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

image by Emma Weiss

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, 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 

Want more? 

• Subscribe: Itunes or Pocket Casts

Like what you're hearing? 

Awesome! I'm glad you've found your way to this podcast. Please feel free to subscribe, leave a review on iTunes (this makes all the difference to reaching more people!) and share with your loved ones. Thanks for tuning in.

Until next time! 

xx

ani

EPISODE TWENTY SEVEN :: Anna Barberio of For Flynn Protest Art - Art as Self-Care and an Act of Resistance

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.

In Episode 27 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke 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) 

 

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

• Ani shouts out to call your girlfriend re: sentient cheeto reference. also CYG is a wonderful podcast that you should listen to if you're not already 
• badass cross stitch - ep 26 of the close knit podcast! 
• ali segel alibaby90 - v badass feminist
• hot cross puns - R. Jones - very badass crosstitchery.
• nerds and needles

Find Anna: website | instagram 

Want more? 

• Subscribe: Itunes or Pocket Casts

Like what you're hearing? 

Awesome! I'm glad you've found your way to this podcast. Please feel free to subscribe, leave a review on iTunes (this makes all the difference to reaching more people!) and share with your loved ones. Thanks for tuning in.

Until next time! 

xx

ani

EPISODE FIFTEEN:: Kylie Norton - Embroidery Artist - Exploring Intersectional Feminist Theory, Menstruation, and Indigenous Culture and Traditions

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.

Kylie Norton is an embroidery artist from the south island of New Zealand, who presently lives in Melbourne. She makes large scale embroidery with wool yarns, one piece takes her 4 to 5 months to make. Kylie goes through an incredibly time intensive process of cutting up the yarn and re-raveling it together to get the colours she wants.  Taught by her mum to cross stitch with kits as a kid, she experimented with colour blending and learnt how to re-ravel yarns to get a more full colour palette to work with. 

Kylie found her way into large scale fibre art rather recently, after earning her masters in Art History and wondering how to apply some of what she'd learnt there to her art practice. She searched for a while and couldn't find anything like what she imagined, so she just figured she'd try it herself. A friend of hers with excellent taste wanted to buy it, so she decided to continue pursuing these large scale embroidery pieces. 

We speak about how she uses her art history background in her fibre art - specifically indigenous culture and women and menstruation. Her work is about how different cultures celebrate (or do not celebrate) women's cycles and she's continuing to explore themes around this intersectional space Growing up in New Zealand, indigenous culture was celebrated and taught in school, and she found that it was very much a part of her life. We compare and contrast Australia, the US, and Canada and how these communities have emphasised or de-emphasised Indigenous culture and knowledge.

Kylie has loved how the fibre arts community has been inclusive and open to her and we chat about her inspiration in the community. 

Kylie's Biggest Bit of Advice

"don't ever doubt your own skill...[and] don't let anyone belitte you...if it's a serious art form for you, then let it be. Give it a go and see what happens - the worst is it doesn't work out, which is not a big deal" 

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

• Louise Jones - draws illustrations and stitches onto paper and stitches directly onto high fashion magazines 
• Suzanna Scott  - fibre artist creating vaginas and vulvas out of fabric. 
• Danielle Clough - embroidery artist using interesting objects to stitch onto 
• Australian Tapestry Workshop - massive group collaborative weaving projects 
• Craft Victoria - excellent resource for VIC based crafts people. 

Find Kylie: instagram 

Want more? 

• Subscribe: Itunes or Pocket Casts

Like what you're hearing? 

Awesome! I'm glad you've found your way to this podcast. Please feel free to subscribe, leave a review on iTunes (this makes all the difference to reaching more people!) and share with your loved ones. Thanks for tuning in.

Until next time! 

xx

Ani