Close Knit

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

Just a quick note to say thank you so much to those who have pledged on the close knit patreon so far, your support means so much to me, and will mean a better quality podcast that I can sustainably produce long-term. For those of you who are unfamiliar with patreon, it’s similar to the way that community radio gets funding- it’s a way to give me as little as $1/month to say thanks. Your pledges also give you access to content I’ll be creating just for patrons and sneak peeks at content I’m creating. If you’d like to support the podcast through patreon, you can do so here! 

photo courtesy of Fairfax Media from Tal 

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 research. Tal has been working on a number of incredible, large-scale social engaged craftivism projects in addition to her PhD, and she talks us through her research on craftivism,  her working definition, and how she sees craftivism as a mode of DIY citizenship. This conversation with Tal was one that had me reeling for days after  - I was trying to explain the conversation to other people in my life, family members and friends, how everything Tal mentioned just resonated so deeply for me. I can’t wait to hear what the podcast community thinks of this episode! 

photo provided by Tal Fitzpatrick

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages. 
• Edit to our convo about gay marriage: Australia was the 26th country to legalise same sex marriage!
• Tal and Stephanie's UDHR quilt project: http://talfitzpatrick.com/udhr-craftivism-project #UDHRquilt

• CRAFTIVIST MANIFESTO Tal's Craftivism Manifesto will be available as a free download online on the 9th of March here.  && a shout out to Betsy Greer and Sayraphim Lothian whose work Tal drew on when writing her definition of craftivism.

• Male textile artists that inspire Tal: Ben Venom and Lucas Gorgan

• Artists in Tal's family: Dawn Fitzpatrick (My paternal grandmother) Her book: Dawn Fitzpatrick “Folk Art Applique Quilts” (Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 1990). Sofia Fitzpatrick @toffyfitz @skullsbysofiafitzpatrick          

• Tal's supervisor (and baddass artist and feminist) Kate Just @Katejustknits

• Tal's friend the amazing textile artist : Hannah Gartside @hannahgartside (Australia)

• Craftivist project to follow/support: Social Justice Sewing Academy - @sjsacademy www.sjsacademy.com   

• UDHR artists to look out for:
  • Stephanie Dunlap @eliminatembroidery (USA)
• Janine Heschl @textile_wildlife_art (Austria)
• Helen Fraser @Helenfraserartist (Australia)
• Bolivia Vega @lechienbinair (Venezuela)
• Willemien De Villers @willemien_de_villiers (south Africa)
• Karin Ruut @kerart (finland/Estonia/UK)  
• Alicia Lyes @Craftle_grayskull  (USA)

TAL'S PHD EXHIBITION:

            CRAFTIVISM HQ,  GALLERY: KINGS ARI DATE: 7-10 March 2018,  WED-SAT, 12-6PM

ADDRESS: LEVEL 1, 171 KING STREET, MELBOURNE 3000

WWW.KINGSARTISTRUN.ORG.AU

• Subscribe: Itunes or Pocket Casts

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

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 any boundaries between them, and we all have a lot of feelings) 

+ sam tells us about her first business making t-shirts as a 16 year old 

+ we have a pee break (which I edited out because it got too weird to share on the internet) 

+ Australianisms vs Americanisms - how our voices have changed over time (Sam and Ani are American and lived or are living in Aus) 

+ Our embarrassing nicknames from different points in our lives 

In Episode 33 of the Close Knit Podcast, I spoke to Sam Ives of Maker and Mineral and Abbey Rich. 

n a slightly different approach than I usually have, Sam, Abbey and I recorded this chat in person, sitting on the floor in my old house in Hobart. Because of the format of this chat and the fact that we have a well established friendship, this chat developed differently to the usual podcast. 

We talk about tattooing and how both Abbey and Sam have used stick and pokes to process life and friendship, and how tattooing a mate is such a permanent act - this is juxtaposition to both of their clothes-making practice, which feels more transient, and ultimately is more transient in the world of fast fashion that we all ultimately live in. 

Sam and Abbey both talk us through their practices with clothes making and how they’ve grown and changed their businesses over the last few years, as well as the compromises this requires of them. We discuss sustainability from many levels - for the planet, our immediate communities and ourselves, as well as communities not physically proximate to us. 

Having this conversation with Abbey and Sam meant so much to me, and honestly getting to come back to it over the last couple of weeks to edit it has felt really healing, as I personally transition my life from Tasmania to California. I cannot thank Sam and Abbey enough for their ongoing friendship and for being willing to share this conversation with me in the week before I left Tassie. 

A giant thanks to this week's episode sponor: Sincere Sheep. Their primary focus is single-source, breed-specific and custom-made yarns and fibers dyed with color extracted from responsibly sourced plants (and occasionally from insects). 

Until the 31st Dec 2017, you can sign up for Sincere Sheep’s Made Here! 2018 quarterly club. Made Here! is a special quarterly yarn club featuring domestic and small batch yarns and custom-made goodies, thoughtfully designed and packaged for minimal environmental impact. 

Click for the complete Made Here! 2018 Listing on www.sinceresheep.com. 

shownotes for this episode are available at closeknit.com.au/podcast/episode34

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 wider communities.

A huge thank you to this week's epsiode sponsors : Threads of Peru & 100 Acts of Sewing. 

Threads of Peru is a social enterprise that connects the world to handcrafted treasures of Peru, helping to strengthen ancient craft techniques and empower artisans.

image provided by Threads of Peru 

By marketing the work produced by weavers in remote Andean communities and by sourcing products from like-minded organizations across Peru, Threads of Peru is providing an opportunity for artisans, particularly women, to earn an income while continuing to live a traditional lifestyle and care for their children. Something I’m particularly excited about sharing is Threads of Peru’s trips to visit Peru, tours designed for those who are passionate about culture and who want to experience the Andean weaving tradition first-hand. You can join the Threads of Peru team as they take you behind the scenes to visit some of their weaving partners and experiment with weaving and natural dye techniques. 

See Peru through the eyes of people who live and breathe this country every day, and who are working to keep traditions alive and make a better life for those who live here. This is an experience not to be missed – an exclusive and very special introduction to the vastly rich culture of Peru!

You can find out more about these tours by visiting their website threadsofperu.com 

As a special offer for close knit listeners, Threads of Peru is offering 20% off anything in their online shop (except Clearance items)! Just go to threadsofperu.com, and enter coupon code CLOSEKNIT at checkout. 

And a huge thank you to 100 Acts of Sewing for sponsoring this episode! 

image provided by 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 online and follow Sonya’s handmade wardrobe chronicles on instagram at @sonyaphilip. 

Thanks again to this week's episode sponsors! 

This week 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 organisation called Our Maker Life, alongside other makers, who get together yearly to share experiences and ideas and work together on their craft. Nate describes for me his experience of working in the knitting world as a man and how his expression of his gender shapes his work and how others might view his work as a result of gender expression.  Nate has this really calming voice, and it was a treat to get to chat to him about the many things that make him uniquely him. 

photo provided by nate bryant

• Chantal of Knitatude- nate loves her energy and how prolific she is
• a favourite inspiration: Yokoo Gibraan
• Our Maker Life (OMM) 

  • North Knits

  • La Reserve Design

  • Country Pine Design

  • Knit Brooks

• Chelsea from Chelsea Knits / Knit Fitch

• Nikki Hirsch for her tunisian crochet 

• also the angel painting that Nate did and mentioned :) 

• Subscribe: Itunes or Pocket Casts

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

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 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. 

Rope and photo by @dwlphoto

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. 

image by @magnessvondoom 

 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

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 

• Subscribe: Itunes or Pocket Casts

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

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. 

photo by Mae Steir 

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

• Subscribe: Itunes or Pocket Casts

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

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, 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. 

• 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) 

• Subscribe: Itunes or Pocket Casts

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

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. 

• 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 

• Subscribe: Itunes or Pocket Casts

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

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: 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. 

• Subscribe: Itunes or Pocket Casts

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