The Close Knit podcast aims to hold space for conversation about the ways we use fiber to process world and life events

This week I spoke to Liz Spencer, The Dogwood Dyer. 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 continues to practice and learn more about every day. Liz explains how she’s made her practice work, from a small apartment in Brooklyn to a family home in Riverside - alongside raising children and teaching in academic institutions. What I really appreciate about talking to Liz is her honesty and sincerity - it’s so clear how much Liz loves and is fascinated by natural dyeing, and I loved how she really tells us about how she’s made it work for her and how she and her family plan to make it work in the future. She’s certainly a person whose work inspires me endlessly, so I’m excited to share with all of you what she had to say!

A huge thank you to this episode’s sponsor, Making Things. When I first noticed Making Things on instagram, I was intrigued and curious. It looked like a new way of engaging with patterns that I didn’t totally get at first, but after talking with the founder, Megan, who started and ran Wool Days - a yarn company whose yarn and ethos I great admire - all the bits and pieces came together for me. Making Things is the digital home for your knitting & crochet. They’ve created a full set of digital tools for interactive patterns - counters, row highlighters, chart grids, editable notes & live pattern support - designed by and for our community. It’s been developed alongside 500 knitters, crocheters & designers, which means that everyone’s desires and needs are being accounted for with Making Things. Launching soon, Making Things is going to be such an improvement on the old way of working with patterns - I know I’m excited to try it first hand (as I am a bit of a queen of notes scrawled on random bits of paper and constantly losing my place in my knitting) You can follow Making Things’ journey as they go live on instagram at @themakingthingsapp and online at makingthingsapp.com

liz's knitted self portrait - her first intarsia (!!)

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!

Alicia Alison Tal Lauren Chase Melanie Ellen Sandy leah James Natalie Chantale Justice Sarah Cath Casey Morgan Natasha Emily Hanna Lisa Carolina Rachel Aleksandra Charlotte Brittany Lyle Alex Alison Ashley Caroline Claire Elizabeth Heather Rachael Shelly shivani Katie Jaclyn

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

Worked for Fiber Artist in Portland: Tamera Bremer
Marie-Sophie Lockhart Embroidery
Seaspell Fiber: Britt Bolls - hyper local indigo vat
Indigo Pigment Extraction facebook group (sounds amazing!)
not on instagram, Catharin Ellis, but blogs here
Svn Space : hemp education

Find Liz: website | instagram

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Until next time!

ani