Hello and welcome to the Yarn Library Podcast with me, Adam Cleavely. I'm gonna go straight on and explain exactly what's going on with the Yarn Library so that you can understand. Georgia and I started the Yarn Library Podcast probably almost six months ago now, and it was kind of borne out of all the conversations that we'd had from time to time, exploring all sorts of different ideas about knitting and craft. She seemed like a perfect partner to me to want to bring into a conversation about exploring the world of yarn and craft and knitting. Georgia has also contributed an enormous amount to the Yarn Library Podcast in terms of she was the editor and did so much work behind the scenes to make the podcast what it was. And I can't express enough gratitude for that. But Georgia's also doing a PhD, and that needs time and focus, and as she's into the final stages of that, that's where she's putting her time, focus, and energy. Which means that I'm afraid you've got me to listen to. Now, just before you leave, as a result of that, which I would totally respect, I want to explain to you a little bit more about what's going on for me and in terms of why I want to keep going with the podcast and what the podcast is going to turn into. So the podcast has been interesting for me because it started out in one place. We started out creating a reflection on Game of World as a TV series. And what George and I really wanted to create was a reflection of craft in a much more general sense. It wasn't started as a TV review show. So we sort of did both things. What I really enjoyed about that was having somewhere where there was time and space to be able to give a more considered view about craft. Now, I passionately love knitting and wider fibre arts. And what I've really enjoyed about Instagram and my growth on Instagram and social media has been a way to express that. However, social media comes with one massive problem. You are edited down to tiny bite-sized chunks all the time. Everything you say has to be a snippet of what is actually going on. And so one of the wonderful things about the podcast for me has it's been a way to communicate with people and to communicate some of the broader reflections about craft and the world we live in. And I've enjoyed that and what it sounds like from listener feedback, you've enjoyed that too. So when I was thinking about how do I want to keep Yarn Library going and what do I want to bring to that, that's what I wanted to be able to do is be able to create a space that had broad conversations connected to Yarn, connected to craft, but that went in lots of directions. Now, whilst I can go off on my own tangents, I need help to do that. And so what I'm super excited about with series three is the interviews that I've got lined up. So as it stands, I've recorded a number of them, and they are in the process of editing, as I'm telling you right now, and they are soon to be released. It's hard to put a word on it. They are magnificent, they're exciting, and they're with different people who you wouldn't necessarily expect to be on podcasts. Or that's rather where I hope this podcast goes. So I'll tell you who my first guest is, which is Lisa. Lisa Ha from Get to Hookin' Crochet. I felt it appropriate that she is gonna be my first interviewee because and I have such an online animosity. I also wanted to share more of the reflection of how I know Lisa and the interactions we have, and share some of her stories from how she experiences this funny world of craft that we live in. And what I'm trying to do with the series is put together these interviews, which I guess you could kind of understand how I feel in the space, where my take comes from, where my understanding comes from. I'm kind of trying to show that, but I'm also trying to show difference of opinion, difference of different crafts, I mean Lisa's a crochet, for example, and different practices. I've got an interesting conversation coming up as well, which I'm excited for you to hear. Alex Byrd is a knitting teacher and designer. She's known for her work with Estonian techniques. Both want to showcase her work, which I think is incredible, but she's also taught me, and I wanted to also talk to her because I've had conversations with her before about the differences in teaching different countries around the world and her different experience of travelling around the world and teaching knitting. And I wanted to be able to share that with you, and the best way to do that, I think, is by having the conversations in front of you and giving you the interviews so that you can understand that and be part of that journey with me. So I'm very, very excited about this next season for the reasons of the conversations that are going to come up. Um, Zandy Peters is someone who I have enormous respect for, and his work as a designer is phenomenal, but he also has some very interesting takes on the world of knitting and how we got ourselves here and the value of design and art and all those other things, and I just wanted to be able to include that voice and that and that as a subject matter. So whilst you're thinking about, ooh, I wonder who's coming up in the interview series, if you also want to either be interviewed, or I don't know who listens to this podcast, but if you want to be interviewed on the podcast, or you've got a great suggestion as to someone you'd you want to hear on the podcast, then drop it in an email to podcast at clevelynets.com. That's podcast at cleavelynets.com, and I will I'll see what I can do. I'll reach out to someone and see. If you've got specific questions in mind you'd love to know the answers to, then by all means, stick them in an email and I will I will see what I can do. I can't necessarily promise that I get back to every single email that I receive, but I promise you that I read them. So I want to take a minute as well to reflect on season one and two, and particularly season two, as to why I feel like it was such an important podcast, and in ways that I didn't necessarily expect. We talked about, Georgia and I talked about a subject, things which seemed to resonate with people unexpectedly when we talked about knitting in public, when we talked about our approach to knitting or mistakes. We got engaged in all sorts of interesting conversations over Instagram, email and so on. And I just find that fascinating, and I feel like as well we had a connection with the audience and you as a listener, because you told us that you enjoyed sitting down, or whether it was to knit and to listen to the podcast, whether you were commuting, that you enjoyed hearing the conversation that we were having. And knowing that you wanted to hear a conversation that was connected to knitting, but not necessarily about knitting or about specific techniques. That's really why I wanted to continue to give you conversation to be able to listen to that is you know both interesting because it it broadens it broadens horizons, it raises things that you might not have thought about, and also that it gives you that hopefully a warm sense of community because ultimately we're knitting together and or knitting and crocheting crafting together, and and there is a sense of community, and I and I hope that I hope that comes across. So the one thing that I'll acknowledge that probably can't happen as much in this series, which I'm waiting for ideas on, is that actually I don't get to talk that much. That's a reflection I've had having done the first few interviews, is that because I'm doing the interviewing, there's less space for me to talk. So I'm shaping the conversations with the way I ask the questions, but it's a puzzle which I haven't yet worked out. Now, one thing might be that I can collate a list of questions and maybe I can give them to someone else and they can interview me on the podcast. That's one way we could go. But I'm open to suggestions as well because I because I also do want to find a way to get my points of view across. Um, some of that does come out in the in the podcast with other people, but it's that's definitely something which is more a work in progress in terms of how I'm thinking. The intention is also to be able to keep this as an audio podcast, although through the same normal channels, there will be a small change for those of you that are watching on YouTube. This will be switching over, or has already switched over, from rather than being a Yarn Library as the podcast channel on YouTube, that's going to switch over to Clevelands. It's just much, much easier for me to maintain all the content in one place. That's where that'll be. If you're looking for the video version for this season, have a look at the Cleveland's channel on YouTube, and that's where you'll find it. I mean, there are a few things which get visual, but I try with the interview so far, and I brief all of the interviewees, I'll let them know that, yep, this is an audio first podcast. So by all means, get involved. If you've got suggestions, people you really like to hear from, guests you'd like to hear appear on this episode, people that you'd like to talk about what they do or explain another dimension on the craft, um all ears. Drop suggestions into podcast at cleavelynits.com and I will see what I can do. As I say, I've already got a brilliant schedule of people to be able to talk to, and from all over the world, I'm really interested to have a wide contribution. Just amazing people that can talk about craft and will add a different dimension to it. I'm not here to talk about specific garments or anything for hours on end. This for me is conversations about wider concerns of craft, knitting, crochet, however you want to interpret that, and just having an interesting place for debate and stimulating conversation. I'd love for you to hear your thoughts as well. I know that I'm also going to be inundated by messages for Georgia because I think we're all incredibly grateful for what she's given to be able to produce what we've all had so far. And I feel privileged to be part of that. I will say if you want to reach out to Georgia as well, then drop her a line on Instagram or something, Tullipurl, then you'll know that your message gets through to her directly. But I promise I will be passing on heartfelt thanks as well. And she knows I'm grateful a thousand times over for what she's done. And just in case you're in any doubt, Georgia, and you are listening, thank you again for that. But that's all from me now. That's the shortest episode of Yarn Library Podcast I think you'll ever get. It's also a perfect illustration of why I can't do this solo and why I shall be inviting guests, because I run out of things to talk to very quickly when I don't have someone to bounce off. Anyway, I'm very grateful for you listening. I hope you're as excited as I am about the upcoming episodes for Yarn Library because I think they're going to be amazing. Thank you for listening to Yarn Library Podcast with me, Adam Cleavely. Happy netting