Advertise on podcast: Making Conversation

Hey there, fiber friends! This week on Making Conversation, I’m bringing you a chat that is full of color, creativity, and coastal charm. I sat down with Vanessa Fleming, the brilliant mind behind ōSHən Knits & Fibres, a one-of-a-kind yarn shop in Astoria, Oregon. Vanessa is a marine biologist-turned-knitwear designer and yarn dyer, and her love for inclusivity, sustainability, and vibrant design shines through in everything she creates. We talk about her journey from knitting at sea (yes, really) to opening a shop that’s become a welcoming hub for all kinds of makers. From her hand-dyed yarns to her size- and shape-inclusive patterns, Vanessa is redefining what it means to build a truly inclusive craft community. ✨ In this episode:  – A peek into the cozy world of ōSHən Knits & Fibres  – Vanessa’s story of blending marine biology with fiber arts  – A convo about community, representation, and colorful yarn magic 🎧 This episode was originally posted to our YouTube channel in January 2025, and I’m so excited to share it here on the audio feed! If you ever have a moment to watch, it really is like hanging out with fellow makers while you craft—smart TV, tablet, phone… WIP in hand, good vibes guaranteed. Thanks so much for listening. I’m so glad you’re here. xoxo- Jen 🛍️ Check out Vanessa's work and shop online at https://oshenknits.com 📱 Follow Vanessa @oshenknits 📍 Visit ōSHən Knits & Fibres in Astoria, Oregon, obvi. 382 12th Street Astoria, Oregon 97103 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

In this special episode of Making Conversation—originally recorded and posted on our YouTube channel in late 2024—host Jen welcomes two brilliant voices in the fiber arts world: Brit of KnotBadBrit and Bea of WoolDreamers. This episode is all about building inclusive, authentic community within the crafting space, and it’s filled with warmth, wisdom, and a whole lot of yarn love. Brit shares her journey to becoming a crochet designer and the founder of the Makers of Color Collective, and talks about the importance of visibility and representation in the maker world. Bea gives us a beautiful look into WoolDreamers, a Spanish-based wool company committed to sustainable practices, preserving traditional wool production, and supporting local shepherds. Whether you're a knitter, crocheter, spinner, weaver, or just deeply into the fiber life, this conversation will leave you feeling inspired and connected. Listen now—and don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube to watch full episodes and join our cozy, creative community. Share this one with your stitching crew! 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

🌟 This episode was originally published on the Making Conversation YouTube channel on Nov 23, 2024. 🌟 Makers need snacks! We also need to take care of ourselves because if we do not, how will we take care of others? That part is so VERY important, especially right now. I popped into my kitchen to record with the WONDERFUL Chef Andreya Nightingale who shares two easy and oh-so-very delicious snacks with us. We also take the time to talk through some ways to cope with our feelings right now around that thing that just happened and some steps we can all take to ensure our community is cared for.  Chef Andreya also gives us cooking tips plus ways of intuitively cooking with what you have in your cupboard/fridge. Learning this has helped me feel more confident in the kitchen and hopefully you will too! By the end of the episode you'll have two delicious snacks to warm your bellies and heart and keep you happy during makers meetups or long crafting sessions. Feel free to watch and craft or watch and cook along with us! Ingredients you need are listed below. You are cared for, dear maker! xoxo- Jen Where to find the wonderful Chef Andreya: Mortar Pestle Cooking Cookie Jar Substack Shopping / dive-into-your-cupboard list What we're making: Seasoned nuts & Winter Squash Dip.  SO YUMMY and so simple, I promise you'll enjoy them both! 1- Nuts! Whatever you have but some options are walnuts, pecans, almonds, or cashew. (Roasted, if possible & best unsalted) 2- EVOO 3- salt 4- The spices that will bring you joy. Examples: chili powder, lime zest (or lemon or sumac), mint (fresh or dried), curry powder, Tajín (I used this and lime zest 🤤) 5- A squash! butternut, acorn, kabocha, whatever you have or can find and whatever squash makes your heart happy 6- 1-2 limes and/or lemons 7- Chili powder aka your favorite dried chili of choice Examples: cayenne, chipotle, aleppo (not the powder mixed w/ garlic, etc unless that' your favorite!) 8- Pickled ginger 9- Your favorite vessel for dip. This is reallllly versatile. I ate the dip with hearty crackers but also as a soup! 😉 Some recipes that Chef Andreya kindly shared with us that would go nicely with our snacks: Grilled Flatbread Focaccia Apologies for the audio! I am always learning when in different recording spaces. :)  🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

I jumped in the car and headed to Portland for Sacred Sheep—a vibrant maker festival brought to you by the team at Ritual Dyes! If you love yarn, fiber arts, pottery, handmade jewelry, inspiring classes, and creative community, this festival is for you. In this episode of Making Conversation, I chat with some of the incredible makers who vended and attended Sacred Sheep (learn more here). From indie dyers to fiber artists, ceramicists, and beyond, this event celebrates the heart of the maker community. I feel so lucky to share these stories, and I hope you enjoy getting to know these amazing artists as much as I did! Don't forget to subscribe for more fiber-filled conversations, and if you love what you hear, share this episode with a fellow maker! 🎙️🧶 🌟 This episode was originally published on the Making Conversation YouTube channel on Nov 16, 2024. 🌟 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

In this special episode, I hit the road to Portland, OR, to sit down with Rachel, the creative mind behind Ritual Dyes and founder of Sacred Sheep, a festival dedicated to makers, especially those passionate about the fiber arts. From discovering her love for knitting and hand-dyeing yarn to the creation of a highly curated, community-focused fiber arts festival that celebrates all things making, you'll love getting to know Rachel! Grab your WIP and hit play! Psssst...tickets are still available so I hope to see you there. ;) If you prefer to watch this episode, go here! 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

The world of crafting and making should be a space where everyone feels welcome and empowered. However, there are barriers—both visible and invisible—that can exclude or marginalize makers with disabilities. In this episode I am joined by the super fabulous Beth Gorishek, The Adaptive Knitter & Kira Dulaney of Kirk K Designs and we chat about the ways in which ableism manifests in our community and, more importantly, how we can actively work to dismantle these barriers. If you prefer to watch this chat, pop over to our YouTube channel. xoxo Beth Gorishek + The Adaptive Knitter https://www.adaptiveknitter.com https://www.instagram.com/adaptiveknitter Kira Dulaney + Kira K Designs https://kirakdesigns.com https://www.instagram.com/kirakdesigns 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

We're back with some wonderful Fall episodes to celebrate hunkering down with your current favorite WIP and enjoying an episode of the Making Conversation podcast. ;) Just a heads up, this episode is VERY visual. If you prefer to watch, pop over to our YouTube channel. xoxo In this episode, I am so lucky to chat with Amy Swanson of June Cashmere and learn all about the special goats and farmers they work with to create their beautiful yarn. We then get to learn about knitting a wedding dress with Rachel Carleton! Rachel dives into the process (of sometimes lack there of) of creating her own dress for the special day! Amy Swanson + June  Cashmere https://www.junecashmere.com  https://www.instagram.com/junecashmere Rachel Carleton + Zee Zee Textiles https://zeezeetextiles.com https://www.instagram.com/zeezeetextiles 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

To know Jess is to love Jess and Jess' love of this special fiber arts community is very evident in everything she does. From in her yarn shop on Bainbridge Island, WA to Flock Fiber Festival, a yarn show in Seattle, WA, celebrating a love of all things wool, the fibers arts community is so very lucky to have these two spaces to come together and celebrate these things that we love and bring us the most joy! Jen hopped on a ferry and headed out to Bainbridge to chat with Jess about La Mercerie and their new space (which... spoiler alert was the home of Churchmouse Yarns for years!) and also how Flock is growing in its second year and the things that she's doing to keep it so very special. So grab your WIP and hit play and we hope to see you at Flock Fiber Festival! Watch this episode. Get your tickets to Flock! Last year's episode w/ Jess 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

The universe definitely brought this fabulous human to Making. Ashley chats with our crochet-loving engineer all about her journey in craft, her path to leadership and computer sciences, and how we were so lucky to have Abi join the team. To know Abi is to love Abi! Grab your WIP and hit play. :) Abi's crochet website If you're in Seattle, catch her at these markets: Pride Market at Lifelong Thrift on June 15th Cutiefest Pride on June 22 Find us on the Making app: Abi @abisanti Ashley @ashelyyousling Jen @knitpurl 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

Award winning embroidery artist, mother, teacher, author, and all around lovely human! If you don't know of Emily Botelho aka Salt Stitches, you're in for a treat! (If you do, you are too!) Emily joins Jen and not only do they chat about her beautiful art, how her favorite places and values come through as inspiration but also her new book which is more than just a pattern book but a guide on how to release self-assigned boundaries of creativity that we can sometimes place upon ourselves. Emily’s website Buy Emily’s book: Abstract Embroidery Prefer watching to your podcasts? MKNG - Jen + Ashley's consulting advisory biz! 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

Ashley and Jen share some really exciting features that are coming to Making VERY SOON. We kick off a new segment where we will share business and/or makers in our community that help spread our values and Ashley dives into the topic of fear and decision-making. Grab your WIP, your favorite snack, and hit play! If you are a designer, sell finished goods, make supplies for makers to create, or just love being a part of a beautifully diverse community in an app that wants to prove that you can build a business based on the idea of people over profit, join the community: https://themakingapp.com Find us on the Making app: Ashley: @Ashley Jen: @KnitPurl   Watch this episode! The sweater Jen is wearing Coloring Book Raglan by Aimee Sher Loop Fiber Studio in Song and Dance The sweater Jen is working on Tumble Tee by Lydia Morrow Junkyarn in Side Boob MKNG - Our consulting advisory biz! Common Threads Press Flock Fiber Festival - Get your tickets for this year!  🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

Hello, makers! Super excited to bring you this episode with our pal, Catherine. Just a heads up, there are parts of this episode that are a little more visual as we give a shop tour. Click to watch instead! Brooklyn General Store has been the go-to place for crafty supplies of all kinds for NYC makers since 2002. We sat down with the Queen of Union Street, BGS owner, designer, maker, event planner extraordinaire–Catherine Clark. Get to know her maker journey, the story of how Brooklyn General moved from the waiting room of Catherine’s midwifery office to the current location, how her and Aimée of La Bien Aimée became besties and more! Brooklyn General Store https://brooklyngeneral.com 128 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11231 Brooklyn General Store is tucked away on a sweet block West of the Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill neighborhoods and North of  Red Hook.  This commercial block on Union Street used to be a thriving shopping block for all types of foods and goods.   Brooklyn General’s home within the Old Frank’s Department Store is a throw back to that era, with its preserved floor to ceiling shelves, rolling ladders and classic old wooden floors.  The vintage interior is not reproduced, just uncovered, cleaned and painted. Brooklyn General Store was created in an effort to provide the highest quality materials to a community of devoted artists and craftspeople and to promote making things by hand through inspiration and education.  Not only is it a place to feast your eyes and hands on glorious colors and patterns and textures but it is a place that respects and honors a time when a trip to the country store was a way of life.  It is a place where a quick trip for a yard of fabric or a skein of yarn turns into an hour of sharing, teaching, inspiring and encouraging all the amazing and creative makers that are also out for that quick trip to the General Store...  Following its mission to promote all things handmade, Brooklyn General offers a wide variety of classes in knitting, sewing, quilting, felting, spinning, rug hooking and embroidery.  Classes are limited in size in order for students to have ample individual attention.  Studio time with our fantastic BERNINA classroom machines is also available. BrooklynGeneral.com was created to share our carefully picked goods with all the creative souls outside of Brooklyn, NY. 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

Author Jane Cooper joins us to talk all about her book, The Lost Flock: Rare Wool, Wild Isles and One Woman’s Journey to Save Scotland’s Original Sheep. Jane and Jen chat about why the Orkney Boreray sheep are so very special, Jane's maker journey, lambs...lots of lambs, and what it's like writing your first book. About The Lost Flock Purchase Paperback Purchase Audiobook From Viking times to pastoral Highland crofts to odious research experiments, this is the untold, real-life detective story of the remarkable little horned sheep known as the Orkney Boreray and the determined woman who moved to one of Scotland’s wildest islands to save them. About the Sheep https://orkneyboreray.com https://www.instagram.com/orkneyboreray The sheep who eat seaweedOrkney Science FestivalThe Lost Flock's launch eventYarn https://northronaldsayyarn.co.uk https://www.blackeryarns.co.uk http://www.woolsack.org 🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

In the final episode of this series, we get to hear from a few more makers that we chatted with during our last visit to NYC! Get to know some very special humans that we invited to join us for our Brooklyn General Store booth Meet and Greets at Vogue Knitting Live and also from our special maker meetup that we hosted with Brooklyn General Store and La Bien Aimée! This episode’s guests: Jennifer Wiese Workroom Social @WorkroomSocial  Kassandra Sustaita @Kassandra.Sustaita Amanda Solomon Melanated Boho Bae @MelanatedBohoBae Featuring special guest: Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimée Lauren Ireland ByLaurenIreland.com @LaurenClaireIreland If you prefer to watch, check out our YouTube channel.  🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.

We're continuing our Making Meet and Greets from NYC with crafty friends, old and new! The lovely Catherine of Brooklyn General Store and Aimée of La Bien Aimée asked us to bring a bit of our Meet and Greets to their 2024 Vogue Knitting Live booth and we also co-hosted a maker meet-up at Brooklyn General Store. Lots of great conversation, stories, and even a dance break. We've got it all, folks!  And course, stay tuned for the next few weeks of more awesome NYC-created content to get to know more special people from the maker community. Hope you enjoy it. This episode’s guests: Cris Bertoluci @CrisBertoluci  https://crisbertoluci.com.br Special guest appearance by: Nara Takeda of KnitLeaks @knitleaks https://www.knitleaks.com Cris shouts out to Portfiber. Gregory Chrysler @GregoryChrysler Stephanie Earp and Naomi Endicott @espacetricot @EspaceTricotPodcast https://www.espacetricot.com Knits from the LYS: https://www.espacetricot.com/us/knits... Images of Ernesto Neto by albert sanchez & tom dubrock via MFA houston instagram account Our episode touching on the history of Art vs Craft: https://youtu.be/s7Fpe0ZEOAs?si=clGFt...  🌟 Support the Podcast🌟 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube – youtube.com/@making_co ☕ Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi – ko-fi.com/makingconversation 📢 Tell your maker friends – Spread the love! 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]. Music by Despatches.