Craft Industry Alliance

This week on the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about running a fabric company with my guests Pat and Walter Bravo. Pat and Walter own Art Gallery Fabrics , a manufacturer of premium fabrics for the quilting industry. They are two soulmates who live life with a lot of passion, doing what they truly love. Originally from Argentina, they have been married for 34 years and have an amaz...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking running a wholesale distribution company with my guests Stan and Brittany Gray. Stan Gray is the owner of E.E. Schenck Company , which is a distributor, converter and wholesaler of all types of fabrics and sewing notions servicing customers throughout the world.  After 51 years with the company, he is still involved in the day...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about becoming a fabric designer with my guest, Katarina Roccella .  Katarina was born in 1975 in Belgrade, Serbia where she lives with her husband and three kids that are true inspiration for her work. In 1998 she graduated from the Faculty of Applied Arts at the Department of Graphic Arts and in 2003 got a master’s degree.  ...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about product development and building an embroidery business with my guest, Megan Eckman of Studio MME . Megan is the owner and head designer of Studio MME , a company that creates approachable embroidery kits for modern stitchers. After failing her grandmother's embroidery lessons as a kid, she came back to the craft in 2014...

As we wind up 2018 I’m taking a minute to look back on the podcast this year. We’ve had so many of interviews with guests I truly admire including a whole roster of other artists and designers who have built independent creative businesses that are incredibly inspirational. As we wrap up the year I wanted to turn to you, my listeners, and hear your voices on the show. I make this show for you, and...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about building a business as a surface designer with my guest, Erin Dollar . Erin Dollar is the textile designer behind the home decor brand Cotton & Flax . She's known for her minimalist-modern approach to surface pattern design, and her textile home goods have been stocked in indie retail shops around the world, as well as o...

This is my second annual State of the Quilting Industry show recorded at Fall Quilt Market in Houston, Texas. The show is only open to the trade and it’s a time for quilt shop owners, pattern designers, notion makers, and fabric manufacturers to come together and do business with one another.  In this episode, I sit down with quilt shop owners to talk about how business is going. I did man-on-the-...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about online learning with my guests Ursula Morgan and Julie Roehm. Ursula is the CEO of Creativebug , the award-winning DIY art and craft instruction site with 1,000+ videos for all skill levels. For $9.95/month, consumers have an all-access, no boundaries pass to all their creative interests. In her role as CEO Ursula grew...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about building a career as a quilter with my guest, Molli Sparkles. Molli Sparkles is a multi-award-winning quilt maker who describes himself as a quiltmaker to the stars, fearless leader of the Glitterati, and spiller of truth tea. He blogs at MolliSparkles.com , and is a regular columnist for Make Modern and Textile Fibre Fo...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about going from blogger to author and teacher with my guest, Anne Weil. Anne is the creator of the blog  Flax & Twine  and a designer of patterns and projects that have been published by Martha Stewart, Design*Sponge, Elle Decor, Real Simple, and the Huffington Post. The author of Weaving Within Reach  (affiliate link) and  ...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about building a handmade clothing brand with my guest, Courtney Chu, of the handmade clothing brand CourtneyCourtney . Courtney Chu was trained as an industrial designer and worked as a children’s fashion designer.  She’s obsessed with transforming and saving clothing from landfills through children’s and pet clothing.  Curre...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about building a career in as an expert in the quilting industry with my guest, Ebony Love.  An award-winning author and quilter Ebony is recognized as one of the leading experts in fabric die-cutting techniques. She’s best known as the author of The Big Little Book of Fabric Die Cutting Tips and the featured long arm columnis...

In this episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about creating a quilt show with my guest, Matt Reese. Matt is the owner of Road to California , the premier consumer quilt show west of the Rocky Mountains. Road to California features over 1,000 antique, traditional, art, and modern quilts and awards over $92,000 in prizes to artists from all over the world. 190 vendors come to...

On this episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, 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 fabr...

Please note that we had audio recording issues with this episode. We did our best in post-production, bug the audio quality is not up to our usual standards. We apologize. On this episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, 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, not...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, 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 Qui...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about textile design with my guest, Jen Hewett. Jen is a printmaker, surface designer, textile artist and teacher. A lifelong Californian, Jen combines her love of loud prints and saturated colors with the textures and light of the California landscapes to create highly-tactile, visually-layered, printed textiles.  Jen’s firs...

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about the business of fabric with my guest, Aaron Hoffman and Hailey Hoffman Chisholm of Hoffman California Fabrics. Together, Aaron and Hailey represent the fourth generation of the Hoffman family working in the company that will hit its 94th anniversary later this year.  Hailey works as marketing and sales associate. Her mot...

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about art as community organizing with my guest, Shannon Downey. Shannon Downey is an instigator. Currently, she is the Director of Development for Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Chicago where she raises funds to grow and protect immigrant and refugee rights and power through civic engagement and language access. She’s a...

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about blogging and writing a book with my guest, Florence Knapp. Florence is a quilter and dressmaker. For over a decade she has kept a blog, Flossie Teacakes , where she shares her adventures with a needle and thread and the life that goes on around her stitching. During this time she has designed sewing patterns and her work...

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about building a career as a quilter, teacher, and designer with my guest, Leslie Tucker Jenison. Leslie is an artist who makes contemporary quilts. She creates surface designs with dye and paint, and photography frequently informs her designs, either literally or by way of inspiration. Leslie has been a guest on The Quilt Sho...

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about building a career as a fashion design expert with my guest, Lesley Ware. Lesley helps young fashionistas of all strips discover their personal style and talents through fun and creativity. Her passion for inspiring young people began when she earned her degree in elementary education and continued when she orchestrated a...

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about building an audience around your creative passions with my guest, Lauren Fairweather. Lauren Fairweather is a YouTube content creator, Etsy seller , and independent musician who runs all of her creative businesses from home. This YouTube NextUp winner and mom of one has created videos for many companies including HGTV, S...

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about owning a quilt shop and a premier quilt show with my guest, Jean Wells. Jean is an art quilter who is inspired by nature and the world around her. She’s also the owner of The Stitchin’ Post , a quilt shop in Sisters, Oregon that she’s owned for 43 years, and the founder of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show , a world-renowne...

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about building a career in the sewing industry with my guest, Mathew Boudreaux. Mathew Boudreaux of Mister Domestic learned to sew as a kid, but never really got into it until he had his daughter Helena, who is now four and a half. He thought it would be a great way to connect with her if he could make her cool clothes. With a...