Episode 45: What Joann's Closing Really Did to the Quilting World (One Year Later)

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of Joann's closing on the quilting community one year later.

It's been just over a year since Joann's closed — and I'm finally saying the thing out loud. This one's a palate cleanser. No journaling prompts, no deep dives. Just two quilters in a hotel lobby at 11pm. 🧵✨ It's been just over a year since Joann's announced it was all closing — and I've had some THOUGHTS sitting in the back of my mind ever since. So today? Pure palate cleanser. We're just talking like two quilters at a retreat, staying up way too late because the conversation is too good to stop. In this episode I'm sharing:→ What Joann's actually WAS to so many of us (hint: it was more than a store)→ The grief that came with the closing — and why it was totally valid→ What the quilting community did next (and how it kind of blew my mind)→ Where quilters are finding fabric now, including resources that actually help→ The one thing that still hasn't been replaced — and why it matters for beginners→ My honest question for YOU: where did you land after all of this? This is a real conversation. Not the polished version. I want to hear your story in the comments. 🗺️ Resources mentioned:- needletravel.com — searchable map of quilt shops by state/city- Michaels — now carrying more…

People in this episode

Host: ISeeStarsQuilting

Topics covered

• Joann's closing
• quilting community
• fabric resources
• grief in quilting
• quilters' experiences

Keywords

• quilting
• Joann's
• fabric
• community
• grief
• resources
• Michaels
• needletravel

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Joann's, Michaels, needletravel.com, Stitch Sister Inner Circle

More episodes of Loose Threads & Stitches: A Quilting Podcast

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• Episode 44: - When a Project Becomes a Chapter, Not a Career · May 7, 2026 · 11 min
• Episode 43: It's Not a Flaw — It's a Mismatch · April 30, 2026 · 11 min
• Episode 42: You Are Allowed to Protect Your Attention · April 23, 2026 · 18 min
• Episode 41: When Quilting Starts Feeling Like a Job (And How to Make It Fun Again) · April 16, 2026 · 16 min
• Episode 40: Are You a "Real" Quilter? Let's Talk About Quilter Identity · April 9, 2026 · 13 min