Taking the Temperature of What You Do - with Jo Avery

Taking the Temperature of What You Do - with Jo Avery

Author: Sam Hunter August 12, 2026 Duration: 1:49:45

Episode 082

In this episode I’m chatting with Jo Avery. We talk about her entrepreneurial journey from her early twenties, and how she has refined her businesses along the way to suit the stages of her life, including moving from in person teaching to online, and partnering with people who have other skill sets and compliment hers.

Jo is also a maker of temperature quilts - a style of quilting that has fascinated me. She talks about developing them using improv techniques (her favorite way to work) and using these, and 100 Days projects, as playgrounds for her next big idea.

Show Notes

Website -

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joaverystitch/

Bayeux Tapestry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayeux_Tapestry

British Museum/Bayeux Tapestry - https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/bayeux-tapestry

Lady and the Unicorn Tapestry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lady_and_the_Unicorn

Festival of Quilts - https://www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk/

Daisy Aschehoug - https://warmfolk.com/

Svalbard Retreat - https://warmfolk.com/products/svalbard-retreat-2026-deposit

Thread House Academy - https://academy.thethreadhouse.co.uk/

Creative Spark - https://ctpub.com/

Cleopatra’s Needle Needlepoint - https://www.cleopatrasneedle.co.uk/

Jo’s Temperature quilt - https://joavery.co.uk/temperature-quilt-and-temperature-embroidery/

Temperature quilt archive - https://joavery.co.uk/category/temperature-quilt/

Karen Lewis - https://www.karenlewistextiles.com/

Nick Ball - https://www.instagram.com/quiltsfromtheattic/?hl=en

Kelly Lautenbach - https://www.instagram.com/itsjustsew/

Exhausted Octopus - https://exhaustedoctopus.com/

*Dear Data: A Friendship in 52 Weeks of Postcards - https://amzn.to/4o7lpXU

Jo’s patterns - https://store.stitchgathering.co.uk/collections/pdf-patterns

Journey to the Centre of a Quilter Book - https://store.stitchgathering.co.uk/products/journey-to-the-centre-of-a-quilter-book

Handiquilter Moxie - https://handiquilter.com/product/hq-moxie-15-quilt-machine/?srsltid=AfmBOop_zOlmMc1xxxky0-rIJoSdGN0hf3sWoyDbktMoBw3AsJKmMN3s

Aurifil - https://www.aurifil.com/

Modern American Vintage - https://modernamericanvintage.com/

Poking tool - https://modernamericanvintage.com/collections/quilting-tools/products/pointturners

Scorer - https://modernamericanvintage.com/collections/quilting-tools/products/heramarkers

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

How to Own a Revolutionary Craft Biz is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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 Fine Art: - www.samhunterart.com

The RevCraftBiz Podcast is a Quilt Talk™ product

Thanks for reading How to Own a Revolutionary Craft Biz! This post is public so feel free to share it.



Get full access to How to Own a Revolutionary Craft Biz at www.revcraftbiz.com/subscribe

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: 50

The Rev Craft Biz Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Making Words Make Money - with Rachel Allen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:06
Episode 083In this episode I’m chatting with Rachel Allen about copywriting and marketing. She talks about finding a way to be human in your marketing communications without being performative, and about understanding wh…
Where the Inspiration Comes From - with e bond (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:03
Episode 081In Part 2 of my convo with book artist and fabric designer e bond, we delved into where you look for inspiration. e brought a lot of her book making and painting skills to her first fabric designs, and subsequ…
Allowing the Creative Process to Lead You - with e bond (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:04
Episode 080Book artist and fabric designer e bond joined the pod and we had a really vibrant conversation about how to discover and work in one’s own creative process. We also talk about how to capture ideas and where th…
The Legacies We Live In and Leave Behind - with Kristin Barrus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:21
Episode 079Kristin Barrus was just recently awarded her doctorate, and the focus of her studies were entrepreneurial quilt makers. I was honored to be one of her interview subjects a couple of years ago, and it was wonde…
Judging Quilts Professionally - with Kathie Beltz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:35
In this episode Kathie Beltz joins us to talk about all things to do with judging quilts for quilt shows. She covers the things to pay attention to if you hope to be considered for a prize, and I got to ask about criteri…
Learning How to Manage Hustle Culture - with Lauren Goche [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:28
In this episode my friend Lauren Goche joins the pod. She’s not in the craft industry, she’s a realtor – but as an entrepreneur who has built her own business, she has faced similar challenges around burnout, hustle cult…
Learning How To Advocate for Yourself - With Christa Watson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:37
Christa Watson join the pod in this episode, and we talk about the long journey to “overnight success.” She spent a lot of years thinking she had to get older to be “allowed” to do more with her business, and eventually…