The Straight Stitch: A Podcast About Sewing and Other Fiber Arts

Send us feedback about this episode! Amy Jackson, the designing force behind Salty Hippo Studio, joins us today for a conversation about the importance of laughter and the delight to be found in the creative journey. From a stuffed rabbit made in a Home Ec class to designing for Free Spirit Fabrics—with a life-changing trip to Africa along the way—Amy’s journey has provided a rich background of experiences on which to draw. She revels in making things by hand and wants every maker to put a bi...

Send us feedback about this episode! Have you ever sewn the size the chart recommended and still ended up with something that didn’t fit? Many designers draft their size ranges from different blocks, so moving from one range to the next can change far more than the measurements. Join Janet for some real-world pattern adjustments, a look at what changes between size ranges, and grading a pattern when your size isn’t on the envelope. Show notes for each episode: www.thestraightstitchpodcast.com...

Send us feedback about this episode! What happens to the fabric, notions, and patterns we never get around to using? In this episode, Emily Yost and Ariel Riccardi of Creative Reuse Montana share about this innovative, volunteer-run nonprofit in Livingston, Montana. The organization collects unused creative supplies and puts them back into the hands of makers, teachers, and community groups instead of landfills. Emily and Ariel share how the organization grew from a single craft supply swap i...

Send us feedback about this episode! This week I’m turning the mic on myself. I spent most of this past summer planning for a new business. A few weeks ago, I launched Sew Something Studio, a new in-person sewing school in Kalispell, Montana. In this episode I walk through what it actually took to get it off the ground: why I decided now was the time; building the website; finding a location (and what makes a space work for sewing classes); getting machines and tables in place; and getting th...

Send us feedback about this episode! Every T-shirt quilt you've ever seen owes something to this week's guest. Andrea Funk invented the puzzle-style T-shirt quilt back in 1992 — ditching the uniform square block in favor of variable-sized pieces that let every graphic, logo, and collar print stay whole and uncropped. In this conversation, Andrea walks through how she landed on the puzzle-piece layout, the practical realities of working with knits, stretch, and graphics, and the details involv...