Craft Industry Alliance

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 challeng...

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...

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...

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 compute...

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 Br...

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...

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 o...

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 wi...

Today on the show we’re talking about sewing glamor with my guest Gretchen Hirsch . Specializing in vintage glamour, Gretchen “Gertie” Hirsch is a designer who infuses her passion for sewing into glamorous creations that can be customized for anyone. She got her start as a blogger with the popular Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing, and has collaborated with Butterick and Simplicity on the “Patte...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about modern quilting with my guest Libs Elliott .   Elizabeth (Libs) Elliott is a textile artist exploring the intersection of technology and traditional craft by using generative code to design and make handmade quilts. A deep appreciation for craftsmanship, design history and future-focused applications are all reflected i...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about knitting cute things with my guest Anna Hrachovec.   Anna is a Chicago-based designer and artist who loves to knit little creatures. Just about everything is more fun in tiny knitted form, so she’s inspired by everything! Under her designer brand, Mochimochi Land, Anna has created hundreds (and hundreds!) of knitting pa...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about creating a subscription box with Cheryl Ham. Cheryl Ham is a self-taught knitter who learned the craft with a bit of help from YouTube and a pair of her mother’s long-forgotten and slightly bent, size 9 needles. Cheryl is also the owner of Hypnotic Yarn, which came to life in 2017 after discovering the existence of hand...

In today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re discussing developing a specialty notion with my guest Jenn McMillan of  Sew Fine Thread Gloss . Jenn is a graphic designer, quilter, and fabric-obsessed sewist living in rural Ottawa, Ontario Canada. She likes to call herself the thread whisperer.   Sewing since she can remember, Jenn was taught to sew on an old Singer Featherweight...

Today on the show we’re talking about modern quilting with my guest Porfiria Gomez. Porfiria is a sewing enthusiast, self-proclaimed designer, and blogger. A native New Yorker, Porfiria learned to sew from her mother and how is a modern quilter, teacher, and author.  +++++ This episode is sponsored by Sublime Grafx . Sublime Grafx is the printer of choice for your pdf sewing patterns, digital artw...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about creating a craft magazine with my guest Meghan Fernandes, a co-founder of the independent knitting magazine Pom Pom . Meghan Fernandes is a knitting designer and instructor, as well as creative director at Pom Pom. After 10 years in London, she is now based in Austin, Texas, where she lives with her husband and young da...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about slow stitching with my guest Samantha Hoyt. Samantha Hoyt is the owner and creative director of A Gathering of Stitches , a series of small-scale immersive retreats in Maine for quilters and garment sewists. She has been running the Slow Stitching and Slow Fashion retreats since 2015. The business began as a Maker Space...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about handmade marketplaces with my guest Jon Lincoln. Jon is the founder of Goimagine . He earned many accolades with his prior technology venture within InsurTech including “Insurance Innovation of the Year” and “Top 10 InsurTech Leaders of 2017” which led to a company exit valued at over $44 Million. Never a stranger to ne...

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we’re talking about creating a lifestyle blog and brand with my guest Brittany Watson Jepsen. Brittany is the founder and creative director of  The House That Lars Built , an award-winning website focused on artful living and making. She is the author of  Craft the Rainbow  and her work has been featured in The New York Times, CNN, Vogue, M...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about knitwear design with my guest Andrea Mowry . Andrea is was lucky enough to learn how to knit as a child from her Grandma Ginny. By her late teens, guided by the wisdom of the great Elizabeth Zimmerman and her many books, she began trying to work out her own patterns. After leaving her life as a pastry chef to start a fa...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a yarn business with my guest Amy Small. Amy is a business owner, hand spinner, yarn lover, obsessive knitter, and podcaster. Along with making things, she’s passionate about creative small businesses and yoga! At the heart of her business, Knit Collage is the idea that making things makes us better. This might...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about card making with my guest Simon Hurley. Simon Hurley started cardmaking when he was 12 and loved that each card was a unique canvas to work on. After sharing his work on YouTube, he slowly grew a loyal community of crafters who watched his videos. This led to him filming a cardmaking class at Scrapbook.com when he was 1...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about kits and craft books with my guest Cynthia Treen. Cynthia Treen's charming felt animal designs are classics in the making, with their own stories waiting to be imagined. Explore her threadfollower kits and patterns  or her new book, Wind in the Willows Felt Friends . Her passion for teaching and drafting comes through o...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about knitwear design with my guest, Julie Robinson . A more inclusive fiber industry isn’t just possible, it’s a necessity.  Designer and educator Julie Robinson is leading through example. Julie is known for publishing fashion-forward knitting patterns in an inclusive size range. And her courses on the creative and technical...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about quilting and teaching with my guest, Sandra Lee Chandler . Sandra embarked on her teaching career 38 years ago at Santa Ana Community College. She now teaches at many national shows including Quilt Canada, Stitches West, QuiltCon, Festival of Quilts, and Squam, as well as teaching a weekly virtual quilting class through...

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about creating a craft kit and workshop business with my guest Morgan Spenla.   Morgan is the founder & CEO of Crafter and The Crafter's Box.  Crafter.com  is an online home for makers offering educational videos, kits, patterns and community, The Crafter's Box is a monthly subscription exploring new crafting mediums such as...