The Sewing SocialFrom TV Actress to Knitting Teacher: How Creativity Can Change Your Life with Alice O'Connell
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In this episode of The Sewing Social Podcast, Gemma Daly is joined by Alice O’Connell, founder of Learn to Knit, to chat about creativity, career changes and the unexpected ways a hobby can shape your life.
With over 20 years’ experience teaching knitting, Alice shares how she went from working as an actress to building a business around her love of making. We talk about the calming benefits of knitting, the confidence that comes from learning something new, and why it’s so important to let yourself be a beginner and embrace the mistakes along the way.
Alice also opens up about her experience of breast cancer and how knitting helped her find comfort, connection and a sense of normality through a difficult time. We finish by exploring sustainable crafting, making more thoughtful choices with materials, and finding joy in creating something by hand.
Whether you’re an experienced knitter, a complete beginner or simply looking for a little more creativity in your life, there’s plenty to take away from this conversation.
Key Topics:
Alice describes a 14-year acting career and how knitting began as a calming way to spend time on set.
A chance suggestion from an assistant director led Alice to learn from her mother, books, and plenty of trial and error.
After moving from London to Amsterdam, Alice gave herself space to shift from acting toward teaching and knitting.
Learn to Knit grew from informal lessons into online classes and personalized tutorials for students around the world.
Alice shares her breast cancer diagnosis in 2024, treatment, and how knitting helped her manage anxiety and feel connected to herself.
She says beginner confidence is often held back by perfectionism, and encourages learners to celebrate early progress and build skills through small projects.
Alice explains how repetitive handcraft can provide a slower, soothing rhythm and fit into everyday moments.
She suggests secondhand yarn, charity-shop sweaters, and asking questions about materials as more sustainable ways to craft.
Alice previews plans to bring knitting to unexpected spaces, including a cinema, and to experiment with beads and unconventional materials.
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Guest Details:
Website: www.learntoknit.nl
Instagram: @learntoknitonline
Chapters
00:00 Meet Alice O’Connell, actor turned knitting teacher
03:10 A chance suggestion sparks Alice’s knitting journey
06:14 From teaching friends to becoming Amsterdam’s knitting teacher
08:04 Leaving London and making room for a new creative identity
13:15 How Learn to Knit grew from in-person lessons to global classes
17:53 Why Alice teaches beginners with DK yarn and 4 mm needles
19:17 Breast cancer, early detection, and knitting through treatment
26:03 Knitting as portable, calming, everyday craft
30:10 How perfectionism keeps beginners from celebrating progress
34:01 Small projects, mistakes, and building creative confidence
37:06 Why slow crafts can restore attention and energy
39:39 Secondhand yarn and more sustainable making
43:41 Taking knitting to cinemas and other unexpected places
45:14 Alice’s knitting favourites and where to find her
