Susan Crawford

Dear Kay,

Susan Crawford doesn’t know me, but I feel like I know her, thanks to the telescoping effect of the internet. She’s in my feed, every day, here in Nashville, even though she lives on a farm in Lancashire, England. She is strikingly honest about what’s going on in her life. It’s one of those things where I’m celebrating her victories from afar, and rooting for her.

So it’s fun to hear her voice, after following her for so long. In 2015, she settled down with for a chat with Jo Milmine, whose Shinybees podcast is a damn fine podcast for knitters. (So many great episodes here.)

Here you go. Interview begins at minute 6.

It’s one of those juicy, wide-ranging conversations about Susan’s work as a knitwear designer who focuses on vintage-inspired designs. She’s hanging with her flock of sheep, figuring out colors for her line of yarns, Femella. And musing over the nature of Zwartbles sheep—her tall, long-legged, elegant sheep with the darkest, densest wool of all.

Fascinating in particular is the way she finds the story built into each of the vintage garments she works with—the imperfection and economy of them inspires her.

You can take a spin through her designs here. Such a deep understanding of vintage knitting patterns.

“Never doubt that you can achieve your dreams,” she reminds us.

And this: “This isn’t what I do; this is what I am.”

Love,

Ann