Craftonians! Welcome to Episode 68 of Happy Time Craftcast! Joleen beams from Big Raven Farm as she chats with AJ Young, a fiber artist whose work beautifully weaves together craft, community, and identity. They share laughter, love, and creative inspiration while exploring AJ’s series “Stitching Our Histories,” which transforms LGBTQ+ archives into powerful quilted art. Guest BioAJ Young (he/they) is a queer, trans fiber artist and educator from Fennville, Michigan. A lifelong maker, AJ works across knitting, quilting, weaving, bag-making, and mixed media art. With a background in sociology and LGBTQ+ community work, AJ’s artistic mission is to blend creativity and social awareness. His series “Stitching Our Histories” reimagines archival queer documents into modern quilts — offering a vibrant, tangible way to preserve and celebrate LGBTQ+ stories through fabric and thread.Follow AJWebsiteInstagramInstagramEpisode Chapters with Timestamps[00:00 — 04:59] — Big Raven Farm updates & new cooking retreat news[05:00 — 08:44] — 2026 retreat calendar opens[08:45 — 09:59] — Meet today’s guest: AJ Young[10:00 — 15:59] — AJ’s creative journey — from yarn to weaving and quilting[16:00 — 19:59] — The inspiration behind Stitching Our Histories[20:00 — 30:59] — Joleen shares a heartfelt story[31:00 — 33:59] — “Poly-craftual” — AJ’s joyful take on loving all crafts[34:00 — 39:59] — Favorite tools and creative materials[40:00 — 45:59] — How community influences creativity [46:00 — 48:59] — The emotional thread behind Stitching Our Histories — honoring queer voices[49:00 — 51:59] — The beauty of imperfection — learning through making[52:00 — 58:59] — Favorite moments in AJ’s creative journey[59:00 - End] — Closing thoughts — creativity as courage and kindnessQuotes from the Episode“I’m never afraid to try anything at least once — and if I can do it with fabric and yarn, even better!” — AJ Young“Creativity gives us another way to tell our stories — one stitch, one layer, one moment at a time.” — AJ Young“The experiences of one generation change the world for the next — and that’s something to celebrate.” — Joleen Emery“I identify as poly-craftual — I just love making in every way possible.” — AJ Young“Art has this quiet power to heal and connect us — especially when it comes from the heart.” — Joleen EmeryResources and Links🌿 Big Raven Farm Retreats — Explore creative retreats for 2025–2026!💸 Exclusive Discount for Listeners! Use code "happytime" on AJ’s website to save $20 on Quilt As You Go Virtual Class!📚 Book Nook for Makers: The Collage Workbook by Randall PlowmanLove "Happy Time Craftcast"? 👉Don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave a review to help others discover our crafty community 👉Stay tuned for more Happy Time Craftcast with Joleen Emery. Subscribe now! 👉FOLLOW ME ON TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM 👉SIGN UP FOR THE ART KIT OF THE MONTH CLUB

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