Podcasts—The Ideal Sewing Entertainment!

June 22, 2017 Helena Ashbridge

Sewing is often a solitary hobby. But with our hobby less portable than many but as obsessive as most, we may not get our fill of sewing conversation with people who really understand.

The world of podcasts can really fill that need for connection and even knowledge. Blogs are great, but while we are deep in a project we aren’t looking at a computer screen to read. Piping that sewing camaraderie straight into your ear while your eyes and hands are on your needle is ideal.

If you haven’t heard of podcasts, I’ll explain. It is like an on-demand radio show ready to stream straight to your computer or smartphone. But, most importantly, it is user generated content. Much like YouTube, anyone can create and upload a podcast for other’s enjoyment and that allows our beloved hobby to welcome many different voices into the discussion. It’s an amazing platform, especially useful to us sewists, so we can listen as we sew!

There are 3 main ways to listen to a podcast:

Download and use iTunes on your computer or smartphone. Many people with iPods and iPhones already use this software, making it easy to try it out. There is a section of iTunes for podcasts and you can use your search bar to find any on this list. If your iPhone came preloaded with iTunes, the podcast player may be separate and labeled “Podcasts.”
There are numerous apps available for any smartphone that can download and stream podcasts. Some of my favorites are Stitcher (a little sewing pun there) and Podbean. Plug your headphones into your phone and you can carry your podcasts with you anywhere. It is so convenient.
Go straight to the podcast’s website to listen from your computer. I’ve provided links to each site on the list below so you can peruse their past episodes and easily listen from your computer speakers.

Once you are hooked up and ready to listen, try one of these great podcasts:

Modern Sewciety – Stephanie is a warm and friendly interviewer whose enthusiasm for the subject is obvious. She interviews sewers and quilters of all kinds and does a lot of quilting herself.
While She Naps – Abby covers a great range of different crafty people and topics with a probing perspective. She really asks the questions we are hoping to get answered and the podcast is always super informative.
Maker’s Style – Focusing on garment sewing and current trends and happenings, Rachel is really a part of the online sewing community and it is great to hear from some of your favorite bloggers. Especially when you may not have heard their voice, but you’ve been following their blog for years.
Hip to be Square – A conversational podcast focusing on quilting and the adventures of Pam, a very productive lady who has a lot to say about quilting.
The Crafty Planner – Sandi picks such interesting topics that it is hard to pick which episode to listen to next. She interviews some big names and it is such a unique way to get to know some sewing superstars.
Craftsanity – This podcast has been going strong for many years, so you have a lot of fun back episodes to catch up on! Jennifer is interested in all kinds of crafts and so this podcast is a unique experience every time you listen.
Sewing Out Loud – The mother and daughter hosts of this show have such an amazing chemistry that it really feels like you are just sitting down with them while they discuss our favorite topic – sewing! Their topics are very helpful immediately, too!
Clothes Making Mavens – This is my little podcast, where my sewing friend Lori and I discuss urgent sewing topics such as where we buy fabric, how we plan our projects, and how much we love our hobby. We also take turns interviewing other interesting people in the garment sewing community.
Happier with Gretchen Rubin – Not a sewing podcast but one of my favorites to listen to. Gretchen and her sister discuss practical tips to be happier, and don’t we all want to be happy?
The History Chicks – This podcast dives deep into the lives of important, but maybe lesser known women in history. As a bonus to their regular content, they just began an episode by episode recap of the new Anne with an “E” show just released by Netflix, a retelling of the classic Anne of Green Gables.