Episode #296: Michelle Cain

Episode #296: Michelle Cain

Author: Abby Glassenberg September 1, 2025 Duration: 55:43

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a quilting business with my guest Michelle Cain.

Michelle tried rather hard not to become a quilter. After growing up outside of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and having a mom who began quilting in the 1990s, this was a formidable challenge. A chance encounter with Denyse Schmidt’s work, however, introduced Michelle to the world of modern quilting and convinced her there might be a place for her in it. She made her first quilt in 2013 and hasn’t looked back. Wanting to connect with other makers, Michelle became active in the New Hampshire Modern Quilt Guild and started blogging about her quilting adventures as From Bolt to Beauty in 2014. In 2020, she formally launched From Bolt to Beauty patterns. Her projects have been featured at QuiltCon and in magazines like Curated Quilts and Love Patchwork & Quilting. In a previous life, Michelle wrote marketing copy and edited books, magazines, and websites. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two teenage sons, and two naughty Golden Retrievers.

Michelle lives not far from me and we were luckily able to record this interview in person in my studio.

+++++

This episode is sponsored by The Academy for Virtual Teaching.

Video isn’t just a sales tool. It’s how you build a community around your brand. Teaching online lets you share your knowledge, your story, and your values - with reach that goes far beyond your local shop.

Explore your options in the free LIVE workshop, Virtual Teaching 101 offered at AcademyForVirtualTeaching.com

+++++

To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.


Abby Glassenberg hosts Craft Industry Alliance, a space where the practical realities of running a creative business meet the deep personal satisfaction of making things by hand. This isn't just about inspiration; it's a grounded conversation for anyone who has turned a craft into a career or dreams of doing so. Each episode feels like a candid chat with a fellow maker, where Abby and her guests pull back the curtain on their processes, discuss the tools and materials they truly rely on, and navigate the unique challenges of entrepreneurship in the creative sphere. You'll hear specific, actionable recommendations-from sourcing sustainable materials and mastering a new technique to marketing your work and managing a studio's finances. The discussions are rooted in the real world, covering everything from the joys of the creative process to the logistics of wholesale trade shows and online sales. Tune into this podcast for an honest blend of education and community, designed to support your journey whether you're knitting, painting, pottery throwing, or designing textiles. It’s a resource that acknowledges creativity as both a passion and a profession, offering the kind of nuanced advice you’d normally only get from a trusted mentor within the tight-knit world of crafts.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 332

Craft Industry Alliance
Podcast Episodes
Episode #308: Sarah Ferguson of Craft Habit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:22
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about owning a craft store and workshop space with my guest Sarah Ferguson. Sarah is the owner of Craft Habit, a brick-and-mortar retail craft stor…
Episode #307: Renae Bradley of Benzie Design [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:45
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about felt with my guest Renae Bradley. Renae is the owner and creative director of Benzie Design, a colorful felt stitchery and craft shop founded…
Episode #306: Michelle Galletta of Kiriki Press [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:26
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about creating a craft kit company with my guest Michelle Galletta of Kiriki Press. Ontario College of Art and Design printmaking grad Michelle Gal…
Episode #305: Madison May from CUT/SEW Patterns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:33
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about cosplay with my guest Madison May. Madison is the owner and head pattern maker at CUT/SEW Sewing Patterns, a beginner-friendly pattern compan…
Episode #304: Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner from Modern Daily Knitting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:10
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a craft community with my guests Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne are the co-founders of Modern Daily Knittin…
Episode #303: Ali Dillingham [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:42
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about running a brick-and-mortar yarn shop with my guest, Ali Dillingham, owner of A Yarn Market. A Yarn Market is a welcoming space based on the m…
Episode #302: Kim Kight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:01
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about fabric design with my guest Kim Kight. Kim Kight started in the craft blogging world in the 2000s, first with a personal sewing and knitting…
Episode #301: Brittany Garber [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:58
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about crochet design with my guest, Brittany Garber. Britt is the creative force behind KnotBadBritt—a name that’s become synonymous with bold colo…
Episode #300: Maria Shell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:18
On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about quilting with my guest Maria Shell. Maria’s work is grounded in the tradition and craft of American quilt making. She strives to take the cla…