Sew What?

In this episode, Isabella interviews Jamie Chalmers, AKA Mr X Stitch, the Kingpin of Contemporary Embroidery. The two discuss what's happening in the world of contemporary embroidery and what it's like to be a man who embroiders.Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.

In this episode, Isabella interviews Dr Lis Gernerd about her new book, The Modern Venus: Dress, Underwear and Accessories in the late 18th Century Atlantic World. The two talk about all sorts of undergarments, embroidered muffs, networks of women, and how to build a fashionable woman's body in the late 18th century.Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.

In this episode, Isabella interviews Dr Lucie Whitmore and Dr Bethan Bide about the Museum of London's exhibition Fashion City: How Jewish Londoners shaped global style and the accompanying Bloomsbury exhibition catalogue.Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.

In this episode, Isabella interviews English embroidery expert and Witney Antiques director Rebecca Scott. The pair talk about their new exhibition and accompanying catalogue, "Choice and Precious Work": Treasures from the Schoolroom, 1650-1750, centring on an embroidery suite made by 17th-century London Quaker girl Elizabeth Hall and multiple generations of her descendants.  Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.

In this episode, Isabella interviews embroidery artist Danielle Clough. The pair talk about Danielle's embroidery practice, the transformation from photo to stitch, and the power of colour.Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.

In this episode, Isabella interviews interdisciplinary artist and weaver Raisa Kabir. The pair talk about Raisa's weaving practice, the tangled relationship between textiles and colonialism, and all sorts of looms.Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.

In this episode, Isabella interviews Ferren Gipson about her new book, Women's Work: From Feminine Arts to Feminist Art.  The book tells the story of more than 30 modern and contemporary textile and ceramic artists.Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.

In this episode, Isabella interviews Michele Majer and Emma Cormack, two of the three curators of the exhibition Threads of Power: Lace from the Textilmuseum St. Gallen, which is on display at the Bard Graduate Center until 1 January 2023. The trio discuss the exhibition, the history of lace, and anonymous lacemakers. Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.

In this episode, Isabella interviews Dr Lynn Hulse about the early years of the Royal School of Needlework (RSN), which was founded in November 1872. This episode is being released the exact month of its 150th anniversary. Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The podcast has a website, sewwhatpodcast.com.

Isabella, an expert in Hmong embroidery, discusses the rich tradition of Paj Ntaub and Hmong story cloths, highlighting their materials, imagery, and cultural significance. The episode covers the historical journey of the Mung ethnic group, their textile traditions, and the intricate world of Mung embroidery, including symbolism and techniques. The cultural importance of Mung embroidery in everyday life and its impact on connecting the diasporic Mung community to their history is explored.