"The Textile Creative" with Virginia Wygal

By Virginia Leigh Studio

Have you ever dreamed of turning your love of fabric and textiles into a thriving creative business or career?

Welcome to The Textile Creative with Virginia Wygal. With 30 years of experience as a des... more

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FAQs about "The Textile Creative" with Virginia Wygal:

How many episodes does "The Textile Creative" with Virginia Wygal have?

The podcast currently has 33 episodes available.

"The Textile Creative" with Virginia Wygal episodes:

February 18, 2025 12: The Fabric Creative's Guide to Narrowing Your Niche
The Fabric Creative’s Guide to Narrowing Your Niche
Passion, Skill, and Demand
In this episode of The Textile Creative, host Virginia Wygal helps fabric enthusiasts navigate the complexities of choosing a creative focus and finding a lucrative niche. Virginia shares her personal journey from feeling scattered to homing in on what she loves and excels at, while aligning with market demand. By addressing common mistakes like trying to do everything at once and lacking clarity in offerings, this episode provides actionable advice on how to balance passion, skill, and demand to build a successful creative business.
Listen in for tips on how to define your niche, test market demand, and evolve your creative practice without feeling boxed in.
The VirginiaLeighStudio Home page:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
00:00 Introduction: The Fabric Lover's Dilemma
00:25 Understanding the Struggle of Finding a Niche
00:55 The Importance of Finding Your Niche
01:51 Host's Personal Journey to Finding a Niche
06:03 Common Mistakes When Choosing a Niche
09:35 How to Identify Your Niche
13:08 Deciding What to Sell
17:15 Testing and Refining Your Product Ideas
20:06 Flexible Niches and Evolving Your Business
23:33 Practical Exercise to Find Your Niche
25:42 Conclusion and Next Steps
Connect with Virginia:
Website = https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/virginialeighstudio/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/virginialeighstudio
The Creative Cloth eMagazine:
https://patreon.com/SewingStudioSecrets

...more
28min
February 11, 2025 11: The Fear of Putting Yourself Out There
E11: The Fear of Putting Yourself Out There
Overcoming Creative Fears: A Journey to Visibility and Confidence
In this episode of the Textile Creative Podcast, host Virginia Wygal discusses the challenges and fears creatives face when sharing their work online. Virginia relates her personal journey of overcoming the fear of visibility, detailing her clumsy first attempts at launching a website, going live on social media, and recording videos. She addresses common fears such as imposter syndrome, fear of judgment, and fear of being unnoticed.
Providing practical advice, Virginia emphasizes starting small and safe, asking for encouragement rather than feedback, and finding a supportive community of like-minded creatives. This episode is a motivational guide to help creatives build confidence, share their work, and connect with the right audience, all while embracing the imperfections of the creative process.
The VirginiaLeighStudio Home page:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
00:00 Facing the Fear of Sharing Your Work
00:41 Overcoming Awkward Beginnings
01:41 The Importance of Starting
02:35 Introduction to the Textile Creative Podcast
03:54 Common Fears Creatives Face
04:22 Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
06:40 Handling Judgment and Criticism
08:19 Embracing the Fear of Being Ignored
10:28 Mindset Shifts for Creatives
17:10 Practical Tips for Sharing Your Work
21:01 Building a Supportive Creative Community
22:05 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
23:22 Conclusion and Resources
Connect with Virginia:
Website = https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/virginialeighstudio/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/virginialeighstudio
The Creative Cloth eMagazine:
https://patreon.com/SewingStudioSecrets

...more
25min
February 04, 2025 10: Fabric Creatives and the Art of Saying No
Fabric Creatives and the Art of Saying No
In this episode of The Textile Creative Podcast, host Virginia Wygal explores the importance of saying no for creative professionals. She emphasizes how declining non-aligned projects can protect your time, energy, and mental well-being. Virginia shares her personal experience with burnout from overcommitting and offers practical tips on setting boundaries, overcoming the fear of financial instability, and gracefully turning down work.
She also discusses the financial and creative benefits of being selective with your projects. Tune in to learn how to prioritize meaningful work that truly inspires and fulfills you.
The VirginiaLeighStudio Home page:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
00:00 Introduction: The Power of Saying No
00:55 Personal Story: Learning the Hard Way
02:39 The Importance of Saying No
04:22 Understanding the Cost of Saying Yes
04:37 Valuing Custom Work
07:47 Overcoming the Fear of Saying No
13:55 Practical Tips for Saying No Gracefully
16:13 Setting Boundaries and Avoiding Guilt
22:43 The Benefits of Saying No
29:13 Conclusion: Embrace Your Creative Journey
Connect with Virginia:
Website = https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/virginialeighstudio/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/virginialeighstudio
The Creative Cloth eMagazine:
https://patreon.com/SewingStudioSecrets

...more
31min
January 28, 2025 9: What Is a Portfolio Career for Fabric Creatives?"
What Is A Portfolio Career for Fabric Creatives?
In this episode of The Textile Creative Podcast, host Virginia Wygal dives into the concept of a 'portfolio career'—a career built on multiple streams of income or projects that align with your unique skills and passion. Virginia explains how this approach is particularly beneficial for fabric and fiber artists and shares her personal journey from a focused career in women's fashion design to a versatile, sustainable creative business.
The episode emphasizes the importance of diversifying your income streams for financial stability, creative freedom, and flexibility, and offers practical steps for building your portfolio career. Key challenges like balancing multiple projects and the fear of losing customers through teaching are also addressed. Tune in to discover how to unlock the potential of your skills and create a fulfilling, profitable creative career.
The VirginiaLeighStudio Home page:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
00:00 Introduction to Portfolio Careers
00:23 What is a Portfolio Career?
04:42 Real-Life Examples of Portfolio Careers
06:20 Benefits of a Portfolio Career
07:19 Building Your Own Portfolio Career
17:21 Challenges and Tips for Portfolio Careers
22:13 Conclusion and Next Steps
Connect with Virginia:
Website = https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/virginialeighstudio/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/virginialeighstudio
The Sew Successful Workshop:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com/sewsuccessfulworkshop
...more
25min
January 21, 2025 8: Creative Confidence: Building Trust in Your Process and Ideas
8: Creative Confidence: Building Trust in Your Process and Ideas
Building Creative Confidence: Trusting Your Process and Overcoming Self-Doubt
In this episode of The Textile Creative Podcast, Virginia Wygal discusses the journey of building creative confidence and trusting one's process, despite fears and doubts. She shares her personal experiences, tips, and actionable steps for overcoming barriers like fear of failure, fear of success, overthinking, and comparison. Virginia emphasizes the importance of clarity, competence, resilience, and the messy middle in the creative process. She introduces practical tools such as a 'brag file' and celebrates viewing projects as experiments. Join us to learn how to build a fulfilling creative practice or business and redefine success on your own terms.
The VirginiaLeighStudio Home page:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
00:00 Trust in Your Process
00:57 Introduction to The Textile Creative Podcast
02:16 Building Creative Confidence
09:24 Overcoming Barriers to Confidence
14:49 Practical Exercises for Confidence
24:17 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Connect with Virginia:
Website = https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/virginialeighstudio/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/virginialeighstudio
The Sew Successful Workshop:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com/sewsuccessfulworkshop
Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art”
https://www.virginialeighstudion.com/resources
...more
25min
January 14, 2025 7: The Missing Link - Strengthening Your Creative Foundation
The Missing Link Strengthening Your Creative Foundation
Strengthening Your Creative Chain: Clarity, Confidence, Focus, and Consistency
In this episode of The Textile Creative Podcast, Virginia shares her journey from a downsized career to owning a successful fabric-focused business. She introduces the concept of a 'creative chain' comprising four essential links: Clarity, Confidence, Focus, and Consistency. Virginia emphasizes that clarity grows as you move forward and discusses how to identify and strengthen weak links in your creative foundation. She also promotes the upcoming Sew Successful Workshop Series, designed to help you turn your passion for fabric into a profitable business. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to build a sustainable and fulfilling creative practice or small business
The VirginiaLeighStudio Home page: https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
00:00 Introduction: The Journey to Clarity
00:51 Welcome to the Textile Creative Podcast
02:13 Exploring the Creative Foundation
04:57 Identifying and Strengthening Your Links
05:50 The Four Essential Links
07:49 Personal Reflection and Finding Missing Links
13:43 Strengthening Your Creative Chain
20:46 Conclusion and Upcoming Workshop
Connect with Virginia:
Website = https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/virginialeighstudio/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/virginialeighstudio
The Sew Successful Workshop:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com/sewsuccessfulworkshop

...more
24min
January 07, 2025 6: The Secret to Thriving as a Fabric Creative
6: The Secret to Thriving as a Fabric Creative
In this inaugural 2025 episode of the Textile Creative Podcast, host Virginia Wygal focuses on helping fabric and fiber creatives find their spark to make this their most creative and successful year yet. Virginia shares her personal journey of overcoming obstacles and provides actionable steps to reconnect with your passion.
From recognizing signs of disconnection to experimenting with new techniques, Virginia emphasizes the importance of small, consistent steps toward thriving. She also introduces 'The Creative Cloth,' a resource to inspire and support fabric enthusiasts, and teases the upcoming 'So Successful Workshop' for further guidance.
This episode is filled with practical advice and motivational insights aimed at helping you ignite your creativity and build a fulfilling practice or business.
The VirginiaLeighStudio Home page:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
00:00 Introduction: Finding Your Spark for 2025
00:51 Host's Journey: From Downsized to Thriving Entrepreneur
02:30 Audience Poll: Where Are You in Your Creative Journey?
05:05 The Importance of Finding Your Spark
05:56 Personal Story: Reconnecting with Creativity
08:53 Recognizing Signs of Disconnection
14:06 Practical Steps to Reignite Your Creativity
17:09 The Ripple Effect of Reconnecting with Your Spark
18:59 Building a Thriving Creative Business
20:38 Final Thoughts: Progress Over Perfection
23:04 Upcoming Workshops and Closing Remarks
Connect with Virginia:
Website = https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/virginialeighstudio/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/virginialeighstudio
The Creative Cloth eMagazine:
https://patreon.com/SewingStudioSecrets

...more
26min
December 31, 2024 5: 6 Creative Challenges I’m Excited to Tackle in 2025
6 Creative Challenges I’m Excited to Tackle in 2025
Creative Goals for 2025: Six Exciting Challenges for Fabric and Fiber Artists
In this episode of the Textile Creative Podcast, Virginia shares her six highly anticipated creative challenges for the year 2025. Virginia, a fabric lover and entrepreneur from Dallas Fort Worth, aims to inspire others with her journey from passion to business. She details her plans to design a dramatic lace jacket, create a vibrant mixed media collage collection, explore wire weaving and metal fabrication, master surface pattern design in Adobe Illustrator, and launch workshops to help other fabric and fiber creatives build sustainable businesses.
As the New Year approaches, Virginia encourages listeners to dream big and set their own creative goals.
The VirginiaLeighStudio Home page:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
00:00 Welcome to the Textile Creative Podcast
01:36 Reflecting on New Year's Eve
02:38 Setting Ambitious Creative Goals
03:29 Six Creative Challenges for 2025
05:20 Designing a Jacket from Burano Lace
09:53 Mixed Media Collage Collection
13:03 Exploring Wire Weaving
18:25 Diving into Metal Fabrication
22:07 Mastering Surface Pattern Design
26:14 Launching So Successful Workshops
29:44 Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead
Connect with Virginia:
Website = https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/virginialeighstudio/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/virginialeighstudio
The Creative Cloth eMagazine:
https://patreon.com/SewingStudioSecrets

...more
32min
December 24, 2024 4: Your Creative Story: Reflecting on What Was, What Is, and What's Next
E4 Your Creative Story: Reflecting on What Was, What Is, and What's Next
Reflecting on Your Creative Journey: Past, Present, and Future
In this special Christmas Eve episode, we're inspired by the iconic story of 'A Christmas Carol' to reflect on the past, present, and future of our creative journeys. We'll explore our creative roots, current practices, and dreams for the future through a guided, practical exercise with a downloadable worksheet. This episode aims to celebrate your achievements, acknowledge your current creative state, and inspire you to dream big for 2025.
Join us as we take stock of our creativity, set intentions, and embrace the magic of the holiday season.
The VirginiaLeighStudio Home page:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
00:00 Introduction and Holiday Inspiration
01:22 Reflecting on Your Creative Past
04:28 Exploring Your Creative Present
07:43 Dreaming About Your Creative Future
12:52 Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead
Connect with Virginia:
Website = https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/virginialeighstudio/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/virginialeighstudio
The Creative Cloth eMagazine:
https:// www.virginialeighstudio.com/thecreativecloth

...more
16min
December 19, 2024 3: "Why Now Is the Time to Explore Fabric Arts"
E3: "Why Now Is the Time to Explore Fabric Arts"
The Renaissance of Fabric Arts: Creativity, Sustainability, and Personal Fulfillment
In this episode of The Textile Creative, host Virginia Wygal explores the myriad benefits of embracing fabric arts, from reducing stress and sparking creativity to challenging mass production norms and promoting sustainability. Virginia shares her journey from a downsized career to becoming a thriving entrepreneur in the fabric arts industry. She highlights the resurgence of sewing and fiber arts as a form of artistic expression and discusses the growing trend of “prosumerism” and the therapeutic value of textile crafts. The episode also covers the importance of knowledge sharing, the rise of “maker culture,” and the use of deadstock fabric.
Virginia encourages listeners to dive into the exciting resurgence of these crafts and offers practical resources for nurturing their creative practice.
The VirginiaLeighStudio Home page:
https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
00:00 Introduction to the Textile Creative Podcast
00:49 Host's Personal Journey and Mission
01:59 The Renaissance of Fabric and Fiber Arts
04:00 The Therapeutic and Sustainable Benefits of Textile Crafts
06:12 The Rise of Maker Culture and Technology's Role
07:51 The Creative Cloth Magazine
09:35 Why Now is the Perfect Time for Fabric Arts
11:16 The Value of Sharing Knowledge and Skills
13:51 Final Thoughts
Links mentioned in Episode:
“Why Do They Sew? Women’s Motivations to Sew Clothing for Themselves:” Clothing and Textile Research Journal = https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0887302X19872552
Journal of Leisure Research = https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/ujlr20
“Revolutionizing the Textile and Clothing Industry:” Sustainability = https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/6/2474?utm_source
“How surplus designer fabrics became the height of fashion” The Times = https://www.thetimes.com/article/how-surplus-designer-fabrics-became-the-height-of-fashion-t8h2jdrv5?utm_source
STEPHEN, Paige Lauren - The Craft(y) Revival_ Community and Knowledge-Sharing in Textile-based Crafts.pdf = openresearch.ocadu.ca
“Meet the women putting embroidery in the art world spotlight:” = https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/luxury/article/female-artists-embroidery-art-world-spotlight-times-luxury-0vx7jqwmd?utm_source
Youmeng Liu, artist = https://www.embroiderycode.com/
Connect with Virginia:
Website = https://www.virginialeighstudio.com
Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/virginialeighstudio/
Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/virginialeighstudio
The Creative Cloth eMagazine:
https:// www.virginialeighstudio.com/thecreativecloth

...more
15min

FAQs about "The Textile Creative" with Virginia Wygal:

How many episodes does "The Textile Creative" with Virginia Wygal have?

The podcast currently has 33 episodes available.