Sunday, April 12, 2009

Galina knits behind the Iron Curtain - Episode 48 - The Knitmore Girls

Lily of the Valley
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This week's episode has been sponsored by:

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This week, in lieu of our regular segments, we have an interview with Galina Khmeleva of Skaska Designs Limited.

In this episode, Galina discusses knitting in communist Russia, and how she ended up as an accomplished author, instructor, and historian of the Orenburg lace tradition.

Her books:
Gossamer Webs: The History and Techniques of Orenburg Lace Shawls
The Gossamer Webs Design Collection: Three Orenburg Shawls to Knit

Her workshop schedule and calendar of events can be found here.

Galina's preferred fibers for lace knitting:

1- Quiviut
2- Cashmere (longer staple)
3- Cashmere and silk. Silk helps the knitting retain it's memory.
4- Pygora

12 comments:

  1. What an absolutely compelling episode. The interview captivated my attention and held it tight, from beginning to end. Thank you SO MUCH. Amazing stuff. You've just set the bar about 48 notches higher than any podcast I've ever heard. *cheers*

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  2. I wanted the interview to go on for hours..just amazing!
    I had never heard of the Knitmore Girls podcast until I met both of you at Stitches West. It is now my all time favorite and I truly look forward to downloading the newest episode every week. Thank you so much Jasmin and Gigi for such a wonderful and welcoming podcast!!!

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  3. This interview with Galina was captivating. Her story is incredible and what a great storyteller she is.

    Thank you for sharing this with your listeners.

    This is the fourth episode I hear and I look foward to hearing more.

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  4. Fascinating. Great interview. Clearly her next book should be a biography. I love her voice - she should do the audio version of same. Thanks ladies!

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  5. That was fascinating, what a wonderful warm witty woman she is! I think I would still be sitting listening to her at Stitches if I was podcasting!

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  6. What a fabulous episode. Galina is an international treasure. Thank you so much for doing the interview and for playing it without interruption.

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  7. I really enjoyed this podcast. Galina was wonderful to listen to. Thank you for sharing her story will all of us.

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  8. Thank you for this captivating interview! I loved it and will listen to it again!

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  9. what a great interview! thank you for putting it up in its entirety! Could have listened for hours .... she should write another book!

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  10. That interview was wonderful! I just listened to it. And then I went on-line to see what I culd find out about Galina. I found a website with a calendar of her appearances and ovund she is actually coming here!! to Norther Minnesota!!! next September. I'm going to try to find out more now. Nobody ever comes here!

    Thanks for a wonderful episode. I'm listening to #49 now.

    Ceci in Duluth, MN

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  11. Thank you so much for this wonderful interview.

    Helen

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  12. Wow! What a great interview and how very informative. It was wonderful to hear about her experiences both here and in Russia. I enjoyed hearing which fibers she enjoys and was tickled when Pygora was mentioned as I believe that it is a "New World" fiber being used to make an "Old World" product.

    Keep up the good work.

    Luwana in Central Oregon

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