Betsy learned needlework and sewing from her mother and grandmother. As an undergraduate, she studied the history, chemistry, and art of textiles. Her graduate degree led her to employment as Curator of Textiles and Social History. It was interesting working with historic textiles, but frustrating to have to feel them through the museum white gloves.

Betsy and her husband, Dick, left a hectic city and moved to the mountains of North Carolina to simplify their lives. They started their craft business, Fabric Sense, in 2002. The initial goal was to work with fabrics that she enjoyed and produce purses and accessories. Over time the fabric itself became more of a focus than the finished product.

Taking classes at Penland School of Craft opened Betsy's eyes to a myriad of surface design techniques. Simple printing led to more complex techniques including deconstructed screen printing. Now she uses the deconstructed fabric as a focus of wall hangings and surrounds the center piece with strips of printed and dyed silk.