EPISODE TWENTY SIX :: Shannon Downey of Badass Cross Stitch - Subversive Embroidery, Craftivism & Processing through Stitching

Photo by Gloria Araya

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 26 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke toShannon 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. 

A huge thank you to this week's episode sponsor: Phaedra Clothing.

Phaedra Clothing seeks a balance between elegance of form and functionality. The collection is inspired by Japanese and Scandinavian design which combines attention to detail with practical, every day wear. To Phaedra, a garment is a narrative, a piece that changes over time. The linen becomes softer and more supple, the colours lighten subtly, a piece becomes imbued with memories; signifying a long and happy relationship between garment and wearer. You can find Phaedra Clothing on Etsy and on instagram as @phaedraclothing. 

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

Shannon learnt to weave 4 years ago, and her grandmother was a master weaver, who wove at The Lowell Mill - the first industrial place that women were allowed to work (!) 

For Shannon, the act of stitching is a way for her to process. After a major shooting in the US, she found herself stitching a gun. She then called out for people to stitch them and send them to her. Eventually, she gathered these pieces to make an auction to sell for Project Fire, and once they had a project they were funding, the art just started pouring in). In the end, the fundraiser took in around $6000 to help keep that program going. 

Shannon's biggest bit of advice: (note I didn't actually ask this question, but she did give some great craftivism advice)

"[for a craftivism project] give a hard deadline, with 2 weeks in between the hard deadline and the moment [of action, ie the auction]... give people a lot of lead time" 

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

• Project Fire - arts therapy project that shannon helped raise funds for with her gun embroidery craftivism project
• craftivista- betsy greer "godmother of craftivism" 
• the craftivists collective @craftivists
• subversive cross stitch
• rowdy corazon 
• gone but not forgotten quilts - documenting the names of folks killed by the Chicago Police Department

Find Shannon: website | instagram 

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Until next time! 

xx

Ani

EPISODE NINETEEN :: Julie of Little Loom - Interpreting Fibre In a Free Form Way & Navigating the Complexities of Making and Selling Work

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 very special thank you to this week's episode sponsor, Wool Gathering,  a four day wool crafts based retreat being held in Victoria in May 2017. During the Gathering you will participate in three wool based classes, with options in knitting, crochet, spinning, tapestry weaving, Saori weaving, needle felting, wool embroidery and yarn dyeing.  

Wool Gathering teachers have many, many years of experience between them, and include Sue Grandfield (Riotous Assembly); Clare Devine (Knit Share Love), Briony Singleton (Gradient Yarns Australia & Briony Knits), Prue Simmons (Dyeing to Weave) to name just a few. Classes have been designed to suit all levels of experience so you have the option to take all your classes within the same well loved craft or you can try something completely new as beginners are well respected at Wool Gathering!

Participants of Wool Gathering will get to enjoy the incredible Tarndie Farm. Tom Dennis, the current (6th generation) owner, will entertain you with his History of Tarndie tour where you will learn all about the pioneers who settled the property and then the Fleece to Yarn tour will see you walk with the sheep from the paddocks to the shearing shed where you will learn all about Polwarth fleece.

Tickets are currently on sale and you can find all the nitty gritty details at www.woolgathering.com.au and follow along on instagram - woolgatheringaustralia and facebook - wool gatheringaustralia.

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. 

Julie teaches workshops in free form - intuitively creating using beauitful materials and a few simple knotting and weaving techniques. She recounts how people often struggle with this at first and find it confronting, the fact that they're not being told what to make, but once they drop in, and let go, it's such a special feeling. Julie tells me she gets goosebumps just talking about it. 

Julie first picked up weaving when she was struggling with post natal depression. It was a meditative escape for her, and somewhere she found some peace. At first, she reckons she tried too hard, tried to be what she thought a weaver should be, and that just wasn't working for her.  Then she bought some handspun yarn and decided to not try so hard and to let go. It was at that point that she created the first piece she really loved, and that was a really pivotal moment for her. She started listening to Woolful, and started learning about fibres and then moved exclusively to high quality, ethically-source, and rare and vintage fibres.

Julie's biggest bit of advice:

"...don' be afraid to try. There is no right way, there is no wrong way, just try. If you have an idea for something, don't not do it because you think it won't be well received, or because you think it's not the right way to do something, just try. That's how we learn, evolve, grow. And the fibre community is so encouraging and supportive"

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

• string harvest: they sell an australian grown and milled cotton that julie loves
• Dana Juszczyk @brosha_me - sculptural, textural woven pieces 
• Plump and Co - a friend of the Close Knit Podcast, episode 14 guest :)  
• Pip Taylor - @philippaataylor - combines porcelain and woven objects
• Kelaoke  - makes wearable art from fiber and ceramics 

Find Julie:  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 NINE :: Sky Carter of Sky Carter Colour - Experimental Weaving, Playing with Colour, and Practicing Art Full Time

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.

Sky is a market hunter bargain hunter and loves sourcing different and unique materials for her weavings. In this episode, she talks about how she's learned to outsource certain parts of her process to be able to do the creative work - outsourcing the things that are time consuming and don't contribute to her joy. She keeps her outsourcing local - for practicality's sake and for the community. 

We chat about fibre art and how it fits into the traditional "art" world - and specifically how weaving fits in, how she sources materials and how she figures out how to price her work and communicate that to the world.

Sky's background in interiors and her love of colour has brought her to a point where she sells her work in interior shops. 

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

• Kustaa Saksi - the fibre artist Sky is most excited about - he uses jacquard looms to make wall hangings 
• Natalie Miller Design - Her chandelier installations in Hong Kong - she shared her process here - the physical pain involved with the installation process, and other insights into her process.
• Thousand Wave - weaver that does kooky and colourful textural wearable art that her grandma models
• El Anatsui - the artist Sky has been most interested in and inspired by - Ghanaian sculptor. learn more about them here .

Find Sky: instagram | facebook | website 

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• 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 TWO :: Kylie Walsh of We Heart the Arts - Learning the art of Wrapping and Finding your Community

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.

This episode, I caught up with Kylie Walsh of We Heart the Arts. Kylie is a curator, creative retail space manager, and event organiser. She works with fibre in her practice of "wrapping" - which we'll talk about in the podcast. This past year, she's gotten into weaving - check out some of her work below. 

 a weaving of kylie's 

One of Kylie's "wrappings" over a jar - now housing a plant 

Photos by: Ani Lee, Kylie Walsh 

People/things we mentioned in the podcast:

• Liz Payne - embroiderer
• Laura Taylor, School of Hard Knots (also ep.3 on the Close Knit Podcast ;) ) 
• Above the Canopy - Lizzy Mendinsky (ep 10 on the Close Knit Podcast - stay tuned!) 
• Queen Babs - Jane (again!) 
• The Unusual Pear - weaver 
• Fibre Share - every few months, fibre artists from around the world send each other parcels of fibre-y goodness to love and make with (it's a pretty special thing!) 
• Natalie Miller Design - weaver, macrame artist, knitter, dyer (all round #colourporn)
• Miss Helen - weaver and weaving teacher
• We Heart the Arts - Kylie's venture, which supports Sydney's creatives through community + social engagement

Follow along with Kylie on Instagram and Facebook

Want more? 

• Subscribe: Itunes  + Pocketcasts

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