Fiber Talk

This is the time of year when people are scrambling to find someone to finish needlework pieces they had planned to give as gifts. It’s also the time of year that people discover it’s too late to have a piece professionally finished in time for the holidays. While larger pieces often require experience, most people, with a little effort, can finish ornaments. In this show, Beth offers tips and tricks she’s learned while finishing her ornaments. This is not a step-by-step how-to video for finishing ornaments. A YouTube search will reveal plenty of those. It is a collection of things that might help you have success finishing your pieces. If you have questions or comments, let us know and we’ll try to get you answers.—Beth and Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video Here are some links: Sassy Jacks Herschel’s Helpers Tools of the Trade Victoria Clayton Silk Embellishments Lady Dot Creates Dames of the Needle We hope you enjoy this week’s conversation. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Kelly Fletcher, of Fellenn, returns this week. We first talked to her Sept. 22, 2019. The show is sponsored by Avlea Folk Embroidery at avleafolkembroidery.com. Kelly has made major changes to her business in the seven years since we first talked with her. We have much to explore on that front and we’ll do that in December. This time our focus is on her three books, 150 Embroidery Stitches; Embroidery Tips, Tricks & Techniques; and Stitch Samplers. Together these three books are an excellent resource for experienced stitchers and terrific tools for beginners. We spend the bulk of our time in this show talking about the new 2026 Embroiderer’s Directory. This pdf download is a tremendous global resource that will help you find all types of needlework designers, teachers, and information/product providers from all corners of the globe. The Directory is something you want to have loaded on your devices. We hope you enjoy the show and encourage you to support Kelly’s efforts by purchasing her books and/or the Embroiderer’s Directory.—Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video Here are some links: Avlea Folk Embroidery website Kelly Fletcher’s first show Kelly Fletcher’s Fellenn website Kelly Fletcher on Instagram Embroiderer’s Directory on Instagram We hope you enjoy this week’s conversation with Kelly Fletcher. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

We’re back for another Midweek Chat, sponsored by CyberPointers at cyberpointers.org. In this week’s show we talk about some upcoming CyberPointers projects/programs and a Goldwork project drawing from Clara Warschauer and Ecclesiastical Sewing. To enter the drawing, send email to gary at wetalkfiber dot com. In the email, use the name Clara in the subject line and put your name, address, and phone number in the body of the email. Your entry email must be received by midnight Eastern, Nov. 7. For more details, go to clarastitching.com. The main focus of this week’s conversation centers on how we handle projects that are a stretch and/or difficult/challenging. We welcome your thoughts on the topic. Sunday: Kelly Fletcher of Fellenn.—Beth, Cindy, and Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: CyberPointers website Avlea Folk Embroidery website Clara Stitching website Ecclesiastical Sewing website Fiber Talk’s Patreon page We hope you enjoy the show. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

We’re joined this week by Beth Walker, author of the book, “The Craft of Thai Ribbon Weaving.” Ribbon weaving is a fun maker activity that requires nothing more than a pair of scissors (not embroidery scissors!) and some 3/8-in. ribbon or ribbon-like paper. You’ll have an easier time finding the paper and it probably works better than ribbon (Froebel Mint link below). These woven shapes are fun to make and, made small, might be good embellishments for needlework. Beth’s book is an excellent tool for learning the techniques. Give it a try and share your results.—Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Beth Walker’s website Beth Walker’s Etsy shop Beth Walker’s Girl’s Guide to AD/HD book Froebel Mint Etsy shop Froebel Mint Amazon shop We hope you enjoy this week’s conversation with Beth Walker. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

This week we’re sponsored by Avlea Folk Embroidery and our topic is the health benefits of needlework. The inspiration for our conversation is an Instagram post by @thedoctorofshopping that explores how much more you get out of that initial expenditure for a needlework kit. You’ll learn about things such as the IKEA effect and The Third Place. For Fiber Talk Patreon members, we continued the conversation to explore muscle memory, flow, and advancing your stitching. This was a fun one that prompted some thinking. Share your reactions in the comments section.—Beth, Cindy, Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Avlea Folk Embroidery website The Doctor of Shopping on Instagram Kristin Armstrong TedxMacatawa 2026 talk (Kristin at 3:38:50) Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting, Lisa Genova Craft Psychology, Anne Kirketerp We hope you enjoy this week’s. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

The Embroiderers’ Guild of America sponsors the return of cross-stitch designer Lindsay Swearingen of Tusk and Cardinal. Lindsay’s new book, “Cross-Stitch from the Dark Ages,” is likely one of the most unique collections of cross-stitch designs you’ll encounter. She did a ton of research into medieval arts and practices to come up with a collection of 25 projects designed to “plague your walls.” Throughout the conversation, we all share our favorite designs and learn about the inspiration behind the book and how Lindsay worked with sample stitchers and a great photographer to create a terrific book.—Beth and Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Embroiderers’ Guild of America website Lindsay Swearingen’s first show Tusk and Cardinal website Tusk and Cardinal Etsy shop Tusk and Cardinal on Instagram Tusk and Cardinal on Facebook Tusk and Cardinal on TikTok We hope you enjoy this conversation with Lindsay Swearingen. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

It’s Midweek Chat time a week early. The show is sponsored by CyberPointers at cyberpointers.org. This week it’s all three of us talking about needlepoint canvas at Avlea Folk Embroidery, top-quality embroidery ground cloth, shiny silk embroidery threads, a new line of silk needlepoint threads, Beth’s new portable magnifier light, slate frame, and slate-frame alternatives. Sunday: Lindsay Swearingen—Beth, Cindy, and Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: CyberPointers website Avlea Folk Embroidery website Jessica Grimm’s Gothic Pansy class Hazel Blomkamp’s Workroom Bradley Needlepoint Silk Threads Brighttech LightView lamp Fiber Talk’s Patreon page We hope you enjoy the show. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Textile artist Carolyn Forster of Quilting on the Go is our guest this week. The focus of our conversation is her two new books, “20 To Make: Chicken Scratch Embroidery” and “1930s Quilts.” Carolyn has been sewing, stitching, and quilting all of her life. She tried cooking in school but things went wonky so she stayed with needle and thread. We have great fun learning about all of the things she does, including organizing Stitchtopia Craft Holidays. If you want to spend some vacation time with needleworkers in interesting/historic venues, check out the upcoming schedule at Carolyn’s website. We hope you enjoy the conversation and encourage you to give chicken scratch a try.—Beth and Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Carolyn Forster website Carolyn Forster on Instagram Carolyn Forster on Facebook Carolyn Forster on YouTube We hope you enjoy this conversation with Carolyn Forster. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.