Sep 29, 2025
Show Notes:
Franklin Habit talks about
working in higher education administration (and elsehwere) before
eventually finding happiness in his current profession within the
fiber arts. He discusses some of the blind alleys he explored,
including museum work, opera stage directing, web design, and
online marketing.
Building a Career in
Knitting
Franklin
shares how he learned to knit from a veteran knitter and classmate,
Eliza Lake. He describes how his blog about knitting took off,
leading to a book deal and a career in teaching and writing.
Franklin recounts the early days of his blog, starting with a
department lecture where he first heard the word "blog." He
describes how he initially thought his blog was private and was
surprised by the comments and traffic it received. Franklin
mentions attending the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival, and
meeting major figures in the fiber arts community.
COVID and Transition to Teaching and
Speaking
Franklin discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic
affected his in-person teaching and speaking engagements. He
explains his transition to online teaching and to Patreon, which
helped him maintain income during the pandemic. Franklin shares how
he enjoys making videos and audio pieces and adapting his in-person
classes for online audiences.
Living in
Paris
The conversation turns to Paris, why
he moved there, and his life in Paris, including his love for
walking and discovering hidden places. He mentions attending
performances and visiting museums and galleries. Franklin talks
about his Instagram account, where he posts about his daily life,
needlework, and animals in his neighborhood. He explains how he
balances posting about knitting with other interests to keep his
followers engaged.
Harvard
Reflections
Franklin reflects on how his art
history degree from Harvard influences his knitting and teaching.
He mentions professors James Ackerman, John Shearman, and Seymour
Slive, who taught him valuable research and teaching skills. He
explains how his background in art history helps him connect
historical and cultural elements to his knitting, and he uses his
knowledge of art and architecture to design and teach knitting
patterns. Franklin explains the complexity of knitting, including
the mathematical and three-dimensional aspects. He mentions
teaching students how to knit using pre-literate methods and the
connections to ancient systems like the Kanon of Polykleitos. He
also discusses the gender perceptions and prejudices associated
with knitting, and his upcoming project with Knit Stars, a series
of classes and documentaries about notable
needleworkers.
Timestamps:
03:12: Discovering Knitting and
Blogging
05:43: Franklin's Unique Style and
Books
11:11: The Early Days of
Blogging
17:05: Transition to Online Teaching
and Patreon
20:45: Life in Paris and
Instagram
29:42: Influence of Art History on
Knitting
51:09: Complexity and Satisfaction
in Knitting
51:29: Gender Perceptions in
Knitting
51:46: Franklin's Online Presence
and Future Plans
Links:
Instagram and Threads:
@franklin.habit
Bluesky: @franklinhabit.bsky.social
Patreon:patreon.com/franklinhabit
Knit Stars:
https://knitstars.com/masterclass-franklin-habit/?ref=567&utm_campaign=franklins-season-10
YouTube channel:
youtube.com/franklinhabit
Society6 (art prints
and merchandise): society6.com/franklinhabit
Spoonflower (fabrics
and wallpapers): spoonflower.com/profiles/franklinhabit
Foxe and Boxe Project:
foxeandboxe.com
Featured
Non-profit:
The featured non-profit
of this week’s episode is recommended by Pete Schmidt who
reports: “
Hi, I’m Pete Schmidt,
class of 92. The featured non-profit of this week’s episode of The
92 Report is the Davis Phinney Foundation. Davis started this
Parkinson’s disease patient advocacy organization to focus on how
people with Parkinson’s disease can be empowered to take
charge of their condition and live their best lives
now. I've worked with the foundation for over a decade and
served on their board for six years and am currently serving as
chairman. You can learn more about their work at dpf.org. And now, here's Will Bachman with
this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work,
visit: dpf.org.