On this episode, we're talking about running an online and brick-and-mortar fabric shop with my guest, Kelly Stevens of Superbuzzy.

After finishing graduate school and some years working in higher education administration, Kelly rediscovered an early love of textiles and design in the late 1990s. Upon discovering Japanese craft books and modern Japanese fabrics, an obsession was born that later turned into the concept for Superbuzzy. The shop opened online in 2006, and then moved to a flagship storefront located in Ventura, California in 2011. 

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Today’s episode is sponsored by WEFTY. WEFTY started in a garage on a 3D printer and has grown to include patterns, products, and workshops. WEFTY's first product, the WEFTY Needle, is the only needle made by a weaver designed specifically for use with fabric strips and bias strips. Create beautiful woven projects with quilting cottons. Curious? Check out WeftyNeedle on Instagram to see what it’s all about. 

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For the full show notes for this episode visit my blog, whileshenaps.com, where you can sign up for my email newsletter to get the best in sewing, blogging, and small business delivered right to your inbox each week. 

On this episode, we're talking about elevating haberdashery with my guest, Carolyn Denham. Together, Carolyn and her husband Roderick Field are the owners of Merchant & Mills, a fabric, notions, and patterns company based in the UK. They founded the company in 2010 with the intention of bringing style and purpose to the overlooked world of sewing. Merchant & Mills products are stocked in retailers all over the world and the company has collaborated with London’s V&A Museum and with Alexander McQueen. The pair have published three books that aim to enable and inspire more people to find the satisfaction of simply making. Carolyn has a degree in fashion design and has worked in New York, Italy, and London.

We had an issue with the sound quality on this episode. Carolyn has a fantastic story to tell so I hope you'll stick with it.

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Today’s show is sponsored by Hello Atelier, the podcast that takes you inside the artist’s studio. Join host Betsy Blodgett as she sits down with quilters, textile artists, ceramicists, painters and more many in their very own studios. Further immerse yourself in creative worlds by visiting www.helloatelier.org to see photos from their studio visits and links to each artist's work. Then, sign up for the Hello Atelier newsletter for bonus interviews with makers and entrepreneurs – past guests include While She Naps’ Abby Glassenberg! Hello Atelier is available on your favorite podcast app. Tune in to their latest episode with quilter Luke Haynes. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and give them a rating.

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Get the show notes for this episode on my blog, whileshenaps.com, where you can sign up for my email newsletter to get the best in sewing, blogging, and small business delivered right to your inbox each week. 

On today's episode, we're talking about wool and texture and embroidery with my guest, Sue Spargo.

 Sue is an internationally renowned designer, teacher, and textile artist. She’s authored several books including Creative Stitching and teaches on Craftsy as well as keeping up a rigorous travel schedule. 35 of her quilts were exhibited at the International Quilt Show in Houston in 2017 and in Chicago in 2018. Born in Zambia and raised in South Africa, Sue’s work is influenced by the color, energy, and simplicity of traditional African design. Today, her business is based in Ohio where a staff that includes several of her children prepare and ship a wide range of hand dyed and mill dyed wools, threads, kits, notions, and patterns from SueSpargo.com.

We talk about Sue's collaboration with Wonderfil, her intense travel and teaching schedule, how she has successfully brought three of her four children into her business, self-publishing, and more. Sue doesn't sell her quilts, but she's still managed to build a wonderful business selling her work in many other ways. I hope you enjoy hearing her story.

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This episode is sponsored by STITCHES Midwest 2018. Exclusively for While She Naps listeners, you can get 20% OFF STITCHES Midwest 2018 classes and events by visiting www.STITCHES.events/Midwest and entering the coupon code MIDWEST18WSN at check-out. With stimulating classes and shopping for ALL— knitters, crocheters, weavers, AND sewers, quilters, and others interested in all things yarn AND fabric—you won’t want to miss this amazing show. You can learn more at www.STITCHES.events/Midwest

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Get the show notes for this episode on my blog, whileshenaps.com, where you can sign up for my email newsletter to get the best in sewing, blogging, and small business delivered right to your inbox each week.