Craft Industry Alliance

Abby Glassenberg
  • 4.8 (11)
  • Crafts
  • Updated fortnightly

An interview show for creative entrepreneurs.

  1. 15 Aug

    Episode #318: Carina Gardner

    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.

  2. 3 Aug

    Episode #317: Amy Sadler of Knitty

    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.

  3. 16 Jul

    Special Episode: Michael Blanding, Author of The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby

    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.

  4. 2 Jul

    Special Episode: Natalie Chanin

    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.

  5. 12 Jun

    Episode #313: Mollie Johanson

    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.

  6. 29 May

    Special Episode: State of the Industry 2026

    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.

  7. 17 May

    Episode #312: Sanjani Ramkissoon on the First Year of Owning a Yarn Shop

    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.

  8. 29 Apr

    Episode #311: Katherine Lile of The Mountain Thread Company

    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.

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4.8
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

An interview show for creative entrepreneurs.

Information

  • Creator
    Abby Glassenberg
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2026
  • Episodes
    341
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2013 Abby Glassenberg. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Craft Industry Alliance

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