EPISODE 68 :: Nathan Ford

The Close Knit podcast aims to hold space for conversation about the ways we use fiber to process life and world events

In episode 68 of the Close Knit podcast, I spoke to Nathan Ford. Nathan is an improvisational quilter, soft historian, and overall tender maker currently working in Kansas City, MO. Ford’s practice currently revolves around the intersections of queer history and his family history of labor in the Rust Belt. Ford creates quilts that incorporate traditional quilt blocks with unconventional materials to communicate issues of status, sexual desire, and personal identity. He has participated in group shows both in Kansas City and Central Ohio including 3 at the KCAI Gallery, and ImageOHIO. Ford’s work was featured in Attention Grabbing, published by The Columbus Dispatch.

Sadly, episode 68 had a technical malfunction that resulted in most of the episode not saving (cue tears). I salvaged what I could, namely the last 10ish min of our conversation, and I hope you enjoy this small bit of my conversation with Nathan - it was truly such a treat to speak with him.

Find Nathan: Instagram

Want more? 

• Subscribe: Itunes

• Support the podcast & hear more on substack

Until next time! 

xx

ani

EPISODE 67 :: Mckenzie Mullen of Em To The Third Yarn Co

The Close Knit podcast aims to hold space for conversation about the ways we use fiber to process life and world events

In episode 67 of the Close Knit podcast, I spoke to Mckenzie Mullen of Emtothethird Yarn Co. Mckenzie is a queer, fat, Chicana, femme Granny Punk who currently lives in Portland, OR. She runs a small business, Em To The Third Yarn Co., which focuses on knitting, illustrations, and natural dyes.

We talk about information sharing/gatekeeping in the textile community, queerness & zine culture, knitting as a mindfulness exercise, finding fruitful ways to connect on and offline, and making as a radical and joyful act of clothing yourself.

Find Mckenzie: Website | Instagram

Want more? 

• Subscribe: Itunes

• Support the podcast & hear more on substack

Until next time! 

xx

ani

A Podcast Update!

hi friends!

I wanted to give a little update about the close knit podcast and where we’re headed. I recently moved over to substack, which is where I’ll be writing a monthly newsletter and exploring a slightly more experimental practice that will include soundbites and other audio that I’m feeling excited about.

At first, I thought I would post that more experimental work in the same place at the Close Knit Podcast, but it seemed right for this experiment to have its own little home that’s separate from the Close Knit Podcast.

If you’re interested in reading more of my work & hearing from me more often, you can subscribe over on substack. I’ve officially turned off my patreon, so I won’t be using that platform anymore to collect pledges or post work - it’ll all just be on substack. It’s still just $5/month (or $50/year) to become a paid subscriber.

As you may already know, Close Knit is not my main gig, nor is it a “side hustle”. it is, simply, a hopeful gesture of connection delivered to you via the internet. Paying subscribers help me give close knit (both this podcast and the more experimental practice on substack) a consistent home on the internet. my monetary goal is simple and humble: to offset the costs of sharing online.

I’d be absolutely delighted to have you join me over on substack. I’ve felt really motivated and excited to share more writing and audio, and I’m hopeful to be in conversation with you all.

If you’re just looking for the usual interview-style Close Knit Podcast, you’re in the right place. Stay tuned for more episodes right here. My intention is to keep up the interviewing practice when I can manage it and to deliver you a simple, slightly less polished version of the Close Knit Podcast. These episodes won’t have a set cadence, but I’ll always announce new episodes via the newsletter, so no worries, you’ll never miss a new episode.

Thanks so much to everyone who has been supporting me through the many transitions and shapes that Close Knit has taken - whether financially or through your friendship, it has all meant the absolute world to me. Connecting with readers and listeners is the true lifeblood of this work, I wouldn’t keep making it if it weren’t for you.

I think that’s all for now. Hope to see you on substack, either as a free of paid subscriber, and catch ya in your headphones when the next Close Knit Podcast episode airs.

xx

your ani

On Taking Space - A Podcast Pause

where do we begin? it's been a ~ time ~ we're collectively living through.

i’m feeling a little frayed around the edges, like a piece of fabric that’s been through the wash. lately, i’ve been drawn to unraveling, literally and otherwise - unraveling things down to their fundamental parts - and i’m noticing that my relationship to close knit is in a state of transition.

folks listening to, finding each other through, and enjoying the podcast has been the lifeblood of this work for me. i look forward to a future where i have rested and realigned to be able to bring you more of these conversations.

if you’ve just found the close knit podcast, i’d love to gently nudge you to check out the archives, and if you’re a long-time listener, thank you so much for being here. you can always reach me at hi [at] close-knit.co.

until next we meet, with deep & tender care,

your ani

EPISODE 66 :: Masego Morgan & Stella Hertantyo of cncs_

The Close Knit podcast aims to hold space for conversation about the ways we use fiber to process life and world events

In episode 66 of the Close Knit podcast, I spoke to Masego Morgan and Stella Hertantyo of cncs_ (pronounced “conscious”). I so cherished this conversation with these two - it felt like a wonderful space to sit in our uncertainty and be candid about not knowing what is next.

Masego is a sustainable fashion advocate, residing in the suburbs of Cape Town. Currently doing her postgrad in Sustainable Development, while working as a creative strategist for a local South African brand called Good Good Good - this may change by the time the episode is out since she’s finding it difficult to balance the two and have a personal life. She’s terrible at following instructions, whether it's a recipe or a design pattern.

At the end of last year, Stella completed her B.A. in Multimedia Journalism and she is currently doing her Postgraduate Diploma at the Sustainability Institute in Cape Town. Stella is a slow living enthusiast and a lover of low-impact fashion. She is passionate about encouraging an approach to sustainability that is inclusive, accessible, fun and locally-centred, as we try to figure out how to create a regenerative future. When I'm not in front of my laptop doing uni work, you'll probably find me reading, writing, illustrating or baking/cooking. A dip in the ocean, or a walk in the mountains, are the two things that bring me the most peace.

At the beginning of 2020, Masego and Stella created an online platform together, called cnscs_. They created cnscs_, because they wanted to create an online community where knowledge, ideas, and resources around sustainable living (especially in a local context) could be shared. They see cnscs_ as a space to introduce people to sustainable living and apply it to their lives in a way that’s sustainable to them. Their focus is on telling and sharing African stories and decolonising the current sustainability narrative. They share interviews with lots of change-making people, resource-based articles that inspire positive action and spark thought in our sustainability school section, wish lists, moodboards, musings, and tips and tricks that we have learnt along the way. They talk loads about personal style and slow fashion, but also sprinkle in content that discusses other aspects of sustainability.

Find Stella & Masego: Website | Instagram

Want more? 

• Subscribe: Itunes

• Support the podcast through patreon

Until next time! 

xx

ani