Spring 2025 Issue 86 is LIVE!

Designing my zero waste business

Our featured artisan is Ilke Usluca, the creator behind Ilke Usluca Design. She shares her journey as a sustainable designer and maker of zero waste textile accessories. She embraces the challenges of evolving processes and approaches for sustainability. It’s a wonderful story of learning to control what you can while still building a business.

How I landed a publishing deal for my DIY Craft Book

Have you ever considered what it is like to get your book published without an agent? Can you really even do that with any level of success? Melissa Galbraith of MCreativeJ shares her story about getting her landscape embroidery book published. She has valuable advice for anyone that has ever thought about getting published.

5 questions with We Are Makers

Kate and Jack Lennie from We Are Makers join us for this issue’s 5 questions with feature. They dove headfirst into the world of publishing as an independent media company. Learn how YouTube is an important part of their strategy as they spread love and appreciation for artisan craft. And admire their innovation as they create a unique grant fund to benefit small artisan businesses.

Designing a Movement- How Black Owned Fragrance Week Grows and Evolves

Black Owned Fragrance Week is a week long celebration and community building event focused on Black Owned Fragrance Brands. Founded by Glenn Davis, aka mrcologne76, this event is a great example for how you can start small and grow a movement year after year. The vibe and energy of this event is incredible- and he shares his secrets on how you can do that too for your events.

Doing Well by Doing Good for my Community

Have you ever wanted to give back as part of your business, but struggled to figure out how? In this case study, Ali Pate of Road Trip Sock Yarn shares multiple examples of how she has built giving back into a cornerstone for her business. Her creative approach has been refined over several years. She shares her advice for how to do this in a way that is simple, repeatable, and practical for small business owners.

How to Source Materials for your Handmade Business

So many businesses are finding themselves needing to find new suppliers and materials this year. Is this you too? If you walk into this process unprepared, it can quickly cause problems. Amy Dryden from AEC Printing and Practical Paper Co joins us to share a practical guide for sourcing materials to make this journey easier and dare we say, fun?

From Recycled Clothing to Yarn

Ever wished that more textiles could be recycled into yarn? This isn’t just a pipe dream. Join us for the journey of what happens when a University Professor, a clothing donation center and an alpaca raising fiber mill Grumpelstiltskin’s join together to create a new and innovative product. Come for the innovation, stay for the photo bombing alpaca.