Best Needlework Podcasts (2024)

1
The EU AI Act Part 2, with Amba Kak and Sarah Myers West from AI NOW 31:33

2h ago31:33

31:33

In this episode, we talk to Amba Kak and Sarah Myers West of the AI Now Institute, who are the co directors of this leading policy think tank. In the episode, which is the second installment of our EU AI Act series, Amba and Sarah explore why different tech policy narratives matter, the difference between the US and the EU regulatory landscape, why…

1
Spotlight Episode: Knit Picks 55:18

4d ago55:18

55:18

When Knit Picks was founded by husband and wife team Kelly and Bob Petkun in 2002, the company began with a mail-order catalog and soon added online purchasing. Buying yarn online seemed both strange and inevitable: knitters began choosing yarns that they could only see onscreen, in the early days of functional search engines, at a time when many p…

1
Laverne Waddington, Backstrap Weaver 53:15

6d ago53:15

53:15

Laverne Waddington discovered weaving by accident—bike accident, to be precise. Recuperating from a mountain biking crash in Utah, she discovered a book on Navajo weaving and was immediately intrigued. A local exhibit of Diné textiles enthralled her, and she set about learning to weave in the Navajo style. Returning to Patagonia, where she had been…

1
#186 Staying creative with a messy brain 19:45

8d ago19:45

19:45

In this episode I am chatting about a few simple ways in which I am staying connected with creativity while my brain is adjusting to the loss of my mum. In short, it's about lowering the bar, being realistic and appreciating a wider net of expression. I hope it feels helpful! Love, Yarrow

1
The History and Power of Mending: An Interview with Kate Sekules 48:13

14d ago48:13

48:13

In this episode, Isabella interviews writer, historian, teacher, and lifelong mender Kate Sekules about the history and importance of mending and darning. Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.By Isabella Rosner

1
The EU AI Act Part 1, with Caterina and Daniel from Access Now 36:32

10d ago36:32

36:32

In this episode, we talk to Daniel Leufer and Caterina Rodelli from Access Now, a global advocacy organization that focuses on the impact of the digital on human rights. As leaders in this field, they've been working hard to ensure that the European Union's AI Act doesn't undermine human rights or indeed fundamental democratic values. They share wi…

1
Gale Zucker, Photographer 44:35

20d ago44:35

44:35

Embrace the potential of your phone’s camera, choose indirect lighting (not a flash) to show texture, and get your knits off the ground—these are just a few pieces of Gale Zucker’s advice for how to take knitting photos you love. Whether she’s shooting in a studio or a barnyard, Gale uses her camera to bring her subjects to life. Gale grew up in a …

1
#185 The wild edge of sorrow // grief after sudden death 51:08

25d ago51:08

51:08

This episode is dedicated to my mum Marina, who passed away suddenly at the end of July. She was incredible - resilient, creative, full of life and hands down the most loving person I know. She taught me how to live a good life full of pleasure and connection even in late stage capitalism. I had 38 years with her and am so proud to call her my mum.…

1
Emily Lymm, Wool & Palette 58:08

1M ago58:08

58:08

Have you ever opened a book or seen a photograph and thought to yourself, “I have to learn to do that”? When Emily Lymm first fell in love with knitting, she wondered casually if she could turn her passion for fiber arts into a profession. Not seeing many successful pathways to a career in knitting, she continued as a graphic designer. She loved th…

1
Tommye McClure Scanlin, Tapestry Artist 53:56

2M ago53:56

53:56

Tommye McClure Scanlin had a choice. To make the images she wanted to create with weaving, she could either pursue complex forms of weaving that rely on dobby, jacquard, and draw-loom technology—or she could go the other way and place every color and pick by hand using tapestry techniques and a very simple loom. Preferring a drawing pencil to a cal…

1
#184 What I am reading & how I am staying grounded this summer 25:54

2M ago25:54

25:54

The world is a lot, but then what's new? In this episode I wanted to share a few ways in which I am staying grounded this summer, including excellent book selection, gentle rituals and activism that is doable and kind on my nervous system. I hope it's a helpful space for you to think about your own summer and orient towards the pleasure & joy that …

1
Cambodian Textiles: An Interview with Dr Magali Berthon 1:01:15

2M ago1:01:15

1:01:15

In this episode, Isabella interviews Dr Magali Berthon about Cambodian silk weaving and how textiles were affected by the Khmer Rouge regime. Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.By Isabella Rosner

1
Rowland & Chinami Ricketts, Indigo Artists 35:44

2M ago35:44

35:44

Indigo is a unique dyestuff, no less so for being found in so many different plants. Coaxing the blue hue out of green leaves and onto yarn or cloth requires a combination of chemistry and skill that has arisen across the globe. Rowland and Chinami Ricketts each found their own way to indigo in Tokushima, Japan: Rowland was looking for a sustainabl…

1
Spotlight Episode: Brown Sheep Company 51:54

2M ago51:54

51:54

Andrew Wells is the third generation of the iconic American yarn manufacturer Brown Sheep Company. Living near the family business outside Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, he grew up giving tours and sweeping the floors when his parents, Peggy and Robert Wells, ran the business. His grandfather, Harlan Brown, had been a sheep and lamb farmer before deciding…

1
#183 Sacred stories with Lara Irene Vesta 36:21

3M ago36:21

36:21

Patient and appreciated listeners, I am bring you another wonderful conversation with Lara Irene Vesta. I hope this find you well, with a bit of sunshine on your face and a quiet moment to dive in. Here is some of what we talked about: Writing beautiful books from bed Growing wild gardens that tend to themselves Rites of passage and spiritual sinkh…

1
What on Earth Is Ethical Maths? with Maurice Chiodo 38:42

3M ago38:42

38:42

We often think that maths is neutral or can't be harmful, because after all, what could numbers do to hurt us? In this episode, we talk to Dr. Maurice Chiodo, a mathematician at the University of Cambridge, who's now based at the Center for Existential Risk. He tells us why maths can actually throw out big ethical issues. Take the atomic bomb or th…

1
Kate Gagnon Osborn & Courtney Kelley, Kelbourne Woolens 1:00:21

3M ago1:00:21

1:00:21

Working together in a Philadelphia yarn store, Kate Gagnon Osborn and Courtney Kelley learned how to help customers choose the right yarn for a project, welcome in timid new knitters, and create samples to help move yarn out the door. They learned what didn’t work (donut-shaped balls of yarn that hopped off the shelves and tangled, patterns that us…

1
Jess Zafarris, Author & Etymologist 39:11

3M ago39:11

39:11

If you knit, spin, sew, weave, or follow any crafty pursuit, you will not be surprised that many of our most common metaphors come from textiles. They are interwoven in our vocabulary, and whether you like to spin a yarn from words or fibers, you will recognize many of them. But then there are the words whose textile roots are less obvious: Rocket.…

1
Can Technology Save us from Housework? with Helen Hester 37:08

3M ago37:08

37:08

This is a special live episode because Kerry is talking to Professor Helen Hester at the tech transformed conference in London. Helen is a leading thinker of feminism technology and the future of work, and she explores the history of domestic technologies- so technology used around the house. It's really important that we understand that technologi…

1
Poisoning AI and Silencing Alexa with Heather Zheng 27:57

3M ago27:57

27:57

In this episode, we talk to Heather Zheng, who makes technologies that stop everyday surveillance. This includes bracelets that stopped devices from listening and on you, to more secure biometric technologies that can protect us by identifying us by for example, our dance moves. Most famously, Zheng is one of the computer scientists behind Nightsha…

1
#182 Death awareness and creative enchantment with Narinder Bazen 43:06

4M ago43:06

43:06

This episode is such a heartfelt deep dive into grief, creativity & enchantment with the wonderful Narinder Bazen. Here is some of what we talked about: The space that death awareness inhabits in our lives Making simplicity & minimalism our own Thresholds & finding a place in the world Meaning making and ritual through hard times Narinder Bazen is …

1
Masey Kaplan & Jen Simonic, Loose Ends Project 59:56

4M ago59:56

59:56

When Jen Simonic and Masey Kaplan’s friend lost her mother, she had the challenge of going through her mother’s things while grieving her loss. Among her posessions was something almost every crafter has at least one of: a work in progress. Jen and Masey had each finished projects for bereaved family members before, but neither of them could take o…

1
Gamergate, Harassment, and Feminist Design with Caroline Sinders 35:59

4M ago35:59

35:59

In this episode we talk to Caroline Sinders, the human rights researcher, an artist, and the founder of convocation, design and research. We begin by talking about Gamergate, when women were harassed for being gamers. We also talk about what it's like doing high risk research about abusive misogynists online and experiences of doxing. Just to give …

1
The History of Crochet: An Interview with Eleanor Gilchrist 48:14

4M ago48:14

48:14

In this episode, Isabella interviews PhD student Eleanor Gilchrist about her fascinating and surprising research into the history of crochet. Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.By Isabella Rosner

1
#181 Mystical Stitches with Christi Johnson 37:53

4M ago37:53

37:53

I've been such a fan of Christi's work and especially her book Mystical Stitches for ages and so it's a real joy to bring this beautiful interview to you! Here is what we talked about: Finding one's own voice with shapes, colours and composition Rituals and creative process Writing books and sharing skills The beauty, magic and resilience of textil…

1
Eileen Lee: From Quilts to Jeans to Painted Warps (classic) 42:52

4M ago42:52

42:52

A career professional at Levi Strauss & Company, Eileen Lee learned about dyeing, weaving, and sewing on an international scale: giant factories full of loud looms weaving 2/2 twill, pattern pieces cut out of four-foot-high stacks of cloth, and no possibility of adding a tuck here or a dart there without retooling. During her years in the industry,…

1
The curse of online beauty culture with Ellen Atlanta 33:25

4M ago33:25

33:25

We’re expected to look amazing online, but also natural. We’re fighting against the gender pay gap, but also spend thousands on cosmetics. In this episode, Ellen Atlanta talks us through the paradoxes of feminism and beauty in the digital sphere.By Dr Kerry McInerney and Dr Eleanor Drage

1
Lilly Marsh, Custom Weaver 55:22

4M ago55:22

55:22

Lilly Marsh creates blankets, shawls, and other cloth, almost exclusively from local wool. Working closely with farmers and the nearby Battenkill Fiber Mill, she gets to know not only her neighbors but the fibers they grow: the surprisingly lovely wool from East Friesian sheep raised to produce milk, the springy Dorset crosses that are popular in t…

1
#180 Five sweet rituals for May 15:24

5M ago15:24

15:24

In this episode I am sharing five sweet & simple things I'll be doing to make the month ahead more beautiful. Think home spa, love letters, self-commitment and flowers. I hope you'll feel inspired! You can join my monthly Spark Sessions for extra ritual support via my Substack here: https://yarrow.substack.com/ and here is more info about the upcom…

1
Needlework and History's Hidden Technologies with Isabella Rosner 33:09

5M ago33:09

33:09

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Isabella Rosner, a curator at the Royal School of Needlework and a research consultant at Witney Antiques. Isabella tells us about the evolution of embroidery as a technology, and the complex relationship between needlework and feminism. We use this history to shed light on technology and feminism today.…

1
Annie MacHale, Inkle Artist 53:55

5M ago53:55

53:55

The call of complexity draws some weavers to more shafts, more structures, more hand-manipulated techniques. For Annie MacHale, refining the techniques and celebrating the artistry of very simple bands has been a lifelong fascination. Starting when she first picked up a shuttle and inkle loom in her teens, Annie has worked in wool, cotton, and hemp…

1
Women in Stitches: An Interview with Marcia Goldenstein 39:51

5M ago39:51

39:51

In this episode, Isabella interviews artist Marcia Goldenstein about her series "Women in Stitches," consisting of tiny embroidered portraits of women past and present. Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.…

1
Alissa Allen, Mycopigments 54:31

5M ago54:31

54:31

“Rule number one: Never drink the dye bath.” Indigo and cochineal may be the most widely recognized natural dyes for many fiber artists, and there’s little temptation of sampling an indigo vat or pot of ground insects. But a simmering kettle of dye mushrooms or lichens? That might smell delicious, but if you’re in a class with Alissa Allen, it’s no…

1
Naval Embroidery: An Interview with Maya Wassell Smith 55:21

6M ago55:21

55:21

In this episode, Isabella interviews Maya Wassell Smith, assistant curator of art at the National Maritime Museum and a PhD student at Cardiff University. The two discuss naval embroidery in all of its forms. Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.…

1
#179 Radical textile histories with Dr. Isabella Rosner 38:00

6M ago38:00

38:00

This episode is a dream come true for my nerdy heart - I had a chance to talk to Dr. Isabella Rosner, whose podcast Sew What? I've been a fan of for years. We talked about how she got into textile histories, her PhD research and work at the Royal School of Needlework, about what textiles can teach us about what it means to be human and making time …

1
How China surveils Uyghur Muslims with Darren Byler 26:39

6M ago26:39

26:39

In this episode, we talked to Darren Byler, author of Terror Capitalism and In the Camps, Life in China's High Tech Penal Colony. We discussed his in depth research on Uyghur Muslims in China and the role played by technology in their persecution. If you're just listening to this on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, you can now watch us on…

1
Sally Fox, Colored Cotton Breeder 57:41

6M ago57:41

57:41

In a period when agriculture moved toward chemicals, genetic engineering, and monoculture, Sally Fox decided to explore what could happen if she collaborated with nature instead of fighting it. With an academic background in entomology, she studied ways to minimize the amount of pesticides needed to grow crops, and the more she saw the effects of t…

1
Spotlight Episode: Yarn Barn of Kansas 59:37

6M ago59:37

59:37

When Susan Bateman first opened Yarn Barn of Kansas in 1971, a woman starting a small business couldn’t get a credit card in her own name. Weavers like her had a hard time finding yarns, tools, and other supplies, some of which were only available from overseas, and she thought there must be an opportunity to bring fiber artists more of what they n…

1
The Racial History of Dermatology with Thuy Linh Tu 27:46

6M ago27:46

27:46

In this episode we talk to Thuy Linh Thu, Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis at NYU. We talk about how good technology disperses power, while bad technology concentrates power, the racial history of dermatology, including the connections between the Vietnam War, medical experimentation on incarcerated men in the U. S., and retinol creams,. P…

1
Rebecca Mezoff (classic) 38:00

6M ago38:00

38:00

There may be no other type of textile that is more art and craft at the same time than tapestry weaving. Tapestry allows the weaver to create images with simple tools, but the skills and materials in tapestry are generally hard-wearing. You might find a tapestry on the floor as a rug as often as on a wall as a piece of art. Rebecca Mezoff became a …

1
Hot Take: The Good Robot BOOK! 29:15

7M ago29:15

29:15

In this very special Good Robot hot take we talk about our new book, The Good Robot: Why Technology Needs Feminism. It's a beautiful new illustrated book where the top scholars, activists, artists, writers, technologists, all come together to respond to the prompt: good technology is... Kerry and Eleanor chat about getting its illustrations as tatt…

1
Men at (Needle)work: An Interview with Jamie Chalmers 47:36

7M ago47:36

47:36

In this episode, Isabella interviews Jamie Chalmers, AKA Mr X Stitch, the Kingpin of Contemporary Embroidery. The two discuss what's happening in the world of contemporary embroidery and what it's like to be a man who embroiders. Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, seww…

1
#178 Moments that change everything with Chaney Williams 42:52

7M ago42:52

42:52

This episode is my first interview with a guest in about eight months and I could not feel more excited & honoured to speak to Chaney Williams. There was so much in this conversation that was a balm to my soul - we talked about life-changing moments and accidents, listening to the whispers of your ancestors and our bodies, quiet spaces to create an…

1
Hannah Thiessen Howard, Slow Knitting 56:11

7M ago56:11

56:11

For Hannah Thiessen Howard, slow knitting isn’t about the speed of making stitches or finishing projects. Swift and leisurely knitters alike can embrace the purpose and experience of knitting and how it connects crafter to community. Selecting materials, choosing projects, and approaching your work with an open mind all contribute to a meaningful k…

1
Feminist care ethics, techno-virtues and vices, and the 'AI Mirror' with Shannon Vallor 30:52

7M ago30:52

30:52

In this episode we chat to Shannon Vallor, the Bailey Gifford professor in the ethics and data of AI at the University of Edinburgh and the Director for the Centre for Technomoral Futures. We talk about feminist care ethics; technologies, vices and virtues; why Aristotle believed that the people who make technology should be excluded from citizensh…

1
Keisha Cameron, High Hog Farm 49:26

7M ago49:26

49:26

Although she grew up in the freezing winters of New York, Keisha Cameron and her husband decided to move their young family to a peri-urban spot outside Atlanta, Georgia, to set down roots and rebuild their connection to the land. They began with raising what their family needed for food and other daily necessities, but over the past decade, High H…

1
Why You Shouldn't Believe the AI Hype with Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna 29:18

7M ago29:18

29:18

In this episode, we talk to Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna. AI ethics legends and now the co-hosts of the Mystery AI Hype Theatre 3000 podcast which is a new podcast where they dispel the hype storm around AI. Emily is a professor of linguistics at university of Washington and the co-author of that stochastic parrots paper that you may have heard o…

1
#177 Needlework, disability & oral history - an update on my studies 15:57

8M ago15:57

15:57

In this episode I'm sharing more about an oral history project I'll be running this year - I want to find out how people with disabilities, like myself, used needlework to explore a sense of place and heritage during lockdown. I'm excited to explore topics like resilience in isolation, material and making vs consumption, connection with family stor…

1
Justin Squizzero, The Burroughs Garret 42:08

8M ago42:08

42:08

Justin Squizzero loves exploring the frontiers of technology, seeing how he can tune a piece of equipment to produce a complex textile. The technology that fascinates him reached its peak before the 20th century. Weaving on an old loom doesn’t mean trying to turn back time, though—it means choosing the most refined technology to create the handwove…

1
Why the Stories We Tell About AI Matter with Melissa Heikkilä 27:05

8M ago27:05

27:05

This week we chat to Melissa Heikkilä, a senior tech reporter for MIT Tech review, about ChatGPT, image generation, porn, and the stories we tell about AI. We hope you enjoy the show.By Dr Kerry McInerney and Dr Eleanor Drage

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