Sew What? artwork

Visual Arts · Isabella Rosner

Sew What?

by Isabella Rosner

A podcast all about historic needlework and those who stitched it, hosted by your local historic needlework expert, Isabella Rosner.

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

The American Folk Art Museum's New Schoolgirl Art Exhibition!: An Interview with Dr Emelie Gevalt and Dr Caroline Culp

In this episode Isabella interviews Dr Emelie Gevalt and Dr Caroline Culp, co-curators of the upcoming exhibition Locating Girlhood: Place and Identity in Early American

Oct 2
56 min

Dress, Textiles, and Needlework of the Irish Poor: An Interview with Dr Eliza McKee

In this episode Isabella interviews Dr Eliza McKee, Irish dress and social historian. The two talk about the dress, textiles, and needlework of the Irish poor. You can fi

Aug 21
1 h 01 min

John Craske, Fisherman Turned Embroiderer: An Interview with Lisa Little and Lesley Lougher

In this episode Isabella interviews Lisa Little, curator of Sheringham Museum at the Mo, and Lesley Lougher, volunteer and former trustee of Sheringham Museum at the Mo,

Aug 7
54 min

The History and Use of Tatting: An Interview with Dr Brenda Rewhorn

In this episode Isabella interviews Dr Brenda Rewhorn, the chairman of the Ring of Tatters and a maker of all sorts of textiles who did her PhD on the history of tatting.

Jun 26
44 min

Charlotte Brontë's Life Through Clothes: An Interview with Dr Eleanor Houghton

In this episode, Isabella interviews Dr Eleanor Houghton about her new book Charlotte Brontë's Life Through Clothes, published by Bloomsbury. Images and sources are

Apr 1
46 min

Sew What? Goes to India, Part 1: Chanakya International and Chanakya School of Craft

In the first part of this two-part episode about needlework in India, Isabella interviews the staff at Chanakya, based in Mumbai. Images and sources are available at @se

Mar 27
44 min

Sew What? Goes to India, Part 2: Shrujan and Shrujan LLDC

In the second part of this two-part episode about needlework in India, Isabella interviews the staff at Shrujan and Shrujan LLDC, based in Bhuj.  Images and sources are

Mar 27
1 h 10 min

Art X Fashion: An Interview with Dr Elizabeth Way

In this episode, Isabella interviews Dr Elizabeth Way about her exhibition Art X Fashion, on display at the Museum at FIT until 19 April 2026. Images and sources are ava

Mar 23
42 min

Collecting Samplers: An Interview with Alexandra Peters

In this episode, Isabella interviews Alexandra Peters about her sampler collection and the importance of studying samplers.  Images and sources are available at @sewwhat

Feb 27
55 min

Textile Conservation and Marie Antoinette Style: An Interview with Hannah Sutherland

In this episode, Isabella interviews Hannah Sutherland, ACR, Senior Textile Conservator at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The two discuss what is involved in conservatio

Dec 11 2025
57 min

Chinese Textiles in 18th-Century Britain: An Interview with Shilei Zeng

In this episode, Isabella interviews Shilei Zeng, Assistant Curator of China at the Victoria and Albert Museum and final year PhD student at King's College London. T

Nov 29 2025
47 min

The History of Punch Needle: An Interview with Micah Clasper-Torch

In this episode, Isabella interviews Micah Clasper-Torch, an artist, designer, and educator whose work is centred around the traditional craft of punch needle rug hooking

Oct 23 2025
1 h 01 min

The Embroidery of Lorina Bulwer: An Interview with Ruth Battersby

In this episode, Isabella interviews Ruth Battersby, Senior Curator of Costume and Textiles at Norfolk Museums Service. The two talk about the embroidery of Lorina Bulwer

Apr 17 2025
1 h 05 min

The Late, Great Major A.T. Casdagli: An Interview with Alexis Penny Casdagli

In this episode, Isabella interviews Alexis Penny Casdagli, the daughter of Major A.T. Casdagli, an Anglo-Greek spy famous for embroidering subversive needlework during h

Mar 27 2025
56 min

Sew What? Meets Haptic & Hue: An Interview with Jo Andrews

In this episode, Isabella interviews Jo Andrews, host of the wonderful textile podcast Haptic & Hue. Images and sources are available at @sewwhatpodcast on Twitter, Inst

Feb 27 2025
43 min

Holiday Special!: Gathered at Gressenhall

In this special holiday episode, Isabella interviews a variety of individuals who helped plan and who attended Gathered at Gressenhall, a special textile takeover day at

Dec 19 2024
59 min

Plantation Goods: An Interview with Dr Seth Rockman

In this episode, Isabella interviews Dr Seth Rockman, associate professor of history at Brown University, about his new book Plantation Goods: A Material History of Ameri

Nov 21 2024
1 h 06 min

Samplers by Free, Freed, and Enslaved Schoolgirls: An Interview with Sarah Brokenborough

In this episode, Isabella interviews Sarah Brokenborough, a PhD student at Tulane University, about her master's dissertation entitled "What’s the Use?: A Comparison

Oct 24 2024
52 min

Stitching in Prison: An Interview with Fine Cell Work

In this episode, Isabella interviews three people from Fine Cell Work, a British charity that runs rehabilitation projects in prisons by training prisoners in paid, skill

Sep 27 2024
1 h 02 min

The History and Power of Mending: An Interview with Kate Sekules

In this episode, Isabella interviews writer, historian, teacher, and lifelong mender Kate Sekules about the history and importance of mending and darning. Images and sou

Sep 5 2024
48 min

Chart trend

Position in the Visual Arts chart (US), last 90 days.

#11
all-time peak
90
days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Sew What? ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 7, 2026).

#86 ▼ 24 Visual Arts US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

History + textiles/needlework + the people behind them = a winning podcast. I love the topics and interviews and always learn something new (like the collaboration between Amish and Hmong women needleworkers).

Needlework nerd · Jan 2022

Listening to Sew What is like having Matzaball soup with your Bubbe while touring an art museum. You will feel loved and classy at the same time. I only felt this once before and it was at the Getty Center in Bel Air, California. Isabella can educate, inspire and hug you all at once. Enjoy!

Jann at · Nov 2021

So glad I found this podcast! It’s been hard for me to find others that are interested in textile history. I look forward to getting my notification that a new podcast is posted. Top-notch information and professionally done!

TeeLeister · Apr 2021

I appreciate this podcast as it’s brought me closer to the subject of material culture in a very accessible / not intimidating way. I especially loved the episode with Kelli R. Coles on 18th / 19th century Black American schoolgirl samplers!

octorooneyre · Jan 2021

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.

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About Sew What? on Reason.fm

Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Sew What?, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.

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