Craft Industry Alliance

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about documentary filmmaking with my guest Jenifer McShane.

Jenifer McShane is an independent filmmaker committed to using film to bridge understanding in situations where structural or cultural divisions typically keep people apart. Jenifer's current film The Quilters, a documentary short about a quilting group in a men's prison in Missouri recently premiered at the DC/Dox Film Festival in Washington DC and will be traveling to other film festivals this summer. Her previous film, Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops, won an Emmy for Outstanding Editing and the Jury Award at South By Southwest. It is currently streaming on HBO.

Jenifer spent over four years visiting Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Bedford, N.Y. to make her previous documentary, Mothers of Bedford, which reveals the impact of incarceration on mothers and their children. Her first documentary which she co-directed, A Leap of Faith, was narrated by Liam Neeson and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Jenifer was born and raised in New York City and currently lives in Guilford, CT.

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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 the art of quilting with my guest Andrea Tsang Jackson.

Andrea is a textile artist, quilt designer, author, and educator based in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. After working in various design fields and settings ranging from architecture to museums, the quilting medium called to her as a way to explore place, belonging, and agency.

Andrea pushes the limits of quilting and textiles by exploring scale and dimension and moving traditionally domestic objects into the public realm. Her work often celebrates community and collaboration, and explores ideas of belonging. The rich history of quilting also heavily influences her practice; she sees it as an extension of community across time.

Andrea is working on her second book, Quilting: A Journey to Self, which will be released with Nine Ten Publications in early 2025.

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Today’s episode is sponsored by Creative Crochet Corner. Creative Crochet Corner is the  place to go to take your crochet skills to the next level. With how-to videos, patterns and projects for every level, you can learn everything you need from professional instructors. You can get a full year of Premium Membership to Creative Crochet Corner now for only $1.49

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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 the art of wrapping gifts with my guest Megumi Inouye.

Megumi is a gift-wrapping and packaging artist. Known for her sustainable wrap-ping designs and creative innovations, she encourages repurposing, utilizing everyday things around us, and using organic and recyclable items. She attributes her passion for gift wrapping to her Japanese heritage and the cultural values that underlie the meaning behind the art of giving.

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This episode is sponsored by Linda's.

At Linda’s, you’ll find an extensive collection of fabrics in every color and print imaginable, as well as unique notions and embellishments to add that personal touch to your projects. They also carry quilt kits, ready to help you get started on your next masterpiece.

No matter if you are a seasoned quilter or just starting out, come join the family at Linda's. There, you can stitch the fabric of your lives, one quilt at a time.

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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 with two more of the winners of the Golden Scissors Awards. These new awards recognize excellence in the crafts industry and are given out annually at h+h americas. Nominations were open to everyone and the winners were determined by an independent panel of judges made up of craft industry professionals. 

In this second episode, we'll hear the stories of our Innovation Award, Masey Kaplan and Jen Simonic of The Loose Ends Project. These two co-founders have come up with an organization that eases grief, creates community, and inspires generosity. The Loose Ends Project matches volunteer handwork finishers with projects people have left unfinished due to death or disability and now has more than 20,000 volunteers globally who have completed 2,000 projects. 

We'll also hear the story of our Social Impact Award winner, Allyson Allen. Allyson is the organizer of the Piece-ful Protest Quilt Exhibit which features 36 quilted textiles of protest art. Recognized by the State of California as an award-winning Master African American textile artist and culture bearer, she organized this exhibit to be shown in Laguna Beach California where it had a significant impact in furthering the understanding of open-minded diversity and inclusivity. 

We hope you are inspired by both Masey and Jen's and Allyson's stories! Nominations for the 2025 Golden Scissors Awards will open early in the year and we encourage you to nominate yourself or someone else, and to attend the awards ceremony at h+h americas in Chicago May 7-9, 2025.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building an audience with my guest Amber Kemp-Gersel of Damask Love. Amber was the keynote speaker at h+h americas 2024 in Chicago and this is a recording of her presentation. It was inspiring, smart, and funny and I think you’re going to love it.

Amber Kemp-Gerstel is a television host and founder and creative director of Damask Love, a creative lifestyle blog all about doable DIY. Amber has partnered with brands like Martha Stewart, Home Depot, The Container Store, Coca-Cola, and Canon and is the social media face of JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores. She has been featured on Huffington Post and Buzzfeed and in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine just to name a few. Amber Kemp-Gerstel was a finalist in Season #1 of NBC’s Making It - a crafting competition show hosted by SNL’s Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman – otherwise known as Ron Swanson from Park’s and Recreation. Amber has a bachelor’s degree from Duke and PhD from Vanderbilt. You can also find Amber on Disney+ as the host of their original family crafting show Disney Family Sundays.

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This episode is sponsored by Craftsy.

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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.