Everyday Knitter is a weekly newsletter about knitting and life from Louise Tilbrook.
With so much everything available everywhere, all the time, finding content worth your time and attention can be a struggle. To quote marketing guru Seth Godin, “Where we choose to direct our gaze determines not only what we learn or believe, but how we choose to see the world.” To help you narrow down the options, we’ve identified 10 Substacks that provide information, inspiration, and community for creative entrepreneurs.
What is a Substack?
Founded in 2017, Substack is an easy-to-use platform for the publication, distribution, and monetization of content. This content can take just about any form: text, images, audio, or video. A Substack can be a newsletter, a blog, a podcast, a digital magazine, a serialized novel, or a community conversation. The creator of each Substack retains ownership and control of the content and the subscriber list. Each creator decides whether to offer paid subscriptions and which (if any) content lives behind the paywall. Substack takes 10% of paid subscription revenue.
Big-name authors, such as Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Nick Offerman enjoy the freedom to write what they like and communicate directly with fans without the mediation of a publisher or a social media algorithm. The subscription model eliminates infiltration by trolls. Because the platform is easy and free to use, there are Substacks on just about any subject you could name, no matter how niche.
Our choices focus on well-produced, regularly published content on craft and craft-adjacent topics. All offer a free subscription option, so you can see if a Substack is a good fit for your interests without any financial commitment.
Austin Kleon
The best-selling author of Steal Like an Artist publishes two newsletter-style posts each week: one for all subscribers and one for paid subscribers only. His content is focused on living a creative life and keeping the artistic fires burning. The weekly free newsletter centers around a list of 10 Things Worth Sharing—links to all sorts of interesting things. Paid subscribers have access to his content archive.
The Gusset
Sarah C. Swett is a fine-art tapestry weaver and cartoonist. Her delightful weekly newsletter is richly illustrated with her cartoons about life as a maker. Swett’s work is whimsical and peppered with nuggets of technique, from building your own pipe loom to spinning yarn from used coffee filters. None of the posts are hidden behind a paywall, but paid subscriptions are welcomed.
The Handmade Garden newsletter is from Lorene Edwards Forkner, a Pacific Northwest gardener who makes gorgeous watercolor studies of natural elements.
The Art of Fiber
Jodie Morgan is an Australian knitter and crocheter. The focus of her Substack is curation of products and technique resources. Her weekly newsletters for all subscribers are packed with yarn store tours, trivia, updates on her works-in-progress, and product recommendations. Paid subscribers have access to the Ask Jodie advice column, full content archive, and tutorial extras.
The Craft of Clothes
Australian clothing designer Liz Haywood writes about sustainable clothing and zero-waste sewing. Her monthly newsletters for all subscribers include information about her patterns, updates on ongoing projects, and links to other zero-waste fashion resources. At the time of writing, there is no option for paid subscriptions; all content is free.
Subversive Substack
Julie Jackson is the creator of Subversive Cross Stitch, a brand known for its cheeky take on this traditional craft. A free subscription will get you a twice weekly newsletter with info on promotions and new products. Paid subscribers receive a free pattern each month, along with the ability to comment, enter giveaways, and access the archives.
The Sewing Machine Newsletter
California sewing machine technician Cale Schoenberg publishes a more-or-less weekly newsletter with everything you never knew you wanted to know about sewing machines. This well-written newsletter is an enjoyable read even for those with only a passing interest in sewing. The regular newsletter is free; paid subscribers get exclusive posts, access to the archive, and can post comments.
Everyday Knitter
Knitting designer Louise Tilbrook publishes a weekly newsletter about knitting and life. Tilbrook has built a lovely community on Substack; the comments on her posts are friendly, warm, and supportive. Paid subscribers get a second weekly email and the ability to participate in a virtual book club and access the archive.
The Gusset is a weekly newsletter richly illustrated with Sarah C. Swett’s cartoons about life as a maker.
A Handmade Garden
Lorene Edwards Forkner is a Pacific Northwest gardener who makes gorgeous watercolor studies of natural elements. Her free weekly newsletter is a compilation of her daily color studies and a wellspring of color inspiration for any artist or designer. Paid subscribers get exclusive posts and access to the archives.
SoulSpace Notes
Weaver Christine Jablonski writes a more-or-less monthly newsletter about her weaving projects and patterns. Her newsletters are full of technical information and lots of enticing photos. Current newsletters are free to subscribers, but the archives are behind a paywall.
Breakfast of Champignons
The title of this Substack tells you a lot about the sly humor on display in this newsletter from English printmaker Deb Champion. Her weekly newsletter includes watercolors from her sketchbook, process photos of her printmaking, and hilariously told stories. None of the content is behind a paywall.
We hope one or more of these Substacks enriches your creative practice. While all these authors make at least some of their content available for free, most consider their Substack part of their income stream. If you have the means and find yourself eagerly anticipating the next newsletter to land in your inbox, upgrade to a paid subscription. Creative work deserves compensation!
Interested in creating a Substack of your own? Check out our article. Want to Make Money with Your Newsletter? Try Substack, for tips on getting started.
Sandi Rosner
Contributor
Sandi Rosner (she/her) learned to knit in the late 1970s from the instructions in the back of a magazine. She now works as a freelance designer, technical editor, writer and teacher. When Sandi isn’t knitting, she usually has her nose in a book. Find more of Sandi’s work at www.sandirosner.substack.com.
Thanks for this list! I’ve recently launched my newsletter (slowstitchingcircle.substack.com) and am looking for more good content to follow there. I’m hoping that once art/craft newsletters reach a critical mass, Substack will add a topic for hobbies or something similar. Right now the choice of topics for people searching Substack for these topics is somewhat limited. Curious to others’ thoughts on this!
I hope so too! It would make it much easier for like-minded makers to find each other. I love the ideas you shared about how to display your stitching. Some very creative and fun suggestions!
Thanks so much, Jodie! Love the amazing world of color on your Substack page!
What a great list you shared! I will subscribe to some. And thank you for clearly explaining Substack. I didn’t understand what it was.
Welcome to the crafting Substack community! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Also, I’ve been on Substack for a while, so if you have any questions, I’d be happy to help!
Wow, it’s nice to see so many crafters using Substack. Definitely can be a bit hard to navigate the site. As a tip, if you already get too many emails, I like to follow the author’s profile page which can be found at the bottom of their about page. I am not a crafter but if you like content on arts, culture and education in Spanish and English you can find my page at alynaomie.substack.com (or the author page substack.com/@alynaomie).
These are great tips! Your newsletter will be a fun read and good practice for my Spanish. We took our kids to live in Spain and Mexico so they could learn to speak Spanish but my skills are still a work in progress!😊
That is so cool! I lived in Spain for a few years as a kid, too. Language learning is definitely a journey, you might go forwards and backwards – it’s always a work in progress.
Just subscribed! Can’t wait to read more from you!
Thanks, I just followed you back!
This is a good list! I already follow several of the newsletters. I write a weekly essay to inspire more lighthearted crafting on Substack and it has been a great way to connect with others. http://Www.meandertextiles.substack.com
I agree! We’re so fortunate to have such a wonderful, supportive community of makers on Substack. I’ve subscribed to your newsletter, spinning is something I’d love to do one day. I enjoyed your reflections on your spinning skills.
Thank you so much for including me in this piece, I’m honoured to be among such great company. Substack is such a wonderfully vibrant platform for creatives of all kinds and I love how easy it is to explore and find new inspiration there.
Just subscribed and recommended your Substack! Love your watercolor, quilting and of course, your helper kitty Olive 🙂
Thanks so much for including The Art Of Fiber! What a great list.
You’re so right about Sarah’s The Gusset. I’m in awe of her weaving and storytelling. Her illustrations about her life are so engaging! I also love Louise’s Everyday Knitter newsletter. Her knitwear designs are gorgeous. And Liz’s writing is a wonderful resource on zero waste sewing.
Thanks for your recommendations! Most of these are new to me, and I’ll definitely subscribe! I also have a list of my favorite fiber arts Substack people here, if that’s helpful: https://jodiemorgan.substack.com/recommendations
Thanks very much again!
Also, Sandi, I just noticed the link to your Substack in your bio doesn’t work. If you remove the “www.” at the front that should fix it.
Many thanks for the mention, Sandi. I will enjoy looking up everyone else.
I post monthly and yes, don’t have paid subscriptions.
I subscribed and can’t wait to read more… for now I’m off to find that biography of Mrs. Beeton!
What a wonderful list of interesting people to follow! I know Louise from the Everyday Knitter and she recommended I start my own substack, as I design knitwear and crochet.
I’m off to follow everyone now. Thankyou!
OH my word, I’m blushing– beside myself to be on this list in such stupendous and illustrious company. Thank you Sandi! And now, off to explore some more.
Subscribed and can’t wait to read more! Cheers!
Thanks, Sandi! What a wonderful surprise on a cold night and a map to find my like-minded crafters!
p.s. Subversive Substack is really just once a week, the second one is for non-openers—Substack doesn’t have a way to do that yet. C’mon, Substack! 😜
This is great! There’s definitely a growing number of crafters on substack but I’d argue it’s still a relatively small group of us on there! I have one as well where I publish a few times a month on a variety of crafts: https://soulslikewheels.substack.com/