Last week when Paolo Arao talked about our textile practices, we mentioned that one of the things that we have in common is our shared love of taro. So in this special SEAMSIDE bonus episode, you'll hear us share about our own personal tarot practice and how it plays into our creative practice. If you have a tarot practice, I hope you pick up some new nuggets. And if you don't have a tarot practice, maybe you want to give it a try?
⤷ Get your free TINY QUILT tutorial video I mention in this episode
⤷ Learn more about the Radical Tarot book by Charlie Claire Burgess
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
HOW TO BRING IT ALL TOGETHER with textile artist Paolo Arao
The fact that Paolo Arao and I both showed up to the podcast studio wearing orange winter hats and navy hoodies should tell you something of the kindred connection I feel with Paolo. After years of being online friends, we met up for breakfast about a month ago before going to see his most recent show that was about to close. Over a massive (and truly delicious) breakfast sandwich, we kept discovering commonalities: the way we think about color, how we navigate creative hiccups, our shared love of tarot. I knew right away that I wanted to invite him to SEAMSIDE so you could get a chance to meet him.
In this conversation, we discuss:
① how painting, music, and textiles can all weave together in a creative practice
② how our bodies can sense the power of textiles
③ how working with textiles can increase our tolerance for the unknown
CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS
01:46 — How I Met Paolo
03:55 — We Draw a Tarot Card
06:47 — Paolo's Early Relationship with Textiles
09:11 — Transition from Painting to Textiles
15:45 — Paolo's Loom Songs Exhibition
18:53 — Exploring Paolo's Color Palette
24:32 — Unresolved Art Pieces
27:29 — The Concept of Time in Art
27:49 — The Story of a Found Garment
29:06 — The Power of Time in Textile Art
29:21 — The Story of a Gifted Quilt
31:29 — The Influence of Music on Weaving
33:04 — The Connection Between Art and Heritage
39:00 — The Evolution of a Quilt
42:27 — The Human Connection to Textiles
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Enter here for your chance to win a FREE YEAR on the NOOK!
THE NECKTIE QUILT: PART 2 with Amanda Nadig
I recently spent a week in Chicago with my good friend, Amanda Nadig, making this quilt together. Since I had recently bought a small handheld recorder, we thought it'd be fun to take you behind the scenes day by day as we're making this quilt encountering creative obstacles, when things aren't turning out our way and how we navigate through this particular project together.
In part one, Amanda and I shared details about this particular commission, the kind of prep work we did to get ready for our week of sewing side by side in Chicago. We had an in-depth reflection on something that was becoming more and more fascinating to us: the way that by working with someone else, it forces us to create this kind of specialized language around the project, one that you might not even have to articulate to yourself but in the company of another artist, you have to put abstract ideas into words. So, if you haven't heard that part of this documentary project, yet, I encourage you to go back and listen to the previous episode and then join us here again for part two.
In this part, Amanda and I strategize about quilting:
① how we choose an overall quilting design
② the important relationship between light and color
③ the body is a measuring tool
We close this conversation with reflections and tips that we hope support you in seeking out your own creative collaborations.
Click here to see images of this collaboration quilt
CONVERSATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
01:22 — Behind the Scenes of the Quilt Making Process
01:54 — The Importance of Specialized Language in Collaborative Projects
02:21 — Strategizing the Quilting Design and Process
03:15 — Buttons, a Toy Camera & Quilting
13:12 — Day Five: The Big Quilting Day
13:54 — The Physical Challenges of Sewing For Hours and Hours
16:53 — Hand Yoga and Quilting
18:06 — Quilting in a Household Setting
18:27 — Reflections on the Quilting Journey
19:18 — Final Day Wrap-Up
21:28 — Reflections on the Completed Quilt
24:29 — Collaboration and Personal Reflections
27:50 — Tips for Successful Collaboration
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Enter here for your chance to win a FREE YEAR on the NOOK!
THE NECKTIE QUILT: PART 1 with Amanda Nadig
In this two-part mini-documentary: Amanda Nadig and I take you behind the scenes of our latest collaboration. You’ll get to accompany us on the creative process behind a quilt built out of a client's retired collection of high-end silk neckties.
I'd recently bought a small handheld recorder, and we thought it'd be fun to give you a play-by-play as we're making this quilt, encountering creative obstacles when things aren't turning out the way we'd hoped, and how we navigate through this particular project together. Along the way we share some helpful tips and meaningful reflections designed to get you thinking about how you may want to incorporate artistic collaboration in your own creative practice.
In this conversation, we discuss:
① the curious parameters of this project
② things we learned about working with silk
③ how we’ve developed a special language working together on this project
Click here to see images of this collaboration quilt
CONVERSATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
01:17 — The Quilt Project Begins
01:54 — The Story Behind the Necktie Quilt
02:48 — The Quilt Design Process
03:27 — Day one: First Day of Collaboration
05:37 — Favorite Tie Patterns
08:01 — Day Two: Exploring Light and Language
09:02 — Reflections on the Quilt's Progress
11:03 — Day Three: Reevaluating the Design
14:44 — Day Four: Final Thoughts and Next Steps
20:22 — Day Five: Stitch Language
20:22 — Morning Reflections and New Day
27:48 — Reflecting on Stitch Language
30:32 — Final Thoughts and Next Steps
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Enter here for your chance to win a FREE YEAR on the NOOK!
10 MORE MINUTES with Sherri Lynn Wood
In our chat last week, Sherri Lynn Wood and I took a deep dive into memory quilts, and this week we talk about what she loves best *after* quilting, namely: nature and being a divinity school dropout. Enjoy this short chat, and if you haven’t had a chance to listen to our first conversation, check out the previous episode.
Click here to see images of the work Sherri describes in this bonus episode
IN THIS CONVERSATION YOU’LL HEAR
00:00 — Sherri's Love for Nature
00:20 — Sherri's Spiritual Journey and Divinity School Experience
00:55 — Sherri's Transition to Art and Her Service-Based Work
02:40 — Sherri's Theological Studies and Parable Quilts
06:28 — Sherri's Connection to Zak's Family and Their Shared Experiences
08:51— The Idea of Craft as Ministry and the Church of Craft
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Enter here for your chance to win a FREE YEAR on the NOOK!
HOW TO MAKE MEMORIES with improv quilter Sherri Lynn Wood
If Sherri Lynn Wood and I were to map our lives on a venn diagram, there’d be a lot of overlap: we both spent parts of our childhood in North Carolina, we both host online communities for quilters (mine is the QUILTY NOOK, hers is BravePatch.School); we both honor elements of quilting as a spiritual practice, and in doing so, we both work a lot with grief and bereavement. The quilts may go by different names: I make memory quilts, Sherri makes passage quilts, but they both point to the stories and energy that our clothes contain even after we pass.
In this conversation, Sherri and I take a deep dive on what it means to work with clothing as a channel for processing life and loss, and we discuss:
① the emotional aspects of working with clothing in quilts
② practical ideas for collaborating on a memory quilt
③ self-care for quilters doing grief work
IN THIS CONVERSATION YOU’LL HEAR
01:32 — Exploring Shared Experiences with Sherri Lynn Wood
02:43 — The Impact of Studio Space on Creativity
04:20 — The Influence of Past Artists on Current Work
10:15 — The Role of Quilting in Processing Grief
22:05 — Practical Tips for Starting a Memory Quilt
25:32 — The Emotional Journey of Creating a Memory Quilt
30:40 — The Lost Art of Quilting with Old Fabrics
31:29 — The Role of Intention in Bereavement Quilting
31:49 — The Transformation of Relationships through Quilting
33:57 — The Power of Quilting in Marking Life Transitions
37:30 — The Joy of Quilting with Found Colors
39:56 — Exploring Personal Identity through Quilting
41:22 — The Healing Power of Quilting
45:47 — The Challenges and Rewards of Bereavement Quilting
48:51 — Conclusion: The Infinite Possibilities of Quilting
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Enter here for your chance to win a FREE YEAR on the NOOK!
QUILT TALK: YES MORE PLEASE with Heidi Parkes
In this QUILT TALK episode, I’m joined by my good friend and collaborator, Heidi Parkes. When I went to visit her in Milwaukee over the summer, we decided we were overdue to make a collab quilt. YES MORE PLEASE was born out of a conversation about creating more space for all the good things in life (and maybe sweeping out the junk in the meantime)
Towards this end of this quilt talk, we share some thoughts about what it takes to have a positive collaboration experience
I hope you enjoy and pick up something you can use in your own creative practice. XOZ
IN THIS CONVERSATION YOU’LL HEAR
01:35 Discussion on Quilt Size and Design
02:12 The Story Behind the Quilt
02:31 The Rummage Sale and its Impact
03:55 Incorporating Personal Symbolism
08:47 The Quilt as a Reflection of Personal Journeys
10:24 The Role of Fabric Choices
24:12 Symbolism of Rabbits and Deer
26:04 Artistic Process and Inspiration
27:56 Challenges and Rewards of Working with Black Backgrounds
32:03 The Importance of Playfulness in Art and Life
32:53 The Unexpected Surprises in Art
37:57 The Year of 'No' and Saying 'Yes'
40:14 The Final Touches and Reflections on the Collaborative Quilt
45:28 Encouraging Others to Engage in Collaborative Art
⤷ Subscribe to SEAMSIDE and get a notification every time a new episode posts
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Enter here for your chance to win a FREE YEAR on the NOOK!
HOW TO DECONSTRUCT with Weaver Rachel Meginnes
I first met Rachel Meginnes at Penland School of Arts and Crafts just north of Asheville, NC. We had been in each other’s digital orbits for a good while and so when we sat together in a couple plush armchairs and warm cups of coffee by a fireplace in the dining hall, it was the most natural thing to slip into conversation.
Rachel’s current work centers on weaving old deconstructed quilt material into new pieces on her digital loom. After she’s spent days picking apart an old quilt, she often finds that the worn lace-like batting—normally hidden from our view—is what especially captivates her.
Rachel is also a dedicated and gifted creative coach. It was fascinating for me to listen how she talks about the raw materials of quilts and the raw materials of our lives in similar terms. Because we know how to make a strong and beautiful quilt, then we must inherently know how to make a strong and beautiful life. It’s all the same stardust, after all.
In this SEAMSIDE conversation, Rachel and I talk about:
how time changes both quilts and humans
how to do hard work with noble intention
how we can mine our creative processes to discover strategies for living the good life
Click here to see images of Rachel’s work mentioned in this episode
WHAT YOU’LL HEAR IN THIS CONVERSATION
02:17 Meeting and Conversation with Rachel McGinnis
03:03 Rachel's Creative Process and Philosophy
04:08 Rachel's Current Work and Studio Life
06:53 The Journey from Painting to Weaving
10:18 The Emotional Rollercoaster of Deconstructing Quilts
30:56 The Role of Memory and History in Selecting Fabrics
33:05 The Artistic Journey: Trusting Your Own Voice
35:39 The Role of a Creative Coach
40:23 The Coaching Process and Its Impact
48:59 The Importance of Authenticity in Art
51:06 Final Thoughts and Reflections
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Enter here for your chance to win a FREE YEAR on the NOOK!
QUILT TALK: Uncle Jim's Memory Quilt
A behind-the-scenes look at the memory quilt I made for my Uncle Jim. I got to work with my aunt on designing and sewing this quilt, and it made a really rich experience for both of us.
Towards this end of this quilt talk, I share five insights I learned about working with someone else on a memory quilt.
I hope you enjoy and pick up something you can use in your own creative practice. XOZ
⤷ Subscribe to SEAMSIDE to get a notification when a new episode posts
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Enter here for your chance to win a FREE YEAR on the NOOK!
FREE ADVICE with Luke Haynes
My good friend Luke Haynes joins for me for this SEAMSIDE special episode I’m calling FREE ADVICE where we answer your questions on quilting and the creative life.
In this episode, we share our thoughts on the following questions:
① How can I move away from pattern-based quilting and play more?
② How did you find time to create new work when you were working full-time jobs?
③ Where do all your quilts go when you’re done making them?
④ I’m a multimedia artists and quilts are only a part of what I do. But how can I present my work online with a cohesive voice?
Thank you to everyone who called in with questions for this episode. We wish we could answer them all! A special thanks to the four folks whose questions made this conversation possible: Lilia from Bozeman, Montana; Michelle from Toronto; Anne Marie from Phoenix; and Katie from Portland, Oregon
⤷ Subscribe to SEAMSIDE to get a notification when a new episode posts
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Theme music: Roll Jordan Roll by the Joy Drops
⤷ Enter here for your chance to win a FREE YEAR on the NOOK!
HOW TO WORK TOGETHER with the Folk School Quilting Mentees
Five international textile artists come together for two weeks in the heart of Southern Appalachian mountains at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Kianga Jinaki, Chris Dufour, Chinelo Njaka, and Jesalyn Keziah share powerful insights as we sit around the sewing circle in the quilting studio.
In this collective conversation, we discuss:
① what magic our quilts can perform
② how quilts tell stories when words fall short
③ the power of collective effort
HELPFUL RESOURCES
⤷ Learn more about the Traditional Craft Mentorships at John C. Campbell Folk School
⤷ Contact Programming at the Folk School to learn more about how community organizations can support mentorships
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free trial to the THE QUILTY NOOK
⤷ Theme music: Roll Jordan Roll by the Joy Drops
QUILT TALK: Grandma's Bathrobe Quilt
I’ve got something a little different for you this week. I got inspired being at home and looking at my grandma's memory quilt. It made me realize I’ve got some more stories I’d like to share with you about that quilt. I hope you enjoy and pick up something you can use in your own creative practice. XOZ
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Enter here for your chance to win a FREE YEAR on the NOOK!
The prayer that I mention in this episode: Lord, grant that each one who has to do with me today may be the happier for it. Let it be given me each hour today what I shall say, and grant me the wisdom of a loving heart that I may say the right thing rightly. Help me to enter into the mind of everyone who talks with me, and keep me alive to the feelings of each one present. Give me a quick eye for little kindnesses, that I may be ready in doing them and gracious in receiving them. Give me quick perception of the feelings and needs of others, and make me eager-hearted in helping them.
How to say YES in the face of NO
We know the creative landscape is dotted with mountaintops and valleys. If we’re lucky, we have more moments up on the mountain where everything appears huge and expansive, full of sunshine and clarity. But it’d be naive to expect to stay there for too long. Sometimes we gotta wallow down in the valley some too.
This special episode of SEAMSIDE is dedicated to those valley moments. In the wake a personal disappointment, I’ve reached out to past guests on SEAMSIDE and asked them to describe how they respond to creative and professional disappointments. I was curious to hear not only how they reacted but also what they found helpful.
It’s my hope that this episode offers a kind of camaraderie for when we’re walking those valleys and can feel adrift and unsure of what the future holds.
In this episode we hear from Nick D’Ornellas, Christi Johnson, Michael Sylvan Robinson, Victoria Gertenbach, Clare Hu, Julian Jamal Jones, and Rachel Meginnes.
⤷ Subscribe to SEAMSIDE to get a notification when a new episode posts
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
BACKSTITCH with Jennifer Mao
Weaver Jennifer Mao joins us for an episode of BACKSTITCH. If you haven’t heard our first chat nearly two years ago, you can hear that on episode 2.
In this BACKSTITCH conversation, Jennifer shares candidly about how it feels to be experiencing a creatively unproductive season in her practice. We discuss:
does an artist have to make art to be an artist?
how do we move through the quiet seasons of our creative practice
how to be your own best friend when you need it most
You can learn more about Jennifer on Instagram
⤷ Subscribe to SEAMSIDE to get a notification when a new episode posts
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
Holding Space for Lou Gardiner
As you may have heard, the embroiderer and former guest on SEAMSIDE Lou Gardiner passed way a few days ago after a recurring bout with cancer. When we talked in 2022, she spoke openly but hopefully about her diagnosis as you’ll hear in this episode.
I’d like to offer this conversation with Lou as a way of holding space for such a radiant force of creative power.
⤷ Subscribe to SEAMSIDE to get a notification when a new episode posts
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
CRAZY QUILT: Quilty Lazyboy in a Jungle of Houseplants
Patrick T (@ptayyyyy) and I dream up a quilt that ① has been turned into a lazyboy recliner, and ② also operates as a plant stand wow
Want to be on the show? Call the CRAZY QUILT HOTLINE open 24/7 at (828) 278-8211 and leave me a message anytime of day or night
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
HOW TO UNFOLD with Embroiderer Christi Johnson
Christi Johnson and I have been floating in each other’s orbits for a few years now, but you know how time passes and when I sat with her a couple weeks ago on a panel discussion, we realized it’d already been too long. Christi is a clothes-making and embroiderer with an eye constantly trained on the mysteries of the universe. She’s the author of Mystical Stitches, a book that I keep close at hand in my studio, host of the Stitchwish Radio podcast, and now a mother of a precious four-month-old human. In this conversation, we discuss:
① how raising a child is like working with fabric
② the beauty of raw silk and double gauze
③ how you can sew magic into your work
You can learn more about Christi Johnson here
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Theme music: Roll Jordan Roll by the Joy Drops
⤷ Subscribe to SEAMSIDE and you’ll get a note as soon as a new episode posts
BACKSTITCH with Nick D'Ornellas
Print-maker and weaver Nick Dornellas joins us for an episode of BACKSTITCH. If you haven’t heard our first chat a year ago, you can hear that on episode 8.
In today’s conversation we discuss:
his big show in Philadelphia this year
how he’s finding balance in refinement and looseness
why this July is such a special month for him
You can learn more about Nick on Instagram
⤷ Subscribe to SEAMSIDE to get a notification when a new episode posts
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
More FREE ADVICE with Heidi Parkes
My good friend Heidi Parkes joins for me for this SEAMSIDE special episode I’m calling FREE ADVICE where we answer your questions on quilting and the creative life.
In this episode, we share our thoughts on the following questions:
① How do you prioritize which project to focus on when there’s so much to be excited about?
② How do you keep from getting overwhelmed with your stash?
③ How do you manage your time?
④ I have to travel a lot for my new job. How can I use that to my advantage in my quilting practice?
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
HOW TO ACT UP with Banner-Maker Alice Gabb
I grew up in Southern Baptist churches sitting through long sermons and studying the banners hung around the sanctuary. Those hours spent as young person put down roots into my creative core that would come to bear several years later as an adult meaning-maker.
Alice Gabb’s work fully embraces the lineage of the banner, but from an entirely different source: the social protest movements of the last century.
Her creative path is founded in years of calligraphy, and so, in many ways it was a natural and short jump to start making banners. In this conversation, Alice joins us from her new studio in East London, and we explore:
gathering poetry in everyday life
using color to tame hearts and minds
maintaining joy in the face of long and protracted struggle
You can learn more about Alice on Instagram
⤷ Learn more about THE QUILTY NOOK here
⤷ Get your free NOOK trial here
⤷ Theme music: Roll Jordan Roll by the Joy Drops
⤷ Subscribe to SEAMSIDE and you’ll get a note as soon as a new episode posts