Episode 111: The Healing Power of Crochet with Sam Sabido

Hello and welcome to a brand new series of Making Stitches Podcast!

My guest for this episode is crochet designer and teacher Sam Sabido. Sam first learned to crochet after being gifted crochet lessons around 15 years ago. At the time, she was having a tricky time and hoped crochet would give her a creative outlet and some time to concentrate on her own wellbeing.

Little did she know back then what an impact crochet would have on her life. After mastering the craft herself, she began teaching others to crochet, she started designing her own patterns and was invited to appear as a regular guest designer on Sewing Street TV. In 2024, Sam published her first book: My Granny Square Wardrobe and will be publishing her second later this year.

We met at Carry on Crafting in July this year – you may remember hearing me chatting with Sam briefly at Carry on Crafting in my last episode. When we spoke, I asked if Sam would like to come onto Making Stitches for a longer chat, and I was thrilled she said yes.

In this episode, Sam speaks openly about her struggle with Post Natal Depression after the birth of her third child and whilst expecting her fourth. She discusses the healing properties of making and how she has seen it help others as well as herself. I loved chatting to Sam, and I hope you enjoy listening too.

Thank you for speaking to me for Making Stitches Podcast Sam!

You can find Sam here at Sam Sabido Crochets and at Adventures in Crafting.

Thank you for listening to Making Stitches Podcast!

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.

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.

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.

Episode 76 : Creating a Digital Yarn Community with Jane Abraham from the Cornish Flock

When my guest on today’s episode was about to leave a career in London for a quieter pace of life on the Cornish coast, one of her first concerns was where she would be able to buy yarn from. Fast forward a few years and Jane Abraham not only has her own yarn shop, she hosts creative retreats, has her own You Tube channel and has built an online community for crafters ‘of a certain age’ – the Cornish Flock.

Jane’s ‘Flock’ focuses on knitting, crochet, health and the wellbeing of ‘mature women’. Jane says “Many women of a certain age feel isolated, under valued and overlooked. They believe that their interests and feelings are underestimated and there’s not enough digital content that connects with them and caters for their continued interest in fashion”.

You can find Jane at her website, on Facebook, Instagram & You Tube.