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Sunday, July 27, 2008

Flirting With Startitis- Episode 14 - The Knitmore Girls

Regia 0109 CU

Listen here:Podcasticon

On the Needles:

Gigi is having some focus issues, due to exhaustion. There was a "Small Wings" sock incident.
Jasmin's "pre-bed" knitting is a little more complicated- a Monkey sock (out of Regia silk) and a Hedera (Koigu) are on her nightstand.
Jasmin has finished her Tour de Fleece spinning (the Berry Patch colorway, Judy's Novelty Yarns). There is a total of 24 oz spun and plied. Listen for the method! This may become a Ribbi Cardi (for the 2008 Knitting Olympics).
Gigi is still working her way through the The Little Box of Socks. She's hoping to knit herself a pair of Roman Rib socks.
Jasmin has been sticking to The Agreement with Tika, and has finished two pairs of socks. The first is her "She's Like a Rainbow" Socks (handspun by Jasmin from Crown Mountain Farms). She's also finished the Regia Silk socks (colorway 0190).
Gigi has restarted her Nicky Epstein Felted Rose Trellis Bag after ripping it out 8 or 10 times.
To buy wonderful silk fabric, try Thai Silks in Los Altos.
We want to use the silk to line our Philsopher's Wool sweaters.
Jasmin is on a starting binge. She's just cast on some handspun yarn (roving from Girl on the Rocks, colorway "Sirius").
Gigi has wound her yarn for her Basic Chic Pulli (that's her Knitting Olympics project).
Jasmin is also knitting a pair of socks out of Dream in Color Smooshy (color, Butter Peeps), a pair out of Lisa Souza's Hardtwist merino (color, Blueflame), some Creatively Dyed Yarns "Ocean" (color # 533), and some Tess Yarns' Peruvian Sock (color, Peach Melba). All of this is for review, later.

Review:
Jasmin attended Shakespeare Santa Cruz's production of Romeo and Juliet. It was SUPER GOOD! The balcony scene made Jasmin feel 14 years old again. You should go to their shows- they cast pretty and hunky people.

Stitch and Pitch:
Jasmin and Andrew went up with the Purlescence crowd, ate junk food, and had a pretty good time.

When Knitting Attacks:
Jasmin's handspun "Ain't no mountain high enough" handspun (roving from Crown Mountain Farms) is terribly overspun and over-Navajo Plied. Terribly, tragically overspun and overplied. She's ripping it out and getting rid of the yarn.
Gigi is working on her "Perfect T" sweater, but her sleeves aren't quite working out.

Mother Knows Best:
Gigi will make a paper pattern with the dimensions before knitting another sweater to ensure proper fit.
To deal with yarn that has been frogged, re-skein the yarn, soak it in warm-ish water for 15 minutes, and hang it to dry with a tiny bit of weight suspended off of it. Too much weight will damage the yarn, so be careful.

Events:
Friday, August 1st- All's Well that Ends Well, at Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Come KIP with us with culture!
Sunday, August 17th- Monterey Wool Auction
Friday, August 22nd- Burn This- Shakespeare Santa Cruz.


Sunday, July 13, 2008

Frankly, Franklin! - Episode 12 - The Knitmore Girls

Franklin, Me, Sock

Listen here:
Podcasticon


This week, we interview Franklin Habit.
"It Itches" will be launching in October at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival (Rhinebeck). Check out the preview.

We talk about "It Itches", and the 1000 Knitters Project. Franklin is charming, and we are charmed by him.

Jasmin tells Franklin that his lace was what inspired her to knit lace.

Franklin's current yarn obsession is with silk. Read about it!

We talk about the sheep in the room: 2008 Fibertarian Presidential Candidate, Delores Van Hoofen. Nominee Van Hoofen is calling out her Canadian Fibertarian competition. Bring it, Stephanie!

We also talk about the Lorna's Laces Franklin's Panopticon colorway!

Jasmin conveys No-blog-Rachel's long-standing love for Franklin. He loves you back!

Readers: don't be shy! Talk to Franklin. He's terribly sweet.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Yarn fumes! - Episode 11 - The Knitmore Girls

Jasmin and Gigi have been down sick (or traveling), so here's another double episode!
patriotic jello
(Have some patriotic jello!)

Listen here:
Podcasticon

FO's!

Jasmin's "Not Your Standard Issue Sweatshirt" made of the diVe "Autunno". Ravelry link here.
(Her changes include darts, lenthening the sweater, knitting it in the round, and knitting the sleeves top-down-magic-loop-two-at-a-time.) The trick to knitting sleeves top-down is to reverse the directions. Bwa ha ha.

Yarn Review:

DiVe "Autunno". Lots of knots. 9 balls, each ball had a knot. Jasmin was not pleased. She won't buy it again. Uncool.

Jasmin likes the Yarn Girls books for handpainted yarns.

Jasmin is knitting another "NYSIS" out of Malabrigo "Little Lovely". She also bought yarn while traveling in Maine.

Speaking of traveling, please join my "kindness, pleasant, and decent" movement. This is redundant, I'm sure for our listeners, but pay it all forward.

Jasmin's new spinning wheel arrived! It's 30" double treadle Schacht-Reeves Saxony wheel in Cherry. Friends conspired, and the wheel was waiting for her upon her arrival.

Jasmin is breaking it in and remembering that it's a bit of work. Breaking in a wheel means getting all the parts lubricated and moving. Alas, she [the wheel] needs a name. Suggestions?

On the Needles:

Gigi is trying to get through her Icarus. She's doing the double basket socks, and has finished the Monarch Casbah socks. FO!

Gigi has also been lusting after some Regia since January, and Purlescence put it on sale. "High on wool fumes" doesn't begin to describe it.

It turns out that Jasmin isn't a stash-buster. Her stash has gotten her through some slim times. Like a savings account, minus the interest.

We talk about the evolution of our knitting, from Jasmin's functional obsession with socks to lace, Gigi's knitting changes because she's going through a period of personal growth. Growing as a knitter makes them feel smart.

Jasmin has put together a label to use on her gift socks. It looks like this:

Dee Socks

If you'd like the template (in Word), it's linked in the sidebar.

Mother Knows Best:

When knitting lace in dark colors, have something white on your lap to help with the contrast.

Ease gives Gigi a hard time.

When Knitting Attacks:

Figure out ease before you start knitting.

Knitting Events:

Tour de Fleece. Spin up your stuff during the Tour de France. Jasmin is using the Tour de Fleece to "train" for the Knitting Olympics. (The Knitting Olympics start 8/8/08.) Join Team Knitmore! (We'll have a logo soon.) Here's the link for the "Ravelympics 2008" group.

Thanks to our show sponsor, Purlescence Yarns.