Craft Industry Alliance
An interview show for creative entrepreneurs.
Episodes
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a crochet business with Amy Ting.
Amy Ting is a Korean-Taiwanese crochet designer based in the Bay Area, California. She is the author of Amigurumi Critters and creator of Curious Papaya. Amy’s amigurumi creations have resonated with a wide audience but especially so with the Asian-American population.
Her designs have been featured in notable ...
Welcome to this special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast.
Today, we’re excited to share with you an interview with Abbie Small. Abbie served as executive vice president and general manager of Simplicity Creative Group, owner of the Big 4 pattern companies. Just last week, Rubelmann Capital, in partnership with Abbie, acquired the company from the bankruptcy auction that was held after Design Group in the UK sold Des...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about living the life of a quilter and writer with my guest Marianne Fons.
Marianne Fons co-hosted “Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting” on public television nationwide for many years, first with Liz Porter and later with daughter Mary Fons.
With Liz, she co-authored Quilter’s Complete Guide, one of the best selling quilting books of all time. Marianne Fo...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a quilting business with my guest Michelle Cain.
Michelle tried rather hard not to become a quilter. After growing up outside of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and having a mom who began quilting in the 1990s, this was a formidable challenge. A chance encounter with Denyse Schmidt’s work, however, introduced Michelle to the world of modern quil...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about bag making with my guest Emma Brassfield.
Emma is a YouTuber, pattern designer, bag sewing teacher and entrepreneur based near London, UK.
After over 20 years in the film industry, helping to make such iconic creatures and costumes as Iggle Piggle (In The Night Garden), The Flash (Justice League), Many goblins (Harry Potter), and Chewbacca (Star Wars), ...
In this special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're so pleased to be sharing the keynote speech from h+h americas 2025 presented by Larrie King.
Larrie King, better known as Mister Larrie, is an arts and crafts content creator, design professor, and creativity enthusiast based in Orlando, Florida. His projects often center on bright colors, bold patterns, and budget-friendly basics, all geared toward making crafti...
On this special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about private equity and it's impact on the crafts industry with my guest Megan Greenwell.
Megan is a journalist who has written or edited for publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, WIRED, and ESPN. She is also the deputy director of the Princeton Summer Journalism Program, a workshop and college access initia...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a cross-stitch business with my guest Zoe Frost.
Zoe is the heart, hands, and creative force behind Junebug & Darlin, a queer owned brand based in Portland, OR. When she's not crafting, you'll find her adventuring through the Pacific Northwest’s pine trees, ferns, and rivers with her partner and a dog or two. Zoe’s artistic journey is deeply...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about ecommerce with my guest Claudia Martinez.
Claudia is the owner of Snuggly Monkey, a craft supply store specializing in hand embroidery, Sashiko, and unique threads and notions from around the world. With over 13 years of experience, she has built a thoughtfully curated collection that reflects her passion for hand stitching and global textile traditions....
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a fabric company with my guest Arvin Pairavi.
Arvin is a visionary entrepreneur and the driving force behind Shannon Fabrics, a leading name in the textile industry known for its luxurious, high-quality Cuddle fabrics. Under his leadership, the company has redefined the market, setting new standards for innovation, craftsmanship, and customer sa...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about punch needle with my guest Micah Clasper-Torch.
Micah Clasper-Torch is a Los Angeles-based artist, designer, and educator helping to lead the modern revival of punch needle rug hooking. With a background in fashion design from The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and the Polytechnic Institute in Milan, Micah blends fine art, heritage cr...
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 7 at h+h americas 2025 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...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we're talking about museum exhibitions with my guests Nora Palermo and Pam Weeks of the New England Quilt Museum.
Nora has served as Executive Director of the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts since 2013. Her broad experience in development for museums, cultural organizations and teaching hospitals brought a strategic approach to improving the NEQM’s finances...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about quilt kits with my guest Michael O'Dell.
Mike is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist who administers anesthesia in a pediatric hospital, but his passion has always been art. He has worked with every material he’s ever had a chance to get his hands on, and quilting came to the fore in 2018 when his wife took up the hobby. As his wife worked on a...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about creating a best-selling art and illustration company with my guest, Mary Engelbreit.
Over 40 years ago, Mary Engelbreit launched her own company with a strong desire for creative freedom and a line of 12 greeting cards. The head of a highly successful business bearing her name, Mary is one of the country’s premier designers and artists. She is known thro...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about running a brick-and-mortar yarn shop with my guest, Annissa Essaibi-George.
Annissa is the owner of Stitch House. She taught at East Boston High School for 13 years before being elected to the Boston City Council. In 2021 she ran for Mayor of Boston.
Annissa recently served as CEO and president of the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston and now is t...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about product and surface design with my guest Hollei Hayes.
Hollei is the owner of Hollei Anne Design Co. After honing her craft for over ten years in the design industry, she made the leap from working in Fortune 500 corporations collaborating with esteemed brands such as Toys R Us and Skip Hop. Now, she's fully immersed in her passion as a Surface and Produ...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about activism with my guest Omakri Williams.
Omkari Williams is the Gold Nautilus award-winning author of Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World (Without A Bullhorn). Her book helps readers identify their “activist archetype" and map a personal action plan for engaging in small, change-making activities with potentially big impacts.
She ha...
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about embroidery with my guest Melissa Galbraith.
Melissa is the fiber artist behind MCreativeJ. She was born and raised in the desert of Washington state where her mother instilled a love of making things by hand at an early age. Melissa shares her love of nature through whimsical and modern hand embroidery kits, hands-on workshops, and her books, How to Embr...
In this special episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we are talking with a variety of industry players about the second bankruptcy of JOANN Fabrics including:
- Grace Dobush, our business reporter for our corporate newsletter Craft Industry Insider
- Molly Hamilton from Folkwear Patterns
- Aaron Leventhal, former CEO and owner of Hero Arts
- Venture capital investor Elizabeth Caven
- And Kansas City-based fashion designer Whi...
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