Welcome to the CraftyPod, a craft podcast all about making stuff.

Click the “Play” button at the bottom of this post to listen!

In this show:

- All about needlepoint, with Janet Perry, who's on a mission to change the way we think about this craft.

- Some discussion of why needlepoint is a perfect craft for today, and why it doesn't seem to get the respect it deserves.

- Lots of great ideas and resources to get you started needlepointing!

Links:

- Check out Janet'sNapa Needlepoint website, where you can find...

- Janet's self-published books: Needlepoint Trade Secrets and Bargello Revisited

- Janet's frequently-updated series of ebooks

- ...And, Janet's blog, Nuts About Needlepoint

- Janet also offers a free email needlepoint course for beginners.

- A book Janet recommends highly: Bargello, by Elsa Williams, published 1967.

- A book I recommend highly: Better Homes and Gardens Needlepoint, published 1978.

- Definitely check out the Modern Needlepoint on Flickr - it has lots of stunning work.

Welcome to the CraftyPod, a craft podcast all about making stuff.

Click the “Play” button at the bottom of this post to listen!

In this show:

- An interview with Paul Overton, author of the Dudecraft blog. This conversation was inspired by this post.

- Some thoughts on the difference between crafting for money and crafting for passion.

- How does handmade work change when it's made solely for profit?

- What happens when independent craft businesses start flooding the online community with marketing messages?

- What does it mean when a handmade item has "mojo?"

Links:

- Dudecraft is well worth reading - be sure and check it out!

- Paul recommended Hammermakrs as an example of a blog that offers both value and commerce.

- We also talked a bit about Gary Vaynerchuk, who absolutely nails the idea of offering value to your audience. I recommend this short interview as a quick way to get familiar with his philosophies.

- Paul is also a big fan of Meet Me At Mikes.

- Another blog Paul mentioned: Aprons and Hammers. (Man! Those really ARE amazing shoes!)

- ...And we also went a little fangirl (and boy) on Jeff Rudell .