Our guest in this episode is Robyn Cuthbertson. Born in Melbourne Australia and raised in Lower Plenty (about an hour northeast of Melbourne), she learned to sew from her mom. Robyn was always interested in crafting, so sewing was a natural progression for her. She graduated from Melbourne University with degrees in Engineering and Physics and spen…

Designer, author, educator, and entrepreneur Jessica Barrera is our guest in this episode of Sew & So. Born and raised in Wisconsin, she learned to sew at an early age. She studied entrepreneurship at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. When not running her growing company, she enjoys coffee, being a mom, coffee, home decorating, travelling a…

(2:04) Karen brings us back up to speed on how she learned to sew. Her mom was the influencer on her – one of six children who learned to sew at the age of 6! Hear how this all began for Karen. (4:03) Were any of her sewing skills applicable for her training and life as an astronaut? Yes, they were…she explains here. (4:55) How did Karen get into t…

Travel with us to Andalusia, Spain for an amazing conversation with Cristina Arcenegui Bono whole cloth quilter extraordinaire! (2:27) How did Cristina learn to sew? Well…she never really did! (3:15)Who is her inspiration? How about her 40 cousins?! And wait…there’s more! (5:16) Cristina started out her career in the Travel & Tourism industry in Lo…

Handbag Designer 101 – is synonymous with Emily Blumenthal as she has done it all. What makes her different is that she takes her creations one step further in teaching not only HOW to design…but what to do next with your creations. Born and raised as a New Jersey Girl, she now makes her home on the lower East side of New York. (2:55) It was the en…

Only coming to quilting 5 years ago, Linda Diak has had a life full of creativity. She’s raised and sheered her own sheep for fibers to spin. She’s crafted knitting needles and crochet hooks, and beautiful bespoke art quilts. Her newfound love for quilting began at a chance opportunity to sit down at a long arm and well…let’s let her tell you more.…

Owner of Kinship Handwork, Tina VanDenburg has lived life others simply dream of. Ready for chances, and learning from experiences, Tina left no stone unturned in searching for passion, peace, and a fully lit-up life. Born and raised near Grand Rapids, MI, her sewing journey began when she couldn’t find cloths that fit her body. Before that she liv…

Show Notes: Yvette Todd Yvette Todd’s creation Stash Hub is only one year old, but it’s already made bold strides in helping sewists organize their fabric, patterns, and plan sewing projects. Only sewing since 2020, Yvette grew up in Portsmouth England. She attended the University of Bath where she met her husband…a union that proved essential to t…

Show Notes: Susan Khalje Susan Khalje joins us for this episode of Sew & So to take us into the world of couture sewing. Owner of the eponymous Susan Khalje Couture, she is also the longest contributing author to Threads Magazine. www.threadsmagazine.com Author of Bridal Couture and Linen and Cotton she also hosted Sew Much More on HGTV, teaches in…

Sarah Veblen from Sarah Veblen Clothing Originals has led a life dreaming of owning hew own business and in 1985 it all came true. Now an Haute Couture mainstay, she shares her story of taking chances and achieving her dream! (2:28) Sarah shares her story of learning to sew…her mom said she was already sewing circles around her by 9th grade. She al…

Our guest today is Kelly Dempsey – a sustainable fashion designer and Project Runway Season 14 runner-up. She has become a leading voice for sustainability and equitability in the fashion industry and has been featured on Good Morning American and in Marie Claire. Born and raised in Munsen, MA, Kelly taught herself to upcycle when she was 9 years o…

Born in Salinas Kansas and eventually raised in Oklahoma, Kenneth knew at a very young age who he was and what he wanted to do. He just didn’t understand the road he would travel to get there. He earned a BS in fashion merchandising from Central State University in Wilberforce, OH and learned pattern making in San Francisco from Paris trained Simmi…

Our guest in this episode is Catherine Stephenson who lives in Ajijic, Mexico. The owner and name behind Catherine Stephenson Couture, she’s been in the sewing world doing what she loves for more than 35 years. Originally from Portland OR, she travelled to Madison WI to earn her BA in textiles and clothing from the University of Wisconsin. Returnin…

(3:00) Her thirteenth birthday was a watershed event as she received her very first sewing machine – it was second hand. Sewing by necessity she hand sewed up until this time. (4:18) Who’s the equivalent of Barbie in the UK…Philippa tells us about these dolls. (5:19) Philippa shares the training regimen people who want to learn to sew must follow. …

(2:28) Maritza shares the beginnings of her sewing learnings and her journey of improvement. She takes us through her progression in costume creation and how she was affected by the events of 9/11. She even “almost” had an opportunity to meet Mikhail Baryshnikov. (15:21) She grew up in a circus family and gives us a first-hand account of what it wa…

(2:25) Abby shares why she initially didn’t like sewing when she took her first course in high school. But reading Vogue magazine turned this around for her as she wanted the fashion she saw in the magazine – but couldn’t afford. She also talks about how her children were the genesis of her learning to sew for uniquely sized people. And she talks a…

Show Notes: Mary Grabenstatter (1:40) Mary shares her story about why arts and crafts were important to her as a child. Hear about the origami birthday party and her favorite crafts! (3:20) Studying French and Film in college and working at Barnes & Noble her early adult years were filled with many experiences…starting with being a chemistry major.…

R'Bonney Gabriel is an eco-friendly fashion designer, model, and sewing instructor based in Houston, TX, and New York City who also happens to be the current Miss Universe titleholder. Born in Houston, TX she became the 1st Miss Universe of Filipino descent. As the first Filipino American to win Miss Universe and Miss USA, much of her platform is a…

(2:39) The opening ceremonies raised the excitement of the crowd – kicked off by Paul Ashworth – President of BERNINA of North America. (https://www.sewandsopodcast.com/episodes/episode-22-paul-ashworth) He was followed by several more BERNINA luminaries…Christy Burcham - VP Training and Education BERNINA of America, Claudia Stauber – VP Marketing …

Born in China, raised in her early years in Germany, Yaya moved on her own to the United States in 1998 while still a teen. It didn’t take her long to make a name for herself in the cosplay community. Now a successful designer, model, author, tv personality and social media influencer with more that 3 million followers. (2:24) Yaya tells us of how …

Cookie Washington, born in Morocco, is a fourth-generation needle worker, award winning textile artist and guest curator of the African American Fiber Arts Exhibit which is part of the North Charleston Arts Festival. Her passion for fiber art is infectious and she comes from a long line of sewists dating back to her great-grandmother. She’s been se…

Amanda Carye, the owner of Broadcloth Studio and the co-host of Quilt Buzz has been quilting “since forever”. On this episode she shares her journey outside her comfort zone and shares her adventures in starting both her business and podcast Show Notes Amanda Carye, who owns Broadcloth Studio and hosts the Quilt Buzz Podcast has been quilting for h…

(2:30) Alex takes us back to the beginning of her sewing journey and tells us of the first thing she ever sewed! (4:47) Alex takes back to her very first quilt studio and tells us of the moment she began to take herself seriously as a quilter. The “Quilt Life” (7:25) became a mantra for her as she found that she really belonged…Alex explains how th…

Jedimanda is a professional seamstress, author and avid costumer. She’s been features in numerous publications, won awards for her costuming, and loves travel as much as she loves cosplay. At (1:54) she tells us why C2E2 Chicago is her vary favorite convention…and shares the story of how she learned to sew…and how this led to her first job in colle…

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo or C2E2 is a Chicago fan convention dedicated to comics, pop culture, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. Now celebrating its 13th year, this event is a place for self-proclaimed geeks, nerds and introverts to connect and fit in. We had full access to attendees, vendors, fa…

Aleeda Crawley, President of the Modern Quilt Guild shares her personal journey into the world of quilting and tells of how she became president of the guild. The Guild itself is a powerhouse in the world of quilting – she tells us about its purpose and overall work. The Guild can be found at www.themodernquiltguild.com. Karen Cooper – Executive Di…

Growing up in South America, Nick spent his days under a tree drawing his mother’s dress designs for the diplomatic parties she attended with his father…an American diplomat in Caracas. He called her “Jay-Lo before there was Jay-Lo”! He credits his success to his mom for her support and encouragement. Learn too who Nick considers his mentor. (5:36)…

This exclusive/all-access episode takes you through the 2023 version of SewExpo at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup, WA In it’s 39th year, the Sewing and Stitchery Expo was back in full force after a two year Covid 19 hiatus. Hear directly from Show Manager Janet McLoughlin and Education Manager about how they were brought out of retire…

This exclusive all-access episode takes you through the 2023 version of QuiltCon in Atlanta, Georgia. The definition of Modern Quilting varies from person to person. Hear the thoughts of Modern Quilt Guild (MQG) President Aleeda Crawley, Karen Cooper Executive Director of MQG, Christa Watson BERNINA Ambassador, Last Year’s Keynote Speaker Latifa Sa…

(2:00 – 6:35) She begins the conversation by explaining that she learned to sew with her grandmother’s basement sewing machine, using fabric from her grandma’s (who she never met) magical craft cupboard. This cupboard held all of her deceased grandmother’s scraps, thread, etc., and inspired her with her grandmother’s spiritual presence. In high sch…

Sarah Ramberg worked for an environmental engineering and consulting firm for 15 years. After being laid off in 2017, she decided to turn her passion for sewing with flannel and upcycling into a full-time career. Sarah was bitten by the antiquing, thrifting, and garage sale bug when she was in Junior High. Today, she feels a fundamental need to rep…

A wrinkled dress changed the trajectory of Brooks Ann's career. It all began her senior year at Centenary College, where she was a theater major. She had been cast in a play and was behind the stage when the head of the department, “a brilliant, but grumpy old man,” noticed her dress was wrinkled he sent her off to iron it. When she confessed, she’…

A lifetime learner and prolific entrepreneur, Carina Gardner learned to sew by sneaking downstairs and using her mom’s sewing machine to create Barbie clothes from fabric scraps. As time went on, she found herself in the scrapbooking world at a time when scrapbooking crossed over into fabric. The first fabric company she designed for was Northcott.…

Sue O’Very Pruitt’s love of sewing began very early and has taken her to places near and far. She went from designing dresses for her Barbie doll at six years old to creating customers at Busch Gardens when she graduated college. After leaving Busch Gardens, she created costumes on a cruise ship for six months, before going on to become lead design…

Carson Converse is not a minimalist by nature, although she does value simplicity. She also loves doing intricate detail. She describes her process as reductive art because she often starts by throwing a lot of fabric and inspirational images on the wall and then expanding and contracting until the piece feels quiet and still. In her own words, “I …

In this special episode, you’re going to meet seven special organizations…charities that use sewing or quilting to care for people who are struggling because of where they live, the health burdens they carry, or injuries they sustained in service to our country. Come with us as we meet the extraordinary who care for the exceptional. :37 Our first v…

Experience the Houston Quilt Festival through this episode chock full of personal and informative conversations. We meet BERNINA educators from the exhibit hall stage – Connie Fanders, Amanda Murphy, and Sylvain Bergeron. Show prize winners Angela Petrocelli (grand prize winner), Debbie Corbett, Sue Sherman and Kestral Michaud describe in detail th…

Linnca Stevens is the co-founder of The Sewing Labs – a non-profit in Kansas City, MO whose mission is to create a community and teach sewing toward employment, entrepreneurship, and enrichment. Hear Linnca’s biographical journey toward where she is today and why she started the Sewing Labs. Her grandmother Margaret, a Swedish immigrant taught her …

Tula Pink grew up in California, graduated from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles and worked briefly as an exhibit designer for museums in SoCal. She eventually joined the music industry as an Art Director designing album covers for numerous notable artists. After about 5 years, she left her job… and California…landing in the Midwest. T…

Maker, quilter, knitter, spinner, and painter, Leanne Pressly is the founder and CEO of Stitchcraft Marketing, which she launched in 2009. Leanne also hosts the podcast, Business of Craft. She is a certified consultant with a Colorado Small Business Development Center, where she consults with new entrepreneurs in a variety of businesses.Be sure to …

Cosplay, the art of combining costume and role play, grew out of the practice of costuming at science fiction conventions. Over the past couple of decades, it has really taken off and become its own subculture. Desi believes cosplay can be inspired by Japanese anime characters, a Western comic book character, a Disney character, whatever inspires y…

Although Teresa comes from generations of makers, she was the first to pursue quilting as a career when she, as she puts it, “stumbled into the quilting industry.” It began in 2011 when she joined the crew at the Fabric Shop Network and then became editor of Websense magazine. Teresa started out making garments using patterns from The Big Four. Fro…

While at the University of Alabama, Leah Kate got a lot of experience with leotards, both as a dancer and as part of the costume department. What she found was that rarely did they properly fit all women’s body types. Knowing that one of the first rules of dancewear is that it should enhance movement, not burden it, she set out to create styles tha…

When HollyAnne was caring for her babies and in the throes of post-partum depression, quilting was what she did to “feed her soul,” and her online quilting community was her soft place to land. Once she discovered modern and modern-traditional quilting, she quickly fell down the rabbit hole, and upon watching a free motion quilting class online, he…

This is your full access pass to the exclusive/annual BERNINA dealer conference – BERNINA University. Join us in Palm Springs, CA for this 53rd gathering of BERNINA dealers, BERNINA partners and BERNINA staff from both BERNINA of America and BERNINA International – Switzerland and beyond. Hear about the brand-new products BERNINA is unveiling in 20…

Make time to settle in for the duration of this fascinating conversation with Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably. Learn how Kaffe chose his name, about how a chance meeting on a train changed his life, and about the three women that had a profound effect on him and his career. Hear the story of Kaffe and Brandon’s worlds combining and the genesis of a…

Michelle Morris began re-fashioning long before it became a trend. Growing up, her family didn’t have a lot of money, so she was always doing something to breathe new life into second-hand clothes, or her own clothes. A major influence for Michelle was her first Home Economics teacher who took her under her wing. Today, a sewing influencer herself,…

Although not a common combination, Mae’s father was a career Marine and an avid sewist. A direct descendant of Betsy Ross, he was born into a family of sewists, including his mother and grandmother. Mae grew up watching her father create quilts on his BERNINA machine and it was his love of sewing that inspired her to start sewing at the age of six.…

Bill Schroeder III has been around quilting since he was a young boy selling buttons at their AQS booth at the Quilt Show in his hometown of Paducah, KY. When his grandparents launched the AQS Quilt Contest in 1985, it was the first contest in the industry to award a $10,000 prize. When Meredith and Bill Schroeder started hosting Quilt Week 36 year…

The conversation begins with Rachael Barr, Curator of the National Quilt Museum. She talks about the history of the museum, its mission and the behind-the-scenes activities involved in bringing an exhibition to life. One current exhibit is “New Quilts from an Old Favorite: Shakespeare 2022”. This competition challenges quiltmakers from around the w…