Susan Strawn, Knitting Historian

A lifelong lover of fiber arts, Susan Strawn’s career in textiles began in an unexpected corner: with training as a biomedical illustrator. She found cloth far more exciting than biology, so she turned her eye for detail to illustrating PieceWork magazine. She added photostyling to her duties, bringing textile stories to life and demonstrating the steps of various needlework techniques. After a decade on the staff of the magazine, she decided to devote herself to studying and writing about textiles, earning a PhD in Textiles and Clothing. Although her initial interest was in writing, she discovered that she loved teaching. She became a Professor in the Department of Fashion at Dominican University, with a roster of classes she loved to teach (and that would make a textile lover swoon to take). Now retired from the university, she is exploring the importance of textiles, especially knitting, in her own life through essays and illustrations. With a particular interest in everyday cloth and the insight it offers into women’s lives, Susan’s hands are always busy with needle, pen, or keyboard. Links Susan Strawn’s website (https://susanstrawn.com/) Susan’s Substack (https://open.substack.com/pub/susanstrawn/p/susan-strawn-meanders-through-the?r=bitk3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) Discover Knitting America and Susan’s other writings (https://susanstrawn.com/writing/) Knits of Yore (https://shop.longthreadmedia.com/products/knits-of-yore-download-in-hd) video The Gaman Mittens pattern (https://farmfiberknits.com/library/a8gLt51DTaq9lHTnogF0gA/) is available in the Farm & Fiber Knits library or in PieceWork September/October 2017. (https://shop.longthreadmedia.com/products/piecework-september-october-2017-digital-edition) Read about Susan’s visit (https://farmfiberknits.com/cotswold-sheep-and-benedictine-nuns-of-shaw-island/) to the nuns of Shaw Island and their flock of Cotswold sheep No Idle Hands: The Social History of American Knitting (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/104985/no-idle-hands-by-anne-l-macdonald/) by Anne L. MacDonald A History of Hand Knitting (https://archive.org/details/historyofhandkni0000rutt/) by Richard Rutt Blazing Star Journal (https://www.agarts.org/blazing-star-literary-journal-archives/) from AgArts 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.