Comedian Clare O’Kane (Saturday Night Live, Shrill) came on the podcast and we talked about the life, death and memory of her parents, their sense of humors and influence on her, the avoidance issues most people have discussing death, and how life is different after both your parents are gone. THANKS FOR LISTENING! FOLLOW CLARE O'KANE: instagram.co…

Comedian Davidson Boswell came on the podcast and told me about a different kind of death: mourning the memory of who his brother was before his mental decline, learning to live with who he is now and the compounding effects it’s had on his family, how the American healthcare systems’ failures and online echo chambers can fuel unchecked radicalizat…

When Micah Clasper-Torch first designed a coat using fabric which had been embellished with punch needlework, her passion was born. Moving from the intense world of fashion design in New York to a more laid back lifestyle in California, Micah embraced the craft of punch needle and ran with it. Her passion for the craft is infectious, so much so tha…

Comedian Joe Gorman told me about the lessons he learned from stepdad and his sudden death last summer, bringing ashes through TSA, when a comedian’s final tweet becomes their epitaph, the outpouring of support after a loss, and the legacy of living a life where people have nothing but good things to say after you're gone. THANKS FOR LISTENING! LIK…

Lynn Harris (Gold Comedy) told me about the life and memory of her parents, her mother’s work with Noam Chomsky, her sudden death from COVID in 2020, how the pandemic prevented her and her father from seeing her before she passed, why Zoom shivas are the best Shivas, her father’s recent death, and his legacy as “a titan and a goofball.” Lynn Harris…

The 'Woven in Kirklees' textiles festival first launched in 2019 and is due to kick off for its 2025 edition this weekend. The community festival celebrates all kinds of textiles and related crafts with yarn bombs, textile art exhibitions, workshops and talks. The biennial festival runs for a whole month and this year will have 130 different events…

I had a great time talking with comedian Chris Maddock about the lives and deaths of his parents, great Minneapolis comedians that passed too soon, keeping friends’ memories alive by telling their old jokes, what happens after you die, and a couple other things too. THANKS FOR LISTENING! FOLLOW CHRIS MADDOCK: instagram.com/thechrismaddock FOLLOW TH…

When Rachael Mills took up crochet as a means to giving up smoking, little did she realise that it would one day lead to her making a Turner Prize winning doily! Last year, when the Glaswegian artist Jasleen Kaur was named the winner of the Turner Prize, crocheter Racheal was celebrating at home in Blackburn. I was thrilled when she agreed to come …

Comedian Brian Enck came on the podcast and told me about the life, memory, and questionable fashion choices of his late best friend, how he saved the day at Brian’s wedding, his sudden death in 2023, still communicating with him via writing letters in a journal, the surreality of having a gay man’s funeral in a homophobic church, and eulogizing a …

Comedian Tim Limbrick came over and we talked about his father’s life as a preacher, his sudden death in Liberia, the difficulties in bringing a loved one’s remains back to America from a different continent, the finite amount of PTO that we all have, and Baggage, the one man show he wrote to unpack all of this. FOLLOW TIM LIMBRICK: instagram.com/l…

My guest for this episode is my yarny friend, Christine Perry, who first made an appearance on the podcast back in 2021. Since chatting back then, we have become friends and when I heard that she was gearing up to a big milestone in her sock-knitting journey, I asked her if she would like to come back onto the podcast and chat about it. Last weeken…

Comedian Shea Vassar came on the podcast and we talked about losing her mother to cancer, being surprised by death even when you see it coming, processing grief through joke writing, the tasks we do to occupy our time after loss, and letting go of guilt. FOLLOW SHEA: instagram.com/justsheavassar FOLLOW MICAH: instagram.com/micah_walsh FOLLOW THE PO…

When I first approached Sara from Crochet in the Glen and asked if she would like to be a guest on Making Stitches Podcast, she couldn't understand why I'd want to speak to her. Like many (thousands) of other people who follow her Instagram account I'd enjoyed seeing her posts from her home on the picturesque Cowal Peninsula on the West Coast of Sc…

Comedian Brian Rabadeau came over and we talked about his close relationship growing up with his father, the falling-out they had during the pandemic, the bitterness that followed when he passed away from Covid, feeling sympathy for victims of propaganda, remembering his father’s legacy of helping others though his work with A.A, and learning to le…

Comedian Katherine Gorham told me about the sudden loss of father in 2023, when her college friend lost his battle with cancer, the spiritual self-gaslighting that came after the losses, how the same insurance company that screwed her dad over is now her current employer’s third party healthcare provider, and I talk about the surprisingly large amo…

For so many of us, crochet (or any craft) is as gift which offers mental release, a chance to focus on something away from the day-to-day worries of life and that creative spark so many of us need. When Marianne Rawlins was working part-time whilst raising her very small children, crochet arrived in her life. It gave her a creative outlet and ultim…

By Micah Walsh

After dreaming about a craft festival one night, Justine Robson woke up and decided she should arrange one. Two months later, she’d booked the venue (the South of England show ground) and ten months later Carry on Crafting opened its doors for the first time. This summer sees the fourth edition of the summer craft festival and with over 600 people …

Comedian Delia Kemph came over and told me about the life and memory of her father Dean, the friends who showed up to support in the aftermath, singing at his funeral, and doing stand up for the first time ever on his birthday five years after he passed. FOLLOW DELIA KEMPH: instagram.com/delia.kemph FOLLOW MICAH WALSH: instagram.com/micah_walsh FOL…

Comedian Alex Pischera came over and told me about his father’s life as an NYPD captain and 9/11 first responder, the stage 3 melanoma that was likely accelerated from that event, when his death was announced to Alex’s entire school, and why his father didn’t fit the stereotypes that some people might have about police officers. FOLLOW ALEX PISCHER…

My guests for this episode are a pair of friends who met at a tap dancing class and went on to become creative business partners. They have been sewing for more than 30 years, many of which were spent working together in their sewing studio in Ilkley in Yorkshire. Since Covid, their classes in sewing and quilting have gone from in person, on a loca…

Comedian/actor Chris Lamberth (Comedy Cellar) came on the podcast and we talked about our fathers, his parents getting to see him make it to Broadway, purchasing an urn on Amazon, and how fortunate it is to have a great dad. FOLLOW CHRIS LAMBERTH: instagram.com/chrislamberth GO TO CHRIS' SPECIAL RECORDING: www.caveat.nyc/events/an-evening-with-chri…

Comedian Paige Smith-Hogan joined me to talk about the life and memory of her mother, the intersection of grief and humor, and Dead Parents Society, her stand-up showcase of comedians who’ve lost a parent. FOLLOW PAIGE SMITH-HOGAN: Instagram.com/paigemode FOLLOW DEAD PARENTS SOCIETY: Instagram.com/deadparentssocietyshow FOLLOW THE PODCAST: instagra…

It’s so good to be back with you bringing another series of Making Stitches Podcast to your ears! My guest for this episode is Felicity aka Felix Ford, an artist who works in colour, sound and yarn. I first heard about Felix’s work when a mutual friend contacted me and suggested she might be a good guest for the podcast – she was right! Before our …

Comedian/TV writer Ellory Smith came on the podcast and we talked about when she lost her grandfather, her friend took his own life, and her father died all in the span of a year, finding humor in grief, and how beautiful it is to live a life where you get to miss people. FOLLOW ELLORY SMITH: Instagram.com/ellory_smith READ “IF YOUR PARENTS AREN’T …

Comedian Carrie Ross came over and told me about the memory of her late aunt, living on the spectrum, the repercussions (and revelations) from telling jokes about deceased relatives, comedian friends we’ve lost, and more. FOLLOW CARRIE ROSS: instagram.com/chargoond FOLLOW THE PODCAST: instagram.com/illgrieveyouwiththispodcast FOLLOW MICAH WALSH: in…

The FIFTIETH EPISODE! Comedian Savannah DesOrmeaux sat down with me and we talked about our dads, the ways their respective deaths shaped our lives, the buffoonery of funerals, and other things that we’ve learned from our grief. FOLLOW SAVANNAH: www.savannahdesormeaux.com instagram.com/savannahdeso FOLLOW THE SHOW: instagram.com/illgrieveyouwiththi…

Comedian Ross Parsons came over and we talked about his brother's life, addiction, untimely death, failures of the healthcare system, navigating different levels of acceptance, and gratitude for the friends who showed support after the loss. FOLLOW ROSS PARSONS: instagram.com/therossparsons FOLLOW THE PODCAST: instagram.com/illgrieveyouwiththispodc…

Comedian Will Purpura came on the podcast and told me about his father’s sudden death when he was a teenager, how their close relationship might have changed had he lived, how therapy has helped him realize pain caused by rejection of his sexuality, and what it’s like not being able to make amends with people when they’re not here anymore. FOLLOW W…

Comedian/writer Clark Jones (Comedy Central, Laugh Factory) came on the podcast and told me (host Micah Walsh) about losing his mother, stepmother, and brother in the span of 9 months in 2020, the benefits and limits of therapy, and the life and legacy of the late great comedian Kenny DeForest. FOLLOW CLARK JONES: www.theeclarkjones.com Instagram.c…

Amber Flannery Field came over and told me about the people she lost last year, community organizing, the three ways that trans people die, toxicity in comedy and other scenes, and why “how did they live” is a better question than how did they die. FOLLOW AMBER: www.tiktok.com/@americascomic www.instagram.com/americascomic www.youtube.com/@Americas…

Comedian Brandon Collins (Drunk Black History) came on the podcast and told me about the huge impact of his grandma, his complicated relationship with his mother, finding humor after loss, and keeping the memory of your people alive. FOLLOW BRANDON: www.frodoblackins.com www.drunkblackhistory.com instagram.com/frodo_blackins FOLLOW THE PODCAST, HOS…

Hello and welcome to the Making Stitches 2024 Christmas Special! As always at this time of year, I'm taking a look back at some of the year's highlights for Making Stitches. Included in this year's extravaganza is Tansy Forster from The Longest Yarn, author and academic Barbara Burman, Emma Varnam, Dr Gemma McKenzie from Threads of Protest, Heather…

I had a great time talking with comedian Yemi Afolabi about grief, divorce, the life and death of his first generation immigrant father, doing stand up in Sweden, what Nigerian funerals are like, and Ashes: the show about loss that he recently wrote and performed (New York Comedy Festival).By Micah Walsh

I had a great time talking with former UN war crimes lawyer turned stand up comedian and fellow Dead Dad Club member Jess Salomon (The Tonight Show) about different kinds of grief and the relationship between humor and loss. Give it a listen. FOLLOW JESS: www.jesssalomon.com www.instagram.com/jess_salomon WATCH THE SPECIAL: Jess Salomon "Sad Witch"…

Thank you for joining me for the 80th episode of Making Stitches Podcast! This time I'm sharing a chat I had with Becky Davies-Downes from William and Tilda, who, after almost two decades working in TV & film costume departments, is now sewing beautiful bags and other accessories inspired by 1940s wartime Britain. I first bumped into Becky in Septe…

This time on Making Stitches, I'm doing something a little bit different. I want to speak to you about food poverty, especially in my home city of Manchester and how I need your help to try to making things a bit easier for those who are finding it tough. As the weather gets colder and we head towards winter, the terrible decision between heating a…

I really enjoyed talking with Emmy-award-nominated comedy writer Alison Zeidman (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Adam Ruins Everything, Archer) about losing both of her parents to different difficult diseases, end-of-life stuff, and “Ready To Die?”, the show that she wrote about these and other experiences.…

Hello and welcome to the latest episode of Making Stitches - back after a longer than anticipated break! This time, I'm sharing a bumper episode featuring lots of creative chats with some of the lovely people I met at this year's Yarndale festival in Skipton two weeks ago. You will hear from: Zoe Coates from British Wool Eleonora from Coastal Croch…

Comedian Jim Search sat down with me (host Micah Walsh) and told me what it was like to lose his sister and his mother within 3 months in 2022, how death can change people's mentality, and learning to live with grief. a couple other things too. Follow Jim Search: www.jimsearchcomedy.com linktr.ee/jimsearchcomedy Jim's Medium Article: https://humanp…

My guest for this episode of Making Stitches Podcast has a background in law and human rights and a passion for crochet too. Dr Gemma McKenzie is a researcher in the Midwifery Department at King's College London specialising in maternity rights and obstetric abuse. She has decided that in order to raise awareness about her work in the field of mate…

Host Micah Walsh and comedian Molly Zalman talk about grief and loss, cremation procedural speculation, and how much we miss our dads. FOLLOW: Molly Zalman: Instagram.com/Molly_Zalman Micah Walsh: Instagram.com/micah_walsh I’ll Grieve You With This: Instagram.com/illgrieveyouwiththispodcast LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE AND RATE 5 STARS AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS …

When my guest on today's episode was about to leave a career in London for a quieter pace of life on the Cornish coast, one of her first concerns was where she would be able to buy yarn from. Fast forward a few years and Jane Abraham not only has her own yarn shop, she hosts creative retreats, has her own You Tube channel and has built an online co…

One of the unexpected things many people experience when they lose a loved one and have to sort through their posessions, can be unfinished craft projects. Maybe the person who has died was partway through making a baby blanket for a new family member, a quilt for a forthcoming wedding or simply a pair of socks or jumper for a loved one. If there's…

This time on Making Stitches Podcast, I'm thrilled to be sharing a chat I had with knitting & crochet designer, Emma Varnam. To date, Emma has written 13 books filled with inspiring designs for your home and to gift, from granny square homewares to adorable cuddly toys and crocheted pot plants! Emma is also a regular columnist for Inside Crochet ma…

For some of us makers, there's the desire to take our creativity beyond something which is purely a hobby. Whether we opt to teach our craft to others, design patterns or sell finished items at craft fairs or online, there are many ways to potentially make money from making. In this episode, I looked at Etsy as a platform for selling creative makes…

Yesterday marked the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. Along with the military commemorations, there was a very special one created in yarn, by hundreds of knitters & crocheters around the globe - The Longest Yarn. Tansy Forster, who has lived in Normandy for over 20 years, was inspired by the Post Box toppers she saw when she tra…

Hello, I’m thrilled to be back with another series of episodes of Making Stitches Podcast. This time I’m doing something a bit different, instead of launching the new series with a new interview, I’ve taken a dive into the archives. Since I last spoke to you, Making Stitches celebrated its 4th birthday (which I think is pretty decent in podcasting)…

Comedian Andrea Allen and I talk about her complicated relationship with her father, his chronic illness, what it’s like drawing boundaries with a narcissistic parent, saying a final goodbye via Zoom, and living without guilt. Follow Andrea Allen: Instagram.com/andreacomedy69 Follow Micah Walsh: Instagram.com/micah_walsh watch Bill Hicks “It’s Just…

Comedian/musician CW Headley and I talk about our relationships with our fathers, his dad’s second family, dead dad club membership, letting go of guilt and anger, and I retell the story of the first time I laughed after my dad died. FOLLOW: The podcast: Instagram.com/illgrieveyouwiththispodcast Micah Walsh: Instagram.com/micah_walsh C.W. Headley: …