The Long Thread Podcast

• Lily M. Chin, Knitting & Crochet Rock Star

  In the early 2000’s, one episode of the Late Show with David Letterman boasted that a crocheter would make Dave a sweater over the course of the show. It sounded impossible, but their special guest backstage was Lily M. Chin, who held the title of World’s Fastest Crocheter. When the closing music played, Lily presented Letterman with his sweater—it was a bit short, but Dave pulled it over his head. By that point, Lily was no stranger to either deadlines or high-profile clients, having created runway pieces for Diane von Furstenburg, Ralph Lauren, Isaac Mizrahi, and other Fashion Week icons. As a crocheter, machine knitter, and handknitter, Lily is known for her innovative techniques and bold designs. Fashion and speed are the hallmarks of Lily’s native New York City as well as her handwork. Lily grew up at the feet of her mother, a garment worker who put a crochet hook in her hands so she’d stay out of trouble. She picked up handknitting and machine knitting, stepped off the pre-med track, and began one of the most varied and interesting careers in fiber art. Any knitter or crocheter with a yarn collection will take heart at Lily’s solution for managing her decades’ worth of stashed yarn. With no room for it in her 650-square-foot Greenwich Village apartment, she keeps it in 9 units in a nearby self-storage facility. She doesn’t need it in her house, after all, when she travels to teach, especially on the Craft Cruises she has participated in for years. Named a Master Knitter by Vogue Knitting International, Lily has a list of credits and affiliations as long as a skein of laceweight yarn, but her down-to-earth attitude and delight in her craft make her stories so much fun. Links Lily teaches frequently with Craft Cruises. (https://www.craftcruises.com/instructor_information.php?brand=1,Knitting%20Cruises&cruise=208,Ultimate%20Viking%20Explorer&dep_date=2025-06-08&dest_date=2026-06-29&instructor=Lily%20Chin) In 2025 she will be traveling to Japan and the North Pacific. Find information about Lily’s upcoming classes, current projects, and latest adventures on her socials: @LilyMChin on Instagram @LilyMChin1 on Twitter @LilyMChin on Threads LilyMChin on Ravelry @lilymchinnyc on Pinterest This episode is brought to you by: Treenway Silks is where weavers, spinners, knitters and stitchers find the silk they love. Select from the largest variety of silk spinning fibers, silk yarn, and silk threads & ribbons at TreenwaySilks.com (https://www.treenwaysilks.com/). You'll discover a rainbow of colors, thoughtfully hand-dyed in Colorado. Love natural? Treenway's array of wild silks provide choices beyond white. If you love silk, you’ll love Treenway Silks, where superior quality and customer service are guaranteed. KnitPicks.com has been serving the knitting community for over 20 years and believes knitting is for everyone, which is why they work hard to make knitting accessible, affordable, and approachable. Knit Picks responsibly sources its fiber to create an extensive selection of affordable yarns like High Desert from Shaniko Wool Company in Oregon. Are you looking for an ethical, eco-friendly yarn to try? Look no further than Knit Picks’ Eco yarn line. Need needles? Knit Picks makes a selection for knitters right at their Vancouver, Washington headquarters. KnitPicks.com (https://www.knitpicks.com/)—a place for every knitter.

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  49:48
• Jennifer B. Williams, Inkled Pink

  A lifelong crafter, Jennifer B. Williams had tried a wide variety of fiber techniques, but she felt something fall into place the first time she sat down to a lesson at an inkle loom. “It was the strangest thing to me. When I started inkle weaving, I started thinking through inkle,” she says. Delicate bracelets, origami fish, flip-flop straps? Absolutely! Joining bands edge to edge, folding strips into new shapes, and exploring drape and density, the formal confines of narrow warp-faced bands just spark new ideas for her to explore. Although the term “inkle” arose in the sixteenth century to describe a narrow linen tape, some form of band-making developed around the world where something needed tying, lashing, embellishing, cinching or any of the other uses for a durable piece of cloth. Jennifer has studied bandweaving methods from Japan and Africa, finding inspiration in contemporary Yoruba aso-oke weaving and other warp-faced plain-weave techniques. Though her brain has a unique affinity for bandweaving, Jennifer loves to share her knowledge and excitement with students at all levels, using her inkle-first weaving education to help teach effectively. In the coming year, she has classes planned at the Braid Society conference, among other events. A few spaces remain in Jennifer’s classes at Weave Together with Handwoven 2025 (https://weavetogether.handwovenmagazine.com/) in York, Pennsylvania, March 23–27. Links Find Jennifer B. Williams online at the Inkled Pink (https://inkledpink.com/) website or on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/inkledpink/). Jennifer documented her daily band practice on Instagram as @dailybandpractice (https://www.instagram.com/dailybandpractice/). Jennifer’s patterns for Easy Weaving with Little Looms are available through the Library (https://littlelooms.com/library/?dato_ltm_library_ll%5Bquery%5D=jennifer%20b%20williams&dato_ltm_library_ll%5BrefinementList%5D%5Blibrary_item_type%5D%5B0%5D=Project%2FPattern). Jennifer’s detailed tutorial (https://inkledpink.com/2013/05/28/inkle-shoelace-tip-how-to/) appears on her website. See Jennifer’s process for making origami goldfish (https://inkledpink.com/2012/04/22/inkle-origami/). The Braid Society’s website (https://thebraidsociety.wildapricot.org/) includes details of conferences and exhibitions. The Weaver's Inkle Pattern Directory: 400 Warp-Faced Weaves by Anne Dixon is available from many weaving stores. Inkle by Evelyn Neher is available from used book sources. Aso-oke weaver Muhammed Abdulrasheed Abiodun (https://www.facebook.com/abdulrasheed.abeeordoon/) practices and teaches traditional Yoruba weaving techniques. This episode is brought to you by: Treenway Silks is where weavers, spinners, knitters and stitchers find the silk they love. Select from the largest variety of silk spinning fibers, silk yarn, and silk threads & ribbons at TreenwaySilks.com (https://www.treenwaysilks.com/). You’ll discover a rainbow of colors, thoughtfully hand-dyed in Colorado. Love natural? Treenway’s array of wild silks provide choices beyond white. If you love silk, you’ll love Treenway Silks, where superior quality and customer service are guaranteed. Sustainability and regenerative ranching have been a way of life for the ranches of Shaniko Wool Company for decades. They are the first “farm group” in the U.S. to achieve certification to the rigorous international Responsible Wool Standard and NATIVA Regenerative. Shaniko ranches raise Merino/Rambouillet sheep in the Western United States, delivering a fully traceable wool supply that gives back to the Earth and its ecosystems. To learn more, and discover Shaniko’s yarn partners, visit ShanikoWoolCompany.com. (https://www.shanikowoolcompany.com/)

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  1:03:10
• Louie García, Pueblo Weaver (classic)

  Visiting museums and archaeological sites in the American Southwest, Louie García finds inspiration to revive the fiber techniques of the past. He has participated in creating several recreations of ancient textiles, including a replica of the 800-year-old Arizona Openwork Shirt, and is a member of the Cedar Mesa Perishables Project, which studies artifacts including baskets, plaited and twined yucca sandals, and most importantly cotton textile fragments that date back as much as two thousand years. But where others might see ruins, Louie sees connections to the Pueblo heritage that is part of his daily life. When rediscovering weaving, spinning, and cotton-growing skills, he says, “That’s how I’m able to connect with my ancestors.” Navigating between his wish to maintain the role of fiber arts in his community with respect for the sacred nature of traditional knowledge, he founded the New Mexico Pueblo Fiber Arts Guild in in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He teaches classes to Pueblo weavers as well as a few non-Pueblo fiber arts enthusiasts. His handspun, handwoven gauze and weft-wrap openwork piece, inspired by a nearly 1,000-year-old Hohokam textile in the Ventana Cave excavation, was featured on the cover of Spin Off Summer 2020—one of just a few articles about Pueblo weaving written from a Pueblo perspective, he says. Looking at the piece, Cedar Mesa Perishables Project director Laurie Webster remarked, “It’s probably been at least a thousand years since anyone has woven a piece like this.” Spin Off is excited to welcome Louie as an instructor at SOAR October 12-17, 2025, in Loveland, Colorado. Join us to hear how Louie connects the work of his hands with his dedication to Pueblo heritage. Links Openwork Shirt (sprang replica): Carol James, “The Arizona Openwork (Tonto) Shirt Project” (http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/pct7/25) (2017). PreColumbian Textile Conference VII / Jornadas de Textiles PreColombinos VII. 25. Cedar Mesa Perishables Project (https://www.friendsofcedarmesa.org/perishablesproject/) Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (https://indianpueblo.org/) Louie García, “Pueblo Cotton in the American Southwest: Ancient Gauze Weave and Weft-Wrap Openwork.” Spin Off Summer 2020. (https://shop.longthreadmedia.com/products/spin-off-summer-2020) This episode is brought to you by: Treenway Silks is where weavers, spinners, knitters and stitchers find the silk they love. Select from the largest variety of silk spinning fibers, silk yarn, and silk threads & ribbons at TreenwaySilks.com (https://www.treenwaysilks.com/). You’ll discover a rainbow of colors, thoughtfully hand-dyed in Colorado. Love natural? Treenway’s array of wild silks provide choices beyond white. If you love silk, you’ll love Treenway Silks, where superior quality and customer service are guaranteed. KnitPicks.com has been serving the knitting community for over 20 years and believes knitting is for everyone, which is why they work hard to make knitting accessible, affordable, and approachable. Knit Picks responsibly sources its fiber to create an extensive selection of affordable yarns like High Desert from Shaniko Wool Company in Oregon. Are you looking for an ethical, eco-friendly yarn to try? Look no further than Knit Picks’ Eco yarn line. Need needles? Knit Picks makes a selection for knitters right at their Vancouver, Washington headquarters. KnitPicks.com (https://www.knitpicks.com/)—a place for every knitter. Knitters know Manos del Uruguay for their yarns’ rich tonal colors, but the story of women’s empowerment and community benefit enriches every skein. Discover 17 yarn bases from laceweight to super bulky made and dyed at an artisan owned cooperative in Uruguay. Ask for Manos at your local retailer or visit FairmountFibers.com (https://fairmountfibers.com/).

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  59:11
• Charan Sachar, Creative with Clay

  Like many spinners, Charan Sachar discovered fiber crafts without realizing that they would transform his life. While studying for a masters degree in computer science, he began working with clay, making functional and decorative pieces. He loved the cool, slick texture of clay and the pleasure of working with his hands, eventually making pottery his full-time career. During down times in the pottery studio and at home, he began knitting. The soft texture and warmth of knitting proved a perfect complement to his work in clay. Knitting not only changed Charan’s daily life, it also made its way into his clay work. Although his repertoire includes a variety of motifs, knitters have fallen in love with mugs and other vessels decorated with knitting and lace motifs. With a burgeoning stash of yarns for knitting and weaving, he was initially reluctant to create even more yarn by learning to spin. Then he saw colorful beehives and immediately knew that he needed to learn to make textured art yarns. After studying traditional and textured yarn techniques with a variety of teachers, he began teaching spinning at events across the country and as far away as New Zealand. In October 2025, Charan will teach at the Spin Off Autumn Retreat. Links Creative with Clay website (https://www.creativewithclay.com/) Charan Sachar’s Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charansachar/) Charan will be teaching at the Spin Off Autumn Retreat (https://www.spinoffretreat.com/) October 12–17, 2025 in Loveland, Colorado. This episode is brought to you by: Treenway Silks is where weavers, spinners, knitters and stitchers find the silk they love. Select from the largest variety of silk spinning fibers, silk yarn, and silk threads & ribbons at TreenwaySilks.com (https://www.treenwaysilks.com/). You’ll discover a rainbow of colors, thoughtfully hand-dyed in Colorado. Love natural? Treenway’s array of wild silks provide choices beyond white. If you love silk, you’ll love Treenway Silks, where superior quality and customer service are guaranteed. KnitPicks.com has been serving the knitting community for over 20 years and believes knitting is for everyone, which is why they work hard to make knitting accessible, affordable, and approachable. Knit Picks responsibly sources its fiber to create an extensive selection of affordable yarns like High Desert from Shaniko Wool Company in Oregon. Are you looking for an ethical, eco-friendly yarn to try? Look no further than Knit Picks’ Eco yarn line. Need needles? Knit Picks makes a selection for knitters right at their Vancouver, Washington headquarters. KnitPicks.com (https://www.knitpicks.com/)—a place for every knitter. Sustainability and regenerative ranching have been a way of life for the ranches of Shaniko Wool Company for decades. They are the first “farm group” in the U.S. to achieve certification to the rigorous international Responsible Wool Standard and NATIVA Regenerative. Shaniko ranches raise Merino/Rambouillet sheep in the Western United States, delivering a fully traceable wool supply that gives back to the Earth and its ecosystems. To learn more, and discover Shaniko’s yarn partners, visit ShanikoWoolCompany.com. (https://www.shanikowoolcompany.com/) Knitters know Manos del Uruguay for their yarns’ rich tonal colors, but the story of women’s empowerment and community benefit enriches every skein. Discover 17 yarn bases from laceweight to super bulky made and dyed at an artisan owned cooperative in Uruguay. Ask for Manos at your local retailer or visit FairmountFibers.com (https://fairmountfibers.com/).

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  55:53
• Julia Gomez: Colcha Embroidery

  When colonists first left Spain for what became Mexico and the American Southwest in 1598, they came with the continent’s first wool sheep. These weren’t the famed finewool Spanish Merinos—export of those was punishable by death—but rougher multipurpose Churra sheep. With simple tools, men sheared the sheep, women spindle-spun wool yarn, and men wove plain cloth called sabanilla. In their few spare moments, women embroidered on scraps of fabric with naturally dyed yarn and a simple couching stitch. Embroidery made the fabric valuable for trade and beautiful for religious observances. Along with tinwork, wood carving and painting, and pottery, colcha embroidery became one of the folk arts that grew uniquely in the Southwest. When finer materials became available in the early 1800s, colcha embroidery began to decline in practice. Home economics teacher Julia Gomez first learned colcha embroidery in the 1970s at the Folk Art Museum and at El Rancho de las Golondrinas, a living history museum in Santa Fe where she volunteered in the summer. With teaching and family obligations, she didn’t delve deeper in the craft until decades later, when she fell in love with this local art form. Learning not only to stitch the colcha embroidery but also prepare the yarn and woven fabric (and even shear a sheep . . . once), she developed passion and expertise for its stories and techniques. Her work has been included in the juried Spanish Market, winning first prize, and is in numerous museum and private collections. In addition to her own embroidery, Julia enjoys teaching and demonstrating, a natural continuation of her decades in the middle-school classroom and years as a docent at the Nuevo Mexico Heritage Arts Museum (formerly the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art). Whether spinning and weaving at El Rancho de las Golondrinas or demonstrating embroidery across the United States and internationally, Julia preserves the beautifully rustic tradition of colcha embroidery. Links Julia Gomez authored “The Art and Tradition of Colcha Embroidery” and created the design “A Colcha Peahen” for PieceWork Winter 2022 (https://pieceworkmagazine.com/library/141964511). Julia demonstrates at the El Rancho de las Golondrinas (https://golondrinas.org/) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is open from June through October each year (and in April and May for private tours). Julia demonstrates and teaches at the Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum (https://nmheritagearts.org/), where some of her work is also part of the permanent collection. Julia’s presentation “A Stitch Out of Time: A Story of Colcha Embroidery in New Spain” at the 2024 Weave a Real Peace (WARP) conference is available to watch on YouTube. (https://youtu.be/6aDO9pV4Hv0?t=165). El Rancho de las Golondrinas hosted Julia’s presentation “The Art and Tradition of Colcha Embroidery,” which is available on YouTube. (https://youtu.be/-T2r4u1kRaU) Santa Fe honored Julia as part of National Hispanic Heritage Month in 2021 and created a video (https://youtu.be/Dx1UYT6rj-k) to celebrate her accomplishments. This episode is brought to you by: Treenway Silks is where weavers, spinners, knitters and stitchers find the silk they love. Select from the largest variety of silk spinning fibers, silk yarn, and silk threads & ribbons at TreenwaySilks.com (https://www.treenwaysilks.com/). You'll discover a rainbow of colors, thoughtfully hand-dyed in Colorado. Love natural? Treenway's array of wild silks provide choices beyond white. If you love silk, you'll love Treenway Silks, where superior quality and customer service are guaranteed. KnitPicks.com has been serving the knitting community for over 20 years and believes knitting is for everyone, which is why they work hard to make knitting accessible, affordable, and approachable. Knit Picks responsibly sources its fiber to create an extensive selection of affordable yarns like High Desert from Shaniko Wool Company in Oregon. Are you looking for an ethical, eco-friendly yarn to try? Look no further than Knit Picks’ Eco yarn line. Need needles? Knit Picks makes a selection for knitters right at their Vancouver, Washington headquarters. KnitPicks.com (https://www.knitpicks.com/)—a place for every knitter. Sustainability and regenerative ranching have been a way of life for the ranches of Shaniko Wool Company for decades. They are the first “farm group” in the U.S. to achieve certification to the rigorous international Responsible Wool Standard and NATIVA Regenerative. Shaniko ranches raise Merino/Rambouillet sheep in the Western United States, delivering a fully traceable wool supply that gives back to the Earth and its ecosystems. To learn more, and discover Shaniko’s yarn partners, visit ShanikoWoolCompany.com. (https://www.shanikowoolcompany.com/) Knitters know Manos del Uruguay for their yarns’ rich tonal colors, but the story of women’s empowerment and community benefit enriches every skein. Discover 17 yarn bases from laceweight to super bulky made and dyed at an artisan owned cooperative in Uruguay. Ask for Manos at your local retailer or visit FairmountFibers.com (https://fairmountfibers.com/).

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  46:49

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