Fiber Talk

For this week’s show, sponsored by EGA, we had the privilege of spending time with textile artist Judy Coates Perez. Her textile arts career started with an extended family car trip when Judy was in 8th grade. In Guatemala, she learned how to do backstrap (not backstop ;)) weaving. That triggered a lifelong love of multimedia textile art creation. We spent a delightful hour learning about how she creates. Today, in addition to her own art and teaching, Judy has likely the best day job an artist could imagine. We’re confident you’ll enjoy the show and urge you to follow Judy so you can keep up with her work.–Beth and Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Judy Coates Perez’s website Judy Coates Perez on Instagram We hope you enjoy this conversation with Judy Coates Perez. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Our May 31 guest is Ruth O’Leary from Rostara. Ruth is a thread painting artist who uses her own version of the technique. Her stitching approach creates a different texture than “conventional” thread painting and provides Ruth with the color-transition flexibility she desires in her art. Equally interesting is Ruth’s design process. To make the art that’s in her head happen, she combines internet archive art, her own sketches, and AI technology. Those sources provide the parts that Ruth combines in the Procreate app to generate the designs that become her needle art. It’s an interesting process that relies, in part, on using the positive benefits of AI. Be sure to visit her website and Instagram channel to enjoy her work.–Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Ruth O’Leary’s website Ruth O’Leary on Instagram We hope you enjoy this conversation with Ruth O’Leary. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

EGA is sponsoring our conversation with versatile textile artist Laura Wasilowski. After a short stint in theater, Laura built a career dyeing fabrics and threads while raising her children. That led to her captivating art quilts. These days she still creates quilts, but on the much smaller side of the art form and with a good deal more embroidery. She also teaches a large number of classes through C&T publishing. One of those classes involves her newest canvas, felt bowls produced by Fibres of Life. These bowls are a terrific, high-quality, affordable product and Laura’s class shows you how to bring them to life with thread, ribbon, and other embellishments. We explore stitching these bowls at some length and encourage you to give them a try. Also, make your way to Laura’s website to enjoy her outstanding quilts.–Cindy and Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Embroiderers’ Guild of America website Laura Wasilowski’s website Fibres of Life website Renaissance Ribbons website/a> Laura Wasilowski’s classes We hope you enjoy this conversation with Laura Wasilowski We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Amanda Metes, The Needlepoint Finishing Fairy, joins us to talk about her journey from stitcher to finisher to finishing educator. She’s accomplished a lot in a short time and the result is a terrific resource that will help you “get your ornaments to the tree” and eventually tackle bigger, more complex projects. During the conversation, we also get some tips from Amanda about what you can do while stitching to make quality finishing possible, along with a discussion of the pros and cons of using glue. Note that hot glue is basically all con. We hope you enjoy the conversation and then visit her website to join her community of needlepointers who finish.—Cindy and Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: The Finishing Fairy website The Finishing Fairy on Instagram The Finishing Fairy on Facebook/a> The Finishing Fairy on YouTube The Finishing Fairy on TikTok We hope you enjoy this conversation with Amanda Metes. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

We’re chatting late this Wednesday, but still chatting. Cindy and Gary talk about needlepoint finishing, making cord, Michelle Agnew’s goldwork, mounting linen on Rolaframe scroll frames, felt bowls, “Piecework” magazine’s International Needlework Museum Directory, and shops equipping new stitchers with the tools they need to succeed. Sunday’s guest: Amanda Metes, The Needlepoint Finishing Fairy—Cindy & Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Rolaframe scroll bars are available several places. Gary bought here. Fibres of Life website for felt bowls Laura Wasilowski Felt Bowl Embroidery class Fiber Talk’s new Patreon page EGA website CyberPointers website Avlea Folk Embroidery website We hope you enjoy the show. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Michelle Agnew wanted more for her designs than traditional gold work and stump work techniques could provide. So, using those techniques as a foundation, she developed (and is still developing) her own approaches. The result is gold work sculpture that adds a new dimension to the gold-thread world of needle arts. Her efforts have earned her a Hand & Lock prize and resulted in a full-time needlework business that, in addition to her own art, involves teaching, working in the fashion industry, exhibiting, and creating commissioned pieces. After you hear her story, take some time to visit her website and social-media channels and absorb her terrific art.—Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Michelle Agnew website Michelle Agnew on Instagram Michelle Agnew on TikTok/a> We hope you enjoy this conversation with Michelle Agnew. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Clare Vickery, of OZ Needle & Thread, joins us to talk about how she developed her painted/printed needlepoint canvas business, share some insight into the dynamics of today’s needlepoint world, and offer her thoughts about the business side of needlepoint. The show is sponsored by the Embroiderer’s Guild of America at egausa.org. Check the show notes for a link to an interesting free EGA download. Clare Vickery also talks about the tremendous Needlepoint Angels program and the LA Stitch Club she organized. Follow her. She offers so much more than painted-canvas designs. For Fiber Talk Patreon members, Cindy and Gary recorded our thoughts about our conversation with Clare. That video is posted at Patreon.com/FiberTalk.–Cindy and Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Embroiderers’ Guild of America website EGA “Glossary of Embroidery Terms” download OZ Needle & Thread website Clare Vickery on YouTube Clare Vickery on TikTok OZ Needle & Thread on Instagram Needlepoint Angels website Needlepoint Angels on Instagram LA Stitch Club We hope you enjoy this conversation with Clare Vickery. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

This week, Jessica Grimm of Acupictrix (https://acupictrix.com/), joins us for a conversation about her completely revamped workshops, online classes, additional content, and needleworker online community. She is likely the top educator and designer in the medieval and ancient gold work and embroidery world. Her newly organized offerings make it possible to subscribe and have access to all offerings or to take classes on a one-off basis. Still available to everyone is her always-educational weekly blog newsletter. Enjoy learning about all that Jessica has to offer and how you can expand your needle-knowledge horizons. Then sign up for her weekly newsletter and give serious consideration to subscribing to all of Jessica’s other offerings.—Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Acupictrix website Subscribe to Jessica Grimm’s newsletter We hope you enjoy this conversation with Jessica Grimm. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Wednesday has made an appearance once again so Cindy and Gary seized the opportunity to talk about needlework. Our list of topics include decorative/specialty stitches (tell us what you think in the comments), making Dorset buttons, #12 perle cotton, paying attention to instructions, counted-canvas needlework, using glue sticks on fray-prone threads, and an upcoming collaboration with “Inspirations” magazine.–Cindy and Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Gina-B Silkworks website Gina-B Silkworks on Instagram Fiber Talk’s new Patreon page EGA website CyberPointers website Avlea Folk Embroidery website Ronnie Rowe Designs website We hope you enjoy the show. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Brenda Stimpson formed Poppy Monk Needlepoint Kits to provide a way for stitchers to learn and advance their skills. A big part of that approach is printed canvases that make needlepoint affordable. Combining those carefully crafted designs with quality threads and thorough instructions lowers the entry barriers and allows stitchers of all ages and skill levels (including children) to quickly get to the fun of stitching. If you’re always looking for that next project, put your name on the Poppy Monk mailing list so you’ll learn about their weekly releases of new kits.—Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Poppy Monk Needlepoint Kits website Poppy Monk on Instagram Poppy Monk on Facebook Poppy Monk on TikTok We hope you enjoy this conversation with Brenda Stimpson. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

We have talked about ColorWay Arts and Claudia Squio’s beautiful boxes on many shows. Cindy and Beth have both had excellent success with Claudia’s kits. This week we were able to talk to Claudia, learn how her business came to be, hear the fascinating story of how it grew to what it is today, and gain some insight into how the box kits are manufactured and built. If you’re looking for another way to finish your needlework, these boxes offer several options as Beth and Lori Mann have demonstrated. We hope you enjoy hearing Claudia’s story and encourage you to visit her website and give one of her kits a try.–Cindy and Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: ColorWay Arts website ColorWay Arts on Instagram ColorWay Arts on Facebook ColorWay Arts on YouTube We hope you enjoy this conversation with Claudia Squio. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address. Cartonnage: The Art of Box Making with Claudia Squio

Beth and Gary return for another Midweek Chat. This week’s topics include our upcoming show with cartonnage designer Claudio Squio of ColorWay Arts, Beth’s initial experiences with the folks at the No Rules Textile Society, a bunch of discussion about constructive criticism and related topics, dyeing cloth, Beth’s art quilt, starting the North Carolina sampler, and Gary’s Dorsett buttons plans.–Beth and Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: No Rules Textile Society website ColorWay Arts website Fiber Talk’s new Patreon page EGA website CyberPointers website Avlea Folk Embroidery website Ronnie Rowe Designs website We hope you enjoy the show. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

This week’s artist is Kelly Largent of Waxed Entanglement. The best description of her work comes from Kelly, “I create wooden frames that I turn into looms and then weave into them. I embellish my weaving with wood carving, needle felting, embroidery, and more.” The result is absolutely creative, original, and captivating textile art. Be sure to check out the pieces that use three layers of weaving to create depth. View a collection of Kelly’s work in the slideshow below.—Beth and Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here’s a slideshow of Kelly’s work. Click on any image to see a larger version. Here are some links: Waxed Entanglement website Waxed Entanglement on Facebook Waxed Entanglement on Instagram Waxed Entanglement on YouTube Waxed Entanglement on TikTok We hope you enjoy this conversation with Kelly Largent. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.