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S1 E7: A Little Social Knitting With Amanda and Fiona
Hello yarn friends -I’m so excited to share this latest episode of the podcast with you, as it’s Knit City Vancouver this weekend and I loved having the opportunity to speak with Amanda and Fiona of Knit Social, the organisers behind this legendary Canadian yarn festival, when I was in Vancouver this past summer.Sadly, I’ve had some technical issues with the sound on this episode so I hope you’ll forgive me that all the levels aren’t exactly right. Sometimes recording on the go is tricky and this time it got the best of me!Still, it was amazing to chat with Amanda and Fiona and learn more about their retreats and yarn shows and how they’ve expanded to be in FOUR Canadian cities (Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary), showcasing the talented makers across the country.We also chatted about running a yarn events biz with your bestie, coming up with crazy ideas, and their new travels in Ireland. Other things we talked about included:* Anna Hunter of Long Way Homestead championing Canadian wool* Fiona’s foray into natural dyeing - check out her gorgeous project on her personal Instagram* Upcoming retreats to look forward to!And we definitely vibed on fave aesthetics and designers. Love this Rug sweater, a free pattern by Junko Okamoto, that Fiona knit:Sadly, I wasn’t able to find a photo of Amanda’s fave knit, but it was the Antonia cardigan by Cocoknits.If you were at Knit City Vancouver this weekend, I hope you had an amazing time! And if you feel like checking out a yarn show in Canada, the next one that Amanda and Fiona will be hosting is in Toronto, 27-29 March 2026 - and in their new venue. I’m hoping to be there too!You can find Knit Social on the web, or via IG at Knit Social or KnitCityCanada.Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit champagneqiviut.substack.com
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1:04:47
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1:04:47
S1 E6: Bold and Unapologetic with Felicia Lo
Hello yarn friends -Welcome back to our regularly scheduled podcast…It was an unintended break in the podcast these last couple of weeks and I won’t lie that I was wondering if I was cursed to not get a podcast past a fifth episode! Things have been BUSY over here, and that’s more I’ll tell you about soon, but it has meant that with a few things happening all at the same time, and some more travel, that something had to give and sadly that meant pushing back the podcast for a couple of weeks.To make it up to you though, I’m delighted to bring a banger of an episode and one that I recorded while I was in Vancouver very briefly on my summer hols. My visits to Vancouver have often meant flying catch ups with Felicia Lo, the Founder and Creative Director of SweetGeorgia, and my former boss! I was SweetGeorgia’s first sales agent, and that start when I first moved to the UK set me on this amazing journey and love affair with yarn and a career in the craft industry.Listening to the episode again while I was editing it gave me a renewed awareness of Felicia’s gentle, quiet confidence - in colour, craft, and in how she’s run her business for the last 20 years. And yes! This is the 20th anniversary of SweetGeorgia! And how far they’ve come - from the big, bold, unapologetic colour of their hand dyed yarns, to sharing spinning, weaving, knitting and crochet knowledge via the School of SweetGeorgia, to the community of makers that they’re building - this is a company where colour changes everything.In our conversation, I was reminded that Felicia is a kindred spirit in starting new projects, and I love that she sees SweetGeorgia as continuous Work in Progress. We have a shared passion for lifelong learning and, as it turns out, a shared obsession with falling down rabbit holes when we’re learning something new! Right now Felicia’s obsession is knitting machines, and I for one and looking forward to more content about that on the School of SweetGeorgia!From circular sock knitting we even veered into a discussion about AI and where our crafts might be in the future, plus a shared love for the patterns of Caitlin Hunter from Boyland Knitworks. The circular sock knitting machine we mention is the Erlbacher, and that desert island yarn of Felicia’s is their new Trifecta Fine, a yummy blend of Bluefaced Leicester wool, mohair and silk. I might have picked up a skein at the studio shop to try myself and have plans to cast on soon so will report back!Keep finding joy in your making, and enjoy the episode!Allison This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit champagneqiviut.substack.com
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S1 E5: Smiles and Sunshine with Salina Jane
Hello yarn friends -I’m away in Shetland at the moment on one of my Stitchtopia tours. While I was re-listening to this episode of the Make Joy Podcast, I was struck by how the themes of community and shared connections in our knitting are the same wherever makers come together - just like they have on this trip. Once again, a group of knitters who don’t know each other have been joined up and made new friends as they travel and learn together, united by the yarn that connects us.My guest on the podcast this week is Salina Jane of Salina Jane Art, a British artist and avid knitter of Indo-Caribbean descent. If you’ve been to a yarn show in the UK, chances are you’ve possibly run into Salina - either as an enthusiastic knitter embracing the yarn fumes, or perhaps selling her own illustrations of knitters, spinners and makers, or even drawing vignettes of the festival. Salina and I talk about community a lot on this episode of the podcast, and the joy that comes from knitting and how fortunate we feel to be part of it.Art and making have always been part of Salina’s life, so it makes sense that one the subjects she returns to again and again in her art are makers. Salina has a bespoke series of illustrations called Let Me Illustrate Your Life and Loves that capture an individual’s personal story, memories, hobbies and the things that matter to them.As a storyteller, Salina is also conscious of the opportunities she’s had in spaces where she hasn’t seen herself reflected so it’s incredibly important to her that the stories she tells showcase those who are underrepresented.Our conversation meanders quite so this is a longer episode, but hopefully you can feel the joy we had while we were recording it! And for those curious about Salina’s favourite knits they can be found on Ravelry here (in no particular order):* Edie* Love Note * Ranunculus* Limestone Pavement Beret* A “vanilla” sock (I’ve linked to my own favourite, which is the Rose City Rollers)I hope you enjoy this episode as much as Salina and I enjoyed chatting together. Salina will also be drawing Make Joy this year, so make sure you come along and say hello! Speaking of, do you have your tickets yet?Next week’s episode is one I recorded while I was in Canada, so make sure you’re subscribed! It’s a colourful discussion you won’t want to miss.Keep making joy!Allison This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit champagneqiviut.substack.com
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1:31:18
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1:31:18
S1 E4: Fun in the Sun with Knitting Magazine Editor Christine Boggis
Hello yarn friends -It looks like it’s going to be a gorgeous sunny day today and I’m enjoying watching the light over the rooftops as I write this to you this morning. It feels like an extra gift to have this sunny weather for the bank holiday weekend, and as I was editing this episode it had me thinking that there might still be time to nip down to the coast for a wee swim on Monday. Fingers crossed I can make that happen.My guest on this week’s episode of the Make Joy Podcast is Christine Boggis, who this year is celebrating 10 years as editor of Knitting magazine here in the UK! Christine and I only ever seem to see each other at yarn shows or professional events so when Christine invited me down to Lewes for a visit that would include a trip to wool shop Ida’s House, some sea bathing in nearby Brighton, and wrapping up the day with cocktails and knitting, of course my answer was a big HELL YES!When Christine isn’t busy with the editing of Knitting magazine (often working on five issues at the same time!), she’s also a knitwear designer with multiple books including the ones we talk about on this episode: JOMO Knits and No-Sew Knitting. I love Christine’s approach to knitwear design which is for her patterns to bring as much enjoyment to the knitter as she’s had creating and knitting it herself. This is also means making designs as minimally anxiety inducing as possible, which I think is something all knitters can appreciate.In addition to JOMO (which is the JOY of missing out), we also briefly talk about some of Christine’s upcoming issues of the magazine which include one that is all on British wool, and another on dopamine dressing. This one sounds wild and I can’t wait for it to land in my mailbox!Speaking of which, Christine has offered all listeners of the Make Joy Podcast a discount on a subscription to Knitting magazine. Due to summer hols and this episode coming out a little quicker than expected, the discount code isn’t available yet but should be up from next week post-bank holiday. I’ll update the show notes when it’s available so do check back!Enjoy the episode! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit champagneqiviut.substack.com
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S1 E3: SOAK-ing it up with Jacqueline Sava
Hello yarn friends -A theme of friendship and fabulous makers is emerging on The Make Joy Podcast with this next episode and my special guest Jacqueline Sava, the founder, creator and Director of Possibilities at Soak.Jacqueline and I have known each other a long time since my Toronto days (and full disclosure, I was once one a sales agent for Soak here in the UK) so it’s always nice to have a catch up. Our get togethers usually involve indulging Jacqueline’s desire to soak up as much creative inspiration as she can when in London on business and that includes favourite things like brunch and vintage shopping in Notting Hill, hopping on the train to Windsor or cocktails at random, fun places in town.So this was a different kind of visit this time around. I love it when I get to chat about the business side of things in the craft industry. Jacqueline is so generous with the support she gives back to makers in sharing her knowledge and I know this first-hand, as I once had the opportunity to take her course, From Maker to Making a Living, at George Brown College in Toronto. Education and teaching is a one of Jacqueline’s core values and that passion shines through.As a relatively new maker at the time, taking Jacqueline’s course was eye-opening. I learned so much about how makers need to value not only the work that they’re creating, but themselves too. And it made me understand so much more of the everything that goes on behind the scenes for a maker, including those hidden costs, that those of us purchasing a finished product like a make, or a skein of hand-dyed yarn will never see. Our conversation felt like a good reminder, especially as we inch closer to colder weather and “the season of making”. Make sure you subscribe to Jacqueline’s new Substack Maker to Making a Living where she’ll be sharing more of her knowledge and things she’s learned as a maker herself and at the helm of Soak.Plus, we talk about other kinds of making, like growing cut flower gardens and maple syrup! I hope you enjoy our chat.Keep making joy,Allison This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit champagneqiviut.substack.com
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1:10:26
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1:10:26