Podcasts (new-fangled radio shows) are hugely popular these days. Quilters love them! We access episodes on our computers or smart phones when we’re sewing, binging-listening to stories of true crime, scientific discovery, or mysterious phenomena.
A podcast series specifically for quilters is “Just Wanna Quilt,” hosted by Tulane University Law Professor Elizabeth Townsend Gard. Dr. Gard and her colleagues (“The Quilting Army”) pursue quilting and study copyright law in relation to to the quilting industry—which is a good thing, as the nuances of trademarks, intellectual property, and copyright are as murky in the quilt world as they are in Hollywood.
Previous guests on Just Wanna Quilt have been my daughter Mary Fons (in a joint interview with Tulia Pink) and other favorite people of mine including Alex Anderson, Pam Weeks, and Victoria Findlay Wolfe. I’ve made new friends as well, including Frances Dowell and Iowan Melanie McNeil.
Dr. Gard interviewed me for over an hour a few weeks ago. During our conversation, I inducted her into the Madison County Mutual Admiration Society, she inducted me into The Quilting Army, and I got to talk about my career, my children, the Iowa Quilt Museum and Iowa Theater in Winterset, my writing, and my fascination with Mary Shelley, among other topics.
Get some patchwork going and tune in to my chat with Dr. Gard. Hope you enjoy!
Brian Downes
Anyone who doesn’t appreciate the Madison County Mutual Admiration Society, well, there’s just something the matter with them.
Suzy Webster
I just listened! It was fantastic. I find listening to her podcast a wonderful thing to do while sewing. It’s like having a friend talking in your ear. And it’s like a good book when it ends 🙂
Jeanette Krebs
That’s awesome! It’s wonderful hearing all my favorite quilters on the podcasts. There’s always something new that I learn.
Sandra
What a lovely episode! And I watched your daughter’s Ted talk—-so amazing ❤️
Marianne Fons
Sandra, thank you! Thanks for checking out Hannah’s TedX presentation.
MELANIE MCNEIL
Hi Marianne! Your podcast was fascinating. I loved hearing about how you started quilting and teaching, and about your daughters. Thanks for the shoutout above. I know we haven’t met in person yet but I do feel like we’re old friends! Next time you’ll be in Iowa City, let me know if you’d like to get lunch or a cup of coffee.
Marianne Fons
Melanie, I’ll do that! Thank you!
Christa Watson
Such a great interview!
Kathy Howard
It is very fun to listen to the podcasts while sewing. It is like a normal conversation talking to Elizabeth Townsend Gard. Besides all the well know quilters, she will interview anyone with a connection with quilting. She even interviewed me and I am just an average quilter who dabbles with fabric design on Spoonflower. My interview hasn’t been posted yet.
Marianne Fons
Kathy, I look forward to your interview!
Nonnie
Frances Dowell now has a FACEBOOK page dedicated to QUILT FICTION … It started as a link to listeners of her FRIENDSHIP ALBUM, 1933 podcast, which is a serialized podcast of a future book.
https://quiltfiction.com/category/episodes/
Marianne Fons
Nonnie, thank you for mentioning this. I recently read Frances’ collection of short stories, Margaret Goes Modern. We have not yet met in person but have become email friends and plan to get together at QuiltCon in February. Frances’ website is francesdowell.com.
Nonnie
I have followed Frances since 2010 when we both started quilting podcasts … I think I have read all her books even the kid ones as I have a grandson who likes them. I correspond on line with Frances often. I just think she is a marvelous person and you will enjoy meeting her.
Elizabeth Pierson
I have never listened to a pod cast. I will have to give it a try.
Marianne Fons
You should try it! A podcast is just like a really entertaining radio show, but in some ways even better because you can pause it or even rewind it if you miss something or get distracted!
Susan Blexrud
What Elizabeth Townsend Gard has created at Tulane University is nothing short of AMAZING, and it benefits so many in various ways. I am proud to be part of the Quilting Army, and my son, who is a third-year law student at Tulane, has benefited from working for Dr. Gard, both in his exposure to the vagaries of social media and in his law education. Kudos!