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Today, we are re-airing an interview from March 2017 with the founders of Electric Quilt, Dean Neumann and Penny McMorris. Dean Neumann passed away this week on September 10, 2026. Dean was the visionary behind EQ software. A mathematician who taught himself to program on a hand-me-down computer from his son, he became known to quilters worldwide through his work on Electric Quilt software. He put his heart into every version. Dean and his wife, Penny, have both been retired from the daily operations of the company for many years now. In keeping with Dean’s wishes, the new team of programmers at Electric Quilt is committed to carrying his legacy forward.   Here is our interview with Dean and Penny.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about sewing clothes with my guest Cornelius Quiring.   When Cornelius Quiring was 3 years old, he was in a farm accident that left his body asymmetrical. He learned how to draft patterns and sew clothes to uniquely fit his body. It was a way of embracing who he is. Today, he shares his skills with those looking to do the same and empower themselves. +++++ This episode is sponsored by GE Designs.    Fill your classroom all year. The Stripology Shop Partner Program from GE Designs gives quilt shops a year of classroom programming, 10% off normal wholesale pricing and free US shipping. Apply at wholesale.gequiltdesigns.com/partner +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about wholesale with my guest Emily Kerr-Finell. Emily is a mission-driven entrepreneur and the founder at Wholesale In a Box and Making Faire Work. A seasoned wholesale strategist, she has helped 2,000+ people start and grow small businesses. Her approach to business has been featured by The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, The Makers Summit, and Entrepreneur Magazine. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Hobbs Bonded Fibers. What’s the best batting for my project? That has to be the question Hobbs Bonded Fibers is asked most often, and there’s so much to consider!   Our recommendation depends on the type of project you’re making and how it will be used; what other materials you’re using; what type of drape and dimension you desire; how light or heavy, and/or cool or warm, you want it to be; how you want the project to perform; and so much more! Reach out to Stephanie Hackney at [email protected] to discuss your next project!   +++++   To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about illustrations and textiles with my guest Kristen Balouch, founder of Little House Cottons, an organic quilting cotton company that produces fabric based on her original illustrations. Kristen is a children's book author, illustrator, and textile designer who has written and illustrated more than a dozen books for children. Her work has been recognized by organizations including the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation and the Society of Illustrators. She founded Little House Cottons, a boutique organic cotton brand featuring her whimsical designs in 2022. She is a graduate of Pratt Institute; her career has spanned more than thirty years, inspired by the universal themes in folk art and color play. She divides her time between a tiny apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and her studio in New York's Adirondacks. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Quilting.com. Right now, quilters across the country are searching online for shops just like yours. The question is — will they find you? Quilting.com is building the go-to directory for the quilting community, and registration is open now. It's free, it's fast, and it puts your business in front of customers actively looking to buy. Visit Quilting.com and register today. Quilting.com is offering a free month's business upgrade to Craft Industry Alliance listeners using Coupon Code: CRAFT2026. +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about surface design with my guest, Carina Garnder. Dr. Carina Gardner is the founder and President of the University of Arts & Design, which offers degrees and certificates through a unique program that helps designers turn their creative skills into profitable businesses. Carina holds a Ph.D. in Design from the University of Minnesota and has spent over 18 years licensing her art and patterns. Her designs have appeared on dishware, jewelry, prints, clocks, sewing patterns, kids' products, and seasonal décor sold through major retailers like Nordstrom, Riley Blake Designs, Silhouette, and 500+ independent boutiques and museums across the U.S. She previously served as Creative Director for Carta Bella Scrapbook Paper. +++++ This episode is sponsored by h+h americas Fall Edition.   Attention Craft Industry Alliance podcast listeners! Mark your calendars for the h+h americas Fall Edition, happening September 30th through October 2nd at the Reliant Center in Houston, Texas! Discover new seasonal collections, source top-quality fiber, fabric, and tools, and build valuable industry connections. Buy your ticket today!  +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about knitting and crochet publishing with my guest Amy Sadler. Amy is the editor of Knitty, as well as publisher and founder of the magazine. In 2002, she suddenly realized she could start an online knitting magazine to feature the knitting talent she'd been seeing on blogs all over the world, all on one tidy, professional-looking website. And here we are 24 years later. Amy is a member of the cohort of late-diagnosed autism and ADHD women of a certain age. She’s into her rescue dog, Sky, rabbits, quirky movies, tiny collectible vinyl toys, everything about Formula 1 racing, and making one very good iced coffee to start every day. She lives in Hamilton, Ontario. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Clothworks. If you're involved in the quilting industry, you're probably familiar with the Clothworks family of brands. From trend-forward print collections and American Made Brand Cotton Solids to the playful world of Susybee, Clothworks creates fabrics that help keep quilt shops and their customers inspired. +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

On this special live episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about Hobby Lobby with my guest Michael Blanding, author of the new book The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation.   Michael is a Boston-based investigative journalist and author of In Shakespeare’s Shadow and the New York Times bestseller, The Map Thief. A former senior writer at Boston Magazine and senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, his work has appeared in The New York Times, WIRED, Slate, Smithsonian, The Boston Globe, and other publications. Visit his website at www.michaelblanding.com. Michael visited the Craft Industry Alliance studio to tape this interview in front of a live virtual audience. +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

In this special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're thrilled to be bringing you a recording of the keynote address at h+h americas 2026. This year our speaker was Natalie Chanin and her talk was called, The Future of Craft Is Collective. Natalie is the founder and creative director of The School of Making, Alabama Chanin, and the nonprofit Project Threadways, reflects on the evolving role of craft in a complex world. Drawing on the Project Threadways manifesto, she explores how making—rooted in joy, creativity, and shared experience—can connect individuals while also building stronger, more resilient and interconnected systems of education, production, and community. This keynote invites the craft industry to chart a path forward through collaboration, shared resources, and collective stewardship—moving beyond preservation to build resilient, regenerative ecosystems for the next generation of makers. +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about stitching with my guest, Mollie Johanson. Mollie is a professional designer, illustrator, and stitcher. She's a contributor to Simply Sewing Magazine, Love Embroidery, and World of Cross Stitching, and is the author of four craft books, including her latest, Stitching Super-Cute Food Kawaii Style. Mollie shares creative inspiration and patterns on her long-running blog, Wild Olive, and has helped thousands of makers discover the charm of hand stitching and other crafts through her Etsy shop, online tutorials, and in-person workshops. She lives in the Chicago area, where she strives to make super cute stitching part of her daily life. +++++ Today's episode is sponsored by Marcus Fabrics. Marcus Block-of-the-Month programs are among the best in the industry, combining unique, beautifully designed quilts with thoughtful, well-organized programs. Their BOMs span a variety of timelines, themes and creative approaches, giving quilters endless options to choose from. +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

We’re so pleased to bring you this special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast. This is a recording of the State of the Industry panel discussion which took place live on stage on May 6 at h+h americas 2026 in Chicago. With over 800 people in the audience, our panelists dove into the biggest issues and ideas the crafts industry is wrestling with right now. It was an exciting conversation among four industry professionals each of whom has a unique vantage point and perspective. Our panelists included independent retailer Erin Love of Firecracker Fabrics in Pittsburgh, crochet designer Natalie Thomas of Detroit Knots, CEO of the sewing notions company Kearing based in China, and COO and President of Michaels Nicholas Bertram.  We hope you enjoy listening to this conversation, and we invite you to join us at h+h americas 2027, which will be held May 5-7 in Chicago.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about the first year owning a brick-and-mortar yarn shop with my guest, Sanjani Ramkissoon. Sanjani is the owner of Stitch & Revel, a yarn shop in Livermore, California, a charming wine country town in the Bay Area, about 45 miles east of San Francisco.  Born in Fiji and raised in the Bay Area since the age of five, she considers herself an accidental business owner, turning a long-held dream into reality when an unexpected opportunity to purchase inventory from a closing yarn shop led her and her husband to take the leap. They opened Stitch & Revel in September 2025, in a new location with a fresh vision and name. Her vision for the shop was to create an experience, not just a place to buy yarn (though that’s important too), but a space where creativity flows and community grows.  +++++ Today's episode is sponsored by Stitchcraft Marketing. If you’re making video, posting to social, sending emails, trying to grow your business, and you’re not sure if it’s working—this is for you. Stitchcraft Marketing is offering our listeners $500 Marketing Checkups: a customized coaching session where we review your channels and give you clear, prioritized next steps. It’s for brands managing their own marketing who want expert direction.  Go to checkup.stitchcraftmarketing.com to apply for a Marketing Checkup. +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about coiled rope basketry with my guest Katherine Lile.   Katherine is the owner of The Mountain Thread Company in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.  She began sewing at age 4, and has always loved building community around creative endeavors.  Since opening her business in 2015, she's been on a mission to inspire, equip, and cultivate a creative community that loves sewing rope!   When Katherine isn't zigzagging coils of rope, you can find her in her garden, cooking with her kids, or enjoying family time in the mountains. +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about quilting and creativity with my guest, Maude MacDonald. Maude is a creative strategist and brand designer who helps small business owners craft brands that feel like home — authentic, cohesive, and entirely theirs. Drawing from the success of her own brand, The Retro Quilter, Maude knows firsthand how intentional strategy, clear visual identity, and thoughtful creative direction can turn a passion project into a recognizable, confident brand. She works with entrepreneurs to refine their messaging, elevate their visuals, and create a brand experience that truly reflects who they are. +++++ This episode is sponsored by GoSadi. GoSadi is the all-in-one platform for craft professionals, simplifying pattern management across e-commerce sites like Etsy, Ravelry, Shopify, and WooCommerce. Powered by AI, GoSadi helps designers & businesses streamline listings, manage pattern libraries, and optimize SEO without the need for technical expertise. With a central hub and a personalized Catalog Landing Page, users can easily showcase their designs, push them to multiple platforms, and focus more on creativity. Visit gosadi.com to start your extended 3-month free trial today. +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about buying and selling a craft business with my guests Lisa Shroyer and Leanne Pressly. This episode is a bit of a different show format because we focus on how to buy or sell a business. So often in the crafts industry, businesses just close, rather than go through a sale process. Part of the reason this happens is that selling a business can be a lot of work. It requires preparation, and the due diligence process can be rough. And part of the reason is that it can be hard to find eligible buyers who truly get the crafts industry and aren’t just looking to make fast cash. But with Stitchcraft Marketing, we have a great seller success story. We invite Leanne and Lisa to share their experience selling and buying a business. Lisa is a lifelong knitter with a career spanning the craft industry, media, and tech. Prior to acquiring Stitchcraft, she worked at Interweave, F+W Media, Craftsy, NBCUniversal, and BiggerPockets. She lives in Colorado, where she spends her weekends hiking and trail running. Leanne is an accomplished entrepreneur and businesswoman with extensive experience in the craft and hobby industry. Leanne founded Stitchcraft Marketing in 2009 and worked with over 300 companies in the fiber and fabric space. Having sold the agency in 2026, Leanne is focusing on getting more time in her craft room, sewing, knitting, making pottery, and lots of sourdough bread. She lives in Colorado and enjoys hiking, skiing, and spending time with her family in the outdoors. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Eucalan. Looking for the best way to care for your handmade and delicate items? Eucalan Delicate Wash is a no-rinse, eco-friendly laundry solution designed for knitwear, quilts, embellished garments, and more. With five gentle scents and a formula that extends the life of your fabrics, Eucalan is a must-have for knitters and crafters alike. Learn more at Eucalan.com. +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about owning a craft store and workshop space with my guest Sarah Ferguson. Sarah is the owner of Craft Habit, a brick-and-mortar retail craft store in Raleigh, North Carolina, which offers adult and youth classes, private parties and events, and youth sewing and craft camps. In 2024, Craft Habit debuted a wholesale line of crochet, embroidery, cross stitch, punch needle, and weaving kits that are all designed by staff and local artists. Our mission for our store, classes, and kits is to bring new crafters into the fold with enthusiasm, encouragement, and a welcoming vibe. When she's not on site at Craft Habit, Sarah lives nearby with her husband and three to four dogs, and sometimes plays tennis. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Fire Mountain Gems & Beads. Fire Mountain Gems and Beads has supported jewelry-making artists for more than 50 years, offering a wide selection of beads, gemstones, findings, tools and creative supplies. Known for quality, consistency and inspiration, Fire Mountain serves designers at every stage—from first projects to established creative businesses. Explore ideas, techniques and trends inside Fire Mountain Gems and Beads’ free catalog, filled with project inspiration and practical resources for designers. Get your free catalog today! +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.