Knit to This
Knit to This: Tapestries for Troubled Times
I turn to Jo Andrews’s Haptic and Hue podcast when I’m deep in a knitting project and want to listen as I work. Television can be too much, sometimes.
At this point, Jo (we’re on imaginary-friend first-name basis at this point) has taken me all over the world.
Her enduring topic? Textiles. Cloth. Fabric. Weaving. Clothing. History. All of it, in seven seasons of Haptic and Hue, with dozens of episodes.
Her latest, “Tapestries for Troubled Times,” is exactly what I’m in the mood for. The Bayeux tapestry came up in the MDK Society Lounge last week, and in that way that things connect, this podcast episode bubbled up for me.
Jo and her guests explore the iconic Bayeux Tapestry (which is an embroidery, she quickly reminds us!), and also a much newer project of similarly epic scale, the Great Tapestry of Scotland, completed in the past decade.
Jo Andrews is aware that it’s quite a trick to talk about textiles without showing them to us. It’s such a different way to approach the world of textiles—she’s all about the people, the stories and places, and she’s a great storyteller and collector of guests who tell us amazing tales.
What I like to do is listen to the podcast, then go see images online after listening.
What does the Great Tapestry of Scotland look like? Nothing, it turns out, like I thought it would look.
Listen to “Tapestries for Troubled Times” right here.
And when you’re ready to see the Great Tapestry of Scotland, it’s in Galashiels, about 90 minutes south of Edinburgh in the Scottish Borders. They’ve built a beautiful space for it.
If you’re not quite in the area, there’s even an app to download to your iPhone, a beautifully done tour of each panel of the Great Tapestry of Scotland.
This is lovely. I’m always looking for referrals to interesting podcasts & websites for needle arts, books and cooking & baking. I’ve just downloaded the Great Tapestry of Scotland app to my ipad. I have some Scottish Afternoon Tea that I will brew today and enjoy while looking out the window at all the snow yet to melt. Thank you!
I saw this tapestry a couple of years ago… AMAZING! STUNNING! STRIKING! It’s not simply a history but poignant moments artistically interpreted by these artists.
If you looking for tapestries in our of the way places check out the French Shore tapestry in Conche, Newfoundland & Labrador
http://www.frenchshoretapestry.com/en/intro.asp
And if you happen to be in western Massachusetts visit the Clark Institute exhibit of modern tapestry:
Wall Power! Modern French Tapestry from the Mobilier National, Paris. https://www.clarkart.edu/microsites/wall-power/exhibition-overview/about-the-exhibition
Stunning!
Completely agree. The tapestry show at the Clark is just breath taking!
I absolutely love Haptic and Hue, the best textile podcast IMHO. And newer but also wonderful is Friends of Haptic and Hue with Jo and her partner Bill which contains episodes of Travels With Textiles, equally wonderful.
This is an amazing podcast. I’m diving in as I spin. Awesome suggestion!
wonderful and a bit more bonkers is
https://www.ulstermuseum.org/stories/game-thrones-tapestry
Excellent and would always be wonderful but no more so than now as your perfect title indicates. Thank you for this gift.
For another great textile/clothing listen – ‘Torn’ from BBC Radio 4. It discusses different articles of clothing and things worn, what they mean, how they came about, the historical significance.
Very well done, even if you know and studied some of the topics.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/torn/id1639885944
Thank you for this!
The Guernsey Tapestry Museum is also terrific and could be another addition to your wonderful columns!