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

August 31, 2017 by Ani Lee in Podcast

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 interest in ropes, interest in the tying of intricate knots. Afterall, knitting is just a series of knots, isn't it? We talk about how kinking uses kink, yoga and an active fibre practice in their management of their chronic illnesses, and how even when their body wouldn’t cooperate, they were still so fundamentally a spinner and a knitter.

What i love so much about this chat is how we’re talking about something that is kind of taboo and not often talked about, especially in the fibre arts community - but it makes so much sense when kinking explains the parallels between these communities that they’ve noticed.

My intention with the podcast is present people as their whole selves - and I love that we got to talk about all the ways that Kinknint shows up to the world as themselves - unashamed and proud of all the elements that make them uniquely them.

photo by @sliversilverphotography / sliversilverphoto.com — photo by @sliversilverphotography / sliversilverphoto.com

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

Fetlife - ravelry for kink
Into the Whirled - rad indie dyer
Izznit - we love her badass knitting tattoos
friend and badass Pajarolibrexx
master weaver Megan Shimek

Find Kinknit: instagram

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Until next time!

ani

EPISODE THIRTY ONE :: Marlee Grace - Hiring Your Friends & Navigating Boundaries Between Projects and Self

August 03, 2017 by Ani Lee in Podcast

The Close Knit podcast showcases artists, designers, and makers from all over the world who work with fibre in its many forms. Knitters, spinners, sewers, textile artists - all will be celebrated on the Close Knit podcast.

A huge thank you to this week's episode sponsor, Sunflower Knit.

A huge thank you to this week's episode sponsor: Sunflower Knit. ash alberg is a queer femme and fibre witch who seeks to create beautiful and practical designs using sustainable methods. equally importantly, they seek to nurture the skills, knowledge, and creativity of fellow fibre witches to achieve their goals. ash's second book of designs, in collaboration with yoth yarns and samson photography, will be published in september 2017 and will be available in hard copy and on ravelry. visit ashalberg.com for information about booking in-person classes or to join the creative coven, ash's online shawl design course. you can find ash on instagram and facebook as @sunflowerknit.

Thanks again to Sunflower Knit for sponsoring this episode of the Close Knit podcast!

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.

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

Fringe Association: Karen gets mentioned on basically every podcast episode i make. Marlee and Karen are IRL friends and Karen helped Marlee at the very beginning of her knitting journey. They had a shopkeeper's retreat together (which sounds like the best thing ever btw)
Eliza Fernand - marlee's quilting teacher and badass quilter
Secret Holiday and Co - It's OK banner
Lisa Congdon - illustrator. said something along the lines of 'don't email a person asking to pick their brain' (amen!)
Serpent and Bow - friend and maker of naturally dyed intimates
Faith Levine - friend and documentary maker
Alejandra Leon - lioness oracle tarot deck maker
Katie Crutchfield - waxahatchee, music maker

Find Marlee: website | instagram

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Until next time!

ani

EPISODE THIRTY :: Hanna Lisa Haferkamp & Verena Cohrs - Running Values - Aligned Businesses

July 06, 2017 by Ani Lee in Podcast

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 dyeing 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 30 of the Close Knit Podcast, 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.

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

Fringe Association: basically we just all love Karen a lot.
Vivian kvitka - thegoodviv.com - the graphic designer that Hanna and Verena use/love.
Caroline Frett - surface pattern designer
Gather here - feminist business based in boston that we love (and ani visited in 2015)

Find Hanna Lisa: website | instagram

Find Verena: website | instagram

Find Hanna Lisa & Verena (as Making Stories) : website | instagram

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Until next time!

ani

EPISODE TWENTY NINE :: PILLOW TALK with Claire & Ashton of Wax and Wane Fiber

June 08, 2017 by Ani Lee in Podcast

A huge thank you to this week's episode sponsor, Millpost Merino. Millpost is an ethical family farm on NSW Southern Tablelands near Canberra. It’s been in the family since 1922, and Judith (aka Mum) and David (aka Dad) took over in 1979.

The family is now making really lush superfine merino yarn that’s single source (just from their flock). I got a shade card in the mail the other day and guys, this stuff is good. the colours are really considered and they’ve got heaps of choice - 8 different colours that all looks pretty damn good together and undyed hanks for indie dyers. Millpost is run according to the principles of Permaculture, so you can rest easy knowing that your yarn come from a biodiverse, productive, healthy farm. You can find Millpost Merino online, and on instagram.

Thanks again to Millpost for sponsoring this episode of the Close Knit Podcast!

Claire and Ashton of Wax and Wane Fiber 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 wewatched rhianna and jennfier lopes music videos.

There’s no other way to describe this chat than ~pillow talk~ really really good pillow talk.

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

neighborhood fiber company in baltimore - black, femme owned biz. v badass
beautiful trouble : toolbox for revolution - a book on art as a revolution tool
Zak Foster - quilter in brooklyn/ internet/IRL friend of claire and ashton
sunflower knit - beautiful, inspiring knitting
movement: miracle of movement - a project of claire's friend Laura

Find Claire and Ashton: website | instagram

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Until next time!

ani

EPISODE TWENTY EIGHT :: Emma Peters - Permission to Make Mistakes & Teaching from an Honest Place

May 11, 2017 by Ani Lee in Podcast

A huge thank you to this week's episode sponsor: 100 Acts of Sewing

100 Acts of Sewing is a pattern company making simple sewing patterns for a handmade wardrobe, designed by Sonya Philip. The patterns are geared towards beginners with pieces that are easy to wear and modify. I have personally sewn the dress no2 from 100 acts of sewing and every time I see a new pattern by Sonya I get so excited because of their ease of construction and versatility. Reading Sonya’s instructions was like having a seasoned sewer in the room with me, walking me through the process step by step, something I feel is often missing from sewing patterns and online tutorials.If you’re interested in hand making your clothes and aren’t sure where to start, or even if you’re a really good sewist, I can’t recommend 100 acts of sewing patterns highly enough! You can find 100 acts of sewing on Etsy and follow Sonya’s handmade wardrobe chronicles on instagram at @sonyaphilip.

As a special treat For Close Knit Podcast Listeners, Sonya is offering US$5 off orders placed until 30/6/2017 with the code CLOSEKNIT at checkout.

Thanks again to Sonya at 100 Acts of Sewing for this generous offer and for sponsoring the Close Knit Podcast!

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 auniversity 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.

Find Emma: website | instagram

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Until next time!

ani