From Doubt to 2000 Students - with Andi Barney

From Doubt to 2000 Students - with Andi Barney

Author: Sam Hunter January 7, 2026 Duration: 1:20:14

Episode 066

It was great having Andi Barney on the pod to talk about turning her passion for vintage machines into one of the most unique businesses in our industry, that of teaching people sewing machine maintenance. Not only does she teach people how to take care of their own, but she now runs a program to train people as machine techs - something we’ll always need as long as we’re sewing!

Our conversation also got into the changing needs of the sewing public. While there are many of us taught to sew either in school or by our grandmothers - and in formal ways to make clothes, quilts, and other household items, Andi is seeing a huge trend of younger sewists interested in defeating fast fashion through making their own quality clothing, and lots of recycling and upcycling what we already have to keep it going longer.

Show Notes

Website - https://www.andibarney.com/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@SewingDocAcademy

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/asbarney

Ted Lasso - ‎Watch Ted Lasso - Show - Apple TV+‎Apple TV+https://tv.apple.com › show › ted-lasso

Vintage Elna Grasshopper - https://elnagrasshopper.wordpress.com/2011/12/25/an-introduction-to-a-grasshopper-part-1/

Janome Jem Gold - https://www.janome.com/product/jem-gold-660/

Libby Lehman - https://thequiltshow.com/quiltipedia/who-is-libby-lehman

Innova - https://innovalongarm.com/

Necchi - https://www.mynecchi.com/

Sewing Doc Academy - https://www.sewingdocacademy.com/

Portland Modern Quilt Guild - https://portlandmodernquiltguild.com/

The Powermind System: Twelve Lessons on the Psychology of Success by Michael Monroe Kiefer - https://amzn.to/48w6e4z

*Affiliate link - I might make a commission but you don’t pay more

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Where to find Sam Hunter:

How to Own a Revolutionary Craft Biz - www.revcraftbiz.com

Hunter’s Design Studio - www.huntersdesignstudio.com

Embroidered Journey - www.embroideredjourney.com

Sam Hunter Art - www.samhunterart.com

The RevCraftBiz Podcast is a Quilt Talk™ product

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Sam Hunter has spent years running her own craft business, and in The Rev Craft Biz Podcast, she pulls up a chair with fellow quilters and makers to have the conversations they usually save for retreats or late-night texts. This isn't about abstract theory; it's the grounded, sometimes messy reality of turning a passion into a sustainable livelihood. Each episode feels like eavesdropping on a frank discussion between friends who understand the unique pressures of the creative marketplace. They dig into the practicalities of entrepreneurship-from pricing and production to marketing and mindset-while never losing sight of the art that started it all. You’ll hear honest stories about juggling creative work with administrative demands, strategies for avoiding burnout, and how to protect the time needed to actually make things. More than just business tips, this podcast explores how these individuals are actively working to reshape their corner of the craft industry into something more inclusive and supportive. For anyone who has ever felt alone at their sewing machine or workbench, wondering how to make it all work, Sam’s conversations offer camaraderie, actionable ideas, and a reminder that the path is always being stitched together one thread at a time. Tune in for a blend of solid business insight and genuine artistic community, all from voices who live this work every single day.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 75

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