Episodes

Monday Feb 17, 2020
Episode #163: Rose Pearlman
Monday Feb 17, 2020
Monday Feb 17, 2020
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about building a business in rug hooking with my guest Rose Pearlman.
Rose is an artist and teacher who focuses on textile design. Her workshops center on ways of making beautiful home objects with simple, inexpensive materials. As the daughter of two artists, her parents taught her to value a life filled with creating, tinkering, and playing. She lives in New York City with her family.
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This episode is sponsored by Darice.
With over 45,000 arts and crafts items across hundreds of product categories, Darice is your one-stop source for wholesale supplies for your craft hobby, business or store.
Whether you make items to sell at craft fairs and your Etsy shop or you teach workshops or make craft kits to sell, find all the supplies and products you need for your handmade business. Darice is offering an exclusive promotion for Craft Industry Alliance listeners. Visit Darice.com and use promo code CIA15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Offer valid through 2/29/20.
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To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

Monday Feb 03, 2020
Episode #162: Windy Chien
Monday Feb 03, 2020
Monday Feb 03, 2020
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about fostering creativity through daily practice with my guest Windy Chien.
Windy Chien is best known for her 2016 work, The Year Of Knots, in which she learned a new knot every day for a year. Her work ranges in size from a knot that can fit in the palm of a child's hand to majestic, room-sized installations that are sought after by private collectors. Following long careers at Apple and as the owner of legendary music shop Aquarius Records, she launched her studio in 2015. Select clients include IBM, the National Geographic Society, and the Kering Group, and her work has been covered by Wired, The New York Times and Martha Stewart. Windy’s book about her work was published by Abrams in 2019.
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This episode is sponsored by Search Press. Find your new craft in 2020 and use code NEWCRAFT for a 30% discount on Search Press books on our website, www.searchpressusa.com.
See Search Press books in your local fiber arts and craft store or view our whole catalog at Search Press North America. Search Press books are sold through Sommer Street and are available at industry events.
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To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

Monday Jan 20, 2020
Episode #161: Liz Gipson and Angela Smith
Monday Jan 20, 2020
Monday Jan 20, 2020
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about collaborations with my guest Angela Smith and Liz Gipson.
Angela founded Purl & Loop in 2012 after realizing her “ladder was against the wrong wall” in her sales career and she was determined to find a calling that brought joy and creativity to the world. While she enjoyed needle crafts, she was more focused on the idea of creating a business from them rather than actually doing them. Since she focused on operations and process in graduate school, the world of manufacturing always had a special attraction. Purl & Loop was originally a fiber related e-commerce site. Upon discovering the world of laser cutters in 2014, Purl & Loop moved into the business of creating portable weaving looms and accessories. Her goal is to create fun, cute and simple weaving products to help makers use up their yarn and thread stash. When her mind is overactive with creativity, usually in the middle of the night, she reads mystery novels........she averages about one per week.
Liz Gipson has an educational background in community development, wool science, and adult education, and a lifetime of exuberance for introducing beginners to the art and craft of weaving. She hosts a community-funded, online weaving school for rigid-heddle weavers and a resource-rich website. She has written many books about rigid-heddle weaving both self-published and for established publishers. Liz has worked for herself for the past 8 years and before that worked in the yarn trade in publishing and manufacturing. Having spent nearly 20 years in the yarn industry and more than 30 as a weaver, she really enjoys collaborating with yarn makers, tool suppliers, and fellow makers to create unique learning experiences.
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This episode is brought to you by GourmetQuilter. GourmetQuilter has been bringing original quilt patterns to the quilt world for the last 20 years, as well as many quilting tips and techniques video tutorials via GourmetQuilter on YouTube. 0nline projects are a specialty such as Block of the Day, what's in the Box Mystery quilts, Sew Alongs as well as many other delicious items. Go to www.gourmetquilter.com to learn more and use code CIA20 to receive a 20% discount on the GourmetQuilter book, That Town and Country Quilt, through Feb 29th 2020.
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To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

Monday Jan 06, 2020
Episode #160: Abigail McMurray of Yeiou Paper Objects
Monday Jan 06, 2020
Monday Jan 06, 2020
On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a business as a paper artist with my guest Abigail McMurray of Yeiou Paper Objects. I visited Abigail in her studio in Arlington, Massachusetts to record this interview which was a lot of fun.
With paper as a medium, artist Abigail McMurray combines her background in graphic design and sculpture to create papercraft kits, unique greeting cards, architecturally-inspired artwork, and custom house portraits under the name yeiou paper objects. Abigail’s custom house portraits were awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2019 Etsy Design Awards. These heirlooms capture a home or other building, rendering the details and dimensions in a one-of-a-kind paper sculpture. Abigail lives and works in Arlington, MA with her husband, sister, and cat, who are all very gracious about the tiny bits of paper that end up all over the house.
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This episode is sponsored by Search Press. Bringing you the finest in art and craft instruction books to improve your skills or ignite a new passion.
For 50 years, Search Press has delighted crafters with detailed instruction books for knitting, crochet, sewing, quilting, fiber crafts, painting and drawing. Start 2020 off with some of the finest books in craft. If you would like to learn more about selling Search Press books in your store or on your website, check out our website searchpressusa.com.
See Search Press books in your local fiber arts and craft store or view our whole catalog at Search Press North America. Search Press are sold through Sommer Street and are available at industry events.
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To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

Monday Dec 16, 2019
Episode #159: The State of the Quilting Industry, Quilt Market Fall 2019
Monday Dec 16, 2019
Monday Dec 16, 2019
Today we have a special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast recorded at Fall Quilt Market in Houston, Texas. International Quilt Market is a trade show for the fabric and quilt industry. It takes place twice a year, in October and May, and is a time when quilt shop owners from all over the country and all over the world come together to see the forthcoming fabric collections from all of the manufacturers, try out the latest sewing machines, embroidery machines, and long arm machines from all the big machine brands, and discover new notions, buttons, trims, storage solutions, and other neat things they might want to carry in their shops in the coming year.
I attended Fall Quilt Market and recorded interviews with shop owners about how 2019 was for them, what's selling particularly well, and what challenges they're facing coming into 2020. Some of the shop owners I talked to have been in business for three decades, and some for just a few years. Some are full-service quilt shops with a dozen employees, some are very small shops, and some are online only. I enjoyed hearing the diversity of their experiences and I think you'll get a snapshot of the industry by listening to what they have to say.
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This episode is sponsored by Marcus Fabrics and Studio 37 Fabrics. For well over 100 years, Marcus Fabrics/Studio 37 has created beautiful fabrics for quilters and crafters, offering innovative, expertly designed BOM programs, designer fabrics and museum collections for today’s creative market, from Traditional to Trendy! Visit MarcusFabrics.com to view the collections, download some great free projects & more. And follow them on social media @marcusfabrics and @studio37fabrics.
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To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

Monday Dec 02, 2019
Episode #158: Felicia Lo
Monday Dec 02, 2019
Monday Dec 02, 2019
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a fiber business with my guest Felicia Lo.
Felicia is a designer and entrepreneur, born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. Her lifelong passion for knitting, color, and design led her to start the sweetgeorgia blog in 2004. A year later, SweetGeorgia was founded at her dining room table with nothing more than three skeins of sock yarn for sale on Etsy. Since then, SweetGeorgia has become a way of life where work and play are inseparable.
In 2017, she published her first book “Dyeing to Spin & Knit” with Interweave Press and currently, she is developing the School of SweetGeorgia to offer online fiber arts education to color-obsessed crafters. When she’s not playing with yarn or hunting tacos and ramen, she’s chasing her two young children around with her orange-loving husband.
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This episode is brought to you by Darice, a premiere distributor and manufacturer of wholesale arts and crafts supplies with over 45,000 items across hundreds of product categories. Darice is offering an exclusive promotion for Craft Industry Alliance listeners. Visit Darice.com and use promo code CIA20 at checkout for 20% Off your order. Offer valid through 12/31/19.
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To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

Monday Nov 18, 2019
Episode #157: Elise Blaha Cripe
Monday Nov 18, 2019
Monday Nov 18, 2019
On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we’re talking about goal setting and getting things done with my guest Elise Blaha Cripe.
Elise Blaha Cripe lives with her husband and two young daughters in San Diego, California. She has been sharing thoughts and DIY projects online since 2005, running an online shop of handmade goods since 2008 and in 2015 launched GET TO WORK BOOK, a day planner + goal setting journal. Her book, Big Dreams, Daily Joys, a guidebook to goal-setting, productivity and finding more space for the things you love, just launched this October.
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This episode is sponsored by VAWAA. Book a mini-apprenticeship with a master artist or craftsperson in 23 countries worldwide. Anyone can choose an artist from the site and spend 4-7 days immersing into the daily life of an artist, learning a new skill or collaborating on a project. From block printing in India, natural textile dyeing in Vietnam, or mandala weaving in Spain, your creative vacation awaits. Discover the VAWAA that calls you. Craft Industry Alliance listeners get $100 off their first booking. Enter CIA100 during your booking request to redeem.
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To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today!

Monday Nov 04, 2019
Episode #156: Melanie Falick
Monday Nov 04, 2019
Monday Nov 04, 2019
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about discovering the life you’re meant to live as a maker with my guest Melanie Falick.
Melanie Falick is an independent writer, editor, and creative director—and a lifelong maker. She is the author, mostly recently, of Making a Life: Working by Hand and Discovering the Life You Are Meant to Live, as well as several other titles, including the seminal Knitting in America and bestsellers Kids Knitting and Weekend Knitting. She is the former publishing director of STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books, an imprint of Abrams, where she spearheaded books by many of the DIY world’s most esteemed authors, including Natalie Chanin, Lena Corwin, Kaffe Fassett, Lotta Jansdotter, Clara Parkes, Heather Ross, and Denyse Schmidt. She is also the creative director and editor of Mason-Dixon Knitting Field Guides. Find her on Instagram @melaniefalick and at melaniefalick.com.
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Hello Bargello is dedicated to bringing back the vintage needlecraft of bargello! Working from vintage patterns, we modernize classic bargello techniques for today’s makers, with fresh color palettes and fun projects from fashion accessories to home decor. Visit hellobargello.com for free how-to videos, kits, digital patterns, and everything you need to discover your new favorite needlecraft! Use code ALLIANCE for 15% off orders just for Craft Industry Alliance podcast listeners!
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To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

Monday Oct 21, 2019
Episode #155: Social Justice Sewing Academy
Monday Oct 21, 2019
Monday Oct 21, 2019
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about quilting and activism with my guests Sara Trail and Juan Tapia.
We recorded this episode in person at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts where there is an exhibit up through December 1, 2019 of the Social Justice Sewing Academy Quilts called Piecing Together Youth Voices in a 21st Century Sewing Circle.
Sara Trail is the founder and executive director of the Social Justice Sewing Academy. Sara learned to sew when she was a toddler and had a sewing career as a teenager when she wrote Sew with Sara, a book that teaches teens and tweens how to sew clothes and accessories. She also starred in nationally published DVDs called Cool Stuff to Sew with Sara, designed two fabric collections with Fabri-Quilt and a pattern collection with Simplicity. While attending UC Berkeley, Sara created a quilt in memory of Trayvon Martin and her love for sewing and passion for social justice intertwined. After graduating from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, she founded the Social Justice Sewing Academy (SJSA) to be a platform where youth create art that engages and educates communities.
Juan Tapia is one of the students who has been a participant in the Social Justice Sewing Academy. Juan just graduated from high school and is now working for a non-profit called Courage, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, that works with formerly incarcerated. He’s a digital design associate and is hoping to become head of the communications department at the organization
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This episode is sponsored by Search Press. Bringing you the finest in art and craft instruction books to improve your skills or ignite a new passion.
See Search Press books in your local fiber arts and craft store or view our whole catalog at Search Press North America [www.searchpressusa.com]. Visit Search Press at New York Sheep & Wool Festival, Quilt Market, Embroiderers’ Guild of America, TNNA and many more craft industry events. Use code nap0819 to receive 15% off your book purchase on our website Search Press North America.
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To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

Monday Oct 07, 2019
Episode #154: Teresa Duryea Wong
Monday Oct 07, 2019
Monday Oct 07, 2019
On today's show, we’re talking about the history of Quilts, Inc. with my guest Teresa Duryea Wong. Teresa has authored two books on Japanese quilts and textiles and in early 2019, she published American Cotton: Farm to Quilt.
She currently travels to Japan and throughout the US to research, write, and lecture. She holds a master’s degree in liberal studies from Rice University and in 2014, was named the ‘Faith P. and Charles L. Bybee Scholar’ by the Texas Quilt Museum and the Bybee Foundation.
Teresa is a regular contributor to Curated Quilts magazine and also writes for Art Quilt Quarterly. She is a passionate quilter and also loves making bags and garments.
Next month, she will debut another new book at the International Quilt Festival titled Magic & Memories: 45 Years of International Quilt Festival. This book shares the story of the history Quilt Festival and two women who founded the event.
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This episode is sponsored by Why We Quilt: Contemporary Makers Speak Out, a new book by Thomas Knauer.
In a world of same-day delivery, cutting fabric into small pieces and stitching them back together makes little practical sense. Yet the quilting community thrives.
In Why We Quilt, Thomas Knauer highlights 40 contemporary makers who share not only their stunning quilts, but also powerful insights into what compels them to keep quilting.
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To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.