The Straight Stitch: A Podcast About Sewing and Other Fiber Arts.
The Straight Stitch is a podcast about sewing and other fiber arts. Join Janet as she visits with makers about their projects, highlights what is new and noteworthy in the world of sewing, and talks about what's on her cutting table and under the needle. Occasional episodes may venture into related areas such as embroidery or knitting.
Episodes
77 episodes
Sashiko with Sylvia Pippen
Today's episode features an interview with renowned textile artist and quilter Sylvia Pippen, whose work beautifully blends traditional Japanese sashiko with contemporary appliqué techniques. Sylvia shares her creative journey—from gro...
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Season 3
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Episode 14
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31:43
Getting Started with Projector Sewing
In this episode, we explore the innovative world of using a projector to cut out sewing patterns, eliminating the need for pinning or tracing. Whether you're a curious beginner or looking to streamline your sewing process, today’s guest, Shered...
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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39:18
Favorite Sewing Tools
In this episode, I take a closer look at the essential tools that make my sewing more efficient and enjoyable. From sewing machines and scissors to pins, measuring tools, and beyond, I am sharing my favorite items from my sewing toolbox—what I ...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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28:18
Andrea Blohm, Milliner
Millinery is the art and craft of designing, making, and selling hats, typically women’s hats. A milliner is a skilled artisan who creates hats using various materials like felt, straw, fabric, and embellishments such as feathers, ribbons, and ...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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32:52
Who Am I and How Did I Get Here?
We’ve had a slew of new listeners to the podcast in the past couple of weeks (yay!). Not everyone wants to go back and listen to the podcast from the beginning, so I thought I’d do a recap of who I am and how I got here. It’s a tale with a few ...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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31:24
Emma Jones of Vintage Sewing Box
Join me for a lovely chat with Emma Jones of Vintage Sewing Box. Emma is a UK designer who delights in all things needle and thread. A former primary school teacher, Emma has combined her love of sewing with her talent as an instructor and shar...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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35:38
Sew Expo 2025
Today’s episode is a recap of Janet’s trip to Sew Expo 2025, in Puyallup, WA. Sew Expo is an event sponsored by Washington State University and is in its fifth decade. Janet went as a teacher for the second time, teaching five knitting classes ...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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31:37
The Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum
By the time this episode drops, I’ll be on my way to Sew Expo in Puyallup, Washington, to teach five knitting classes and a sewing class. In this episode, I sit down to chat with Morgan Kavanagh, one of the staff members at the Pacific Northwes...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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30:17
The Ins and Outs of Interfacing
This episode is all about interfacing—a crucial element in garment construction that can make a big difference in the structure and longevity of your projects. Whether you're making a crisp shirt collar, sturdy bag handles, or reinforcing a hem...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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32:41
Dispatches From the Sewing Room
Today’s episode is a cozy chat about what’s been happening in my sewing room. Grab your beverage of choice and pull up a comfy chair and join me for a discussion of sewing projects, sewing classes, and what is going on with Joann Fabrics. How h...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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33:36
Using a Die Cutter for Sewing and Quilting
This episode is about die cutters—innovative tools that have revolutionized quilting and fabric cutting. I'll talk mostly about the Accuquilt cutters, because those are the ones I own and know well. Learn how these die cutters work, the differe...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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28:36
Making a Custom Dress Form with Inge deGroot
My guest today is Inge deGroot, a resident of he Netherlands, who reached out and asked to share her passion project about making a custom dress form. Inge tried several methods of creating a dress form that was similar to her body shape, but w...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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42:28
Fall in Love with Your Stash With Stash Hub
Today’s episode features an interview with Yvette of Stash Hub. Yvette and her husband, Doug, are the talented couple behind the creation of this app that enables sewists to catalog and curate their stashes. Overwhelmed by fabric, patterns, and...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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40:49
Zip It Up
What do you know about zippers? How are nylon coil zippers different from molded plastic zippers? Can you shorten a zipper? How? In this episode, we'll talk about all the different kinds of zippers available and how to choose the correct one fo...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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38:23
Local Fleece to Local Clothing: Putting the Fibershed Concept Into Practice
Today's guest is Susan Skalak, a fiber artist and owner of With Needle and Stick. Susan currently resides in Virginia, where her flock of sheep and goats provide the raw material with which she designs and makes custom needle-felted coats. Hear...
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Season 2
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Episode 48
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45:52
Looking Back and Looking Forward
Today's episode is a look back at the sewing I did in 2024 and a look ahead to what I want to make in 2025. I'll also talk a bit about the podcast and plans for growing it in the new year. I've always believed it's much easier to see the road a...
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Season 2
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Episode 47
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30:26
Sewing Sophisticated Bags
Simply Classic is a company focused on helping sewists to make chic and functional bags for everyday use. Owner Christine Hall Murphy joins me today to talk about her journey from CPA to bag designer and her efforts to bring the art of bagmakin...
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Season 2
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Episode 46
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39:45
Teaching the Next Generation of Sewists
Liz Pike is the owner of Let's Get Sewing, a sewing school in Spokane, Washington. Liz has combined her experience as a former public school teacher with her love of sewing and now offers after-school sewing classes to school-age children (and ...
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Season 2
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Episode 45
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32:23
Fibersheds—Linking Producers to End Users
Our guest today is Alayna Rasile, a member of the board of the Montana Fibershed. What is a fibershed, you ask? "A fibershed is a geographically defined area in which fiber resources (wool, flax, hemp, cotton, etc.) are produced and then used b...
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Season 2
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Episode 44
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34:00
Sewing After the Apocalypse, Part 2
In this episode, we'll continue the topic of sewing after the apocalypse with a discussion of those supplies and skills that are most essential. This is also a great primer on the basics that a new sewist might want to have on hand for many com...
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Season 2
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Episode 43
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30:20
Sewing After the Apocalypse
Today’s episode is a bit tongue-in-cheek; I don’t expect there to be an apocalypse, but have you ever thought about how you might sew if the grid went down? People used to do it all the time, and we can learn from the past. This episode focuses...
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Season 2
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Episode 42
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27:53
Trouser Class with Kenneth D. King
I recently had the opportunity to take a trouser drafting class with Kenneth D. King at the Sewing and Design School in Tacoma, WA. Kenneth is professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Kenneth won the Association of Sewing a...
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Season 2
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Episode 41
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28:45
How to Sew When You Don't Have Time to Sew
This is a topic near and dear to my heart because summer is the season when I do the least amount of sewing. Gardening and other outdoor activities take up much of my time. I am looking forward to winter and having large blocks of time to tackl...
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Season 2
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Episode 40
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32:47
Quilting at Camellia Palms
Today's guest is Tabatha Smith, owner and creative force behind Camellia Palms Retreat Center in Florala, Alabama. Hear how she went from "someone who couldn't sew" to accomplished quilter, retreat hostess, and creative entrepreneur. Quilt Quee...
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Season 2
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Episode 39
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30:02