Crafty Planner Podcast

Before we get to today's guest, I wanted to let you know that I will be taking a hiatus from the podcast after this episode. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for your support. One hundred and forty episodes is a tremendous milestone and I am proud of the stories I have been able to share and hope it inspired you, the listener.  Living in Brazil, Sarah Watson is an illustrator, fabric designer for Cloud 9 Fabrics, author, mother and wife. She has a degree in textiles from the Savannah College of Art and Design and is passionate about repeat patterning. Well known for her floral and natural illustrations, Sarah supports human and environmental stewardship through volunteer work and donations. As a mother of two young children, she talks about her career evolution, why organic fabrics are important to her and changes she has made since moving to Brazil and becoming a mother. I hope you enjoy the episode.  For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.   

Today's podcast guest is Gillian Whitcombe of Crafting a Rainbow and the Sewcialists. Living in Canada, Gillian is a teacher, sewist, wife and community builder. She learned to sew at an early age and started her blog, Crafting a Rainbow, in 2011. After serving as an editor for the Curvy Sewing Collective, Gillian revitalized the Sewcialists website with collaboration from other sewists. During our conversation, we talk about her love for community building and teaching, the development of the "who we are" series on the Sewcialists, her fun sewing dares and more. I hope you enjoy the episode.    For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.

Today's podcast episode is a bit different than those of the past. I became interested in the Social Justice Sewing Academy  in April of last year while working on my "Make a Difference" series and highlighted their work in this post. Since then, I have watched their progress through social media and saw pieces of their work firsthand at Quilt Con. For this interview, I start with a segment from Colleen Haraden, who is their Operations Director. We recorded before Quilt Con and talked about her volunteer experiences along with how their Quilt Con pieces came together. The second segment is an interview with Sara Trail, the Executive Director. We talk about her work with the Social Justice Sewing Academy along with her creative journey, the lessons she hopes to bring out in her student, the impact of trauma, and her work today. This is a thought provoking episode and I hope you enjoy it.

Today's podcast guest is Kim Eichler-Messmer. Living in Kansas City, Kim is a teacher, author of Modern Color: An Illustrated Guide to Dyeing Fabric for Modern Quilts, fabric designer for Marcus Fabrics, owner of the Kansas City Textile Studio, textile artist and wife. Growing up in a creative household, Kim learned to sew from her father. She received her bachelor's degree in print making and master's degree in fine art/textiles. She has been an artist in residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and currently teaches at the Kansas City Art Institute.  During our conversation, we talk about the common concerns people have in their first fabric dying class, designing her first fabric line, the sustainability of making, when she decides to say no and how she gets out of a creative funk. I hope you enjoy the episode.   For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.

Today's guest is Freddy Moran. Living in northern California, Freddy is a fiber artist, author, teacher, matriarch of quilting and mother of five boys and grandmother to eight girls and five boys. During our discussion, we talk about her relationship with Gwen Marston, her passion for color, how she creates with macular degeneration and her three pieces of advice for quilters. Special thanks to Darling Rose, Jessica Darling's fabric store, for sponsoring this episode. Crafty Planner podcast listeners may use the coupon code SHESCRAFTY for 15% off total purchase OR use HELLODARLING for free shipping. For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.

Today's guest is Ellen Baker of the Long Thread. Living in Atlanta, Georgia, Ellen is a fabric designer for Kokka Fabrics, maker, author of 1,2, 3 Sew and 1, 2, 3 Quilt, as well as being a wife and mother. During our discussion, we talk about changes in the quilting and making community over the last decade, how she integrates imperfection in her design process, crafting as a feminist act and how she shares her passion in her work. I hope you enjoy the episode.   For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com. 

Today's guest is Erin Burke Harris of House on Hill Road. Living in Louisville, Kentucky, Erin is a quilter, maker, author of Quilt Essential and Make Your Own Medallion as well as being a wife and mother. During our discussion, we talk about living with a visual impairment, why she initially held back on the publication of her second book, Make Your Own Medallion, when she heard about another potentially similar book, how her gratitude practice has influenced her daily perspective, why she cut up her color card and more. I hope you enjoy the episode.   For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.

Today's guest is Meg McElwee. Living in North Carolina, Meg is a garment maker and designer as well as author of the book Sew Liberated and Growing Up Sew Liberated, teacher, wife and mother. During our conversation, we talk about how Montessori led to her pattern business, the way her life changed after becoming a "heart Mom", pride versus bravery in clothing choices and so much more. I hope you enjoy the episode. For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.

Today's guest is Rebecca Ringquist. Living in Portland, Oregon, Rebecca is a textile artist, author of the book Rebecca Ringquist's Embroidery Workshops, owner of Dropcloth Samplers, Bernina sewing machine ambassador, wife and mother. During our conversation, we talk about how her work began and has evolved through moves and motherhood, her best tips for thrifting and learning to embroider, why embroidery is her chosen medium and a few of our secret crushes. I hope you enjoy the episode. 

Today's guest is Kathryn Clark. Living in San Francisco and Sonoma, California, Kathryn is a textile artist, maker, wife and mother. During our conversation, we talk about her Foreclosure Quilt series, as seen in the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, how she connects her voice to her work, craft as a fine art medium and more. I hope you enjoy the episode.    For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.

Maritza Soto is today's guest. She is a maker, teacher, wife and mother. Her quilt, Go North, is on the cover of the newly released Modern Quilts book from the Modern Quilt Guild. During our conversation, we talk about the making of Go North, the reaction she received to her "I'm with Her" quilt block, how she approaches both her improv and structured work and more. I hope you enjoy the episode.    For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.

Today's guest is Tara Faughnan. Living in Oakland, California, Tara is a textile designer, quilter, teacher and wife. During our conversation, we talk about how she has developed her sense of color, her double wedding ring and Pine Burr quilts, the importance of valuing your work, and her upcoming role as a Quilt Con judge. I hope you enjoy this interview.  For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.

As the fourth guest in my Slow Making series, today's guest is Mark Lipinski of Pickle Road Studios. After a career in television production, including shows like Oprah, the View, Crossing Over and Sally Jesse Raphael, Mark decided to follow his creative passion and enter the quilting world. Never content to stay on the sidelines, Mark founded and edited Quilters Home magazine, was the co-host of Quilting Out Loud (a television show about quilting), hosted an internet radio station called Creative Mojo, formed the Slow Stitching Movement, while designing fabric and patterns. Through his laid back style and vast experience, Mark has entertained and inspired countless quilters. He is also a devoted father and supported by his life partner. After discovering Mark had a genetic kidney disease, he has changed his creative practice to support his refined sense of self and place. During our discussion, we talk about how the industry has changed since he became involved, how he balances his life as a "sewlebrity", why he started the slow stitching movement and more. I hope you enjoy this thoughtful interview.    Special thanks to Plum Deluxe, a Portland, Oregon based tea company who hand blends small batches of loose leaf tea, for sponsoring this episode. For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.

Continuing October's mini series on the value of slow making, today's podcast guest is Katrina Rodabaugh. Living in New York, Katrina Rodabaugh is a writer, mender, natural dyer, teacher, wife, and mother. During our conversation, we talk about her five year Make Thrift Mend challenge and how one decision about sustainability can lead to a cascade of mindset changes. Being parents of younger children, we touch on how slow making decisions influence the decision making process we try to instill in our children. As makers, we delve into the tender subjects of balancing inspiration with making something your own. We also talk about her Slow Fashion citizen series for Fringe Association and her move from California to New York. I hope you enjoy the episode

  Today's guest is Karen Templer of Fringe Supply Co. and Fringe Association. Living in Nashville, Karen is a garment maker, knitter, store owner, community builder and wife. We talk about her career revolving around her values of content, commerce and community, why she started Slow Fashion October and small changes people can make to create a more conscientious wardrobe. I hope you enjoy our conversation.   Special thanks to Plum Deluxe, a Portland, Oregon based tea company who hand blends small batches of loose leaf tea, for sponsoring this episode. For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.   

Today's podcast is the first in a mini series about slow making and I am honored to present Samantha Lindgren of A Gathering of Stitches as my first guest. Living in Maine, Samantha is a teacher, garment sewist, quilter, community builder and hosts the Slow Stitching and Slow Fashion retreats. We talk about how experience is more satisfying than stuff, the importance of connection and meaning, the closing of her physical space and her evolving career. I hope you enjoy our conversation.   For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.    Special thanks to Plum Deluxe and their fantastic tea subscription service for sponsoring this episode.

Today's guest is Roderick Kiracofe. Living in San Francisco, Roderick is a former quilt dealer, quilt collector, and author of The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort, Cloth and Comfort: Pieces of Women's Lives from Their Quilts and Diaries as well as Unconventional and Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar. During our conversation we talk about the beginning of his quilt collecting, his passion for quilt history, why he took a break from the industry and how he overcame his own form of imposter syndrome to write Unconventional and Unexpected. This is a longer interview but there is so much important quilt and cultural history that I wanted to preserve. I hope you enjoy Roderick's forty year journey and wisdom.  For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.    A special thank you to my listeners who support the podcast through their donations. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Today's guest is Amy Milne, the Executive Director of the Quilt Alliance whose mission is to "document, preserve, and share our American quilt heritage by collecting the rich stories that historic and contemporary quilts, and their makers, tell about our nation’s diverse peoples and their communities." During our discussion, we delve into the importance of preserving quilt history through labels and story, the evolution of the Quilt Alliance's preservation programs including Quilters' Save Our Stories, "Go Tell it at the Quilt Show", Quilters Take Manhattan and Not Fade Away. I hope you enjoy the episode.

For my second interview in a mini series on the historical role of quilts and their preservation, today's guest is Nancy Bavor. Nancy is a quilter, quilt appraiser, wife, mother and the Executive Director of the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, the world's oldest quilt museum. During our conversation, we talk about quilts as a form of creative expression, how museums decide what quilts are acquired along with which exhibits are shown, the idea of credit and derivation in art and more. Nancy's thoughtfulness and extensive knowledge are an excellent addition to the mini series and I hope you enjoy the discussion. For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.

One of the aspects I love about hosting the podcast is the ability it gives me to explore topics of interest. Having spent hours working on a quilt, thinking about the connection we have to makers in the past and making individual decisions about the quilt, one aspect I haven't considered is what happens to the quilt in the long term. Bombarded with consumerist ideas, it seems like an endless cycle of making the latest and newest thing. But who decides what we preserve of this time in quilting history? What will be remembered and by whom? I tackle this topic a bit with Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi and Bill Volckening. Eager to explore the topic more extensively, I'm starting a podcast mini series about the preservation of quilts and the role of quilting making in history. My first is Laura McDowell Hopper. Laura lives in Chicago and is a quilter, teacher, textile preservation specialist and curator at the James B and Rosalyn L Pick Museum of Anthropology. I met Laura at Quilt Con earlier this year and appreciated the opportunity to hear her insightful connection to textiles. We share a love for music and both enjoy exploring the idea of craft and art. During our conversation, we talk about the Pick Museum's upcoming Quilts and Human Rights exhibit as well as why she feels quilt making is a feminist act. I also make a hilarious mistake in the episode. It's a fun conversation and I hope you enjoy it. For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.