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In this episode of the Crafty Mariana Podcast, Mariana sits down with Pru Raymond, a fiber artist, knitting educator, and author from South Australia. Pru has taught over 200 workshops across Australia and internationally, specializing in technique-based knitting classes that help students level up their skills.
What started as community workshops alongside her full-time teaching career has evolved into a thriving business built on collaboration with yarn stores through her signature "Stackable Knitting Retreat" model. Pru opens up about the leap from educational consultant to full-time creative entrepreneur, the systems that keep her business sustainable, and why she still supplements her income with university teaching - and why that's totally okay.
This conversation dives deep into the reality of building a creative business, the power of venue partnerships over owning a studio, and how to design workshops that create lasting transformation for students. Whether you teach fiber arts or any other craft, Pru's strategic approach to workshop business will give you so much to think about.
What We Cover in This Episode:
✎ Pru's journey from high school teacher to full-time knitting educator
✎ Why she chose to quit her permanent job - and what happened next
✎ The "Stackable Knitting Retreat" model and how B2B partnerships work
✎ Teaching 66 workshops in one year while traveling across Australia
✎ Why venue collaborations are more sustainable than owning a studio
✎ Designing technique-based classes vs. product-based workshops
✎ The reflective practice structure that transforms learning outcomes
✎ How to manage different skill levels in one workshop
✎ Creating a portfolio career: why supplementing income isn't failure
✎ Systems that scale: color-coded calendars, databases, and boundaries
✎ The Yarn Store Passport and building an ecosystem around your craft
✎ Cash flow strategies for workshop teachers (50% deposits FTW)
✎ The magic moment when an entire workshop enters flow state
✎ Why reconnecting with childhood creativity is so powerful
✎ The analog movement and what it means for workshop businesses
Connect with Pru Raymond:
✎ Instagram: CLICK HERE
✎ Website: CLICK HERE
✎ Upcoming workshops & events: CLICK HERE
Resources for Your Workshop Business:
📌 Free Guide: How to Start Your Own Workshop Business
📌 Free Spreadsheet: Figure Out Your Numbers!
Stay Connected with Mariana:
🌎 Website: craftymariana.com
📷 Instagram: @craftymariana
🎨 Facebook Community: Crafting Workshops Community
📩 Get exclusive content, resources, and deals: craftymariana.com/newsletter
Let’s Make This Interactive!
Have questions or topics you’d like me to cover in future episodes? DM me on Instagram or email me at hello@craftymariana.com!
