Episodes
Tuesday Jul 25, 2017
Episode 18 - SSK, So Much Fun Even The Introverts Are Here
Tuesday Jul 25, 2017
Tuesday Jul 25, 2017
Episode 18 – 7/25/17 – The SSK Episode
Knitting & running in 30 minutes or less
Wips
Firebird by Romi Hill, a gorgeous shawl designed for red yarn. I’m doing this in Blue Heron Yarn’s Egyptian Mercerized Cotton in the Carnelian colorway, it’s dark red tonal gradients. I finished the central flower, which was knit in the round then bound off the top and bottoms, now working on the left wing. The wing has 4 or 5 decreases with a sort of feather hanging down – finished the first feather and onto the 2nd
Pink Hitchhiker by Martina Behm (aka strickmich) knit in Ito Yarn’s Kinu, 100% silk. It’s like a raw silk, not a finished, smooth thread.
Empire Top by Lily Go in Frogtree’s Picoboo, a discontued blend of cotton and bamboo – this is a tunic that criss-crosses across the bust then fits around the ribs and flares over the tummy. Looking to wear this with leggings and boots this fall. My primary WIP at SSK, re-cast it on the day before and got it almost to the raglan arm separation
Triyang shawl by Lee Meredith – cast on last night in Araucania’s Yumbrel
Wearables
Wore lots of knits at SSK – Scarrit Bennet center is fully air conditioned and some rooms were chilly.
Maris Stella by Anna Victoria, knit in Birdie’s Knits gradient kig
Linen Butterflies by me, Monique Leonard – knit in Louet Euroflax Sport
Thoughts on Small Needles by Joji Locatelli; worked the size XL pattern with a lace/thread-weight yarn to make a size M
Out and About
SSK! A summer knitting retreat hosted by the KnitGirllls. 4 days in Nashville with 150 amazing knitters, vendors and teachers. Thank you to Laura, Leslie, Gwen, Sarah and Mama Linneman for all your hard work, it was an amazing retreat. I arraived late, on Thursday morning instead of Wednesday night, but it was fine; I still met so many lovely people and felt welcomes right away.
Took 2 classes and 2 breakouts.
Variegated Yarns class with Margaret Radcliffe. Learned a lot about how to read the yarn, make some colors pop and others fade; how to use texture to bring out colors like when you look at a cake of variegated yarns. Long and short is, play with the yarn BEFORE you cast on for a project
Triyang Shawl with Lee Meredith (aka Leethal) was incredible to see a little into how her mind works. She’s known for usuing unusual construction to make amazing patterns. This shawl as no picking up or binbding off! We knit mini-versions of this shawl and learned the sideways Cast On and how to consider what looks like the middle of the row as your actual “start” of the row. The pattern is very well written and if you follow it exactly as written you will end up with a marvelous shawl. Trust Lee, she’s worked it all out. Even if it feels wrong, just do what’s written and it will work.
2 breakouts by Hipstrings. The first, learning to use a supported spindle. I got the very basics down. I made a rather horrible-looking spindle, but I made one! My very first time spinning. The 2nd, learning to spin cotton on a supported spindle. By the end I had a half-way decent spindle and learned to use the smallest and fastest of her spindles.
Market -
Ross Farm
Knitty and Color
Whimzee Stitches
2 Guys Yarn Co
Hopkins Sewing Studio
Gynx Yarns
Gales Art
Marigold Jen
Hobbledehoy Fibers
Hipstrings
Twist Fiber Studio
Akerworks
Lollipop yarn
Fiber Seed Yarn
Miss Babs
BareNaked Wools
Stranded Dyeworks
Fat Squirrel Fibers
Jeri Brock
Rock and String
Tuft Woolens
Jelby
So much beautiful yarn and so manyknitting bags!
I bought a spindle and a fibre sampler from HipStrings, bags from Whimzee, Fat Squirrel, and
On the Run
I’ve run twice and walked a LOT since the last episode.
Since I was up at the crack of dawn on Friday I went for a run, about a mile around Vanderbilt – beautiful campus! Felt totally safe as a woman running alone. I upped the number of run intervals from 5 to 7. Saturday I went for a walk with PAKnitWit to the Parthenon, about a mile each way.
Today continued the 7-run intervals. Knees are a little creaky after all the running and walking the past 5 days so I’m going to hold off on running again until the end of the week. But I’m so happy to be slowly increasing my running in a healthy manner.
Wednesday Jul 19, 2017
Episode 17 - Short and Sweet
Wednesday Jul 19, 2017
Wednesday Jul 19, 2017
Episode 17 7/19/17
Short and sweet this week because I recorded 5 days ago and I’m leaving on a plane at 5am tomorrow. But hey, one point of the podcast is to keep things short, right?
Linen Butterflies released!
I released my newest pattern yesterday, Linen Butterflies. Originally designed for my mom, it’s a linen lace sweater with a very simple lace pattern. From now until July 25th it’s only $3.50
Wips
Empire top by lily go – frogtree picoboo discontinued
Firebird by romi hill – blue heron yarn’s Egyptian mercerized cotton
KALs
Stash Dash – roughly 1500m
PALKAL2017, through Actually Knitting
Out and about
SSK! I leave for SSK tomorrow at 5am! WOOHOO!!!
On the Run
I’ve run twice! Still taking it slow and easy. Feels so good to be running again
Friday Jul 14, 2017
Episode 16 - Cape Cod ramblings
Friday Jul 14, 2017
Friday Jul 14, 2017
Episode 16 – 7/14/17
Nice to be back after taking last week off. And thanks for your patience with the delay this week - Thing 1 woke up Tuesday with a high fever and needed his mommy. Family always comes first. Thank you very much for your patience while he recouperated - he's back to 100% and is being his happy, normal self again.
FOs, Wips, Stash, pattern stalking, out & about, On the run and In the Garden
FOs
Mommy’s Tunic – it’s done! And just in time for the 2nd knit-a-long for SSK. I had 3 hours to spare. Unfortunately, it rained most of the day so it’s still wet. I’m waiting for sun and less humid weather for it to dry. Knit in Neve by Juniper Moon Farm, a chain-ply cotton. It’s hollow so it’s light-weight. While it’s called a worsted weight yarn, it can do 4.5 to 5.5 sts per inch so you can use it on DK projects too
Green Hitchiker shawl – Valley Yarns Greylocke 100% cashmere – Thanks to the delayed recording schedule, this is done!
Wips
Purple Hitchhiker shawl – Cascade Ultra Pima Fine in Periwinkle, still about 30%
Firebird by Romi Hill – k0% through chart 2. Starting to be a little more lacey and interesting. Using Egyptian Mercerized Cotton by Blue Heron Yarns in the Carnelian colorway
MIL hitchhiker – new, Christmas gift for MIL
Stash
Went to A Great Yarn in Chatham, MA, a combination yarn and book store. A seriously great store that you should definitely check out.
Ito Kinu – 100% silk in the Hydrangea colorway. A bright, rich pink that I think my mother-in-law will love; destined to be a hitchhiker shawl for her for Christmas
Plymouth Yarn Diversity in the Multi Blue Taupe colorway – navy, aqua, orange, taupe and white. To be matching socks for my boys for Christmas
Akerworks stitch gauge – yes, I actually own one WOOHOO! And yes, it’s as amazing as The Knit Girllls and other podcasters said it was. I was hoping to track one down next week while in Tennessee, but I found one in Cape Cod, MA. If you’re on the Cape head to A Great Yarn ASAP, they expect to sell out quickly.
Pattern Stalking
Emerald Deep – pattern for green yarn
Out and About
Just got back from a week on Cape Cod. Thing 2’s birthday, 4th of July and date night with my husband
On the Run
I ran! For the first time since January or February I actually ran!!! It was only 30-second bursts of running followed by 90-second walks but it’s a start. I’m taking things slow and steady so I don’t get another injury.
In the Garden
Picked sugar snap peas and gooseberries in the backyard. Tomatoes are flourishing on the deck – lots of small fruit though none ripe. Peppers are getting bigger. Fresh basil, mint and lemon balm!