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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
PodcastEpisode #275: Deborah Balmuth
On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about publishing books with my guest Deborah Balmuth.
Deborah Balmuth retired from Storey Publishing on September 30 after 31 years with the company. She began as an editor, became editorial director in 2003, and publisher in 2013. She especially enjoyed expanding Storey’s library of craft and herbal titles, working with authors including Helen Hiebert, Saffiyah Talley, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Kari Chapin, Thomas Knauer, Megumi Inyoue, Rosemary Gladstar, and Shannon Downey, to name a few. In her retirement, she’s looking forward to becoming a consumer of Storey books, with days filled with crafting, cooking, and making.
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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 #275: Deborah Balmuth
In this podcast interview, Deborah Balmuth traces her career as editor and publisher at Storey Publishing in Western Massachusetts.
Podcast Episode #274: Julie Fei-Fan Balzer
In this podcast interview, mixed media artist and teacher Julie Fei-Fan Balzer traces her artistic journey and shares her philosophy.
Podcast Episode #273: Jenifer McShane
In this podcast interview, documentary filmmaker Jenifer McShane talks about her new short, The Quilters, about men quilting in prison.
Podcast Episode #272: Andrea Tsang Jackson
In this podcast interview, artist and quilter Andrea Tsang Jackson talks about the intersection of art and education in her work.
Podcast Episode #171: Megumi Inouye
In this podcast interview, gift wrapping artist Megumi Inouye discusses the art of wrapping and explains her new book on the topic.
Podcast Special Episode: 2024 Golden Scissors Award Winners The Loose Ends Project and Allyson Allen
In this episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we talk to 2024 Golden Scissors Award Winners Loose Ends Project and Allyson Allen.
Podcast Special Episode: 2024 Golden Scissors Award Winners Ali Pate and Elizabeth Okeyele
In this episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we talk with 2024 Golden Scissors Award Winners Ali Pate and Elizabeth Okeyele.
Podcast Episode #268: Amber Kemp-Gerstel
In this keynote speech given at h+h americas 2024, Amber Kemp-Gerstel traces the development of her craft career.
Podcast Episode #267: Krista West of Avlea Folk Embroidery
In this podcast interview, Krista West talks about her path from creating vestments for the Greek Orthodox Church to embroidery patterns.
Podcast Episode #266: Kelly Brooks of Knitbrooks
In this podcast interview, Kelly Brooks talks about creating handcrafted wooden crochet hooks for her company, Knitbrooks.
Podcast Episode #265: Heather Lou
In this podcast interview, Heather Lou gives us an update on her businesses, Closet Core Patterns and Core Fabrics.
Special Episode: State of the Industry 2024
Four speakers representing various vantage points in the crafts industry consider the challenges and opportunities of the coming year.
Podcast Episode #264: Lauren Tilden
In this podcast interview, artist and shop owner Lauren Tilden talks about her journey to creating as stationery line and owning a store.
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.