Why is the Big Box Store — aka “the wolf” — so bad? S-2/EP-3

Why is the Big Box Store — aka “the wolf” — so bad? S-2/EP-3

Why is the Big Box Store — aka “the wolf” — so bad? For this episode of Handicraft and Stitch, Nikki and Rachael tackle a big question with tangled threads: Why is the Big Box Store — aka “the wolf” — so bad? How did giant craft and retail chains become so massive, convenient, and unavoidable since the 1990s? What happens when low prices and endless convenience come at the cost of local fabric shops, workers, creativity, and our planet? From fast fashion and overconsumption to the loss of community-centered craft spaces, we unravel the history and impact of the “big box” mindset — and why so many makers are feeling the consequences today. This episode is honest, passionate, and deeply personal. We talk about the environmental cost, the treatment of employees, the effect on small businesses, and the complicated reality of being crafters who’ve also shopped there. Because crafting shouldn’t just be convenient — it should connect us. Grab your current project and join us for a conversation about community, consumerism, creativity, and what happens when the wolf gets too big. Follow us on social media! - for updates and more content! [https://linktr.ee/HandicraftandStitch]   Support our season two podcast sponsor - Beth's Creative Stitchery [http://bethscreative.com/]     Do you have ideas for future episodes, or would you like to send us a note? Contact us at handicraftandstitch@gmail.com

Beth's Creative Stitchery - Interview with Laura S-2/EP-2

Beth's Creative Stitchery - Interview with Laura In this episode of Handicraft and Stitch, Nikki and Rachael sit down with Laura, the current owner of Beth’s Creative Stitchery and one of the coolest creative shop owners in Columbus, Ohio. What unfolds is less of an interview and more of a real, honest conversation between three women living and working in the sewing world. Laura is a true Jackie of many trades, and she shares her journey from learning to sew as a young girl to stepping into ownership with grit, humor, and a whole lot of sass. Bless Her!!! Nikki and Rachael adore you :) We talk about what it actually looks like to run a creative business—hiring and supporting creative staff, cultivating an environment where creativity can thrive, and making bold decisions even when they feel uncomfortable. Laura brings the kind of advice that’s both practical and empowering—the kind you don’t always hear out loud. This episode is about more than sewing—it’s about growth, leadership, creativity, and figuring it out as you go. It’s about being multi-passionate, building something meaningful, and having honest conversations along the way. Get to know the woman behind one of the coolest creative spaces in Columbus—and come hang out with us: three women, three perspectives, and one shared love for making things and more - like her knowledge of machines. There will be more on that in the future.    Follow us on social media! - for updates and more content! [https://linktr.ee/HandicraftandStitch]   Support our season two podcast sponsor - Beth's Creative Stitchery [http://bethscreative.com/] (This is Laura's Shop!)   Do you have ideas for future episodes, or would you like to send us a note? Contact us at handicraftandstitch@gmail.com

We Definitely Podcast Now! S-2/EP-1

We Definitely Podcast Now Season 2 is here, and we’re kicking things off the only way we know how—by sitting down together and catching up. In this episode, Nikki and Rachael reflect on the very first year of Handicraft and Stitch: how it started, what we’ve learned, and the moments that shaped us along the way. From personal health updates to showing up in our local creative community at the Columbus Craft Crawl, we’re sharing the real-life threads that have been woven into this journey. We also look ahead—what we’re dreaming up for the future of the podcast, the community we’re building, and how crafting continues to hold us together through it all. This episode is part reflection, part reset, and a whole lot of “wow, we really did that.” Whether you’ve been here since episode one or you’re just finding us now—welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Thank you for being part of our first season. 🧵 Rachael's head wrap Etsy pattern link - here [https://www.etsy.com/listing/4373975216/wired-turban-sewing-pattern-pdf-with?ls=r&sr_prefetch=1&pf_from=shop_home&ref=items-pagination-1&crt=1&sts=1&dd=1&content_source=ed1e90cd24a682ae8dcaba79ee54cd11%253ALT4a89bccb4d7add409c344e26a6eafa0389d6e381&logging_key=ed1e90cd24a682ae8dcaba79ee54cd11%3ALT4a89bccb4d7add409c344e26a6eafa0389d6e381] Book recommendation - The Quilt Block Cookbook: 50 Block Recipes, 7 Sampler Quilts, Endless Possibilities [https://www.google.com/search?q=quilt+blokc+cookbook&oq=quilt+blokc+cookbook&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIJCAEQLhgNGIAEMggIAhAAGBYYHjINCAMQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAQQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAUQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAYQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAcQABiGAxiABBiKBTIHCAgQABjvBdIBCTExNDUwajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8] Book by Amy Gibson [https://www.google.com/search?q=quilt+blokc+cookbook&oq=quilt+blokc+cookbook&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIJCAEQLhgNGIAEMggIAhAAGBYYHjINCAMQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAQQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAUQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAYQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAcQABiGAxiABBiKBTIHCAgQABjvBdIBCTExNDUwajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8]     Follow us on social media! - for updates and more content! [https://linktr.ee/HandicraftandStitch]   Support our season two podcast sponsor - Beth's Creative Stitchery [http://bethscreative.com/]   Do you have ideas for future episodes, or would you like to send us a note? Contact us at handicraftandstitch@gmail.com

Craftivism — Craft as Activism S-1/EP-17-FINALE!

Season One Finale: Craftivism — Craft as Activism We’re closing out season one of Handicraft and Stitch with a big conversation: craftivism — the idea that craft can be activism. In this episode we wander through stories, history, and present-day moments where craft has carried meaning far beyond the stitches. We talk about quilts and the stories connected to the Underground Railroad, the cultural power of hair and head coverings, the symbolism of hats, the way craft has shown up around presidents, and how making still intersects with current politics today. But we want to be clear — we are not historians. We’re makers. We’re curious. And we’re talking honestly about what these stories bring up for us and how they live in our bodies as people who craft. For us, crafting has always been about more than just making something pretty. It’s about identity, resistance, community, care, and connection. It’s about the ways people have always used what they had — thread, fabric, yarn, hands — to communicate, protect each other, and stand together. This episode is an open, thoughtful conversation about what it means to craft with intention and how making can bring people together. Because at the end of the day, crafting may start with one pair of hands… But united we craft! Thank you for being part of our first season. 🧵     Follow us on social media! - for updates and more content! [https://linktr.ee/HandicraftandStitch]   Support our season one podcast sponsor - The Sewing Hive. [https://www.sewinghive.com/]   Do you have ideas for future episodes, or would you like to send us a note? Contact us at handicraftandstitch@gmail.com

Yarn + One Hook = Crochet S-1/EP-16

Season 1 / Episode 16: Yarn + One Hook = Crochet 🧶✨   Welcome back to our Yarn Series — this is Part Two, and we’re trading in two needles for one powerful little hook. This week on Handicraft and Stitch, we’re sitting down with official bestie-of-the-podcast Brittany — certified crochet baddie and hook-wielding queen — to chat all things crochet. From how she got started to why crochet hits different, we’re breaking down what makes this craft so addictive, expressive, and deeply rooted in community. We talk granny squares, garments, thrifted yarn finds, and the quiet rebellion of making something beautiful with your own two hands. Crochet has always been about resourcefulness, resilience, and radical creativity — and Brittany brings that energy in full color. Whether you’re brand new to yarn or you’ve got three WIPs living in tote bags around your house, this episode will make you want to grab a hook and stitch your way into the lineage of makers who built warmth, art, and power from a single strand. Part Two. One hook. Let’s get into it. Follow us on social media! - for updates and more content! [https://linktr.ee/HandicraftandStitch]   Support our season one podcast sponsor - The Sewing Hive. [https://www.sewinghive.com/]   Do you have ideas for future episodes, or would you like to send us a note? Contact us at handicraftandstitch@gmail.com