Stash | Creative Conversations with Makers & Doers

Episode 032: Meg McElwee of Sew Liberated

Meg McElwee is the sewing pattern designer behind Sew Liberated and is the author of two sewing books. Her favorite thing to do is marvel at the world alongside her three young children. She enjoys designing and making clothes that flatter the constantly shifting bodies of mothers. Meg believes that sewing is a self-care practice and enjoys slowing down and taking life one seam at a time.

In this episode Meg takes us back to the early days of her sewing pattern business. She shares how it began as a family affair in rural Mexico when she was a Montessori teacher to what it looks like now that she’s a homeschooling mama to 3 children.

During our conversation

We dive into the idea of making as self care, the complex, messy challenge of crafting guilt, why she values a relaxed life over busy-ness, and the essential benefits of creativity to our well-being.

Meg also shares her experience of parenting a critically ill child, and the new perspective that emerged and shaped priorities as she healed.  

I loved hearing Meg talk about how she prioritizes time to make so she can accessing her creative flow.  I was also eager to hear how she makes time spent in her shared creative space with her children work.  Listen in for lots of tips and stories about this from Meg- and be sure to check out the show notes below for a link to her studio tour.

We are in now in the tail end of Slow Fashion October, and one of my goals this is to make a piece of clothing. It’s been a while since I’ve made something wearable out of a piece of fabric, and I’m eager to return to my sewing machine.  You can bet that I have one of Meg’s patterns, the Matcha Top on deck, ready to go. It’s my guess that after you listen to this conversation, you’re going to want to grab some paint, yarn or fabric and get making, too.

In This Episode

Montessori prepared environment

Soule Mama

Built by Wendy 

Find Your Fade by former podcast guest Andrea Mowry

Paddington Bear movie

The Ultimate Stress Relief for Women 

Authentic Happiness – The New Positive Psychology 

Stasia’s Style School

Interview with Stasia Savasuk on this podcast

Meg’s post on crafting guilt

Welcome back to Season 3 of the podcast!

Ysolda Teague is a knitwear designer and shopkeeper based in Scotland.

Ysolda took up knitting while studying English Literature when her bedroom didn’t have enough room for sewing and she couldn’t sit still in lectures. An inability to follow directions combined with a compulsion to understand how things work quickly led to a rather diy approach to patterns. Over the last decade she’s pioneered new models for self publishing for both her patterns and six books and developed a reputation for clear directions and interesting construction methods.

Ysolda continues to design while developing new products and managing a small team who share her nerdy excitement about all things knitting and yarn. She hates spaghetti as much as she loves yarn.

If you were a knitter on the internet back in 2007 – 2011, you will most certainly recognize her name from one of her wildfire patterns, the Ishbel Shawl. Listen in to hear a new segment on the show where I share a little story; this time about my love affair with Ysolda’s wildly popular shawl.

During our conversation

I had a chance to ask Ysolda what has changed in the past 10 years, both in terms of her design aesthetic and process, and in how she views the value of her work and how designers should be compensated.

We geek out on design process and details in the first part of the interview. Ysolda shares how she works, the value she places on her time, how she’s structured her business, and the value of intricate details in handmade garments.

We also dive head first into some meaty topics, topics I am going to be bringing up more in this season of the podcast. Politics. Gender. Race. Privilege. It was a treat to get to ask Ysolda for her view on some of these topics, particularly how they play out in the knitting world.

In This Episode

Little Red in the City

In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney

Color by Victoria Finlay

Vogue Knitting 1987

Find Ysolda Online

Website

Instagram

Twitter

Ravelry

Until next time…

Did you enjoy this episode?  You can check out past episodes of The Stash podcast here.

Head to iTunes and subscribe to Stash | Creative Conversations.  After listening, take a moment to leave a star rating or review.  Leaving ratings and star reviews helps the podcast rise in the rankings, making it possible for even more people to discover these conversations. And the more crafty folks and creative entrepreneurs that find these conversations the better!

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The Yarn Story Collection Book : A Year in Yarn

The time is finally here to make the official announcement about the Yarn Story Collection book!

In 2016 we embarked on one of our most ambitious projects yet: The Yarn Story Collection. We partnered with some of our favorite dyers to create custom, one of a kind, super special, get them while they last colorways. Each month we released a different custom colorway that resulted from these collaborations. You can view them all here.

In our upcoming ebook, we showcase the stories of these 12 yarn purveyors. You’ll read their stories and find out how they got started in the yarn business. They share the scoop behind why they do what they do, the challenges of owning a business, and who they most trust to tell them the truth when things get sticky. We also get a little silly and talk fantasy animal mash-ups, tattoos, and more!

The new Yarn Story Collection book also contains some all-new content, stunning full-color photos, and more peeks behind the scenes of the project.

In addition to the ebook, we will re-release a limited quantity of some of our favorite yarns from the collection.  We’ve paired them with some patterns that worked so well with these yarns.  These limited-edition kits will only be available in our Corvallis shop & online.

The Yarn Story Collection book and kits will be released on Monday, May 15th 2017.

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter in the green box on this page to be the first to know what’s in those kits!

Episode 028: Tara Swiger

Tara Swiger is a teacher and author who works with makers and artists to create sustainable profitable businesses that they love.  In addition to working with other creative entrepreneurs, she has owned her own yarn business, is the author of multiple books, and is the host of a weekly podcast. 

Listen in to hear Tara’s story of how she went from working a day job to starting her own yarn business. She tells the story of how she transitioned out of that business into a big new adventure helping other biz owners. We talk about fear, shame, and cultivating confidence. You’ve got to listen in for her definition of confidence – it’s golden.

Tara also gets really personal and shares her struggles with anxiety and depression. She shares what it looked like when she had to stop everything to take care of herself, and where she’s at now. 

In This Episode

Sundrop Jewelry

Cooperative Press

The Confidence Code 

Reading, Watching, Listening

Grey’s Anatomy

Scandal

Dr. Who – BBC America

Black-ish

Fresh off the Boat

The Queen

The Americans

The Great British Bakeoff

Slate Gabfest 

The Lively Show

School of Greatness

Hashtag Authentic

Elise Gets Crafty

Gary Vaynerchuck 

His rant for haters

How to Start

Find Tara Online

Website

Explore Your Enthusiasm Podcast

Tara’s podcast episodes on anxiety 1 & 2

p.s.

This is our second to last episode of Season 2!  You won’t want to miss our season final guest (listen to the end of the show for the big reveal).  We’re also getting set to launch the Yarn Story Collection ebook in May!  Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter in the sidebar so you get the release announcement.

Until next time…

Head to iTunes and subscribe to

Lorajean Kelley of Knitted Wit

Today I’m bringing you a juicy conversation about yarn, motherhood, and self-care with Portland-based dyer Lorajean Kelley. 

Lorajean founded her yarn dying business, Knitted Wit, after being laid off from her day job. Just like that she went from playing with yarn and dying fiber on the side for fun to having to decide whether or not she was going to pursue creating a full time business. 

It’s now 10 years years later, and I think you will see that Knitted Wit has grown into a colorful success!

In this episode Lorajean shares the nuts and bolts of how she’s built her business.   She talks about her Colorways for a Cause project and how she values taking action and contributing something meaningful  to help others. 

Lorajean also opens up about what it’s been like growing her business and her family at the same time. She shares her experiences with postpartum depression, the  importance of self-check ins to manage mood and productivity, and how she’s winning at practicing really good self care. 

She also discusses the role of crafting in her personal life (away from parenting and working), and why she’s not allowed to have coffee. Like ever. 

You can read more about Lorajean and Knitted Wit in our Featured Dyer interview here

In This Episode

Bread and Ink Cafe

Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival

Indie Socks by Chrissy Gardiner 

Colorways with a cause:

Love is Love proceeds to benefit Q Center and Outside In

Be Mine

She Persisted

Alternative Facts Rainbow

Death to Sexism

Chrone’s Disease

Postpartum Depression Resources & Symptoms 

Headspace App

H.A. L. T. (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) Checklist for Parents

Watching, Reading, Listening

The West Wing

The Office

Parks and Recreation

Frazier

Golden Girls

Beyoncé

Moana

Hamilton Mix Tape

Find Knitted Wit online

Episode 026 : Kay Gardiner & Ann Shayne of Mason-Dixon Knitting

Today I have the immense pleasure of speaking with two icons of the knitting world. Kay Gardiner & Ann Shayne were very early influences to me in my knitting career. Their work showed me what was possible when I was just getting started, and has continued to be a beacon of inspiration and education for me over the past decade.

When you start something new, you’re taking a step in an unknown direction. For me, knitting was something that came up organically, almost accidentally. A friend offered to teach me, I dabbled, and eventually I became obsessed. When I was ready to feed my addiction, the MDK ladies were there. Their first book, Mason-Dixon Knitting,  was literally one of the first knitting books I bought.

In this episode we talk about how Ann and Kay met in the early ages of the internet before knit blogging was a thing. With Ann living in Nashville and Kay in New York, their unique approach bridged that divide through knitting. It helped them forge a friendship first and a business partnership later.

We also chat about long term friendship and collaboration (including its highs and lows) ; how they’ve maintained an interest in knitting over the years; craftivism and the role that knitting has played in politics and our maker communities.

We also have some fun at the end and talk favorite colors, desert island yarns, current knitting projects, and more.

In This Episode

Rowan Magazine

Ravelry

Designer Julia Farwell-Clay

Food 52

MDK Field Guide Series

Melanie Falick

Koigu yarn

Veronik Avery Hadley Pullover 

Rowan Denim ~ Kay loves it!

Whitby Cabled Pullover by Jane Gottelier

2048 game ~ it IS addictive!

Find MDK Online

Mason Dixon Knitting

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Ann on IG

Kay on IG

Until next time…

Head to iTunes and subscribe to Stash | Creative Conversations.  After listening, take a moment to leave a star rating or review.  Leaving ratings and star reviews helps the podcast rise in the rankings, making it possible for even more people to discover these conversations.

I believe that to be truly inspired, to live and create magically and extraordinarily, we must first be in awe of life, soak ourselves in wonder, be a friend to mystery and a lover of rapture. ~ Amy T. Won

Today we’re exploring the realm of creativity and asking some Big questions:

What IS creativity?  

How do you nurture or grow creativity in your life?

What does a creative life look like?

Amy T. Won is a designer and an artist making her mark on the world with her ethereal paintings and guided creative adventures.

Amy started out her creative career as an architect. While she loved the elements of design, she quickly realized that world was too rigid to contain her creativity. She yearned for something more expressive, and struggled to connect with her own voice in her work.

After 7 years in the architecture industry, Amy was burnt out. She gave herself a year sabbatical to explore her options and see what her next steps would be. Amy soon found herself designing and painting one-of a kind heirloom wedding invitations, then working as a brand designer.  

Eventually she started digging deeper, asking herself more probing questions like:

Who am I? What do I really want to make?  What do I want to stand for?

Imagine this: you’re an artist well versed in expressing other people’s ideas and translating them into your design work. But what happens when you want to start making art for yourself and find that you don’t have anything to say?

In this episode, Amy T. Won reveals her fears around not having anything interesting to say creatively. She shares how she began to nurture her creativity, bringing out a whole new inner world onto the canvas.  And she gives us some ideas for how to reconnect with our own stories and tap into a new depth of creativity. 

I love Amy’s sense of wonder and enthusiasm for the natural world. Her approach to creativity and tapping into your own inner experience is truly inspiring to me.

If you’re having any sort of creative plateau in your work, find yourself trying to push through a slump, or simply don’t know what to do next, this episode is sure to get you thinking about your work in a whole new way. 

In this Episode:

Susannah Conway – retreat

Marie Forleo’s B-School

Malay history

David Attenborough’s Life That Glows 

Vikings series

The Last Kingdom series

Find Amy Online:

Amy T. Won’s website (watch the video!)

A Travelogue of Enchantment – guide to creative adventures

Walk the Labyrinth 

Instagram

Facebook

Until next time…

Head to iTunes and subscribe to

Episode 024 – Cookbook Author Jessica Murnane

Jessica Murnane is a wellness advocate, podcaster, cookbook author, and all around stylish and powerful lady. She can rock a hat and kaftan like nobody’s business, all while creating delicious plant-based meals for her new cookbook, One Part Plant. 

Five years ago Jessica was headed for a hysterectomy at the age of thirty-three, because of her Stage 4 endometriosis. She couldn’t get out of bed most mornings because her pain had become so severe. She did everything she could to get better.  And then a friend shared a big idea that would not only help Jessica manage the symptoms of endometriosis, but literally change the course of her life.

In this episode you’ll hear more about Jessica’s struggle with endometriosis  as well as her entrepreneurial journey from graphic designer to stationary shop owner to bar owner, to finally finding her calling helping people through food. She candidly shares her struggles to find her calling, and how when she did find it, it lead her to unexpected places.

I’m not vegan but I love good food, and Jessica’s work has profoundly influenced me in my journey to eating more health fully.   Eating just on plant-based meal a day is totally doable, and has done a lot to improve how I feel and relate to food.e

I love Jessica’s down to earth, accessible approach to food and the conversation she has started with the one part plant movement.

The One Part Movement, aka the new Meatless Monday

Jessica’s book One Part Plant literally comes out tomorrow (Feb 21st). I have one in my hands right now, and I can tell you it is beautiful The layout and photography are stunning, and I can’t help but drool when I look at the recipes.  From dips and spreads to salads, and hearty main courses, Jessica has you covered for that one plant-based meal a day. Including dessert.

Pre-orders are available on Amazon and include a little discount.  Of course you can also head to your local bookstore tomorrow to pick one up. 

Jessica’s Top 10 Pantry Items

Make cooking a plant-based meal easy peasy any night of the week by keeping these ingredients on hand.

Gluten-Free Flours

Plant-Based Milks

Nuts and Seeds

Tahini

Natural Sweeteners

Beans and Lentils

Gluten-Free Grains

Coconut

Seed and Nut Butters

Veggie Broth 

PLUS

Nutritional Yeast 

Tamari

In This Episode

Paper Source

Skin Cleanse

The Bachelor

Michael Ian Black Podcast

Andy Cohen + The Real Housewives franchise

Drake on Pandora

Endometreosis Resources

Jessica Murnane Endometriosis Diet

So, you’ve probably heard about these pink hats everyone was wearing at the women’s marches on January 21st 2017.  You may have even made some for yourself, your family and friends, or to donate to others.

But what did it all mean, anyway?  Why knit or crochet pink hats at all?  

What does it mean to use your creative crafting powers to make something as a political statement?

Today I ask that question to two people who have recently tackled those questions very publicly by creating their own patterns for others to knit or crochet in solidarity of a cause. 

Knitwear designer Bristol Ivy and Author Kim Werker have both been on this show before. I wanted to have them weigh in today because I really admire how they have each taken their energy and passion for human rights and channeled them into creating projects others can use to share their voices. 

I ask both Bristol and Kim to share their actionable next steps for crafters who want to continue on in the wake of the Pussy Hat phenomenon and continue with their own activism.

This isn’t necessarily a political conversation.. It is a conversation about how craftivism can create and strengthen communities, how it can give people permission to experiment with craft as a form of expression, and how we can come together, one small stitch at a time, to make a big impact. 

Knitwear designer Bristol Ivy shares the inspiration behind her new mitten pattern Peace de Resistance and the astounding amount of money it has already raised for multiple charities. She also tells us about why she marched in the Women’s March on Washington and how it strengthened her belief that we are all much more powerful when we stand together. 

Author Kim Werker talks about what feminism really means,  why she created her own crochet pussy hat pattern, and how by speaking out on her own beliefs she has emboldened others to join in and say that they believe in something too.

 

In This Episode

The original PussyHat pattern that created a sea of pink at Women’s Marches across the world.

The PussyHat Project aims to:

*

Provide the people of the Women’s March on Washington D.C. a means to make a unique collective visual statement which will help activists be better heard.

*

Provide people who cannot physically be on the National Mall a way to represent them- selves and support women’s rights.

Download your free printable postcard here

Kim & Bristol’s Action Steps for Craftivists:

Take advantage of the access you have to your elected officials; call them, write letters, pay them a visit. 

Be open to the possibility of not putting your own needs first; use your time and disposable income in new ways to help others.

Try something that you’ve never done before to participate in your democracy.

Gather with your craft community to write postcards (perhaps with wine!

EPISODE 022 – Giuseppe Ribaudo

Today’s guest is Giuseppe Ribaudo, former actor turned quilter and multimedia manager at Andover Fabrics. 

I was first drawn to his work by his bold, unconventional use of color and his modern aesthetic. He’s been on my guest wishlist for the show for a while, but when our own Stash Enhancer Hannah came to me recommending him, I knew we had to make this happen. Apparently they went to college together, and Hannah helped teach G how to knit. Don’t you love how small this community is sometimes?!

More than works of textile art, Giuseppe’s pieces tell a story. They are bold and graphic, while also being modern and classic at the same time.  They speak to his love of family, his yearning to bring color and warmth to the world, and of his unique position in the quilting community. 

As he says in our interview, color is inspiring, feeds our souls, and is never boring.  It’s easy to connect with a piece when all of these things are at play, even when you don’t practice that medium yourself.

I am not a quilter (yet, anyway), but I cannot help but feel excited and inspired when I see G’s work.  And that’s just one of the reasons I love looking outside my own industry and hobbies for fresh ideas.

In this episode we talk about Giuseppe’s intuitive color sense and how he looks for new possibilities within familiar materials. He also dives into what it’s really like being a guy in a female-dominated industry, and what he wishes for the community as a whole.  I think the power of color and the value of community are our themes for this episode!

In this episode

Andover Fabrics

Brooklyn Tweed

Stephen West Steven Be on The Stash Podcast

Black Mirror 

Stranger Things

Westworld 

Jackie (natalie portman)

Ray Bradbury

Golden Girls

30 Rock

Parks & Recreation

Will & Grace

Find Giuseppe online

Instagram

We All Sew / Bernina Ambassador

Until next time…

Head to iTunes and subscribe to Stash | Creative Conversations.  After listening,