Cattern Lace

Since I last posted on this blog (nearly 10 years ago! 😱) the digital landscape has shifted a few times. From the proliferation of blogs in the early 2010s, to more short forms such as Instagram and TikTok, the places and means by which we consume content online has been on a journey. Longer form seems to be having a bit of a comeback at the moment with newsletters and podcasts allowing topics to be covered in more detail and giving creators some control over the format, avoiding also some of the negative effects of the algorithm and some of the politics behind the dominant sites. Whilst I still love engaging with content on Instagram, I’ve missed the longer form of the blog so have wandered back here to pick up the threads…

I’ve also been seeking out podcasts, which I find to be the perfect accompaniment when I’m working at my lace as I can listen along without having to be distracted by looking up from my work. There are a number of well-established textile craft related podcasts, including The Long Thread, which recently interviewed lace maker, textile historian and founder of the Brooklyn Lace Guild, Elena Kanagy-Loux. The episode can be found at https://longthreadmedia.com/podcast – look for the episode from 5 October 2024. It’s a wide-ranging discussion on the craft of lace making, including different styles and techniques across different countries and cultures, and at an hour long, is the perfect length to listen to whilst sat at your lace pillow. (If podcasts aren’t your thing, you can watch a session with Elena on the Heritage Crafts website from 2022 here: https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/our-stories/creativenetworkcraft-with-elena-kanagy-loux/)

Other lace and textile-craft related podcasts I’ve enjoyed include:

Mrs Treadwin’s lace manufactory: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06y23r3 (or search for ‘A Podded History of Devon’)

Haptic & Hue: Podcast episode #31: The Long and Winding Road of Lace – Haptic&Hue

Sew What podcast https://sewwhatpodcast.com/ (including an episode on the Threads of Power lace exhibition in New York: Episode 71 – Sew What?)

Love to Sew https://lovetosewpodcast.com/ (including Episode 253: Lace – Love To Sew Podcast)

Stitchery Stories https://stitcherystories.com/

Textile Talk https://www.sofst.org/podcast/

[All links accessed at time of publishing]

Have you got any other podcast recommendations for me?!