On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about textiles as a spiritual practice with my guest Christi Johnson.
Christi Johnson’s art combines cosmic visions and botanical beauties, a hypnotic dance of symbols stitched slowly and methodically into fabric. She is the woman behind Mixed Color, a textile studio providing functional pieces that are thoughtfully made. Christi also shares her skills through workshops, both online and in person. She offers kits and booklets on embroidery, and she has a new book out with Storey called Mystical Stitches: Embroidery for Personal Empowerment and Magical Embellishment.
This episode is sponsored by Dream Maker Creative.
DIY craft kits, gifts & workshops to support your creative journey.
We start this interview with Christi talking about her new book, Mystical Stitches. Christi explains how she first wrote a self-published booklet about embroidery to use while teaching workshops and then a friend convinced her that she should turn it into a book proposal. Hear Christi’s reflections on the value of working with a publisher on this project.
Next, we talk about Christi’s household growing up in Florida and her education studying fashion design in college. Christi talks about the years she spent working in the fashion industry and why she decided to move from California to New York to study natural dyeing and start her own clothing line. She explains how her idea for a business evolved over time, and the importance of creating a business that aligns with her values.
Christi has multiple sources of income including the new book, plus embroidery patterns and kits, embellishing vintage clothing for a nearby boutique, and teaching both online and in-person textile workshops, as well as selling embroidered talisman. She talks about each of these areas and how she developed them over time.
Mystical Stitches is an ambitious book with approximately 200 patterns that include symbols for personal empowerment. Christi explains where she sources her symbols and how to use them to create very special pieces that can keep you grounded and remind you of particular ideas and goals.
In this chat, we refer to:
- Episode #72 with Kristine Vejar of A Verb for Keeping Warm
And, of course, I ask Christi to recommend great stuff she’s loving right now. Christi recommends:
- The Intentional Thread by Susan Brandeis
- The Alchemical Imagination by Eliza Swann
I hope you enjoy this chat with Christi Johnson. Keep up with her on her website where you can subscribe to her lovely newsletter and follow along with her creative journey on Instagram.
