In episode 48 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Erin M. Riley. Erin is someone whose work I’ve followed and admired for literal years, and if I’m being completely honest, I was so psyched when they agreed to come on the podcast. Erin’s work has always deeply intrigued me, and their internet presence was always focused on their work, so I was especially excited to get to talk to them and hear more about how they make their incredible, gigantic tapestries, and how their life experiences...

In Episode 47 of the Close Knit Podcast, Ani spoke to Jewell Christine of North Knits Jewell is a knitter, designer, and founder of Our Maker Life. We talk about Jewell’s family history - her grandmother’s amazing crochet legacy and how that’s informed her own work. She’s super ambitious and strong-willed- she always has been, and has always had a lot of clarity around what she wants in life. Studying journalism, Jewell found the strong voice she has today, and uses that skill set to inform...

The Close Knit podcast aims to hold space for conversation about the ways we use fiber to process world and life events In Episode 46 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Sara Trail of the Social Justice Sewing Academy. Sara is incredible - a complete powerhouse of passion and ambition, she’s been sewing since age 4, making quilts under her...

In Episode 45, I spoke to Adrienne Antonson of State the Label. Following on my interest in production and where that’s led me in terms of guest  lately, I wanted to speak to Adrienne about how she began and continues to run her clothing label, State. So part of this curiosity for me is how a person gets interested in and finds themselves working in fiber and clothing production. Adrienne talks me through her entire journey of working with fiber and clothing-making - beginning as a middle...

I wanted to take a minute to revisit the close knit podcast mission. The close knit podcast aims to hold space for conversation to be had about the ways we use fiber to process life and world events.What I meant when I wrote that was that this podcast is the vessel, and the guest brings the story - the connecting thread between all guests is fiber in some form. Intentionally broad, this enabled me to speak to all kinds of people about all manner of things.In practical terms, it has looked...

In Episode 44, I spoke to Isadora Alvarez of Back Beat Rags. Lately I’ve been particularly intrigued by production - how a person gets into clothing and textile production and design, what this process looks like and the many complexities within it. I’ve been admiring Isadora’s laid back style and commitment to natural fibers for some time, then I read an interview piece with her and was struck by her voice - the way she told her story with integrity and tons of honesty and a sense of humor....

photography by Grace Boto The Close Knit podcast aims to hold space for conversation about the ways we use fiber to process world and life events A huge thank you to this episode’s sponsor - Craneway Craft Fair. I first learned about Craneway Craft Fair when I moved to the Bay and was searching out craft fairs to attend (as you do). This year is the 48th annual Craneway (formerly known as the KPFA Crafts Fair), and it’s happening...

photography by Mark Mahaney The Close Knit podcast aims to hold space for conversation about the ways we use fiber to process world and life events The Close Knit Podcast is supported by the following people (& more!) through Patreon. If you'd like to support the podcast and get access to sneak peeks + additional content for patrons-only, please check out patreon!  Aleksandra Alex Alicia Alison C Alison S Amanda Bee Belle...

This week I spoke to Anny Crane. Anny is a process artist, working mainly in embroidery. Anna’s process struck me visually because she embroiders onto paper, usually that she’s made - so there’s a lot to take in, textures, colors, embellishments. I loved getting to talk to Anny about how she got started with the sort of art she creates, something she found as her grandmother was passing & how her process has changed and stayed the same. We discuss her move to Michigan, her current job...

Liz really walks me through her educational experience relating to fiber art and how it led her to where she is today - from the London College of Fashion to working as a seamstress. Liz had what she refers to as a “backwards approach” to natural dyeing, beginning with gardening natural dye plants before ever dyeing with them. She has experienced many forms of fiber and many ways of relating to the medium, but she feels like natural dyeing is the one that’s really stuck and is one she...

Shownotes for this episode are available at closeknit.com.au/podcast/episode39

Shownotes for this episode are available at closeknit.com.au/podcast/episode38

In episode 37, Ani speaks to Claire Moskal and Jess Schreibstein of Mild Woman, a modern, minimalist knitting pattern company. Shownotes for this episode are available at closeknit.com.au/podcast/episode37

This week I spoke to a couple of people who inspire me so much. aaaaand spoiler also inspire each other because they’re MARRIED. These people are - Lily Schlosser of Eli and Barry and James Davis of Engaged Weaving. You won’t believe it, but I didn’t know that the two of them had anything to do with each other, I was separately following each of them, and just about died when I found out how they were related. In this open and vulnerable chat, James and Lily talk about how important fibre...

This week I spoke to Tal Fitzpatrick, a textile artist working primarily in appliqué quilting. Tal’s story is one that I’m so excited to share, as she found textile and fibre art later in life than many guests I’ve spoken to on the podcast, (though you’ll learn she has a family history of pretty amazing fibre art) Tal explains how working in natural disaster community resilience projects eventually led her to pursing her PhD and how she looks at Crafitvism in her active, participatory...

This episode (minisode kind of, though it's still like 40 min long so not that mini?) is a little different.  If you have not, first listen to episode 34 (part 1) to get to know Abbey and Sam and then come back and listen to this chat, which is the second half of my floor sitting Hobart conversation with Abbey and Sam from last year.  We talk about  + internet friendships, how we met each other and became friends + how we navigate internet personas and IRL personas (spoiler we dont have...

In Episode 33 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Sam Ives of Maker and Mineral and Abbey Rich. A giant thanks to this week's episode sponor: Sincere Sheep. shownotes for this epsiode are available at closeknit.com.au/podcast/episode34

In Episode 33 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Nate Bryant of Loop N Threads, and Our Maker Life. Nate shares with us the story of how he found his way to knitting, rather unexpectedly and how that love of knitting became something more than a side hobby for him, at first out of necessity, and then out of love. We discuss some of the details of how he chooses to run his business alongside a day job, and how he manages his time between these things. Nate also helps to run an...

We're raising money for Planned Parenthood on the 15th Sept on Instagram at @joyinthestruggle. Please share this with your friends and consider bidding on a beanie on the 15th! 

The Close Knit podcast aims to hold space for conversation to be had about working with fibre in its many forms, within our selves and our communities.  In Episode 32 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Kinknit. Kinknit combines two things that you might not have thought about combining before (or maybe you have - like many folks who’ve gotten in touch with them on the internet) - kink and fibre. Which, when you think about it, kind of makes sense, doesn’t it? interest in fibres and...

 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...