with sewing your own hand-made creation.