Month: July 2026

Episode 110: Carry on Crafting 2026 – A Weekend of Crafting, Camping & Fun

This time last weekend, Carry on Crafting celebrated its 5th birthday. The festival, based at Ardingley Showground in Sussex, played host to over 150 craft stalls, more than 150 workshops, a vintage market, tasty artisan food, live music and entertainment, and most off all, fun.

Last March, I spoke to the festival’s founder, Justine Robson on this podcast (for episode number 94. At the time, she invited me along to the festival – over a year later, I got there!

So lovely to meet Kitey at last!
Enjoying the shade with Eleonora from Coastal Crochet

It was everything I imagined it would be, and more. I met old friends and made new ones too, I crocheted, I chatted, I watched football, listened to music and even got to interview a radio legend called Graham!

Nicky from A Heart Shaped Cherry – my bell tent buddy!
Sam Sabido wearing one of her lovely creations

Thank you to everyone who spoke to me for this episode of Making Stitches Podcast including (in order of appearance):

Kerry Lord from Toft, Eleonora Tully from Coastal Crochet, Annah from Needle & Feather, Kitey from The Yarn Whisperer, Bex from The Pigeon’s Nest, Making Stitches Podcast listeners, Clare & Sarah, Graham – the voice of Radio CoC (Carry On Crafting!), Sam Sabido from Sam Sabido Crochets, Nicky Ward from A Heart Shaped Cherry, & Justine Robson from Carry on Crafting.

As well as everyone to helped make the weekend run so smoothly for us – especially the wonderful Carry on Crafting volunteers (particularly Clare who gave me a lift back to the station!).

Graham (The voice of ‘Radio CoC’)

It was a truly special experience!

This is the final episode in the current series of Making Stitches Podcast, I will be back again (all being well) in the autumn, with some more inspiring creative chats for you.

I hope you have a lovely summer!

Thank you for listening to Making Stitches Podcast!

The Toft stand
Annah, Needle & Feather

To join the mailing list for the Making Stitches Newsletter, please click onto this link

The theme music is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops.

The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown.

Image shows the Making Stitches Podcast Logo overlaid over a photo of multicoloured balls of yarn

You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi.
Making Stitches  Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson

Episode 109: Sheep, Actually: A Film About Wool & a Sheep Named Cow with Filmmaker, Paul Wyatt

In this episode of the Making Stitches Podcast, I’m joined by documentary filmmaker Paul Wyatt, director of the beautiful documentary film Sheep, Actually.

Although this conversation is a little different from my usual chats with makers, it explores something at the very heart of many of our crafts: wool.

Paul’s documentary asks us to look beyond the skein and back to its origins, exploring the connections between sheep, farmers, wool and the people who transform this remarkable natural fibre into the textiles we love.

Inspired by the simple but powerful idea, “If you’re going to work with wool, get to know how a sheep lives,” the film follows the story of a sheep called Cow while opening up wider conversations about farming, sustainability, craftsmanship and our relationship with the materials we use every day.

Whether you’re a knitter, crocheter, spinner, weaver, feltmaker, embroiderer or simply someone who loves natural fibres, I think you’ll find this a fascinating conversation.

Find out more about Sheep, Actually, including screenings, news and ways to support the film: https://www.paulwyattfilms.com/sheepactually

You can also follow Paul Wyatt Films on social media for updates on the documentary.

Paul Wyatt, filmmaker
Cow, the star of Sheep, Actually
Image shows brightly coloured balls of cotton yarn with the Making Stitches Podcast logo over the top

Thank you for listening to Making Stitches Podcast!

To join the mailing list for the Making Stitches Newsletter, please click onto this link

The theme music is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops.

The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown.

You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi.
Making Stitches  Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson.