This episode’s guest is Terry Grahl the Founder and CEO of Enchanted Makeovers, a national non-profit charitable organization based in Taylor, Michigan. She started Enchanted Makeovers after a life-changing visit to a shelter for women and children in Michigan.

Welcome to the 100th episode of Sew & So! We’re celebrating an incredible milestone for this podcast, which began back in February 2021 with our very first guest, the extraordinary artist Bisa Butler. Thanks to the support of BERNINA, Sew & So has become a vibrant community where sewists and quilters who are creators, innovators, and artisans come together to share their stories.

Welcome to Sew & So, brought to you by BERNINA, made to create! I’m Meg Goodman, and today, you’re in for an exclusive treat. Join me on a behind-the-scenes tour of a truly extraordinary milestone—the 50th anniversary of the Houston Quilt Festival. 

This isn’t just any quilt show; it’s an international celebration of artistry, creativity, and history. We’ll be diving deep with attendees, educators, personalities, and prize-winning quilters, capturing those moments that make this event so iconic.

In this inspiring episode, we welcome Lina Owen, founder of BlueBelle Designs and co-owner of Quilting with Latinas. Born and raised in Colombia, Lina came to the United States in 2006, having studied International Business in Bogotá. She discovered quilting through her mother-in-law and YouTube tutorials, and in just four years, she has honed her craft and made a significant impact in the quilting world.

Join us for an energetic and inspiring conversation with Lynn Schmitt, the fearless owner of A Different Box of Crayons in Glen Ellyn, IL. Discover how her journey from commercial interior designer to pattern and quilt kit creator took unexpected twists. Learn how Lynn's bold approach to art and design has led her to embrace innovation and take risks in the world of quilting—proof that there's no limit to where creativity can take you.

You’re about to join us for a very special conversation we recorded in-person in Madison, WI at the 20th anniversary of the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show! In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome back Deanna Springer a close collaborator with the legendary Nancy Zieman, co-founding Nancy Zieman Productions in 2007.

Join us for this special episode as we travel to Madison Wisconsin for the Great American Quilt Show which began largely in thanks to the late Nancy Zieman. Nancy hosted Sewing With Nancy on PBS Wisconsin for 35 years and inspired hobbyists across the country to sew, quilt and embroider. What started as an instructional program filmed in her home in 1982 became the longest-running sewing and quilting education show on public television.

We’ll visit with educators, vendors, exhibitors, a special event host, an appraiser and Deanna Springer who is paramount in carrying on Nancy Zieman’s legacy.

Welcome back to Part 2 of OMG Fashun – Friends They Never Knew They Needed. In Part one, Co-Executive Producer Rich Brusa and Producer Marcy Guevara-Prete gave us an exclusive peek into the genesis and workings of this show. Then, several of the contestant/disruptors shared personal stories of their paths to this show and how it changed their lives.

This episode is unlike any we’ve done before. Yes, we’ll be talking to sewists, but these aren’t just any sewists—these are trailblazers with a story to tell. They’ve stitched their way through life’s fabric from every corner of the country, and their threads have led them to something extraordinary.

These talented creators were contestants on the first season of Bravo’s smash hit, “OMG Fashun.” Led by the unapologetic actress, model, and fashion maverick Julia Fox, alongside the legendary stylist Law Roach, this show tore through the boundaries of fashion design, flipping the script on what style can and should be.

Want to know the behind-the-scenes workings of costume design for tv shows? , Then join us for this one-of-a-kind episode with our guest Jennifer May Nickel, member of the costume Designer’s Guild who lives in LA…but works her craft from wherever she’s called in places such as Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Lafayette, LA and Pittsburgh.

Her TV costume design credits include work for Gotham Knights and shows on E! Nickelodeon, Relativity TV, and others.

It’s Summer 2024 and we’re with Olympian Grace Latz just prior to her travels to Paris for the Artist-in-Residence Program at the Paris Olympics.

Hear about this amazing program, how Grace was chosen to participate and what she eventually creates for it. She talks about the team that helped her produce it and how it all came together. Or course she talks about how she learned to sew and who influenced her. As a bonus, learn what it’s like to be an athlete in the Olympics!

Our guest is Ann Brauer from Ann Brauer Quilt Studio in Shelburne Falls, MA who for more than 40 years has been making original quilts that create abstract landscapes of the imagination.

At age 30, she took the leap to try to support herself as a quilt maker. She’ll share with us just how all this worked out.

In 2011, her life changed dramatically as her studio floated down the river during tropical storm Irene.

Experience an exclusive behind the scenes adventure through 4 packed days of BERNINA University. There were 1200 attendees representing 6 countries…the farthest travelled…Australia. It took 150 staff a full year to plan the event and 9 semitrailers to get all the equipment and machines to the Renaissance Center Detroit. Join the fun, the excitement and learn about BERNINA’s new flagship sewing machine…the B990

Join us for this special conversation with Sew & So’s youngest guest to date… Paris Green – a current BERNINA Ambassador and one of the principals of the Couture Beauty and Sewing Academy. Paris began sewing at age 4, became serious about her sewing at age seven and entered her first sewing competition at 9 years old. She won the Kid’s Beginner Sewing division that year. At age 10 she became BERNINA’s youngest sewing ambassador to share kid-friendly tutorials via the We All Sew blog.

Join us for this amazing episode which takes us into through the life experiences of Amanda Richline their Product Manager & Creative Lead at Unshattered. Amanda shares her deeply personal story of addiction, recovery and building an amazing future for herself, her children and the women she works with at Unshattered. This organization is dedicated to working with women to end the addiction relapse cycle by providing pathways toward economic independence and sustained sobriety.

Make yourself comfortable and join us for this in-person, up close and personal conversation with Bonnie Browning – Executive Show Director at the American Quilt Society. Learn of her childhood, how she began to quilt, her world travels and her journeys and adventures at the AQS executive director. This is a very special conversation as after we recorded this episode at 2024 Quilt Week, Bonnie retired.

This is an episode you won’t want to miss as we go behind the scenes at the 40th Anniversary celebration of the American Quilter’s Society at Quilt Week Paducah 2024. Hear conversations with members of the Schroeder Family, founders of AQS. Hear updates with Amanda Murphy, Alex Anderson, and Ricky Tims. Meet astronaut Dr. Karen Nyberg, Barbara McCraw and Karen K. Stone as they describe their exhibits at the National Quilt Museum. We visit with Becky Glasby of the museum as she shares this year’s contest, then meet two of the winning creators. Learn about quilt appraisals with Vickie Coleman. And finally, as Executive Show Director Bonnie Browning retires – we learn first-hand from her how quilting has changed over the years and meet Michelle Renee Hiatt who will be stepping into Bonnie’s shoes. There can be only one 40th anniversary celebration for AQS and to experience it for yourself…this is THE podcast to listen to!

Enjoy this marvelous conversation with George Kalajian, a world renown couture master craftsman located in New York’s Garment District. George is the owner/operator of Tom’s Sons International Pleating which was founded more than 50 years ago by his grandfather.

Join us for our first episode direct from Australia as Robyn Cuthbertson from Robyn J Designs shares her inspirational story of adventure, bravery, and tenacity in living her best life. Her moving journey is nothing less than uplifting and her venture into where she is now…beyond serendipitous!

The Sallie Tomato company has been making a name for itself for years. Join us to meet its founder Jessica Barrera in the episode of Sew & So. Learn how she began to sew, why she named her company Sallie Tomato, how she has exponentially grown this business and her love for her hometown Fox Lake, WI!