Transcript
Speaker: You're listening to the Archaeology Podcast Network. Hi, I'm Rachel Roden. And I'm Heather Boyd, and we're your hosts for a new podcast on the Archaeology Podcast Network called Historical Yarns. So Rachel, why don't you get started by telling us a little bit about how history and yarn meet for you.
Speaker: Well, I used to be an archaeologist. I have a degree in anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And I spent a bunch of years working in the field doing CRM, and I've done some field schools and stuff over the years. So I have a deep love for history and archaeology. And then I also discovered I also have a passion for yarn and knitting and anything fiber -related, really.
Speaker: design patterns and I dye yarn and yeah, even crochet a little bit now. So I pretty much will do anything fiber related. So for me, I have always heard lots of stories about knitting in the history and where it comes from, but I just don't really know what's true and what's false. So this podcast is a way to kind of find out the why behind a lot of the stories and the knitting history that I've heard over the years.
Speaker: And how about you? What brought you to history and yarn? Well, like you, I've always been interested in history just sort of through the lens of literature, because I was an English literature and Spanish language and literature major, also at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, although Rachel and I did not know each other there. We met later on. I'm sure that'll come out during the five years. So crazy. We spent four years at the same university without knowing each other.
Speaker: Um, so I'm used to sort of picking through historical texts with a fine tooth comb and finding all the little details of minutiae out there that may not be interesting to other people, but they're what make history interesting to me.
Speaker: And in more recent years, I guess, actually starting in the last 10 years or so, I've gotten really interested in knitting and the technique behind knitting. So I started knitting in high school, but I didn't care anything about technique and everything I made was a complete disaster. And so as I got older, I decided to finally start doing it right and get really interested in techniques and do things by the book, so to speak, but also branch out and find my own way to do things.
Speaker: Now I'm interested in designing. I dye yarn with Rachel. I crochet and mostly just enjoy fiber in all its forms. So for me, getting to go back and research what was done historically and sort of the evolution of the techniques that we're going to go into is the really interesting part.
Speaker: Yeah, I think we've both heard a lot of stories over the years of where this technique came from, where that technique came from, or this region had this thing or that. And there's just a lot of stories. And I am super excited to research these stories and these regions and these cultures and these people and find out what's true, what's not, and also do some knitting along the way. OK, the way this is going to work is we're going to have a six episode season.
Speaker: Every week we'll release an episode of both the podcast and also a clue for the the knit along portion of it as well. And we will give you history and we'll talk about the techniques and we'll check in with you on your knitting and kind of have a whole community knit along along with the history and the techniques that we're going to be telling you about. We'll also have the opportunity for you to ask questions during the knit along that we'll answer in the following week.
Speaker: Yeah. So you can find us and the podcast at arcpodnet .com forward slash historical yarns or anywhere where you normally download podcasts. And you can find me on Ravelry at Heather Boyd 84. And you can find me on Ravelry at Rachel Unraveled. And that's where the first pattern is going to be available to download. So just keep an eye there. And also you can find me on Instagram as Rachel Unraveled and on Twitter as Rachel Unraveled. Same place everywhere.
Speaker: So I'm really excited about this, Rachel. I think it's going to be fun, like our own little podcast, Knitting Circle. We're hoping for a lot of participation and people to chime in with ideas and comments and just like you would do when you get together with your friends to knit. Or if you're not into knitting, to talk about history.
Speaker: Yeah, for sure. I'm super excited too. I think we're going to really get to dive into the history of some of these topics and then we'll be knitting at the same time. I mean, it's a perfect combination, I think. So yeah, we're super excited and we'd love to hear from you guys. Let us know what techniques and regions and places you're interested in hearing us talk about, because we've got, you know, we plan on doing this for as long as we've got topics. So keep them coming, you guys.
Speaker: This show is produced and recorded by the Archaeology Podcast Network, Chris Webster and Tristan Boyle, in Reno, Nevada at the Reno Collective. This has been a presentation of the Archaeology Podcast Network. Visit us on the web for show notes and other podcasts at www .archpodnet .com. Contact us at chrisatarchaeologypodcastnetwork .com.
