Episodes

Monday Aug 07, 2023
Episode #246: Bianca Springer
Monday Aug 07, 2023
Monday Aug 07, 2023
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about sewing, quilting, and embroidery with my guest Bianca Springer.
Bianca Springer is a garment sewist, pattern designer, sewing instructor and experimental quilter. She is the creator of unique sewing pattern weights to improve sewing efficiency and speed. Bianca is a contributing writer for Sew News magazine, Creative Machine Embroidery magazine, and is a fiber artist. Bianca shares her talents as a Brand Ambassador for Shannon Fabrics, Nature’s Fabric and is an Arrow Creator. Bianca is the author of the newly released book, Represent! Embroidery. Stitch 10 Colorful Projects & 100 Designs Featuring a Full Range of Shapes, Skin Tones & Hair Textures.
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Today's episode is sponsored by Craftsy.
Calling all crafters! Are you ready to dive deep into your favorite crafting projects and learn new techniques along the way? Then it's time to join Craftsy Premium Membership. For ONLY $1.49, you'll receive a full year of access to expert-led tutorials, patterns, and projects in every category you can imagine. With a massive library of resources at your fingertips, you'll be able to create your best work yet and bring your crafting dreams to life. Don't wait – sign up now at CraftsyOffers.com and discover the endless possibilities of Craftsy Premium Membership!
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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.

Sunday Jul 16, 2023
Episode #245: Laura Coia
Sunday Jul 16, 2023
Sunday Jul 16, 2023
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about YouTube with my guest Laura Coia.
Laura is the host and creator of the YouTube channel Sew Very Easy. The channel has 454,000 subscribers and 976 videos that she’s produced over the last nine years, all focused on sewing and quilting. Laura has over 45 years of sewing experience. She’s written for several sewing and quilting magazines, written two books with C&T publishing, and was awarded the Silver YouTube Award from YouTube.
Laura’s teaching style is relaxed and encouraging to novices and experienced sewists alike. Her goal is for viewers to simply spend more quality time in the sewing room.
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See the entire selection of row counters, and brain saving gadgets at Twiceshearedsheep.com Podcast listeners can take 20% off their first order by using the coupon code CRAFTINDUSTRYTHANKS .
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.

Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
Special Episode: State of the Industry 2023
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
We're so pleased to bring you this special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast recorded at h+h americas 2023 on June 21 in Chicago. The trade show opened with this State of the Industry panel discussion with over 500 people in the audience. Our four panelists are: Hedi Ehlen, Kamaca Champion, Steve Jeffery, and Jan Hurwitz. We discuss where we are as an industry right now, what challenges and opportunities we're facing, and where we need to go in the year to come. We hope you enjoy this conversation.
Join us at h+h americas 2024 May 1-3 in Chicago!

Monday Jul 03, 2023
Episode #244: Victoria Findlay Wolfe
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Monday Jul 03, 2023
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about quilting with my guest Victoria Findlay Wolfe.
Victoria’s work balances between art quilting, traditional & modern quilting styles, and reflects her passion for exploring the fine art of quilting in the modern age. A farm girl raised in Minnesota, her influences are heavily based on her grandmother’s scrappy colorful double knit polyester quilts. Victoria considers her process as an artist/storyteller by incorporating memories of life, travels and nature to all that she does.
Victoria is an international award-winning artist and quilter. She teaches and lectures on Creativity and Process, is a fabric designer, author, and an online shop owner where she sells her own products. Her quilts have been exhibited all over the globe, including Japan, Australia, and London. And she loves her family even more than quilts!
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Today's episode is sponsored by Craftsy. Calling all crafters! Are you ready to dive deep into your favorite crafting projects and learn new techniques along the way? Then it's time to join Craftsy Premium Membership. For ONLY $1.49, you'll receive a full year of access to expert-led tutorials, patterns, and projects in every category you can imagine. With a massive library of resources at your fingertips, you'll be able to create your best work yet and bring your crafting dreams to life. Don't wait – sign up now at CraftsyOffers.com and discover the endless possibilities of Craftsy Premium Membership!
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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.

Friday Jun 30, 2023
Friday Jun 30, 2023
In this special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we are very excited to bring you a recording of our Day 3 keynote at h+h americas 2023, a fireside chat with Justine Tiu, co-founder of The Woobles.
The Woobles is a company that makes learn-to-crochet kits for complete beginners. Through The Woobles, Justine has taught over 200,000 people how to crochet. Before starting The Woobles, Justine was a User Experience Designer at Google. Drawing on her background in user research and product design, she creates easy-to-follow and aesthetically pleasing experiences for the beginner crocheter.

Monday Jun 19, 2023
Episode #243: Mary Grabenstatter
Monday Jun 19, 2023
Monday Jun 19, 2023
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about creating a subscription with my guest Mary Granbenstatter.
Mary is the owner of Needle Sharp, a monthly subscription sewing box service she founded in 2017 that offers curated garment projects as well as fabric and patterns. The company is a culmination of Mary’s love of crafting in her youth, her knowledge of computers and design from her editing experience, and her invaluable experience in retail from Barnes and Noble. Every day, she feels like she's learning and improving as a sewist.
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This episode is sponsored by the Nome Schoolhouse in Nome, North Dakota.
Looking to host your own unforgettable arts and crafts retreat? Look no further than the Nome Schoolhouse! Our stunning venue is ready to be the backdrop for your next creative endeavor.
Whether it's with friends, colleagues, or fellow creatives, gather your tribe and let us take care of the details.
At the Nome Schoolhouse, we understand that what truly matters is letting your imagination soar. That's why we provide the perfect setting, allowing you to focus on what's important: your creative journey.
So, bring your ideas to life in our inspiring space. Unleash your creativity, surrounded by the charm and tranquility of the Nome Schoolhouse. Book your arts and crafts retreat today, and let the magic begin.
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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 Jun 05, 2023
Episode #242: Diana Baird N’Diaye
Monday Jun 05, 2023
Monday Jun 05, 2023
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about folklore with my guest Diana Baird N’Diaye.
Diana is a senior curator and cultural heritage specialist at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. She previously held positions as folk arts program analyst at the New York State Council on the Arts and curator-in-chief at the Muse Community Museum of Brooklyn, New York.
Dr. N’Diaye is also a maker, creating quilts, necklaces, clothing, bags, and everything in between. As a maker, her focus is to provoke conversations and contemplations around identity, heritage, healing, and the social terrain in those of the diaspora. Utilizing her creativity as an anthropologist, Diana’s travel and research permeate through her work. Her art is shaped by her identities as a citizen of global Africa and 2nd generation transnational.
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Today's episode is sponsored by Craftsy.
Calling all crafters! Are you ready to dive deep into your favorite crafting projects and learn new techniques along the way? Then it's time to join Craftsy Premium Membership. For ONLY $1.49, you'll receive a full year of access to expert-led tutorials, patterns, and projects in every category you can imagine. With a massive library of resources at your fingertips, you'll be able to create your best work yet and bring your crafting dreams to life. Don't wait – sign up now at CraftsyOffers.com and discover the endless possibilities of Craftsy Premium Membership!
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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 May 15, 2023
Episode #241: Elizabeth Silver
Monday May 15, 2023
Monday May 15, 2023
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about surface pattern design with my guest Elizabeth Silver.
Elizabeth is a professional surface pattern designer with 20 years in the industry. Her colorful patterns and illustrations are regularly featured in major retailers like Target, Michaels, and Walmart and she licenses with over 30 partners. She uses her experience in numerous product categories to teach beginner surface pattern designers how to move past overwhelm and obstacles to create a profitable creative business through courses, YouTube, and blog content.
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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 May 01, 2023
Episode #240: Cadence Kidwell of Fuzy Goat Yarns
Monday May 01, 2023
Monday May 01, 2023
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about owning a yarn shop with my guest Cadence Kidwell.
Before Cadence opened her yarn shop, Fuzzy Goat, she was at Florida State University – where she taught Creative Writing, Multicultural Literature and designed a certificate program for students to develop cultural competencies. University life instilled a strong core of service to people seeking to improve their lives.
One of her favorite pieces in her yarn shop is a SERVICE sign over the counter, announcing that the team is there to serve. In her mid 50’s Cadence decided that she could either steady-on into her last decade of university life or she could join the makers’ life – make a business from a rough-worn building & fill it with beautiful yarns made by strong women. Something she learned at FSU was the value of conversation among those that see the world differently – something that used to happen at, say, bowling leagues, and is disappearing in our lives.
Cadence believes that knitting creates that space where conversation across generations and life experiences is valued and sought after.
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This episode is sponsored by Craftsy. Calling all crafters! Are you ready to dive deep into your favorite crafting projects and learn new techniques along the way? Then it's time to join Craftsy Premium Membership. For ONLY $1.49, you'll receive a full year of access to expert-led tutorials, patterns, and projects in every category you can imagine. With a massive library of resources at your fingertips, you'll be able to create your best work yet and bring your crafting dreams to life. Don't wait – sign up now at CraftsyOffers.com and discover the endless possibilities of Craftsy Premium Membership.
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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 Apr 17, 2023
Episode #239: Stephanie Rohr
Monday Apr 17, 2023
Monday Apr 17, 2023
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about cross stitch with my guest Stephanie Rohr.
Stephanie Rohr is a cross-stitch designer, artist, and author. She is known as StephXstitch in the craft world, after giving that name to her Etsy shop in 2010. Stephanie's work fits into the subversive cross-stitch movement, with a focus on traditional design elements paired with humor, pop-culture references, and feminist and political themes. Stephanie created cross-stitch designs for Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign merch in 2020. Her work has also appeared in TV ads for the Chicago Blackhawks, and on the Comedy Central show "Key & Peele". Stephanie herself appeared on the web series "Craft Room Crash", and was a speaker at Midwest Craft Con in February 2020.
Her first book, Feminist Cross-Stitch, was published in 2019. In 2021, her book was infamously pulled from the shelves of Michael's, which led to an interview in the New York Times. Stephanie and her work have also been featured on the cover of the Chicago Reader, and in Craft Business Magazine, Cross-Stitcher Magazine, Cross-Stitch Crazy, and the front page of Reddit. Her latest book, Self-Care Cross-Stitch, was published in November 2022.
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This episode is sponsored by Kinship Handwork. Tina with Kinship Handwork teaches women how to sew clothes they love so they feel beautiful, empowered, and connected. Through garment sewing retreats on Mackinac Island, virtual sewing workshops and courses that feel like an in-person experience, and her new podcast In Kinship. In Kinship is a podcast for makers who crave a vibrant life on their own terms. Get 20% off the next course or workshop you join with the coupon code CRAFT. Go to Kinshiphandwork.com and click on workshops.
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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.