Join host Misty Doan on Homespun as she sits down with the incredibly talented Kira Delaney, a fiber arts educator and pattern designer who has transformed her lifelong love of crafting into a thriving career. In this inspiring episode, Kira shares her unique journey from theater costume design to teaching middle schoolers after-school fiber arts programs, and how working in yarn shops led to publishing her own knitting and crochet patterns. Discover the profound differences between teaching children versus adults, why "letting yourself be a beginner" is crucial for learning, and how her theater background unexpectedly prepared her for inclusive pattern design. Kira also introduces hybrid crochet (Tunisian crochet) as an accessible entry point for nervous beginners and shares her philosophy that creativity should bring joy, not frustration.

Key Episode Highlights:

• Kira's evolution from theater costume design to full-time fiber arts teaching and pattern design
• Why children are naturally better students than adults - and what we can learn from their fearless approach
• How theater costume experience led to inclusive pattern sizing and fitting expertise
• The introduction of hybrid/Tunisian crochet as an ideal beginner technique combining knitting and crochet benefits
• Teaching philosophy: "If we're frustrated, we're missing the point of creativity"
• Building a fiber arts career through yarn shop teaching, pattern publishing, and festival workshops
• The importance of making tangible things in our increasingly digital world

Join host Misty Doan as she sits down with Jess Barrera, founder of Sally Tomato, to explore her inspiring journey from working at a family quilt shop to building a successful bag pattern and hardware business. In this engaging conversation, Jess shares how she turned her college entrepreneurship major into a thriving creative business, the challenges of scaling from her basement to a full operation, and her passion for making bag-making accessible to sewists of all levels. Discover the story behind her viral prom dress made from denim, her approach to product development, and valuable advice for aspiring creative entrepreneurs looking to turn their passion into profit.

Key Episode Highlights:

• Growing up at Nancy's Notions quilt shop and turning college entrepreneurship major into Sally Tomato empire
• The denim prom dress challenge that proved friends wrong and built her design confidence
• When inventory overflow took over the house - the moment she knew the business needed help
• Hardware innovation solving customer frustration with coordinated supplies and matching components
• First trade show chaos with homemade brick walls and learning the industry through trial by fire
• Balancing workaholic tendencies with family life using habit trackers and vintage movie inspiration
• Making bag-making accessible through educational tutorials and supporting sewists at every level

Join host Misty Doan on Homespun as she sits down with Tian Connaughton, a talented knitter, crocheter, designer, and tech editor who made the bold leap from corporate finance to pursuing her passion for handmade crafts. In this inspiring episode, Tian shares her fascinating journey that began with learning to crochet from a coworker in 2001, evolved through watching knitting shows during naptime with her toddler son, and ultimately led to creating her groundbreaking book "Cardigans for Everybody." Discover how a corporate layoff became the catalyst for building a fiber arts business, her mission to create wearable garments that fit every body type, and her approach to blending financial savviness with creative passion.

Key Episode Highlights:

• Tian's unexpected entry into fiber arts - learning crochet from a suspicious coworker who turned out to be a gateway to her future career
• The transition from hobby crafter to professional designer after a corporate layoff provided the perfect opportunity to reassess life priorities
• Her revolutionary approach to inclusive sizing in knitting/crochet patterns and why standard pattern grading often fails real bodies
• The business side of creativity - implementing "CEO days" and using corporate finance skills to build a sustainable craft business
• Why she tells beginners to skip washcloths and scarves and start with what they actually want to make
• Her philosophy on celebrating bodies that "have done a lot" rather than constantly seeking the "perfect" fit
• How she's inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs by involving her son in business discussions at the kitchen table