Close Knit

EPISODE THIRTY TWO :: Kinknit - Unexpected Parallels between the Kink and Fibre Community

 In Episode 31 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Marlee Grace. Marlee is a person whose work I’ve been following for a long time - something like 3 years, actually, and she was one of the people I remember putting down as a “stretch goal” when I first conceptualized of making the podcast. Marlee talks to me about how she uses knitting to process being sober, how she learned to quilt, how she identifies as an improvisational quilter, and how her dance practice and training informs her way of working and being in this world. We talk about the space and project she ran in Grand Rapids, Have Company, and how she navigated and continues to navigate the complexities of growing a project and business and hiring team members (pro tip: hiring your friends feels good) We also talk about the dynamics of sharing personal details on the internet versus IRL and the ways in which this has led to friendships and opportunities for Marlee. There’s a whole lot of good Marlee content that exists on the internet and I’m really excited to get to share with you this chat that we had.

In Episode 30, I spoke to Hanna Lisa Haferkamp and Verena Cohrs. Hanna Lisa and Verena are feminist knitters living in Berlin who work together on a project called Making Stories and separately on their own solo projects, as well. Hanna Lisa and Verena came up with the concept for Making Stories, an independent knitwear design publishing company, after getting together for knitting hang outs and running a yarn crawl with local knitters in Berlin. We talk about how they navigate the dynamics of working on a project together, in addition to their separate companies and what this looks like on a day to day basis - the necessity of having a similar long term and bigger vision for the project, but the beauty of having differing opinions on the smaller details. Hanna Lisa explains the turning point for her in her business in 2016 to make a decision to very openly identify as feminist and keep her core values of supporting womxn owned businesses in the running of her own business. Both tell us about their routines around self care and how they work together to keep each other accountable. A huge thank you to this week’s episode sponsor: Made In Tasmania. Made in Tasmania is a small, family owned and mostly family run business operating out of Tasmania. They work with Australia’s oldest wool mill, Waverley Woolen Mills, to weave colorful bed throws from Tasmanian sourced and processed superfine merino. I personally got a chance earlier this year to tour the factory and see how it’s all made - and it’s bloody cool. The wool comes in greasy bales and gets processed up at Waverely right down to the dying and weaving. Made In Tasmania also works with Hobart- based not for profit Tastex, who employ folks with barriers to employment, where they add finishing touches to machine knit scarves made from merino yarn. You can find Made In Tasmania at their bricks and mortar in Salamanca Place, Hobart and online at madeintasmania.com and on instagram as @madeintasmania. They ship worldwide! As a special gift to close knit podcast listeners, Made In Tasmania are offering 10% off your first purchase - use the code close knit at checkout. Thanks again to Made In Tasmania for sponsoring this episode of the Close Knit podcast!

In Episode 29 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Claire and Ashton of Wax and Wane Fiber. Claire and Ashton are a queer and feminist fibre art operation based in Baltimore. We talk about the ways in which claire and ashton make space for each other and navigate the dynamics of running a business together, the realities of having day jobs in addition to a creative business and doing taxes. (pro tip - do your taxes). we talk about how fibre art is a political tool and how their work and business has changed as a result of the political climate in the US. this chat was a funny one, with a lot of editing because the internet connection from tasmania to baltimore was shaky, so if you notice a couple moments of weirdness, that’s what that was. we also have a few little inside jokes that formed over the course of this conversation, which (side note) was also the first time we’d ever spoken. we get deep into some tender chats about how we all just need some loving, and how earlier we watched rhianna and jennfier lopesz mustc videos. there’s no other way to describe this chat than ~pillow talk~ really really good pillow talk. Show notes are available for this episode at www.closeknit.com.au/podcast/episode29 A huge thank you to this week's episode sponsor, Millpost Merino.

In Episode 28, I speak to Emma Peters, a textile artist and lecturer based in Sydney. Emma is a textile artist and lecturer based in Sydney. We chat about emma’s childhood and her strong tactile and olfactory memories of textiles as a child on the wool farm with her family. Emma has spent the last few years exploring wet felting and has incorporated this into her personal and professional work. We speak about how Emma has processed her life experiences through her work, sometimes unconsciously and we discuss how powerful fibre as a medium can be. As a lecturer in a university setting, Emma brings her whole self to the classroom and is encouraging of her students to explore many elements of themselves in their work with fibre. We speak about the necessity of bringing and acknowledging the role of self in research and talk about the ways in which spaces displaying art can facilitate safe space for truth telling about ourselves. Show notes for this episode are available at closeknit.com.au/podcast/episode28. Special thanks to this week's episode sponsor: 100 Acts of Sewing. You can find 100 Acts of sewing on etsy and instagram @sonyaphilip.

In Episode 27 of the Close Knit Podcast, I speak to Anna Barberio of For Flynn Protest Art Anna is a cross stitcher, mixed media protest artist and a student of psychology. We talk about anna’s approach to craft, how much of her work has come from a place of necessity, and particularly how her work has come from a place of necessity during the election season and presently, under the new presidential administration in the US. Anna raises some really important points about craft and self care, and we both have a great big chat about the ways in which we look after ourselves (or more often than not, fail at doing that). Show notes for this episode are available at www.closeknit.com.au/podcast/episode27

In Episode 26 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Shannon Downey of Badass Cross stitch. Shannon is a subversive cross stitcher and weaver based in Chicago. We cover some really incredible topics in this episode. Shannon explains how she sees her role in craftivism and the role of craftivism at large. She walks me through her process of creating Feminist War Flags, and tells us about a project on gun violence that prompted her to create an incredible fundraiser for an arts therapy project in Chicago. It also happens to be the 1 year anniversary of the Close Knit Podcast, and I’m really stoked to be able to share this chat that Shannon and I had with you. I’m so grateful to get to speak to folks like Shannon and I’m hopeful that the Close Knit Podcast can continue to grow to be a space that is safe and inclusive for important conversations about the intersection of craft and social justice.

In Episode 25, I spoke to Deva O’Neil of Phaedra Clothing. Deva is a clothing maker and indigo dyer based in Cornwall. Her interest in linen started at a young age, as she watched her mother and her mother’s friends engage with linen and beautiful, oversizes silhouettes. As a teenager, Deva altered her own clothing and over the past few years, has moved into drafting her own patterns, sort of a mishmash of other patterns and garments she’s made, to achieve the aesthetic she imagines in her mind. Deva and I talk about how she’s taught herself to sew and dye, and how the infinite world of fibre has entranced her. We discuss how she’s grown Phaedra and keeps it going alongside day work, and how she plans to grow it over time. Huge thank you to this week's episode sponsor - Pickle and Co Fibres, handdyed and handspun Australian fibres. Find pickle and co on instagram @pickleandcofibres and on Etsy "Pickle and Co Fibres".

A brief minisode where Ani asks the podcast-listening community for support in a craftivism movement, and seeks feedback. If you'd like to get involved in the first Joy In The Struggle project, email Ani at hello@closeknit.com.au or send her a DM on instagram @close_knit

In Episode 24 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Olive Riley of Spinning A Yarn. Olive is a hand-dyer based in New Zealand. We talk about how a visit to the Massey University Open Day took her from wanting to study nursing to studying textiles, and how her schooling has influenced her work. Olive took over the business, Spinning A Yarn, from her sister Jess, and we talk about what it’s like to take over a business from a family member, and how they’ve worked together to grow the business.

In Episode 23, I spoke to Emma Lehan of The Fleece and Wheel. Emma is a knitter and spinner based in Queensland. We chat about how Emma’s interest in knitting eventually led her to spinning, and how her thoughtful partner gave her a drop spindle as a christmas present a few years ago, leading her down the path she’s on now. Last year, Emma got involved in an Etsy Local market, which was a huge motivator for her to get her business up and running. We talk about how she’s managed her business and why she’s chosen to source locally. Emma walks me through how she has found her sources of fibre and how she’s developed these relationships over time. Emma is generously sponsoring a giveaway of 3 luscious skeins of her handspan alpaca - so head over to the blog (link in profile) to enter!

In Episode 22 of the Close Knit Podcast I spoke to Brandi Harper of purlBknit. Brandi is a knitter and lover of natural fibers who lives in Brooklyn. We cover the usual podcast topics, but Brandi and I took a little bit of a different angle with this podcast episode. It occurred to me recently that my podcast guests, whilst varied in their craft forms, mainly have come from a similar ethnic background. I want to use the podcast as a way to hold space for people of all backgrounds, and especially voices that are not typically heard from in the craft community. I’m so excited to get to share with you this chat that I had with Brandi - and I think I’m just going to leave it at that and let this podcast episode kind of speak for itself. Shownotes for this episode are available at closeknit.com.au/podcast/ep22

In Episode 21 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Lisa Anderson Shaffer of Zelma Rose. Lisa is a fine artist and sculptural jewellery maker living in the Bay area in California. We talk about her grandmothers (Zelma and Rose, respectively), who introduced her to needlework and crochet as a child, and how she's used these crafts to inform her art practice today. Lisa tells me about her fibre of choice in her jewellery making practice and how when she works with these fibres, it's like a dance to her, it just feels right in her body. When we get into how Zelma Rose came to be and how she approaches it present day, Lisa opens up about her experience transitioning from her career to making art and jewellery full time, and how her experience as a mother has shaped how she has shaped her business.

In Episode 20 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Sophe Probst of Urban Roots Handmade. Sophe is a zero-waste advocate living in Louisiana, making and selling minimally packaged linen and hemp linen products for the home and the body. She discovered hemp when she was looking for environmentally-friendly options to make herself dresses, after seeing Sonya Philip's 100 Acts of Sewing patterns and getting hooked. Before starting her shop, Sophe worked for a number of environmental organisations that fuelled her desire to run a business in a thoughtful way. She then started learning about the zero waste movement from the likes of Bea Johnson of Zero Waste Home, and she began looking for ways to incorporate minimalism into her life. After becoming a mother, Sophe began questioning the legacy she would leave for her children, and this led her to starting Urban Roots Handmade. We talk about the realities of running a business as a mother - this means a lot of time spent in the wee hours of the morning sewing - and how she plans to handles business growth without compromising on her ethics. We also get into some of the nitty gritty of how she learnt to price her work, and how she handles the finances of her business. Show notes for this episode are available on my website www.closeknit.com.au/podcast/ep20

Welcome to the Close knit podcast, a podcast that showcases fibre artists from around the world. You’re listening toEpisode 19 and this week I spoke to Julie of Little Loom. Julie is a free form fibre artist, utilizing weaving and macrame techniques to create her unique wall hangings. She and I discuss a mutual love affair with all things linen, and how she made a transition from using whatever materials she found to thinking more consciously about where her materials came from and how they were made. We talk about navigating the complex space of pricing and selling handmade work, and how she keeps up the motivation to continue making work regularly. Julie tells me about her love of teaching free form workshops as a form of art therapy for herself and her students, and how she has used this style of making to lighten her own state of being when going through some tough times. Shownotes are available for this episode at closeknit.com.au/podcast/ep19. A very special THANK YOU to this week's episode sponsor - Wool Gathering, a 4 day wool craft retreat based in Victoria in May 2017. To learn more about Wool Gathering, check out the show notes, or follow along with them on instagram @woolgatheringaustralia.