EPISODE TWENTY FIVE :: Deva O'neill of Phaedra Clothing - On Being Self-Taught & Exploring Indigo Dyeing

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The Close Knit podcast showcases artists, designers, and makers from all over the world who work with fibre in its many forms. Knitters, spinners, sewers, textile artists - all will be celebrated on the Close Knit podcast.

A huge thank you to this week’s episode sponsor: Pickle and Co Fibres. 

Pickle and Co Fibres is a small fibre business built on years of love of yarn and craft, based in Australia. Marnie, who runs Pickle and Co, handyes beautiful australian grown fibre and yarn, as well as handspinning her own art yarns. Marnie supports other aussie producers like White Gum Wool, a personal favorite of hers (and mine, as I’m sure you know) , to keep her carbon footprint minimized. You can find pickle and co fibres on etsy: search Pickle and Co Fibres (pickle like the cucumber and fibres spelled the australian way) and on instagram:  @pickleandcofibres

As a special offer for close knit podcast listeners, Marnie is offering 15% off her webshop. Use the code CLOSEKNITS15 for 15% off. 

In Episode 25, I spoke to Deva O’Neill of Phaedra Clothing. Deva is a clothing maker and indigo dyer based in Cornwall. Her interest in linen started at a young age, as she watched her mother and her mother’s friends engage with linen and beautiful, oversizes silhouettes. 

As a teenager, Deva altered her own clothing and over the past few years, has moved into drafting her own patterns, sort of a mishmash of other patterns and garments she’s made, to achieve the aesthetic she imagines in her mind. 

Deva and I talk about how she’s taught herself to sew and dye, and how the infinite world of fibre has entranced her. We discuss how she’s grown Phaedra and keeps it going alongside day work, and how she plans to grow it over time. 

Deva's Biggest Bit of Advice: 

"try to gain as much inspiration as you can from the world around you, but try not to compare yourself to anyone else... there's a lot of people doing amazing things and it's easy to feel like you're not doing enough... it's so important to stay true to what you want to create" 

People/ Things we mentioned in the podcast:

  • tony chestnut : very cool clothing, combining art and clothing (in still a very wearable way)

  • as petals fall - Deva has collaborated Kate on a few projects, she's a natural dyer who sells her dyed linen meterage. 

  • cabbage blue - incredible clothing maker (indigo, quilted,etc - do yourself a favour and check her out) 

Find Deva: website | instagram | facebook  

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Until next time! 

xx

Ani

Close Knit Now Has a Podcast!

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There is so much talent and beauty in the fibre arts world. It's all around us - social media, in magazines, workshops, retail spaces - and I'm constantly in awe of it.

So, I'm bringing you a recorded podcast, along with little blog posts, simply titled, the Close Knit Podcast, because these folks (mostly women, I've found - #thefutureisfemale) are just too good not to share. 

At first, I planned to make this a written series, and then my friend Caitlin (pictured above, center) suggested we chat these out and record the answers. And I thought, "like a podcast?" - and then I was really excited about making a podcast, as that's the way I most love consuming stories and interviews, so I changed gears and started recording my conversations with these ladies. 

Weavers, knitters, sewers, natural dyers, crochet-lovers, and everything in between. We'll get a peek into their work and lives, and get to know a bit about what got them started and what keeps them going. 

Can't wait to share these gems with you! 

xx

Ani