This week on Not Your Granny’s Quilt Show, my guest is Sarah Spencer, also known as Io the Alien. Sarah is an artist who uses textiles as her main medium, always following her curiosities and giving her attention to the work that brings her joy.
Lately, she’s been creating striking sketch portraits of women and “interesting men,” blending paint on canvas with stitched thread lines to bring her drawings to life. Sarah’s textile journey began with sewing her own clothes, then grew while she was teaching at a small art school in Chicago, where a quilting class sparked her love for improvisation. With guidance from artist Sheila Frampton Cooper, Sarah has continued carving her own unique path, building a body of work that feels fully her own.
When she’s not making art, Sarah is also a radio DJ. If you’re in Chicago, you can catch her live, or stream her past shows anytime at chirpradio.com
Enjoy our conversation, and be sure to check out Sarah’s work at iothealien.com 

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YouTube: https://youtube.com/@notyourgrannysquiltshow 

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This week on Not Your Granny’s Quilt Show, my guest is Diana Li Fitzgerald, better known as Banjoflannel. Diana’s new book, Patchwork Sashiko: Transform Your Scraps, releases at the end of this year and is already available for preorder through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, C&T Publishing, and wholesale.

Diana’s sewing journey began in 2005 when she set out to make her own purse. That spark led to bag making, selling her creations online, and eventually evolving her practice into the joyful world of patchwork and Sashiko, the Japanese tradition of decorative hand stitching. Along the way, she has shared her unique approach to playful Sashiko patchwork through classes, online tutorials, and at QuiltCon, where she taught in 2022.

In this episode, Diana and I talk about her creative journey, her love for scraps, and how she brings a spirit of fun into every stitch. You won’t want to miss this conversation!

Connect with Diana at banjoflannel.com
and on Instagram @banjoflannel

Want to see more? You can find it here: 
NYQGS Merch Shop: nygqs.printify.me 
Patreon: patreon.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeadesigncompany 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@notyourgrannysquiltshow 

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This week on Not Your Granny’s Quilt Show, my guest is Justin Stafford, owner of Keaton Quilt - the last standing quilt shop in New York City. Nestled in the heart of the Flower District, Keaton Quilts is a hub for fabric lovers, offering a wide selection of fabrics and notions, longarm quilting, classes, and the warmth of Justin’s passion for the fiber arts.

Justin’s love for sewing began at age 12 with his very first quilt - a piece he still treasures today. Growing up, creativity was his safe space, and it has carried him into a thriving career. His work has been featured in the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue, he’s authored a book with a mini quilt kit, and he’s now collaborating with Liberty of London (a dream come true!) on patterns for their upcoming fabric launch. Justin is also developing his own fabric line, inspired by the city he loves mos - New York.

Join us for this inspiring conversation, and be sure to visit www.keatonquilts.com
to learn more about Justin and his shop.

Want to see more? You can find it here: 
NYQGS Merch Shop: nygqs.printify.me 
Patreon: patreon.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeadesigncompany 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@notyourgrannysquiltshow 

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This week on Not Your Granny’s Quilt Show, I’m joined by Sara and Debbie of Salty Sews. The two met in a sewing class back in 2019 and have been connected through their craft ever since. When the world began opening up again, Sara signed them up to teach a class at the very same sewing event where they first met, and from there, Salty Sews was born.

Sara and Debbie have built a community-driven space where people may show up as participants, but leave as friends. Their inspiration is their community, and they encourage everyone to show up, relax, and enjoy the process of learning and creating. If you can’t make it to one of their in-person classes, they also offer online tutorials and will be hosting virtual classes starting in 2026.

Check out their website www.saltysews.com
or find them on Instagram @salty_sews to learn more.

Want to see more? You can find it here: 
NYQGS Merch Shop: nygqs.printify.me 
Patreon: patreon.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeadesigncompany 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@notyourgrannysquiltshow 

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This week on Not Your Granny’s Quilt Show, my guest is Miri A., co-owner and founder of Capital Stitch Co. Miri’s passion is making embroidery approachable for beginners through her thoughtfully designed DIY kits. She believes that something magical happens when people put down their phones and pick up a needle and thread - and she’s on a mission to make that joy of creating accessible to everyone. We chat about her journey building Capital Stitch Co., the importance of slowing down with handcrafts, and how embroidery can be a creative outlet for anyone, no matter their skill level. You can find Miri on Instagram, Threads, Patreon and YouTube @capitalstitchco. 

Want to see more? You can find it here: 
NYQGS Merch Shop: nygqs.printify.me 
Patreon: patreon.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeadesigncompany 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@notyourgrannysquiltshow 

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This week on Not Your Granny’s Quilt Show, my guest is psychologist, knitter, and author Nicole Nehrig. Nicole’s new book, With Her Own Hands, explores the deep personal meaning of textile work for women around the world throughout history. Drawing from her professional research and her own knitting journey, Nicole dives into how fiber arts have shaped—and been shaped by—women’s lives.

Nicole shares how the societal upheaval of 2020 prompted her career shift, giving her the space to focus on knitting while home with her children. That quiet time sparked questions about the women who came before us—balancing care for their families while creating clothing, blankets, and art out of necessity. Through her research and writing, knitting became both her anchor and her lens for understanding this enduring tradition.

Her hope for the book is to offer a framework for making space for meaningful textile work in our own lives—reminding us that, truly, our lives are in our own hands.

Find With Her Own Hands at nicolenehrig.com—and, as always, buy direct from the author when you can!

Want to see more? You can find it here: 
NYQGS Merch Shop: nygqs.printify.me 
Patreon: patreon.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeadesigncompany 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@notyourgrannysquiltshow 

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This week on Not Your Granny’s Quilt Show, my guest is Hannah, the creative mind behind Honey Fibers. Growing up surrounded by her great-grandmother’s quilts, Hannah’s love for stitching started with a deep connection to heritage. In 2020, she picked up quilting to keep her hands busy—and found herself completely hooked. Recently, Hannah brought the quilting community together for a collaborative project to raise funds for Palestine, with the resulting quilts now ready to be raffled. We talk about her passion for hand quilting, the joy of running her handmade goods shop, and the power of craft as a tool for connection and change. You can find her work at honeyfibers.com and on Instagram @honeyfibers.

Want to see more? You can find it here: 
NYQGS Merch Shop: nygqs.printify.me 
Patreon: patreon.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeadesigncompany 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@notyourgrannysquiltshow 

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This week on Not Your Granny’s Quilt Show, I’m joined by Dee Bushrod of Pixel Quilts! Originally from the UK and now living in the U.S., Dee’s quilting journey started with a heartfelt gift and quickly evolved into something extraordinary. In 2020, she found connection and creativity through quilting with her daughter—turning favorite pop stars into pixelated quilt portraits. Since then, Dee has created a stunning body of work that blends nostalgia, artistry, and pixel-perfect precision. We chat about her process, her unexpected entry into the quilting world, and how she balances it all with her sourdough bakery and teaching schedule. Find her incredible work on Instagram @pixelquilts and check out her website, www.pixelquilts.com, where you can start designing your own pixel masterpiece. You won’t want to miss this inspiring conversation!

Want to see more? You can find it here: 
NYQGS Merch Shop: nygqs.printify.me 
Patreon: patreon.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeadesigncompany 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@notyourgrannysquiltshow 

Want to be on the show? Send us a message!

This week on Not Your Granny’s Quilt Show, I’m joined by Kim Moos, the creative force behind Cotton Cuts—home of the beloved Puzzle Mystery Quilt! 🧩✂️ Kim’s sewing journey started when she was young, but she first found herself in the corporate world of Biomedical Engineering. Luckily for quilters everywhere, she returned to her sewing roots and launched Cotton Cuts in 2016, bringing the magic of subscription boxes to our sewing tables.

From cutting pieces by hand to using high-tech die-cutters and semi-automatic equipment, Kim and her team make sure thousands of quilters get to skip the trimming and jump straight to the fun part—sewing! 🧵✨

Sign-ups for the current Puzzle Mystery Quilt are open now through September—don’t miss your chance to piece together some mystery magic! Check it out at cottoncuts.com.

Want to see more? You can find it here: 
NYQGS Merch Shop: nygqs.printify.me 
Patreon: patreon.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeadesigncompany 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@notyourgrannysquiltshow 

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This week on Not Your Granny’s Quilt Show, I’m chatting with Lindsey of Pen + Paper Patterns. Lindsey is a talented quilt pattern designer known for her fun, whimsical style and her love of glue basting. Nearly ten years ago, she released her very first pattern, Rainy Day—and now she’s come full circle with her latest design, Chance of Rain, a delightful mix of umbrellas and daisies that’s perfect for spring stitching.

After dabbling in several other handmade businesses, Lindsey found her true creative voice in quilt pattern design and hasn’t looked back. Her goal? To inspire quilters to make dreamy quilts with confidence and to keep the joy alive in every stitch.

You can explore her brand-new pattern, Chance of Rain, along with her full pattern library at pendandpaperpatterns.com and see more of her inspiring makes on Instagram at @penandpaperpatterns.

Want to see more? You can find it here: 
NYQGS Merch Shop: nygqs.printify.me 
Patreon: patreon.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourgrannysquiltshow https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeadesigncompany 
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@notyourgrannysquiltshow 

Want to be on the show? Send us a message!