Sew & So...

As a former social worker with zero art experience, Kelly Rae picked up her first paintbrush at age 30 - that's when everything started to change. Although she had been collaging and card making at home after work, it was when she started adding painting to her cards and scrapbooking that Kelly’s passion ignited.

She explains painting brought her what she was craving: healing, unburdened joy, and awakening. Kelly Rae started blogging about her process, and before long, her cards turned into paintings with collaging mixed in. In 2006, when Etsy was first starting out, she began showing her work there, and before long she got a licensing partner through Etsy. She started exhibiting wall art and was approached by a book editor to turn her blog post into a book. Her style of truth-telling and her possibility-driven approach to life, work, and art quickly spread, reaching people from around the country. She shares her journey of being “an accidental artist,” becoming a full-time artist in 2008, having her art up in 60,000 retail shops, launching her own shop, and creating a community of “possibilitarians” —people who believe in the spirit of possibility and that encourage each other to do the things they never thought they could do. (3:55-11:11)

Her inspirational style goes back to high school when she recalls her love of all things that had wings. From high school through college, she had butterflies, that turned into angels, all over her walls. Today, these winged figures are a hallmark of her work. Another source of inspiration is the conversations Kelly Rae has with her creative community, friends, and family and the sentiments sparked by them. Today, she works with Benartex to bring her artistry to fabric.

Although she’d been interested in fabric design for a long time, it wasn’t until Benartex reached out to her, and Kelly Rae Roberts is founder of KellyRaeRoberts.com and fabric designer for Benartex, the Bernina sister company. She's a creator of several E-courses, books, home decor, gifts, stationery products, and retreats that focus on the idea that when we let art out, we let love in. She began collaborating with one of their designers, and she was able to translate her ideas into fabric. The process starts with Kelly Rae creating a painting using multiple layers of vintage wallpaper and paint to create patterns and depth. She then adds texture and paints the hero image on top, an angel or other winged creature. Once done, she works with the fabric designer to create arresting patterns. It’s a fascinating process; and one that attracts a lot of interest. Her fabrics are used by all different types of quilters in all kinds of quilts, from traditional to super-modern. She loves that she now lives in Sister, Oregon, which is known for its quilting community and is home to the International Quilt Festival. The Stitching Post is a local store that carries her line; the staff has also made several quilts using her fabric. She says, “It’s been fun to be doing fabric while living in this small town that is all about quilting.” (13:44 – 25:25)

Kelly Rae’s fascinating story is a testament to the power of synchronicity, trusting in the process, paying attention to the tugs on our sleeves, what wants attention, and then following the breadcrumbs. It’s obvious that Kelly puts her heart and soul into everything she creates. After listening to the podcast, you’re going to want to connect with her. You can do so at her website, KellyRaeRoberts.com, and by sending her an email at [email protected].

If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to [email protected] or complete the form on our website.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform...and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

In this enlightening and aspirational conversation with Dr. Karen Nyberg, we learn how she combines her experience in space with her passion for textile art and design—especially as it relates to conservation and sustainability.

Karen’s mom taught her to sew at the age of six, and she made her first shirt complete with interfacing before she was 10. When she wasn’t making her own clothes, Karen was drawing with pencil and charcoal. Eventually, she started mixing her art with fabric. When she got into college, she stopped sewing clothes and started using her artistic talent to make gifts for people, including blankets, quilts, and pillows.

By college, Karen knew she wanted to be an astronaut, and she knew engineering was the best route to get her there. Why she decided to choose mechanical engineering as her discipline is fascinating. One of the reasons is because of the drawing. The whole design process appealed to her, and she believes that the things she learned as a young girl would prove to be beneficial to her in mechanical engineering: learning to use a pattern, following directions, understanding how tolerance is built up in sewing, and learning patience. Like sewing, mechanical engineering is the coming together of the left brain and right brain. (4:46- 6:46)

After her first trip to space in the space shuttle Discovery in 2008, she launched on the Soyuz Spacecraft in 2013 and lived on the International Space Station for 166 days. Only a small allotment of personal stuff was allowed: she brought a little fabric, needles, a magnetic needle case, and some thread. Although she really didn’t have a plan for them at the time, when the International Quilt Festival put a call out around the world for people to submit star-theme quilt blocks, she created a 9-inch quilt block. It was one of 2400 quilt blocks submitted from around the world that were sewn into king-size quilts and showcased at the Festival. They are currently being housed at the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin. (7:05 -8:27).

While she was on the International Space Station, Karen made things out of upcycled things that were already on the space station. Her first creation was a dinosaur for her son, made from fabric that lined the food containers, and an old t-shirt she cut into strips and used as filler. This dinosaur later became the inspiration for the fabric she designed for SVAHA USA, a STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art & Math) inspired clothing company.

Being on the Space Station sparked a new level of creativity for Karen. She says, “Seeing the earth from space forever changed how I look at the earth and think about how we live on the planet.” She talks about seeing the earth from that unique vantage point, and how you see that there are no borders on the countries, everything is interconnected, and how it’s evident even in the cloud patterns. She uses the analogy that Earth is our spaceship, we are all crewmates, and our primary focus is to maintain the health of the spaceship because that’s how we survive. She describes seeing Earth from space as the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen. She shares how her creative process evolved while there, and why she is committed to sharing her experience with others through her art, which is based on photos she took while in space. (11:56-14:43)

Karen talks about the creative process of working with the designers at Robert Kauffmann Fabrics to create a signature line of fabric; with Aurafil Threads to design “Earth Views,” a line of curated threads that will be released this summer; with Svaha USA on her “Dinos in Space” collection. Karen has also started a new online store for her artwork, which can be accessed via her website, karennyberg.com (15:30-21:05)

Karen’s perspective on sewing is fascinating, and her description of how sewing is different in space can be seen on YouTube and heard in this spellbinding interview, that’s rich in discovery.

You can connect with Karen at: karennyberg.com, and on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform...and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

After hearing how the dedicated teachers at North Charleston High School created a Makerspace for their students, BERNINA and Craig Conover from Bravo TV, Southern Charm, and the owner of Sewing Down South, decided to outfit the space so that NCHS scholars could dream, create and pursue their passion.

This story of creativity and hope began when Ms. Connell, an art teacher at NCHS and founder of the school’s Makerspace, noticed that there was a lot of interest in sewing and fashion. After receiving a donation of fabric, she had the students experiment with sewing pillows, and from there the idea of a Makerspace started to take shape. Ms. Connell has teamed up with Ms. Murray, a team member and librarian at NCHS to further develop the program. Meanwhile, Ms. Clegg, who runs the Liberty Hill STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Initiative in the North District, has also jumped in to help.

Thanks to the participation of several partners including Boeing and CCFC, the Makerspace has expanded to additional schools in the northern district and will now include grades K-12. As these dedicated professionals share their stories and the evolution of a Makerspace program for aspiring scholars, the excitement is palpable. According to Ms. Clegg, the machines donated by BERNINA, and the other partnerships they’ve formed will be the foundation for the Makerspace in the area, which will help these young scholars learn life skills and artistic ways to express themselves.

BERNINA credits Craig Conover’s sewing journey as the initial source of their inspiration to get involved with this amazing local effort—so when BERNINA donated 12 Bernette machines to NCHS, Craig Conover accompanied them. He provided words of support and encouragement, while also presenting them with a challenge to create. Craig shares that he was bullied a lot growing up, and that sewing was one of his outlets for dealing with it—although he mostly did it in the privacy of his home. He also talks about how, when he was growing up there were no Makerspaces, and goes on to say, “Having a space in the school where you can explore your creative side comfortably and encourage each other, it's just great.”

Craig’s ability to escape negative feelings through the act of sewing and his realization that there’s beauty in imperfection informed his decision to start Sewing Down South. He talks about his journey of starting the business with his business partner Jerry Casselano, how sewing is therapeutic, and how the machines that were donated will enable young scholars to bring a lot of joy to people. He knows that while the pressure about gender norms isn’t as great as it used to be, kids still aren’t really introduced to sewing and cooking. He also knows that a lot of them don’t have a sewing machine at home, so they don’t have the chance to discover their talent. He shares his excitement at the prospect that Programs like Makerspace can really help students discover a talent they didn’t even know they had. (5:26-9:23)

We talked to so many wonderful individuals at this event; professionals who are committed to helping these students grow and evolve their passions. As Ms. Clegg so aptly states, “What's special about our scholars is a lot of people sell them short... We not only want to show our neighborhoods, our cities, our state, and the world that our scholars can fly, we want to prove to them that they can fly.”

Craig and his partner Jerry are providing an opportunity for these young scholars to do just that. They shared their support of them and put forth a challenge that could result in some young scholars having the opportunity to sell their creations from the “creator’s corner” in their store. His show, and his store, are about breaking down gender stereotypes and showing boys and girls that they can succeed at anything they want, from sports to sewing. “Let’s get out of the shadow,” he encourages them, “let’s have fun and connect,” (15:43 – 17:56)

Talking with all of the wonderful people in this podcast proves that good still exists and that it’s this good that will shape the futures of the young scholars at NCHS. If you want to be uplifted this holiday, listen to this special podcast and share the power of love, giving back, and helping our students understand that they can do more than just walk through this life...they can fly!

If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to [email protected] or complete the form on our website.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform...and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

Becky loves all aspects of quilting—from choosing the pattern to cutting the fabric, to stitching and piecing and mixing up patterns and colors. She also loves machine quilting—especially free motion quilting. Because she doesn’t have to follow a set pattern and can basically do whatever she wants, she feels that it enhances her ability to create and be artistic. She compares free motion quilting to handwriting. “Whether it's meanders or stipples, or swirls or squiggly lines, you know whatever it is you're creating it's not always going to look exactly the same from one person to the next...like handwriting, you have your own speed, your own density of the quilting.” And as Becky explains to her students, like handwriting it takes practice. (6:56 -11:02)

She speaks in-depth about the inspiration she gets from the exhibitions at the museum and the artists she’s met through her work there. She explains that it’s impossible to pick just one quilt or artist, or exhibit that stands out because there’s always something new and exciting happening. She loves meandering through the museum and talking to the guests about the quilts and exhibits. Becky is involved in a lot of different things at the museum, from the youth program to the school block challenge to the junior quilter’s club, to meeting artists and being involved in social media.

The creativity and jumping from one project to another keeps things fun and interesting. One of her favorite aspects of the job is teaching the next generation of quilters at quilt camp, which is held every June. Some are beginners, many of whom are learning about quilting and using a sewing machine for the first time. The intermediate group is using machines to do binding and learning other techniques. Because they’ve been in the program for four or five years, it’s exciting to see how their personalities evolve and how they’re reflected in their quilting. The advanced quilters get to do free quilting and put their own spin on the patterns provided. You hear the pride in Becky’s voice as she talks about being able to pass the skill in this art form onto to the next generation and watching them grow with it from year to year. (18:37-22:22)

An international destination for quilters, The Quilt Museum is celebrating its 30th Anniversary. The process of selecting artists and pieces to be exhibited in its contemporary collection is fascinating, and quite involved, as there are two side galleries with at least three rotating exhibits at any given time. As a non-profit organization, most of their more than 660 quilts are donated; about half our hand-stitched, half-machine sewn, with others using a combination of both techniques. 97% of the work exhibited is by women artists. The museum has between 40,000 to 50,000 visitors from around the globe each year; many of them are in the spring for Quilt Week. Another global attraction is the online Block of the Month Club. Started in 2018, it currently has 21,000 members globally. As Becky talks about the wealth of programs offered by the museum, its growing community of passionate quilters, and the many little-known facts about the museum, you can see that this is a woman who is 100% dedicated to celebrating contemporary quilters and their work. (37:49-44:52)

Be sure to join us for this fascinating podcast, brimming with possibilities, potential, and passion. Becky’s contact information is on the museum’s website, quiltmuseum.org. You can also connect with Becky and the museum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to [email protected] or complete the form on our website.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform...and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

What began as just a hobby in Mimi's Los Angeles home in 2012 blossomed into an international brand. She’s achieved a daily engagement of more than 3.2 million followers across all social media platforms, 22 million pageviews and 2.2 million unique visitors annually on her blog and courses on DIY. But her love of sewing started long before that.

Mimi began sewing when she was twelve, taking apart clothes, and figuring out how to put them back together again. She didn’t realize that she was teaching herself the basics of construction and pattern making.

Although she was a runaway at 15 and a single mom at 16 living on the streets of L.A., Mimi always knew that she had some sort of purpose in life. Although it was hard to sew while she was homeless, her love of sewing never left her. She eventually got a job in film production, started a sewing blog, created home sewing videos for You Tube, and became a successful and respected entrepreneur.

She signed on as a licensee for Simplicity in 2014 and was the first blogger to have her own pattern line. Within a few years, her tenacity and talent led her to the role of VP for the Big Four (McCall, Butterick, Vogue, Simplicity). Mimi shares, in detail, her journey to creating several multi-million-dollar businesses. (2:32 – 22:16)

Mimi has consistently been an advocate for creating more sexy and confident patterns for plus-size women, more stylish patterns for men, styles for brown and black women, new sewists and young sewists. She is integrally involved in every aspect of the business, from creating the patterns, to obtaining fabric rights, to merchandising and branding. In addition to her role as a Vice President, her blogs, online classes, and other highly successful ventures, Mimi, along with her friend and fellow sewist, Brittany J. Jones, founded Melanated Fabrics and Creative Center in Atlanta. To add to her list of accomplishments, Mimi has written a book, which will be released next year.

Simply put, Mimi’s story is a story of hope, fortitude and grit. An important part of her mission in life is to inspire men and women to embrace their power, find their voice and discover their purpose. She attributes much of her success to following her inner voice and being authentic. She believes that if you do what you love, the money will follow. In her words, “It has to be something that’s special to you, and something that you would do even if you weren’t being paid for it.” The purpose, she says, has to be genuine. (22:24 – 38:55)

As you listen to this amazing and engaging podcast, you realize that Mimi’s story is not about the struggles, but about the triumphs. The best way to reach her is through Instagram @Mimi G style.

If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to [email protected] or complete the form on our website.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform...and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.