Crafty Planner Podcast

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.

Today's guest is Tricia Royal of Bits and Bobbins. Living in Chicago, Tricia is a sewist, quilter, teacher, artist, wife and mother. She is the founder of the Flickr group, Wardrobe Remix, a DIY street fashion community with over 20,000 members and 88,000 pictures. While exploring textiles, she fell in love with quilting and won third place in the improvisation category at Quilt Con 2015 for her quilt, "This Way". During our conversation, we talk about starting Wardrobe Remix, why quilting is an art form and the greatest lesson she has learned in her creative journey. For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com. 

Today's podcast guest is Amy Butler. Living in Ohio, Amy is an artist, fabric designer for Free Spirit Fabrics, teacher, author, and wife. Considered to be one of the leaders and community builders in the modern quilt movement, we delve into her work style, what motivates her, how she met her husband and best friend, her decision to start Blossom Magazine and more. I hope you enjoy the episode.   For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.    Special thanks to The Confident Stitch for sponsoring this episode. 

Rachel Clark is a wearable artist, pattern designer, lecturer, teacher, and mother. She began creating wearable art in 1973 and teaching on the national circuit in 199o. Known for her intuitive sense of color, Rachel mixes fabric types along with the story behind each piece. Her work has been in one woman shows along with magazines and in the Fairfield/Bernina Fashion Show.  During our conversation, we talk about her journey as a child from Louisiana to her home today in Watsonville, California as well as how she designs her wearable art pieces, getting over the loss of her work and her "organized chaos" working style. I hope you enjoy the episode.   This episode is sponsored by The Confident Stitch, a new fabric store specializing in garment fabrics, modern quilting cottons, and great customer service. At The Confident Stitch, you’ll also find patterns, notions, and everything else you need to feel empowered expressing yourself through fabric. To celebrate Rachel Clark's commitment to wearable art, The Confident Stitch is offering a one-time 10% discount to Crafty Planner listeners. Use the code, RACHEL10 at checkout to receive your discount.   For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website. 

The third interview in my surface design podcast series is Ashley Nickels. Living in San Francisco, Ashley is a quilter, writer and teacher.  She grew up in the quilting community and is the daughter of Sue Nickels, an award winning long arm quilter/author/teacher. During our conversation, we talk about being the daughter of a quilter, the value of personal challenges, how living in Spain changed her perspective, her passion for teaching, and her life's theme song. Special thanks to Dharma Trading Company for sponsoring this episode.    For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com. 

  When I decided to produce a surface design podcast series, Jane Dunnewold was a natural choice. Spanning a thirty year career, Jane has worked in various surface design medias, written several books including Complex Cloth, Art Cloth and Creative Strength Training, is the Past President of the Surface Design Association, and founded the Surface Design Studio at the Southwest School of Craft. Living in San Antonio, Texas, she has her own teaching studio as well as works with her daughter on her Creative Strength Training courses. During our conversation, we talk about how personal challenges shape your work, the connection between psychology and creativity, how our work can be a reflection of our voice, and more. I hope you enjoy this episode. Special thanks to Dharma Trading Company for sponsoring this series. As a second generation customer of their compan

The first in my three part series on surface design is Karen Lewis. Living in Leeds, England, Karen Lewis is a quilter, screen printer, teacher, fabric designer for Robert Kaufman Fabrics, wife and mother. During our conversation, we talk about how she designs her screen prints, the biggest unfounded fear about screen printing, the importance of handmade products and following her passion led to her fabric lines. I hope you enjoy the episode.  For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website.    Podcast music by Mekanism Sound.   Special thanks to Dharma Trading Company for sponsoring this episode. Dharma has all of your fabric printing, painting and dyeing bases covered. Serving the fiber artist community since 1969 with great prices and the best customer support in the industry, Dharma Trading is your source for textile art supplies. You can find them online at dharmatrading.com or call toll free at 800-542-5227. Podcast Listeners can save 10% off their order with promo code Dharma10

Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi is a quilt historian, curator, author, lecturer, artist, wife and mother. She also founded the African American Quilt Guild of Los Angeles and the Women of Color Quilters Network. Passionate about educating the public about African American quilts, Carolyn has curated 17 exhibits including the largest travel exhibit of African American quilts called "Still We Rise: Race, Culture and Visual Conversations" along with having her own quilts in over 70 exhibits. She was named the National Heritage Fellow by the National Endownment for the Arts in 2014 and the Distinguished Scholar and celebrated artist lifetime acheivement award by Faith Ringgold's Anyone Can Fly Foundation. She was inducted into the Quilters Hall of Fame Museum in 2016. During our conversation, we talk about what she considers to be her greatest achievement, dispelling the myth of what an African American quilt might look like, why quilts are her passion, the line between inspiration and appropriation along with art being reflective of a community's social, political and cultural current. As a warning, there are a few explicit words.  Podcast Music by Mekanism Sound For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website.   

Today's guest is Melissa Fehr of Fehr Trade. Living on a boat in England, Melissa is a garment maker, thriving transplant athlete and runner. We talk about her passion for exercise, dealing with a major health issue and the empowerment of making activewear fit for you. We recorded in two segments so you may notice a difference at the end of the episode. I hope Melissa inspires you to follow your dreams and believe in your abilities. Thank you for listening.   For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.    Podcast music by Mekanism Sound. Today's episode is sponsored by imagine gnats.  imagine gnats is a one stop shop for apparel fabrics, printed and digital patterns, and notions. along with everything you need to stitch a handmade wardrobe, you can also find sewing and crafting inspiration on the imagine gnats blog, including pattern reviews, fabric information, and crafting tutorials. see it all at imaginegnats.com and use coupon code "memademay" for 10% off all regular priced items for the entire month of may.      

Continuing my garment sewing podcast series, today's guest is Deepika Prakash of Pattern Review. We talk about what motivated Deepika to create her website in 2001, why she feels that now is our time to sew, the technological changes since she started the website and what excites her about those changes and so much more. I hope you enjoy the episode. For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website. Podcast music by Mekanism Sound. Special thanks to imagine gnats for sponsoring this episode. imagine gnats is a one stop shop for apparel fabrics, printed and digital patterns, and notions. Along with everything you need to stitch a handmade wardrobe, you can also find sewing and crafting inspiration on the imagine gnats blog, including pattern reviews, fabric information, and crafting tutorials. See it all at imaginegnats.com and use coupon code “memademay” for 10% off all regular priced items for the entire month of May.

Today's guest is Alex Anderson. Living in Northern California, Alex is a quilting legend who has written thirty books, is an ambassador for Bernina sewing machines, designs fabric for RJR Fabrics, is a founding partner of the Quilt Show and so much more. During our discussion, we talk about how Alex met Ricky Tims, how she describes her career, the start of the Quilt Show, her advice for quilters developing their voice, what she included in her Quilty Box and how she plans her future projects. This episode is sponsored by Quilty Box. Since 2013, Quilty Box has delivered quilting inspiration to your door each month. Featured artists help curate a collection of the latest fabrics, newest products, and best designs. Treat yourself to a monthly surprise at QuiltyBox.com Podcast music by Mekanism Sound. For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.  

Today's guest is Peter Lappin of Male Pattern Boldness. Living in New York, Peter is a garment maker, partner to Michael and dog dad. During our conversation, we talk about Peter's love for vintage sewing machines and patterns, the story behind his cousin Cathy Lane and why he considers himself a "craftsperson". For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website craftyplanner.com.    Podcast music by Mekanism Sound.   Special thanks to imagine gnats for sponsoring this episode. 

In honor of Me Made May, I'm hosting a series of garment designers/industry leaders on the podcast. My first guest is Kelli Ward of True Bias. Living in Denver, Colorado, Kelli is a pattern designer, garment maker, wife and mother.  During our discussion, we talk about finding identity as a mother, following passion in your career, how she sources fabric and background on her Hudson pant, Southport dress and LoDo dress patterns. I hope you enjoy the episode.    For more information about this episode (including show notes), please check out my website. Podcast music by Mekanism Sound. Special thanks to imagine gnats for sponsoring this episode.