Image: Polly Leonard.

Selvedge’s founder and editor, Polly Leonard, is interviewed in the latest episode of the Craft Industry Alliance Podcast, about creating a textile magazine. The podcast is a regular offering from the trade association for craft industry professionals, which exists to provide a supportive community for small business owners. In every episode host, and Craft Industry Alliance co-founder, Abby Glassenberg, interviews a creative entrepreneur to learn about their journey to success. 

Other episodes that will be of interest to textile lovers include Episode #143: Purl Soho where Abby talks about building a retail fabric and yarn shop, both online and in a brick-and-mortar setting, with Joelle Hoverson and Page Marchese Norman. Joelle and Page, along with Jennifer Hoverson Jahnke, are co-owners of Purl Soho, a fiber arts supply company that brings a modern sensibility to traditional needlecrafts. And Podcast Episode #168: Toni Lipsey about building a crochet business. Toni is the designer and instructor behind TL Yarn Crafts. Through her printable patterns and cheery video tutorials, she strives to make crochet accessible to makers of every skill level. Toni spends her time nurturing her community of over 175K makers across platforms by offering approachable crochet patterns and handmade business wisdom.

The Craft Industry Alliance was founded in 2015 by Abby Glassenberg and Kristin Link. They each had over a decades’ worth of experience in the craft industry as designers and producers, makers and retailers, writers and teachers. Their vision was to build a thriving trade organization that meets the specific needs of today’s craft industry professionals and offers an opportunity for makers, suppliers, designers and writers to join together as allies under a united “craft industry” umbrella.