Making Stitches Podcast

Lindsay Weston

A podcast celebrating creative crafts and inspiring makers.

Subscribe Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

118 episodes
Updated July 18

Episodes118

Newest first

Oct 14, 2022 · 43 min
FROM RUSTY METAL TO WORKS OF ART with Tracy Fox ~ Dyer, Print Maker & Artist
There are many strings to Tracy Fox's bow, she describes herself as a dyer, print maker and artist creating the most beautiful art fabrics in her home studio in Manchester. She also uses her fabric to make stunning art quilts and has exhibited her work and sold her cloth at various craft shows over the years. It was at one of those shows, the Nantwich Quilters Exhibition and Fabric Sale, that she was approached to take over the management and running of the show, which she has done ever since. Five years on, she's now launching another show, this time in Manchester - The Great Northern Textile Show will take place later this month. The Great Northern Textile Show will showcase crafts people and artists from the worlds of textiles, quilting, yarn crafts, embroidery, felting, spinning and other disciplines. There will also be craft guilds and organisations on hand to help visitors learn new skills if they want to add to their own repertoires. I went along to Tracy's home studio to hear about her own creative journey, the way she creates her beautiful fabrics and what she uses them for along with her hopes for The Great Northern Textile Show too. You can find Tracy's website here, as well as her Facebook & Instagram accounts. More information about the Great Northern Textile Show can be found here. To join the mailing list for the new Making Stitches Newsletter, please click onto this link. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Sep 30, 2022 · 34 min
YARNDALE 2022 : A Festival of Yarn & Friendship
It hardly seems a year ago that I last followed the Yarn Walk to Skipton Auction Mart for Yarndale 2021. Last year saw the yarn festival based in North Yorkshire return after Covid, and this year it's celebrating it's 10th birthday. Seeing as I had such fun on my last visit, I had to return - not just to squish some gorgeous yarn - but to meet more lovely crafty folk. This episode, the first of the sixth series of Making Stitches Podcast, is a snapshot of the fabulous day I spent at Yarndale 2022 last Saturday. You will hear from stall-holders and a chat I had with Eleonora Tully from Coastal Crochet who was on the workforce at the festival this year running workshops and giving a couple of talks. Here are the people and businesses who feature in this episode - my thanks to everyone who spoke to me. Janet Browne from Janet Browne Textile Art Jodi from Cuddlebums Hand Dyed Yarns Tanya Bentham from Opus Anglicanum Embroidery Hannah Cross from Hanjan Crochet Zuzana from Trava & Wool Matt Farci from Scheepjes & Crojo.life Sue Kimber from Farm Crafts Jaki Bogg from Hot Butter Yarns Eleonora Tully from Coastal Crochet Carole Rennison from Hooked by Design Yarndale Festival To join the mailing list for the new Making Stitches Newsletter, please click onto this link. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Sep 26, 2022 · 57 sec
MAKING STITCHES PODCAST SERIES 6 TRAILER
Hello there! Making Stitches Podcast will be returning to your podcast feed again very soon with a brand new series. I'm looking forward to bringing you some more inspiring maker stories with guests from the world of yarn crafts, textiles and embroidery, as well as many other crafts too. Among my guests for the new 6th series will be Eleonora Tully from Coastal Crochet along with other crafts people I met at the Yarndale festival at Skipton in North Yorkshire earlier in September and a non-profit cooperative which has just celebrated its tenth birthday of inspiring action on sustainable fashion and saving literally tonnes of textiles from ending up in landfill. Please make sure you subscribe to, or follow, Making Stitches on your podcast app of choice so you don't miss the new episodes when they come out. You can also follow Making Stitches on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter where all the latest information about new episodes will be shared.
Jul 29, 2022 · 34 min
COLOURFUL SOCKS & JUMBO CROCHET HOOKS with Winwick Mum & Juey Jumbo Craft Tools
Hello and welcome to Episode 50 of Making Stitches and the last episode in this series. As it's the end of the current series, I thought I'd reconnect with a couple of friends of the podcast and catch up with their latest news. My guests for this episode are Sock Knitting Champion; Christine Perry or Winwick Mum as she's known online and Juey from Juey Jumbo Craft Tools who I met at Yarndale in September last year. When I first met Juey, I was stopped in my tracks as I walked past her stall at Yarndale 2021 (you can hear our first meeting Episode 32) . She was crocheting with the biggest Tunisian crochet hook I have ever seen. At the time I spoke to her for the podcast about her business and how it all got started. This time, she went into more detail about how her father first made her a pair of giant knitting needles using a broom handle and how things progressed from there. I first spoke to Christine Perry last year when she featured in Episode 31 speaking about her mission to teach the world to knit socks (Christine can now lay claim to more than 15,000 pairs of socks being knitted around the world using her patterns). Since that first chat, we have been able to meet in person a few times and on our most recent catch up, I took my microphone along to hear all about her latest sock news - her 'Happy Feet' project with West Yorkshire Spinners. Guest links: Juey Jumbo Craft Tools website Winwick Mum website West Yorkshire Spinners Happy Feet Pattern Book To join the mailing list for the new Making Stitches Newsletter, please click onto this link. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. If you would like to buy a PDF crochet pattern for Sophia the Sunflower, (£5 from the sale of every pattern will be donated to the UNHCR Refugee aid effort supporting Ukrainian refugees) you can find the link here. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Jul 15, 2022 · 31 min
KNITTING, CROCHET & THE ONLINE CRAFT COMMUNITY with Emmaknitty
Hello and welcome to this, the penultimate episode of this current series of Making Stitches Podcast! This time, Emma Munn AKA Emmaknitty is my guest sharing the story of her creative journey into knit & crochet design. Originally from the South of England, Emma and her family now call Oviedo in Northern Spain home and it's from there she manages her small craft business alongside her job as an adult education teacher. Emma specialises in homeware & accessory designs and has seen her work published in a number of craft magazines including Mollie Makes. During our chat, Emma spoke about her journey to knit and crochet designer, the trials and tribulations of managing a solo craft business and has useful advice for anyone thinking of following her lead. You can find Emma at her website, Etsy shop, Instagram, Pinterest & Twitter. To join the mailing list for the new Making Stitches Newsletter, please click onto this link. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. If you would like to buy a PDF crochet pattern for Sophia the Sunflower, (£5 from the sale of every pattern will be donated to the UNHCR Refugee aid effort supporting Ukrainian refugees) you can find the link here. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Jul 1, 2022 · 49 min
YARN, FOOD, NATURE & THE UNIVERSE with Kitey from the Yarn Whisperer
The last couple of years have seen many of us take a step back and reconsider what it is we want to do with our lives. The pandemic gave us a new perspective and often forced us to change paths. Kitey from the Yarn Whisperer is no different. After a 30 year-long career in teaching in various countries around the world, he found inspiration in a plate of Padron Peppers whilst on holiday in Spain and decided yarn was the way forwards for him. Kitey's first attempts at dying his own yarns were inspired by the green peppers and white sangria from his holiday. He now has a thriving online indie yarn dying business and lives a life filled with colour. He says his main inspirations are food (as I already mentioned), nature and the universe - so he'll never run out of ideas! He's joined forces with designers and collaborated on a number of projects - his next one being the Dragonfly River make-along with Heather from Keep Calm and Crochet on UK which launches later this month. A self-professed "stash enabler", Kitey's enthusiasm for creativity and for making the crafting community an open and welcoming space for everyone is at the very heart of his work. I hope you enjoy listening to our chat, as much as I enjoyed chatting with Kitey himself. You can find Kitey at the Yarn Whisperer website, on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, & YouTube. To join the mailing list for the new Making Stitches Newsletter, please click onto this link. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. If you would like to buy a PDF crochet pattern for Sophia the Sunflower, (£5 from the sale of every pattern will be donated to the UNHCR Refugee aid effort supporting Ukrainian refugees) you can find the link here. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Jun 17, 2022 · 31 min
FROM LAW TO CROSS STITCH with Sally Wilson from Caterpillar Cross Stitch
Like so many makers, despite loving all the creative subjects at school, Sally Wilson took a traditional route of study and then a 'conventional' career which for her was as a lawyer. However, whilst on maternity leave, she began to question whether a return to law was really what she wanted at the end of her family time away from her job. Sally found time to shoe-horn in an e-commerce course and to build a website around caring for her young daughter before breaking the news to her friends and family (and her boss) that instead of pursuing law, she would be selling a range of cross stitch kits she had designed. Despite a few raised eyebrows, seven years and a lot of hard work later, Caterpillar Cross stitch now supplies kits to thousands of embroiderers around the world operating out of a warehouse and with a staff of colleagues helping Sally with her business. Sally says the secret to her success is persistence and not having a 'Plan B'. Caterpillar Cross Stitch now holds regular stitch-alongs with crafters across the globe and has recently launched its own software allowing users to design their own cross stitch patterns. You can find the Caterpillar Cross Stitch website here, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube. To join the mailing list for the new Making Stitches Newsletter, please click onto this link. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. If you would like to buy a PDF crochet pattern for Sophia the Sunflower, (£5 from the sale of every pattern will be donated to the UNHCR Refugee aid effort supporting Ukrainian refugees) you can find the link here. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Jun 3, 2022 · 32 min
A NEW VENTURE FOR THE CROCHET PROJECT with Joanne Scrace
This time on Making Stitches Podcast, crochet is under the spotlight and Joanne Scrace from The Crochet Project in particular. The Crochet Project was set up to design and write beautiful crochet patterns using natural yarns and with inclusivity high on the agenda. Crochet Project patterns come in a wide range of sizes to fit all bodies, avoid gender assumptions and even come with directions for left-handed crocheters where necessary. Once a partnership between Joanne Scrace and Kat Goldin, Kat has now stepped away and left Joanne at the helm. Joanne, who got into crochet out of necessity when her children were small, used her experience in computer programming to help her grasp tech editing patterns. She now shares her expertise through her website and social media tutorials and is on the cusp of a new chapter with the launch of The Crochet Project Hub. You can find The Crochet Project website here, Facebook & Instagram. For the special Making Stitches listener offer of 3 months membership to the Hub at just £2 per month, use the code HUBINFO on the Crochet Project website. To join the mailing list for the new Making Stitches Newsletter, please click onto this link. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. If you would like to buy a PDF crochet pattern for Sophia the Sunflower, (£5 from the sale of every pattern will be donated to the UNHCR Refugee aid effort supporting Ukrainian refugees) you can find the link here. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
May 20, 2022 · 27 min
PRESERVING THE FABRIC OF OUR HISTORY with The People's History Museum
This time on Making Stitches Podcast, I'm taking you out on the road with me to the People's History Museum in the centre of Manchester. It is the national museum of democracy and home the world's largest collection of trades union banners. Being custodians of the literal fabric of our history requires painstaking conservation work to keep the banners in a stable condition for future generations to enjoy. I tagged along with a tour of the current banner exhibition and was then incredibly lucky to go behind the scenes at the conservation workshop with Beth Gillions the museum's conservation officer. My thanks to both her, the conservation team at the museum and Michael Powell who lead the banner tour on the day. To find out more about the Banner Exhibition and the work the People's History Museum does, please visit their website. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. If you would like to buy a PDF crochet pattern for Sophia the Sunflower, (£5 from the sale of every pattern will be donated to the UNHCR Refugee aid effort supporting Ukrainian refugees) you can find the link here. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
May 6, 2022 · 36 min
CROCHET & KNITTING AT THE WOOLNEST with Lynne Rowe
Crochet & Knitting designer Lynne Rowe is my guest for this episode of Making Stitches Podcast. Lynne first learned to knit and crochet as a child, but it was after the birth of her own children that she turned to yarn crafts in earnest. Firstly knitting for pleasure, then to raise money for charity, Lynne then ventured into crochet and knitting design and has written several books as well as working with a number of different craft magazines. A passionate yarn crafter, Lynne runs workshops for beginners as well as mentoring crochet and knitting designers to help them progress their careers too. You can find Lynne at her website, Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. If you would like to buy a PDF crochet pattern for Sophia the Sunflower, (£5 from the sale of every pattern will be donated to the UNHCR Refugee aid effort supporting Ukrainian refugees) you can find the link here. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Apr 12, 2022 · 42 min
COLOUR, CREATIVITY & A COMMUNITY KICK-STARTER with Clare Albans from hellohooray.com
Hello and welcome to this episode of Making Stitches Podcast celebrating the joys of colour and creativity as well as community support. When Clare Albans left a career in music behind, hand embroidery helped fill the gap leaving her job had left her with. After blogging about her life and makes for several years, Clare launched her small embroidery business selling designs and haberdashery and filling her Instagram followers feeds with a riot of colour and inspiration. Last year, Clare launched a kick-starter campaign to raise the funds needed to open her own bricks and mortar haberdashery shop and studio which she hoped to use to help her local community in the North East of England. Unsure how the fundraising would go, she was overwhelmed with support and is now celebrating her one-year anniversary of Hello Hooray Haberdashery & Studio. Clare has been enjoying spreading her love of making, meeting customers and being able to host craft social events and workshops in her studio too. You can find out more about Clare on her website, Instagram, Pinterest & Twitter. Clare also has her own YouTube channel, which you can find here. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. If you would like to buy a PDF crochet pattern for Sophia the Sunflower, (£5 from the sale of every pattern will be donated to the UNHCR Refugee aid effort supporting Ukrainian refugees) you can find the link here. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Apr 8, 2022 · 31 min
CROCHET-TASTIC with Hannah Cross from Hanjan Crochet & Amanda Bloom from Little Box of Crochet
Welcome to a crochet-tastic double bill of Making Stitches featuring not just one, but two inspirational makers; Hannah Cross from Hanjan Crochet and Amanda Bloom from Little Box of Crochet. My first guest, Hannah Cross has been designing crochet garments, toys and soft furnishings for over a decade and has been featured in Simply Crochet Magazine many times over those years. After leaving a career in Midwifery, Hannah now designs full time and is about to launch her first crochet course this spring. She spoke to me about how she finds comfort in her crochet and how her career has developed over the years. You can find Hannah on her website, Facebook & Instagram. In part 2 of this episode I share a chat I had last week with Amanda Bloom from Little Box of Crochet about her project 'Blanket of Hugs Ukraine' which has seen her appeal to crocheters around the world to send her crocheted squares to be made into blankets to raise funds for the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) for their work on the ground in Ukraine. The Little Box of Crochet community hasn't let her down, with dozens of squares arriving daily at her home where she's eagerly joining them to make beautiful blankets. You can find out more about Blanket of Hugs Ukraine through the Little Box of Crochet website, Facebook page & Instagram. If you would like to buy a PDF crochet pattern for Sophia the Sunflower, (£5 from the sale of every pattern will be donated to the UNHCR Refugee aid effort supporting Ukrainian refugees) you can find the link here. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Mar 25, 2022 · 1 hr 1 min
FROM UKRAINIAN EMBROIDERY TO CANADIAN QUILTING with Olesya Lebedenko
Hello and welcome to the first episode in this new series of Making Stitches Podcast! Kicking off the series is a chat I had with Ukrainian artist Olesya Lebedenko. Olesya first got creative as a young child making up stories for her toys, then at the age of 5 she was taught to cross-stitch by her grandmother. Crafts would stay with her throughout her life - she says she has never been able to sit and do nothing with her hands. When the global economic crash hit in 2008, Olesya found herself without a job and expecting a baby with her husband, so she turned to craft as a way of making money. First with craft supplies to make rag dolls and also teaching students how to make them too. However, when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, things changed, and Olesya and her family began planning to move to Canada to begin a new life closer to her brother and supported by her quilt-making and appliqué work. Now based in Toronto, Olesya runs workshops, writes for several craft magazines and has written a number of books, the latest of which is due out in May featuring applique designs of flower animals. At the beginning of this interview, we spoke at length about Ukrainian folk embroidery, the war in Ukraine and Olesya's fears for her family and friends still living in there. She also spoke about the online abuse she and other Ukrainian artists have experienced since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. To find out more about Olesya, please have a look at these links: Olesya Lebedenko Design Olesya Lebedenko Instagram Olesya Lebedenko Etsy Shop If you would like to buy a PDF crochet pattern for Sophia the Sunflower, (£5 from the sale of every pattern will be donated to the UNHCR Refugee aid effort supporting Ukrainian refugees) you can find the link here. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Mar 21, 2022 · 4 min
MAKING STITCHES PODCAST SERIES 5 TRAILER
Hello there! Making Stitches Podcast will be returning to your podcast feed very soon with a new series. I'm looking forward to bringing you some more inspiring maker stories with guests from the worlds of quilting, crochet and embroidery as well as many other crafts as well. Among my guests for the new 5th series are Olesya Lebedenko, a Ukranian artist who makes the most amazing quilt blocks and appliqued items. Crochet designer Hannah Cross from Hanjan Crochet who speaks about how her crochet developed from making accessories for her wedding to turning into her full-time career and Clare Albans from Happy Hooray Blog and Haberdashery about all things hand embroidery. Please make sure you subscribe to, or follow, Making Stitches on your podcast app of choice so you don't miss the new episodes when they come out. You can also follow Making Stitches on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter where all the latest information about new episodes will be shared. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Jan 14, 2022 · 35 min
FORGIVENESS, HOPE & KNITTED BEARS with Figen Murray
Figen Murray first took up knitting seriously to help her cope with hearing loss. At the time, she was working as a psychotherapist, and decided to practice what she preached and turned to creativity to help lift her mood. Little did she know then that just a few years later her knitting would help her cope with the dreadful loss of her son, Martyn Hett, who was one of the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena attack in 2017. By the time of the attack, Figen had taken to knitting bears which she sold online and which she used to help people with various mental health issues. In May 2017, her life was (in her words) "turned upside down", and she left psychotherapy work to look at why people are compelled to commit acts of terrorism and to try to prevent it happening so that other families wouldn't have to experience what happened to hers. Figen's bears became 'Peace Bears' and not only have they given her a constructive way of coping with her own grief, but she has used them to reach out to the victims of other attacks too. Figen now visits schools to speak about terrorism and the dangers of radicalisation as well as the good and positivity there is in the world in a bid to "break the cycle of hate". In December 2021, Figen graduated with a Masters Degree in Counter Terrorism from the University of Central Lancashire and was recognised for her work in counter terrorism when she was awarded an OBE in this year's New Year's Honours List. It was utter pleasure to speak to Figen for Making Stitches and I'm incredibly grateful for her time and openness in speaking to me for the podcast. You can find out more about Figen here and to see Jordan the Bear's traveling adventures you can find him here. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Dec 31, 2021 · 46 min
CELEBRATING FREEDOM & CRAFTY RESOLUTIONS FOR 2022 : The Making Stitches Podcast Review of the Year (Part 2)
I hope you've had a lovely Christmas! I have one last gift for you this year before the clock strikes midnight again and we begin another year. Following on from the Happy Stitchmas episode published on Christmas Eve, this is my Hogmanay offering with a celebration of some of the freedoms I was able to enjoy this year as well as hearing about peoples' crafty New Year's Resolutions for 2022. Among my guests for this trip down Memory Lane are Crochet Sanctuary regulars Diane & Sam who I met on my visit to the Crochet Sanctuary in Cheshire in Spring. There's the hugely inspiring Sarah Corbett from the Craftivist Collective and Evie & Gemma from the Manchester Flock of Canary Craftivists which took place in the city centre in July. Former BBC Europe Correspondent, Mary Jane Baxter, spoke to me about her amazing crafty road trip around Europe and Scotland in her camper van - Bambi, plus there was my fabulous trip across the Pennines to the Yarndale Festival in Skipton in September. You'll also be able to hear from a couple of the ladies from Black Sheep Wools in Warrington, crafter Kate Blackburn who makes beautiful handstitched cards, Christine Perry aka Winwick Mum and someone who has helped me a great deal this year; Amanada from Mrs G Makes. My thanks to everyone who has spoken to me for Making Stitches this year and made it a year to remember for the podcast. My thanks to you too for listening! Happy New Year - I hope 2022 is a good one for you. My guests on this episode were: Sam & Diane who I met at The Crochet Sanctuary Sarah Corbett from The Craftivist Collective Evie & Gemma from the Manchester Flock of Canary Craftivists Tracy & Lucy from Black Sheep Wools Kate Blackburn from Katie Did This UK on Etsy & Instagram Mary Jane Baxter author of Sew on the Go Yvonne, one of the volunteers from the Yarndale Festival Juey from Juey Jumbo Crarft Tools Carole Rennison from Hooked by Design & Yarndale Festival Organiser Christine Perry from Winwick Mum Amanda Greenhough from Mrs G Makes Etsy Shop & Mrs G Makes You Tube Videos For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Dec 24, 2021 · 35 min
HAPPY STITCHMAS 2021! The Making Stitches Podcast Christmas Special & Review of the Year (Part 1)
It's Christmas Eve, so here's my Christmas gift to you dear listener! This year I'm splitting my Christmas Special into two halves, the first one is here for you today, and the second one will be out one week from today on New Year's Eve. In Part 1 I look back at a few of my personal highlights of the year so far on Making Stitches and feature little snippets from interviews with Sara Huntington - Editor of Simply Crochet Magazine, Louise Armitage aka Gini's Dorset Buttons, Great British Sewing Bee 2021 contestant Adam Brooks, Heather Griffith from HGDC Crochet & Louise Murray from Hooked by Lou. You'll also hear from Tracy, Julie and Lucy from Black Sheep Wools in Warrington and Kate Blackburn from Katie Did This UK hand-stitched cards. You can find links to all my guests below. My thanks to everyone who spoke to me for the Podcast this year - I couldn't have done it without you! I hope you enjoy listening to this special festive episode and I very much look forward to sharing Part 2 with you soon! Have a great Christmas! Sara Huntington - Editor Simply Crochet Magazine & @crochetdeli on Instagram Louise Armitage aka Gini's Dorset Buttons Hayley Shelton aka DotCraftStudio Adam Brooks Matthew Downham Art Heather Griffith from HG Designs Crochet Louise Murray from Hooked by Lou Tracy, Julie & Lucy from Black Sheep Wools Kate Blackburn from Katie Did This UK on Etsy & Instagram For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Dec 17, 2021 · 24 min
MOORIT AND THE WONDERS OF CROCHET with Alyson Chu
When Alyson Chu spotted a gap in the market for a high-end crochet magazine, she decided to draw on her publishing experience and put one together herself. With Kick-Starter backing of over 600 individuals and the support of a group of crochet designers, Moorit was born this autumn showcasing beautiful crocheted garments to make as well as articles and a very cute sheep project too. A podcaster herself for more than 4 years along with her mother, Vivian, with Keep Calm and Carry Yarn, Alyson is well used to speaking about her ongoing projects and her love of crochet. I think you'll really enjoy hearing about how Moorit came into being, as well as Alyson's hopes for the magazine going forwards and whether she will be won over by the dark side (knitting) or not! My sincere thanks to Alyson for speaking to me for Making Stitches Podcast. You can find out more about Moorit Magazine here and Keep Calm and Carry Yarn Podcast here. For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Dec 3, 2021 · 30 min
CRAFTING A DREAM SEWING BUSINESS with Freya Gilbert and Sarah Wadey of Crafty Sew and So
When Freya Gilbert and Sarah Wadey met at a sewing workshop in 2014, they knew they had met a kindred spirit. Within months they followed their dreams of setting up a sewing business and opened their bricks and mortar shop Crafty Sew and So in Leicester selling fabric haberdashery and offering award-winning workshops. They used their skills gained in retail and the fashion industry to build their business which included a variety of craft workshops as well as dressmaking patterns and kits. When Covid forced the shop to close after 5 years of business, undeterred, Freya and Sarah moved to the Crafty Sew and So workshop and put their business online. During the past 18 months they have not only continued to sell sewing essentials but have run online workshops attracting participants from overseas as well as closer to home. Now that Covid restrictions have eased they are beginning to offer in-person workshops too. I'm thrilled that Freya and Sarah were able to share their story with me for Making Stitches. If you would like to find out more about Crafty Sew and So, you can do here. You can also find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you would like to take part in the Christmas episode of Making Stitches with your own 'stitch story' please get in touch with me via social media or email: makingstitchespodcast@gmail.com For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.
Nov 19, 2021 · 30 min
THE POWER OF THE CRAFT COMMUNITY with Sara Mulvey of Black Sheep Wools
I have been wanting to share this episode with you for a very long time. Back in the darkest days of Covid and lockdown in the Spring of 2020, one of the things which kept me going was watching the series of videos posted by Sara Mulvey from Black Sheep Wools. They ranged from chats about yarn supplies and things which could be ordered from the shop to projects she and the rest of the team were working on to general chit chat about surviving the mundane routines we all found ourselves in during those long months of lockdown. Back in April of 2020, when I first began Making Stitches, I had a 'hit list' of people I really wanted to get onto the podcast. Sara was one of those people. If nothing else, I wanted to say thank you to her for helping me at a very tricky time. Fast forward to October 2021 and I finally was able to sit down with Sara in her office at the Black Sheep Wools Craft Barn and have a chat about how the past 18 months had been for her and the team, as well as how it all began for her. I do hope you enjoy listening to this episode of Making Stitches! You can find Black Sheep Wools here. If you would like to take part in the Christmas episode of Making Stitches with your own 'stitch story' please get in touch with me via social media or email: makingstitchespodcast@gmail.com For full show notes for this episode, please visit the Making Stitches website. The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops. The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown. You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson. Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay Weston.