Yarn Library

To avoid travelling to London to buy beautiful yarn, Jane Abraham opened a yarn shop in Cornwall. A perfectly reasonable solution, if you ask me. Jane runs Stitches & Cream in Falmouth and is also known as The Cornish Knitter. As she prepares to close the physical shop and continue the business online, we talk about building a place where people feel welcome, the realities of running it and wh...

What would you do if you were feeling anxious and needed a small, manageable project? If you're Annah O'Leary, apparently the answer is to design an enormous blanket made from 144 colourwork squares. Even though you've never finished a colourwork project before! Annah is the designer behind Needle & Feather and author of Knit an Heirloom Blanket. In this episode, we talk about h...

What can a knitting pattern teach you, and what can only be learned by understanding your own knitting? Patty Lyons joins me for a frank, funny and thought-provoking conversation about the skills that exist beyond the written instructions. Modern patterns can help knitters tackle projects that might once have felt impossible. But when every technique and decision is explained for us, do we lose so...

This week, I’m joined by Charlotte Stone, better known as StoneKnits, the designer and author whose wonderfully playful colourwork socks have become instantly recognisable. Charlotte didn’t set out with a strategy to become “the sock designer”. She simply kept knitting the things she loved, sharing them online and responding when people asked for the patterns. Then her toadstool socks took off, a...

This week, I’m joined by Melanie Berg, the knitwear designer behind Mairlynd. I first met Melanie when I accidentally attended one of her shawl-design classes entirely in German. Thanks to Google Translate, I managed to follow the class and came away inspired to create my Tide Path shawl. In this conversation, we explore the relationship between creativity and practicality. Melanie talks about kno...

In this episode, I’m joined by Irina Shaar, the creator and host of Fiber Chats. We talk about why she started interviewing people from across the fibre world, what she has learned from those conversations, and the moments that have stayed with her. From finding “your people” at Rhinebeck to knitting through COVID and the way craft connects generations, this becomes a much wider conversation about...

Chantal Miyagishima is the designer and creative force behind Knitatude, one of the most recognisable brands in modern knitting. We talk about how she went from selling handmade scarves at markets to building a pattern business, writing Sweater Success and creating a community of more than 250 knitters. Chantal explains what really goes into grading garments across a wide range of sizes, what she...

In this episode of Yarn Library, I’m joined by Aleks Byrd, a designer, teacher and author known for her work with traditional Estonian knitting techniques. Aleks taught me Estonian inlay a few years ago in New York, and I later used that technique on my heavy metal jumper, so this was a particularly lovely conversation to have. We talk about what it’s like to teach knitters all over the world, fro...

In this episode of Yarn Library, I’m joined by the brilliant Xandy Peters for a properly thought-provoking conversation about knitting, creativity, originality, and what it really means to design something new. We talk about rage bait in the knitting world, why social media rewards negative hooks, and how that shapes the way craft is talked about online. Xandy also explains the magic of stacked st...

In this episode of Yarn Library, Adam is joined by Lisa Ha, better known as Get To Hooking Crochet: crochet royalty, author of Snarky Crochet , and one of the funniest voices in the online craft world. Adam and Lisa expose the truth behind their internet spats and talk about the world of crafting as an influencer. They discuss their entirely fake but surprisingly convincing knitting-versus-crochet...

In this short episode, Adam shares what’s next for the Yarn Library Podcast. He talks about Georgia stepping back to focus on her PhD, gives thanks for everything she brought to the podcast, and introduces Series 3: a new interview-led chapter featuring thoughtful, wide-ranging conversations from across the world of yarn, craft and creativity.

After celebrating the Hungarian election results (with a little help from some Bilum yarns), we discuss shushing the shh…, (ft. a diversion into engineering disaster that is Georgia’s undergrad library), an errata on merino wool staple length, and finally – Knitting in Public.  Prompted by a lovely email from a listener we explore the social dynamics, privilege, assumptions about gender and sexual...

A labour of love, a test of relationships, and occasionally a source of chaos. This week, Yarn Library dives into the joys and anxieties of gifts, from the thorny question of who is truly "knit worthy" to quantifying the real term numbers on just how many hours you're really gifting when you cast on a jumper. Adam shares a jaw-dropping story from his recent yarn travels and Georgia...

Adam and Georgia continue their wide-ranging conversation on sustainability and craft. Georgia shares her years-long quest for the perfect "forever whisk" and a truly terrible housemate gift. They dive into the surprising environmental impact of small-scale ceramics versus mass production, debate the great superwash yarn controversy (chlorine, microplastics, and why Adam is firmly a fan)...

Join us in the Yarn Library as Georgia brings the notes and Adam brings his opinions (unsourced). This week dives headfirst into the spicy and polarising world of sustainability, complete with repurposed blocking mat cushions, UN reports and why working with uncertainty is sometimes all we can do. Part one of what is definitely going to be two parts... probably.

Wherever you go in the world, there will always be craft! Which makes travel the perfect conversation starter. Your resident yarn librarians take you on a tour of various craftly escapades including love, loss and Lopi. All aboard! 

After many requests for longer visiting hours at the library, Adam and Georgia allow their weekly "housekeeping" to go off piste. Look forward to William Morris tears, retreat highs (and lows), and even what sealed the deal when Georgia met Dima on a dating app.

This week, the Yarn Library talks through mistakes and how we relate to them in our crafts – and beyond! As ever, there's some respectful disagreement, endearing anecdotes, and deep dives into parts of life you didn't think contemplable. 

This week, we discuss how side-by-side crafting build connection and friendships... and why Yarn Library almost became a solo project due to some Rogue Yarn Club communication mishaps. It’s a chat about gendered spaces, communities of practice, and the enduring power of "knit and natter".

The conversation continues with a cornucopia of tangential – yet surprisingly relevant – thoughts on learning. Adam and Georgia discuss how useful ideas can be found in unexpected places including Medicine, Formula One, and the Kindergarten. 

Adam and Georgia deep dive into their knitting origins stories to kick off Season 2 of Yarn Library! With ' that programme' out of the way, look forward to more of the crafty chats you've been asking for. We hope you enjoy Part 1 of our double bill on learning.

We're thrilled to confirm Yarn Library's return for a second season of craftful banter. Enjoy this quick update to let you know what's on the way. 

Seven weeks, fourteen challenges, two dogs, four Team GB divers, and more crocheting than anyone could have anticipated, we reached the final of the Game of Wool. Adam and Georgia dissect the tasks and the result, and reflect on the first series of this flawed but redeemable show. For more information about the yarn bomb bunting opportunity mentioned in the showcase spot, you can find more details...

Adam and Georgia make their remote recording debut, discussing all things Game of Wool – it’s Semi-Finals week! The contestants take to dynamic challenges with an eco lean: reimagined Aran jumpers and luxury bags.

Georgia and Adam call their weekly press conference for Statement Week on the Game of Wool – don't worry, there's only one "no comment". As ever, this week's Yarn Library delves into a hodgepodge of tantalising tangents, including Victorian bin bags and an emotionally derailed Aldi trip.