#60: Exploring Female Culture and Identity with Sophie Passmore

You don’t often get to dig deep into your friends’ interior experiences and philosophies, but that’s what I’m doing today. My friend Sophie is possibly the most resourceful and creative person I’ve met. In Ep. #35 we heard about her fascinating journey with Mask Makers UK during the pandemic. In this one (Ep. #60), Sophie traces the sources of her inventive and self-sufficient nature to her experiences of feminism, community and family growing up on the West Coast of Canada. Sophie also shares how she uses art to celebrate female culture and to explore her identity via the visual and textile traditions of her mixed heritage. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

The free Raglan Hoodie pattern for kids by Brindille & Twig comes in two size ranges: 0 months to 6 years and 7 - 14 years. 

Check out the video of myself and my boss Josie discussing ways to reduce waste, both as a business and as sewers. 

Also check out the video of us talking about more sustainable haberdashery, notions and tools.  

Listen to the first part of this conversation with Sophie in Episode #35: Mask Making with Sophie Passmore. 

See examples of Sophie Passmore’s incredible pots and vases on her website. 

Sophie’s ceramic she-wees have their own Instagram page @piss_muffet. 

Learn more about the Cowichan knitting tradition on Wikipedia. 

An article in Yam Magazine, centering on knitter Dora Wilson, goes further into the tradition of Cowichan knitting. See Dora wearing a Cowichan sweater below:

(image source: Yam Magazine)