Listen to the podcast
We talk with designers and makers about what it really takes to build a creative business. Then we recommend great stuff we're loving right now.
LATEST EPISODE
Podcast Episode #263: Sara Barnes
On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about embroidery and illustration with Sara Barnes.
Sara is an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, an embroidery studio stitching pet portraits and other beloved creatures. Her work has been recognized in American Illustration, Embroidery Magazine, and Uppercase. Sara chronicles the creativity of others through her blog Brown Paper Bag and weekly newsletter, Orts. Her newest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread. When she’s not stitching or writing, she enjoys planning things that bring people together, including Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops.
Never miss an episode! Listen on your favorite podcast player.
THE HOST
Find out what it takes to build a business in the crafts industry. In each episode host, and Craft Industry Alliance co-founder, Abby Glassenberg, interviews a creative entrepreneur to learn about their journey to success. Hear their stories and find out how to earn a living through a love of craft.
FEATURED EPISODES
Podcast Episode #246: Bianca Springer
In this podcast episode, Bianca Springer talks about her career in conflict mediation, sewing, and embroidery.
Special Episode: Justine Tiu, Co-Founder of The Woobles, Live at h+h americas
Today we have a special episode of the podcast recorded live at h+h americas 2023. Our Day #3 keynote was a fireside chat with Justine Tiu, co-founder of The Woobles.
Podcast Episode #238: Gretchen Hirsch
In this podcast interview, sewing pattern designer Gretchen Hirsch traces the development of her career from working in publishing to starting a blog to writing books and creating an indie sewing pattern company.
BROWSE ALL EPISODES
Please note that this show was previously called the While She Naps podcast. On October 1, 2019, it was renamed the Craft Industry Alliance podcast. The name has changed, but the mission of the show, the host, and the style are the same.
Podcast Episode #263: Sara Barnes
In this podcast interview, illustrator Sara Barnes talks about her blog, Brown Paper Bag, and her new embroidery book.
Podcast Episode #262: Beau McCall
In this podcast interview, creative Beau McCall, known as “the button man,” describes his journey into fashion and design.
Podcast Episode #261: Karla Overland of Cherrywood Fabrics
In this podcast interview, Karla Overland of Cherrywood Fabrics explains how she’s built a hand-dyed fabric business.
Podcast Episode #260: Jess Barrera of Sallie Tomato
In this podcast interview, Jess Barrera talks about how she built her bag sewing pattern and supplies business, Sallie Tomato.
Podcast Episode #259: Drew Steinbrecher
In this podcast interview, artist Drew Steinbrecher explains his business journey from graphic design to quilting to mixed media.
Podcast Episode #258: Willie Smith
In this podcast interview, knitting teaching Willie Smith explains his expertise in teaching new knitters to confidently tackle projects.
Podcast Episode #257: Kristina McGrath and Sarah Walworth of Tech Tip Talk
In this podcast interview with Kristina McGrath and Sarah Walworth of Tech Tip Talk we discuss tech editing for knitting patterns.
Podcast Episode #256: Rachel Austen of Elle Crée
In this podcast interview, Rachel Austen explains how she’s built Elle Crée, a paint-by-numbers kit company carried by over 500 retailers.
Podcast Episode #255: Brett Bara
In this podcast interview, craft entrepreneur Brett Bara traces her career from magazine publishing to opening a shop to Hello Bargello.
Podcast Episode #254: Christie Troxell of Ritzy Parties
In this podcast interview, Christie Troxell talks about how she built a party planning business, Ritzy Parties, and how she got involved in the crafts industry as a demonstrator and content creator.
Podcast Episode #253: Austin Rivers from Knit the Rainbow
In this podcast interview, Austin Rivers explains how he came to found Knit the Rainbow, a non-profit organization for homeless LGBT+ youth.
Podcast Episode #252: Sarah Resnick of Gist Yarn
In this podcast interview, Sarah Resnick talks about how she founded Gist Yarn, a weaving yarn company. She traces its growth and success.
Podcast Episode #251: Sally Moore of Parker Avenue Knits
In this podcast interview, Sally Moore explains how she came to own a yarn shop as a litigation attorney in Detroit.
Podcast Episode #250: Jamie Trinier and Jessica Drain of SewTites
In this podcast interview, sisters Jamie Trinier and Jessica Drain talk about how they invented magnetic sewing pins, SewTites.
Podcast Episode #249: Jaren Gibson of Grace Company
In this podcast interview, Jaren Gibson of Grace Company, explains how that company became a leading manufacturer of quilting frames.
Podcast Episode #248: Jen Gubicza of Zooguu
In this podcast interview, Jen Gubicza of Zooguu talks about how she’s built a business designing and sewing plush taxidermy at craft fairs.
Podcast Episode #247: Dana Williams-Johnson
In this podcast interview, Dana Williams-Johnson talks about her journey from blogging about accessories to studying Black women in media.
Podcast Episode #246: Bianca Springer
In this podcast episode, Bianca Springer talks about her career in conflict mediation, sewing, and embroidery.
Podcast Episode #245: Laura Coia
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...
Special Episode: State of the Industry 2023
In this special episode, we’re bringing you a recording of the Stat of the Industry panel from h+h americas 2023.
Podcast Episode #244: Victoria Findlay Wolfe
In this podcast interview, Victoria Findlay Wolfe talks about how she came to be a quilt artist, her art practice, and her love of textiles.
Special Episode: Justine Tiu, Co-Founder of The Woobles, Live at h+h americas
Today we have a special episode of the podcast recorded live at h+h americas 2023. Our Day #3 keynote was a fireside chat with Justine Tiu, co-founder of The Woobles.
Podcast Episode #243: Mary Grabenstatter
In this podcast interview, Mary Grabenstatter talks about how she started a subscription box for garment sewing.
Podcast Episode #242: Diana Baird N’Diaye
This podcast interview is with Diana Baird N’Diaye, senior curator and cultural heritage specialist at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife.
Podcast Episode #241: Elizabeth Silver
In this podcast episode, Elizabeth Silver talks about her career in surface pattern design including in-house and freelance.
Podcast Episode #240: Cadence Kidwell of Fuzzy Goat Yarns
In this podcast episode, Cadence Kidwell talks about leaving her job in academia to move to Georgia and open a yarn shop.
Podcast Episode #239: Stephanie Rohr
In this podcast, Stephanie Rohr traces her journey from being an actor to designing cross stitch patterns with bold, political messages.
Podcast Episode #238: Gretchen Hirsch
In this podcast interview, sewing pattern designer Gretchen Hirsch traces the development of her career from working in publishing to starting a blog to writing books and creating an indie sewing pattern company.
Podcast Episode #237: Libs Elliott
In this podcast interview, modern quilter Libs Elliott talks about how she uses generative AI to create quilt patterns and the development of her career in the quilting industry.
Podcast Episode #236: Anna Hrachovec of Mochimochi Land
In this podcast interview, Anna Hrachovec explains how she began designing knitting patterns for miniature creatures and knitting soft sculptures that she then animates.
Podcast Episode #235: Cheryl Ham
In this podcast episode, Cheryl Ham talks about her journey from working a day job and dyeing yarn as a hobby to starting a sold-out indie dyed yarn subscription box business.
Podcast Episode #234: Jenn McMillan of Sew Fine Thread Gloss
In this podcast episode, Jenn McMillan explains how she came to develop a thread conditioner for hand sewing and how she’s built the business through collaborations with designers and event sponsorship.
Podcast Episode #233: Porfiria Gomez
In this podcast interview, modern quilter Porfiria Gomez talks about how she’s built her business through collaborations with other designers and bigger brands.
Podcast Episode #232: Meghan Fernandes of Pom Pom Quarterly
In this podcast episode, Meghan Fernandes, co-founder of Pom Pom Quarterly, explains how she and a friend she met while working at a yarn shop created and launched an independent knitting magazine that now spans two continents.
Podcast Episode #231: Samantha Hoyt of A Gathering of Stitches
In this podcast episode, Samantha Hoyt shares her journey to owning A Gathering of Stitches, maker retreats that take place at a camp in Maine in the summers, and focus on slow stitching.
Podcast Episode #230: Jonathan Lincoln of Goimagine
In this podcast episode, Goimagine founder Jonathan Lincoln discusses the state of digital marketplaces for handmade goods and why he feels there’s room for one that donates all profits to charity.
Podcast Episode #229: Brittany Jepsen of The House That Lars Built
In this podcast interview, Brittany Jepsen of The House That Lars Built traces her journey from creating giant paper flowers for her wedding to launching a creative brand, blog, and business.
Podcast Episode #228: Andrea Mowry
In this podcast interview, knitwear designer Andrea Mowry traces her creative career from working as a pastry chef to returning to a love of knitting and creating a business with knitwear design that supports her family.
Podcast Episode #227: Amy Small
In this podcast interview, Amy Small talks about how she came to found Knit Collage, her artisan yarn brand. From being a sweater designer for Free People traveling all over Asia, to creating unique chunky yarns that incorporate her love of “trinkets,” this is truly an inspiring entrepreneurial journey!
Podcast Episode #226: Simon Hurley
In this podcast episode, designer and influencer Simon Hurley traces the genesis and growth of his cardmaking business from creating YouTube videos in his parent’s basement when he was 14-years-old, to full-time crafts entrepreneur in his early 20’s.
Podcast Episode #225: Cynthia Treen
In this podcast interview, artist and designer Cynthia Treen discuss the value of writing a book once you’ve built a business that aligns with it.
Podcast Episode #224: Julie Robinson
In this podcast episode, fashion designer and knitwear designer Julie Robinson talks about her creative journey from going to Parsons, to working in the fashion industry, to branching off on her own teaching pattern grading to knitwear designers.
Podcast Episode #223: Sandra Chandler
In this podcast interview, quilt artist and teacher Sandra Lee Chandler talks about how she came to specialize in transforming denim into gorgeous contemporary quilts and explains her unique take on quilt clothes.
Podcast Episode #222: Morgan Spenla
In this podcast interview, Morgan Spenla, founder of The Crafter’s Box, talks about how she built a craft subscription box company.
Podcast Episode #221: Ana Campos
In this podcast episode, Ana Campos talks about the ins and outs of owning a local yarn shop with a witch theme.
Special Episode: The State of the Industry Panel at h+h americas 2022
In this podcast episode, you can listen to the State of the Industry Panel which was held at h+h americas in Chicago on June 22, 2022.
Podcast Episode #220: Stephanie Carswell of Hawthorn Handmade
In this podcast interview, Stephanie Carswell of the craft kit company talks about her business journey from owning a craft gallery to learning to needle felt to creating craft kits that are sold by retailers worldwide.
Podcast Episode #219: Rachel Bratcher of Ritual Dyes
In this podcast episode, Rachel Bratcher, the owner of Ritual Dyes in Portland, Oregon, talks about her journey to dyeing yarn and then opening a brick-and-mortar yarn shop.
Podcast Episode #218: Nicole Snow of Darn Good Yarn
In this podcast interview, Nicole Snow, the founder of Darn Good yarn, explains how she came to run an import business of cast-off silk yarns from India and how she’s expanded the business over the years to include women’s garments.
Podcast Episode #217: Kristina Burkey of Calliope Paperie
In this podcast interview, Kristina Burkey of Calliope Paperie in Natick, Massachusetts, talks about the path that led her to open a stationery store and what it’s like to be an independent retailer.