Making Conversation

Tina Tse joins Jen for episode 141! Tina tells us what it's like to go from industrial knitting machine operator by day to knitwear designer by night. Jen covers the history of the knitting machine, which...is comical? Yeah...that. They also dive into some reasons why they are both so very thankful for therapy.

Prefer to watch your podcasts? Watch on YouTube!

Find us on the Making app:
Whit: @Tina.Say.Knits
Jen: @KnitPurl

TinaTseKnits.com

Music by Despatches. 💖

Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com

If you'd like to give a shout-out, have a question that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, or are interested in sponsoring Making Conversation, email us at [email protected].

See you in the Making app!
ps- We talk about our values a lot. Just in case you're curious, take a peek.

The fabulous Whitney Marie Anderson joins Jen for Ep. 140! They cover how Whit learned to crochet and knit (a new one for this podcast!), going with the flow while also knowing your worth, the importance of representation, and then they dive into a brief history of Amigurumi, which is how Whit started her business. Oh, and how could we forget to mention that co-star Renee (Whitney's ADORABLE daughter) pops in to say hi! ;)

Get Whit's crochet hooks, stitch markers, patterns, and more: whitneymarieanderson.com

Prefer to watch your podcasts? Watch on YouTube!

Find us on the Making app:
Whit: @WhitneyMarieAnderson
Jen: @KnitPurl

READ: Making as Necessity: A Personal History of Black Representation in Craft by Marina Scott

How to get the free Lentil patterns:
1- Download the Making app and sign up in the app!
2- Open the app and tap on Profile (bottom right hand corner)
3- Tap on Studio, scroll to "From Making" and tap on the >
4- Tap on "Patterns" under "From Making"
5- Enjoy! Make sure to tag the designers and share your progress and final Lentils in the Making app and beyond! (Make sure to tag us on IG too! @making_co)

Music by Despatches. 💖

Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com

If you'd like to give a shout-out, have a question that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, or are interested in sponsoring Making Conversation, email us at [email protected].

See you in the Making app!
ps- We talk about our values a lot. Just in case you're curious, take a peek.

SPOOKY SEASON IS HERE, Y'ALL and Kelley (owner and dyer at Dye Mad Yarns) joined Jen for episode 139. All things Dye Mad Yarns is inspired by all things weird Ohio, which includes cryptids! So let's kick off this blessed season of spooky together. Grab your project and buckle in!

Prefer to watch your podcasts? Watch on YouTube!

Find us on the Making app:
Kelley: @DyeMad
Jen: @KnitPurl

Dye Mad Yarns Cryptid Collection
Cryptid Wiki
Flock Fiber Festival 2023 Meet and Greets

Music by Despatches. 💖

Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com

If you'd like to give a shout-out, have a question that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, or are interested in sponsoring Making Conversation, email us at [email protected].

See you in the Making app!
ps- We talk about our values a lot. Just in case you're curious, take a peek.

Join us as we dive into the most twisted tales of espionage ever spun – literally! In this episode, Marina and Jen discuss the history and stories of spies who used stitches, notions, and needles to relay top-secret messages during wartime with their knitting. They also shout out a few awesome makers from the Making app and chat about their WIPs, and how to float on a lake AND knit.

Prefer to watch your podcasts? Watch on YouTube!

Find us on the Making app:
Marina: @HeartBunKnitsandMore
Jen: @KnitPurl

Music by Despatches. 💖

Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com

If you'd like to give a shout-out, have a question that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, or are interested in sponsoring Making Conversation, email us at [email protected].

See you in the Making app!
ps- We talk about our values a lot. Just in case you're curious, take a peek.

Mariah Stanford (licensed physical therapist, maker, and all-around lovely human) joins Jen to chat about the importance of keeping our bodies happy so we can craft FOREVER!!! She goes over things to look out for, movements and exercises to help keep aches and pains away, etc! No matter your creative outlet, this episode will be super helpful. AND FUN...I promise. We have lots of fun. ;)

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kJF7rTbCGxQ?list=PLZURwTwrvooNT-JFA3jIRhkk17uEWlMYW&si=vBqDA7z7ecfEb_P_

A few things we talked about:
Finding a physical therapist (hosted by the APTA)
The Makers of Color Collective
Andrea - The Knitting PT

Find us on the Making app:
Mariah: @MariahKnits
Jen: @KnitPurl

More about Mariah: Mariah is an experienced knitter of 16 years, certified knit instructor, and a licensed physical therapist. She finds joy in helping others with their craft and uses her experience in physical therapy to keep her students knitting comfortably. You can find her teaching virtually through The Making App, in person at her local yarn store, and privately through her website, Mariahknits.com.

Music by Despatches. 💖

Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com

If you'd like to give a shout-out, have a question that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, or are interested in sponsoring Making Conversation, email us at [email protected].

See you in the Making app!
ps- We talk about our values a lot. Just in case you're curious, take a peek.

Pt 3 of our series that features Flock Fiber Festival meet & greet sneak peeks and the best wifi that Seattle's Parks department has to offer (lol) is here!

This was our 1st festival partnership in this capacity. Meeting everyone and collecting their inspiring stories was so special, but we learned a lot! I cover some of those learnings and of course, you'll hear how these vendors we chatted with began their journeys as a maker! We also have a special peek into how 4 small businesses in WA work together to create beautiful fiber magic!

Andrea of Apple Yarns- With my husband, Andrew Evans, we started Apple Yarns in Bellingham, WA, in 2007 in a 700 sqft retail store. Today Apple Yarns is made up of 4 unique divisions; in-person, online, subscriptions, and wholesale and we now occupy 4,000sq. ft. in Bellingham. In addition to loving colorful fiber, knitting, and crochet, one of the things that makes us unique is my love of small business.

Jeananne of Cerulean Orchid- An online yarnie boutique and pattern house. We explore our curiosities and nerdom through yarn, patterns, stickers, project bags, and other yarnie goodies in collaboration with our favorite creatives.

Jean of Juni and Si - I started dyeing out of curiosity for how it was done and quickly realized I loved seeing my ideas put to yarn. Before I had a plan, I knew I wanted to name my colorways after songs I love. To me, music and color are a perfect match. Both can ignite inspiration, spark a memory or even convey a person’s mood without words.

Jessica of Purls and Postulates - Aside from inspiring the name for her small business, Jessica's passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and cultivating that passion in others helped her lead a successful career in education for almost a decade before she turned her focus to dyeing yarns and ensuring her two boys grow up with an enthusiasm for learning.

Ashleigh of Sewrella - Based in Apex, North Carolina, thousands of skeins of our whimsical, magical colorways get dyed every week for our preorder collections and in-stock tonals. We believe in the maker's experience being an indulgent one, complete with curated tools, housemade wool wash, hand cream formulated for makers, and so much more.

Reshma of Hello Lavender - I launched Hello Lavender in 2016. I started by going to craft fairs and selling knitwear online but then transitioned into making polymer clay stitch markers and earrings in 2020, which took off in a way I could never have imagined.

Fibershed Chat - Sarah from San Juan Woolworks, Jess from Skagit Woolen Works, Lydia of Abundant Earth, and Emily of Local Color - A chat about the ways their businesses collaborate to make local yarn and fiber in western Washington, from raising the sheep and dye plants to carding and spinning.

Music by Despatches. 💖

Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com

If you'd like to give a shout-out, have a question that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, or are interested in sponsoring Making Conversation, email us at [email protected].

See you in the Making app!
ps- We talk about our values a lot. Just in case you're curious, take a peek.

We're back with more super fun vendor meet & greet sneak peeks from Flock Fiber Festival, featuring the best wifi that Seattle's Parks department has to offer. 🤣

ICYMI-We sat down with some of the vendors and recorded interviews. The goal was to bring a little Flock to those who could not make it or wanted to know more about the vendors that brought all their artistic beauty to year one.

Stay tuned for part 3!  Full meet & greet videos coming to the Making app soon! Watch this episode on YouTube.

1- Sarah of Sea Change Fibers - Sea Change Fibers began in October 2016 as The Dye Project in Portland, Oregon. Born of a desire to dye tonal colors on non-superwash bases, which were largely unavailable in the hand dyed yarn market at that time, our color palette and aesthetic developed quickly. We moved to a home near Monterey Bay in 2017 and have evolved into Sea Change Fibers, a new name for 2020 and beyond that reflects both our location and our commitment to social and environmental justice.

2- Sophie of Botanical Yarn - Botanical Yarn is based in York, UK. Inspired by everything botanical, Sophie has created an exclusive colorway, sock set, mini skein set, and project bag exclusively for Flock Fiber Festival. Sophie is obsessed with PINK  so expect lots of shades of cerise! Sophie was very excited to be flying over to Seattle from the UK.

3- Bea of Wooldreamers -  Wooldreamers is a yarn company based in Spain specializing in Spanish Merino wool with an aim to reestablish the cultivation of wool in Spain, the country of origin of Merino sheep. With a lineage tracing back to the middle ages, the Merino breed was once fiercely guarded for its superior wool—in fact, it was prohibited to take them out of the country! We are excited to grow our community of wool enthusiasts by bringing these incredible fibers to the world in the form of beautiful yarns and thoughtfully made woolen items.

4- Katlin of Porter Wool Co. - My goal is to provide crafters with wearable, classic and eclectic colors. I specifically love to dye tonals that are rich and saturated, are easy to pair with speckled/variegated skeins, and are also perfect as stand-alone colorways in a project!  I also love playing with color and texture in my hand-dyed fiber top for spinners, and my large 4oz art batts featuring farm wool from small U.S. farms.

5- Jenny of 316 Dye Studio - A Wichita, KS native (area code 316), I first began experimenting with dyeing just as Wichita was losing its last LYS. What began as a fun side hustle to fulfill a need in the fiber community, has now grown into a full-time business. My colorways are inspired from nature to neons, and everything in between. 

6- Aimée of La Bien Aimée - Established in 2015, La Bien Aimée is an artisanal dye studio located in Paris, France. Aimée Gille and her team dye beautiful and sophisticated colors of yarn that reflect a unique and vibrant point of view.

Music by Despatches. 💖

Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com

If you'd like to give a crafty shout-out, have a question that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, or are interested in sponsoring Making Conversation, email us at [email protected].

See you in the Making app!

ps- We talk about our values a lot. Just in case you're curious, take a peek.

As you might have heard, Flock Fiber Festival's inaugural weekend went off without a dropped stitch. ;) What an energy in that place. Just a lovely fiber festival in an old airplane hanger filled with an incredible community of makers and the best wifi that Seattle's Parks department can provide.  ;)
We sat down with some of the vendors and recorded meet and greets, in hopes of bringing a little Flock to those who could not make it or wanted to know more about the vendors that brought all their artistic beauty to year one. 
Stay tuned for part 2 and the full meet & greet videos coming to the Making app soon.  Watch this episode on YouTube!

1. Rachelle of Moondrake Co. - An indie dyed yarn company, comprises a tantalizing array of colors and fibers. A Canadian now living a creative life in Oklahoma. A proud Asian maker, who loves knitting/crocheting/sewing. She is always interested in finding new materials and trendy colors for her dye work.
2. Bethany and Rhys of Woolberry Fiber Co. - We are a family-owned yarn company specializing in hand-dyed yarns sourced from ethical farming practices. Bethany and Rhys run the business together along with our team of yarn assistants at our studio in the Denver metro area. 
3. Britt of The Makers of Color Collective and KnotBadBritt -  Britt Garber is the crochet designer behind KnotBadBritt. She focuses on crochet shawls with impeccable drape and unique construction. Unable to ignore the lack of diversity in the fiber industry, she was driven to establish the Makers Of Color Collective, which serves as a directory of black, brown, indigenous, and melanated people in the fiber industry. The Collective is a donation-funded resource hosted on her website that allows individuals to discover new ways of diversifying their craft.
4. Kim of Indigodragonfly - Indigodragonfly yarns offers our individual and unique takes on traditional yarn dyeing, refusing to be a cog in the cookie-cutter yarn industry. We specialize in luxury yarns with an emphasis on finding the best yarns as well as developing custom yarns with our global-wide mill partners to bring you products no one else has. 
5. Veronica from Miss Babs -  Babs and the Miss Babs Team have been dyeing beautiful yarns in our studio in the mountains of eastern Tennessee since 2005. Miss Babs offers a wide variety of yarn bases from lace to chunky in a stunning range of colorways. For us, creating color is curiosity, joy, artistic expression, and often a quest to find that precise just-right hue. 
6. Courtney from Silly Goose Yarns - We're about spreading joy and wonder through our playful, unexpected approach to creating and naming our products. With a mischievous twinkle in our eye, we infuse every skein of yarn with a playful spirit that inspires and intrigues makers of all levels, encouraging them to approach their craft with the same sense of unexpected delight. 

Music by Despatches. 💖

Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com

If you'd like to give a crafty shout-out, have a question that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, or are interested in sponsoring Making Conversation, email us at [email protected].

See you in the Making app!

ps- We talk about our values a lot. Just in case you're curious, take a peek.

Jen sits down with the absolutely wonderful human, owner of La Mercerie, and organizer of the Flock Fiber Festival, Jessica Povenmire. They chat about opening a yarn shop, where La Mercerie started, and where it's going next. They then dive into all things Flock Fiber Festival: why Jessica decided to bring us this beautiful weekend, some things she's learned about creating a fibers arts festival, and how Making is partnering to bring a little Flock Fiber Festival to you!

Flock Fiber Festival
August 4-6, 2023
at Hangar 30 at Magnuson Park in Seattle, WA
Same-day tickets are available. More info here.

We'll be hosting Flock Fiber Festival vendor meet and greets in the Making app! So no matter if you can make it to the festival this year or not, you can still get to know the amazing Flock vendors. 

How to get in on the fun:

1. Download the Making app and sign up for an account. If you already have the Making app, make sure you have the latest version downloaded!
2. Open the app and tap Discover
3. To access the Vendor meet and greets:
   • iPhone users: Scroll down to Events and tap 'View All'.
   • Android users: Swipe left on the Banner at the top to access the schedule and links! (We're working hard on a fix for y'all but in the meantime, let's try this workaround<3)

RSVP for the chats you’d like to get in on!  We'll send you a note with info on attending the live-streamed Q&As. Can’t make it at that time? RSVP anyway and we'll let you know when the recording is available in the Making app!

We've got the info!
All Flock event info is located in the Making app!  

1. Open the app and head to Discover for all things Flock! 
2. To access the Event Information:

• iPhone users: Tap the banner at the top or keep scrolling and find the Event Information listed in "Events".
• Android users: Swipe left on the Banner at the top to get to your events info banner  (We're working hard on a fix for y'all but in the meantime, let's try this workaround<3)

You'll be able to access the venue map, event schedule, and the BINGO card (a great way for attendees to win prizes!) right there in the app.

We'll also be at Flock! Join Making at booth 35!

Find us on the Making app: 
Jessica @lamercerie
Jen: @knitpurl

Music by Despatches. 💖

Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com

If you'd like to give a crafty shout-out, have a question that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, or are interested in sponsoring Making Conversation, email us at [email protected].

See you in the Making app!

ps- We talk about our values a lot. Just in case you're curious, take a peek.

Jen sits down with the absolutely wonderful human, owner of La Mercerie, and organizer of the Flock Fiber Festival, Jessica Povenmire. They chat about opening a yarn shop, where La Mercerie started, and where it's going next. They then dive into all things Flock Fiber Festival: why Jessica decided to bring us this beautiful weekend, some things she's learned about creating a fibers arts festival, and how Making is partnering to bring a little Flock Fiber Festival to you!

Flock Fiber Festival
August 4-6, 2023
at Hangar 30 at Magnuson Park in Seattle, WA
Same-day tickets are available. More info here.

We'll be hosting Flock Fiber Festival vendor meet and greets in the Making app! So no matter if you can make it to the festival this year or not, you can still get to know the amazing Flock vendors. 

How to get in on the fun:

1. Download the Making app and sign up for an account. If you already have the Making app, make sure you have the latest version downloaded!
2. Open the app and tap Discover
3. To access the Vendor meet and greets:
   • iPhone users: Scroll down to Events and tap 'View All'.
   • Android users: Swipe left on the Banner at the top to access the schedule and links! (We're working hard on a fix for y'all but in the meantime, let's try this workaround<3)

RSVP for the chats you’d like to get in on!  We'll send you a note with info on attending the live-streamed Q&As. Can’t make it at that time? RSVP anyway and we'll let you know when the recording is available in the Making app!

We've got the info!
All Flock event info is located in the Making app!  

1. Open the app and head to Discover for all things Flock! 
2. To access the Event Information:

• iPhone users: Tap the banner at the top or keep scrolling and find the Event Information listed in "Events".
• Android users: Swipe left on the Banner at the top to get to your events info banner  (We're working hard on a fix for y'all but in the meantime, let's try this workaround<3)

You'll be able to access the venue map, event schedule, and the BINGO card (a great way for attendees to win prizes!) right there in the app.

We'll also be at Flock! Join Making at booth 35!

Find us on the Making app: 
Jessica @lamercerie
Jen: @knitpurl

Music by Despatches. 💖

Click! to learn more and become a member of our monthly crafty content membership, BRIGHT Collective.

Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com

If you'd like to give a crafty shout-out, have a question that you'd like us to answer on the podcast, or are interested in sponsoring Making Conversation, email us at [email protected].

See you in the Making app!

ps- We talk about our values a lot. Just in case you're curious, take a peek.