Craft Industry Alliance

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about embroidery as illustration with my guest, Sarah K. Benning.

Sarah K. Benning is an American fiber artist with a nomadic studio practice.  Originally from Baltimore, she attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and received her BFA in Fiber and Material Studies in 2013.  Shortly after graduating, Sarah discovered her love for embroidery, started her own business and has never looked back.

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Today’s episode is sponsored by The Merriweather Council where makers learn that gainful self employment through craft can be a reality and how to make it happen in their own lives. Visit merriweathercouncil.com for more information.

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Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

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. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s mini episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast Kristin Link and I talking about Craft Industry Alliance, a trade organization for craft professionals that we co-founded eight months ago. We're not at 800+ members, we're about to publish the 18th issue of our digital journal, we've held six webinars, and we have active discussions going on every day in our community forums. In this conversation we talk about what membership offers and who it's best for, we review some highlights (and a few frustrations) we've encountered along the way, and we tell you about some of our current members who are doing incredible work.

Membership is open now and the rates are affordable. Invest in yourself and your business this year and join the CIA!

http://www.craftindustryalliance.org

Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

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. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about online learning with my guests, Celeste Olds and Megan Auman. Celeste Olds joined CreativeLive in 2010 and is now the Executive Producer of Production Operations. Megan Auman is a designer, educator and entrepreneur. Her eponymous jewelry line is sold in stores across the U.S. and online. She's also the founder of Designing an MBA. Megan has taught many classes on CreativeLive. We talk about CreativeLive's unique model of broadcasting classes live with a studio audience and the rewards that offers as well as the challenges it presents. Megan shares her perspective on what works as a teacher and Celeste explains how CreativeLive selects teachers and classes for the platform.

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This episode is sponsored by The Merriweather Council - a resource for handmade shop owners who want to learn about how to effectively market their business online from someone who has actually done it. For more information, visit merriweathercouncil.com.

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Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

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. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we’re talking about creativity and drawing and making art with my guest Alisa Burke.

If she’s not making art in her Oregon Coast studio, you can find freelance painter and mixed media artist Alisa Burke blogging, teaching art workshops or crafting her handmade accessories. Whether it's running her creative business, being a mom or adventuring outdoors, she is always looking for inspiration. From drawing, painting, cooking and even the way she raises her daughter, Alisa seeks to infuse creativity into every part of her life.

We talk about Alisa's creative upbringing, the start of her career and how she built a long term plan to quit her day job which she successfully did in 2009. Alisa talks about her open-minded approach to an art career and about how motherhood enriches her daily practice. We talk about rejection, licensing, writing books and creating online classes. Alisa also explains her approach to blogging and using Instagram to build a devoted audience of fans and customers.

Visit Alisa Burke online at http://alisaburke.blogspot.com/.

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This episode is sponsored by Spoonflower. Do you want to learn to design, print and sell your own fabric, wallpaper and gift wrap? Try the Spoonflower Intro to Custom Fabric Design ebook. It's a free download you can read in about 10 minutes and it takes you through every step from uploading your design and creating a repeat pattern to searching the Spoonflower marketplace. Visit try.spoonflower.com/abby and save 15% off your first order by using the code abby15 at checkout.

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Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

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. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about dyeing fabrics and yarns with natural dyes. My guest is Kristine Vejar, owner of A Verb for Keeping Warm and author of The Modern Natural Dyer (STC/Melanie Falick Books). Kristine tells the story of how she became interested in studying textiles. We discuss the challenges of running a business based on naturally dyed fabrics and what it's like to write a book about your passion.

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Today's episode is sponsored by Textillia, the online sewing community. Check them out at http://www.textillia.com.

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Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

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. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about fabric and fabric design with my guest, Kathy Phillips, the Creative Director at Springs Creative. Have you walked into Joann Fabric and seen prints with entertainment brands such as Hello Kitty, My Little Pony, Dr. Who, or Batman? If so, you've seen Springs Creative's fabrics. Springs Creative is a textile company based in South Carolina that creates over the counter fabric by the yard for quilters and sewists. They license dominant global brands, but they're also so much more. Springs Creative owns the Baxter Mill fabric archive, a incredible resource of vintage prints dating back over 100 years. And Springs offers small run digital printing and design services for independent companies. If you're interested in fabric and quilting, don't miss this interview.  

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Today's episode is sponsored by The Quilt Group. Stop missing out on quilt groups because of your busy life. Learn, create, and share on your schedule. Similar to your local quilt group, the online Quilt Group provides yo0u with access to a community as well as monthly exclusive patterns, sew alongs, swaps, guest designers and more. Get access any time, anywhere. Join today at http://www.quilt-group.com.

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Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

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. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast my guest is Linda Permann, the sewing and embroidery Acquisitions Editor at Craftsy.com. Learn what Craftsy is looking for in an instructor and in a class and find out what you can do to develop your skills and following if you'd like to become a Craftsy instructor in the future.

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This episode is sponsored by Amy Barickman. Check out http://www.amybarickman.com to see all of what Indygo Junction offers including sewing and embroidery patterns, fabrics, threads, downloads, and now her new Vintage Notions Monthly magazine.

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Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

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. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about print magazines with my guest, Janine Vangool. Janine is the publisher, editor and designer of UPPERCASE, a quarterly print magazine for the creative and curious. UPPERCASE publishes content inspired by design, typography, illustration and craft. Her magazine and books celebrate the process of making, the commitment to craft and the art of living creatively. Janine tells us that anyone can be featured in UPPERCASE - learn how.

Visit UPPERCASE at http://www.uppercasemagazine.com.

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Today's episode is sponsored by The Precut Store. The Precut Store carries fat quarters, jelly rolls, charm packs, and layer cakes from your favorite fabric manufacturers like Moda, Riley Blake, Robert Kaufman and more. They also carry a wide selection of Aurifil thread. Amazon Prime members receive free shipping and many items can be shipped worldwide. Visit them at http://www.theprecutstore.com.

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Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

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. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about sewing your own clothes with my guest, Heather Lou of Closet Case Files. Heather is a Montreal-based sewing pattern designer and blogger. Once a shopaholic Vogue-reading fashion obsessive, Heather made a deal with herself that the only "new" things that could come into her closet would be things she made. Sewing quickly took over her life.

We talk about Heather's background and transition from full-time employment as a commercial graphic designer to becoming self-employed. Heather explains how she named her blog and talks about her own name online (which is different from her real name). We discuss how she funded her print patterns without a Kickstarter campaign and we talk about the success of two of Heather's patterns: the Bombshell swimsuit and the Ginger jeans. We also think out loud about the future of the Big 4 pattern companies. I ask Heather to recommend great stuff she's enjoying right now.

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Today's episode is sponsored by Amy Barickman, founder of Indygo Junction sewing patterns and books. Visit AmyBarickman.com to find vintage imagery, sewing and craft books, and her new Vintage Notions Monthly magazine. Issues 1 and 2 are now available for purchase individually and soon there will be a monthly subscription option. Check it out at AmyBarickman.com.

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Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

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. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about Etsy Wholesale with Dana Mauriello, the Director of Seller Growth at Etsy, and Rachel Greenwald, the Seller Growth Lead at Etsy. Dana is responsible for managing Etsy's wholesale business and Rachel manages programs that provide seller education to help creative entrepreneurs start and grow their wholesale businesses. Learn what wholesale really means and figure out if it might be right for your business. Find out what exactly Etsy Wholesale has to offer and how the program works. And, of course, I ask Dana and Rachel to recommend great stuff they're enjoying right now.

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Today's episode is sponsored by Spoonflower. Get your designs printed on fabric, gift wrap and wallpaper. Not sure how? Download the free Intro to Custom Fabric Design ebook to get started. Visit try.spoonflower.com/abby to check it out and use the coupon code abby15 for 15% off your first order.

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Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same.

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. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.