Hello Everyone

I'm still not all of the way better. For the record, this is the sickest I've ever been, except for mono in HS and chicken pox when I was a kid. And, by far, the grossest illness I've ever had. If you're reading the comments, you'll notice that Plain(s)Feminist lives about 200 feet away from my house and is a very good friend. She dropped off my Christmas present, although I couldn't give her hers for fear of spreading this thing, so it will sit in my gift closet for another ten days or so until I see her again.

I'm flying away to see my family on Friday, so there won't be any podcast this week or next week. See you in the new year!

Meanwhile, my extra-cool Miss Violet's Pink Ribbon came, much faster than I thought. It's beautiful. I was going to do the sideways baby sweater from Greetings from Knit Cafe, but now I'm thinking an Elizabeth Zimmerman baby surprise and maybe some baby leggings if I have enough left over. This is great because I really needed some plane knitting and knitting I could do around my sister without ruining her birthday surprise. I've been feeling too sick to knit (ok, I am just tired of putting it down every 15 minutes and sprinting across the house), but maybe I'm just too sick to knit lace or finish in ends. I really should finish the ends, though, on the last piece of Christmas knitting I'm doing this year. You heard me. I'm DONE. Even nearly a week of incapacity couldn't stop me.

What I get

Ok. so I was feeling all better Friday morning and then bam - awful, horrible no good stomach flu that had me up all night, not doing anything at all fun. I'm now sipping gatorade and enjoying my cat's loving attention, but I'm not up to the microphone. Sorry, folks.

Run, don't walk and buy this yarn

http://www.limenviolet.blogspot.com/

In response to Miss Violet finding a lump in her breast, the great and very cool Lisa Souza created a new colorway of her fantastic yarn.

This is what she said about it on her blog:
"This time it is different. When Lime & Violet asked me a few months ago, if I could create a sock color to help them to raise funds to keep the lights on, I was flattered and wondering exactly who these two young women were. Then, with the birthday I-pod, I got to know their voices and just fell into the fun and entertaining ways that they have about them. Along the way, Miss Violet has had some tough days and this week has brought her full on into the scary world of women who find a lump. How an insurance company can tell a person that there is a 1K deductible to be met before any help kicks in is more than a person with this stress should be able to endure. Once again I have been asked and have created Violet's Pink Ribbon, to help to generate funds to defray the costs of finding out what comes next. It will be a self striping colorway with the pink ribbon swirling with the party that is Lime & Violet...effervescent and full of life. No matter what happens, this colorway will be earmarked for Breast Cancer, with an emphasis on Life and the pursuit of happiness."

The sock yarn is here http://www.lisaknit.com/yarn/animalfibers/sock.html

The merino sock yarn is here http://www.lisaknit.com/yarn/animalfibers/sock-merino.html

The superfine, superwash sport yarn is here http://www.lisaknit.com/yarn/animalfibers/superwash-sport.htm

There's something there for everybody. I know it's the holidays and money is tight for many folks, but if you can scrounge together something I would be so grateful. No one should have to go through something like this feeling alone and this is a chance for us all to put our arms around a knitter we may not have met, but love just the same.

For just $6, you can also get this fantastic pattern
http://www.lisaknit.com/patterns/bp/twist-lace.htm
which uses just one skein of the yarn, and gives you short-row and lace chops to boot.

No podcast this week

I'm ill. I thought I'd be better enough to podcast today, but now I'm coughing and I don't want to edit those out. So, see you next week, folks.

Oopsie

Someone pointed out that the mp3 file in my last post was for the week before's show. I fixed it now. :)

Episode 24: shawls, scarves and spiral socks

This week I talk about a few new podcasts that I forgot to mention last time and you should really check out:

Unwound, with a relaxed, sweet-voiced host who asks questions she wants you to answer.

Beneath the Fiber Moon makes me blush, but in a good way.

Sticks and String makes me want to move to Australia, and not because I had a very bad day.

The Book of the Week:
Stahman's Shawls and Scarves makes lace make sense, and lace shawls look super-easy (I don't think they are, but they are achievable, with this book in my hot little hands). Also, an ideal way to work when you have limited or unknown amounts of yarn, as the shawls and scarves in question are all knit from the top down, in a way. Very thorough technique, well-drawn charts, clear instructions and diagrams and, best of all, an author who doesn't mind if people e-mail her with questions and includes her e-mail address on her copyright page.

Lara's Recipe for toe-up spiral socks:
CO 4 stitches
K in the front and back of each stitch, join.
Knit one round, divide stitches onto 4 double-pointed needles (it will be akward at first)
On every other round, increase either at the beginning or end of each needle until you have enough stitches to fit around your foot. (eyeball, measure or guess, but for goodness sake, if you want to try it on, move it to waste yarn first)
When you have enough stitches to fit around your foot, switch to 4 x 4 spiral ribbing:
work four rounds 4x4 rib; shift pattern by one stitch (p1, [k4, p4] around to last 3, p3) for four rounds; (p2, [k4, p4] around to last 2, p2)...savvy?

And so on until you run out of yarn or go mad or just decide you're done. I then worked about 5" in 2x2 rib to help hold the top up.

Download Episode 24

PS - until someone tells me a good reason to keep up the other feed, I will not. :)

Both Feeds

Both the old and the new feeds are available on iTunes now. The new one has a freaky-looking, non-blue interpretation of my little knit ipod logo. Don't forget, the old feed will still have all of my new episodes on it. The new one is still catching up and has limited space, so episodes may cycle in and out, in order.

Episode 23: All Grown Up

In this episode I talk about website and download issues, a new website, and a book: Knitting Vintage Socks. Also, if you check out the knitpicks website, you can see what one of the socks looks like in a Knitpicks yarn. As always, I encourage you to go to your local yarn shop and check out their book selection before you buy online.

Here are the corrections for that book.

I forgot to mention three fabulous new podcasts I found recently: Sticks and String, Unwound and Beneath the Fiber Moon. Please look them up and I will actually talk about them in the next show.

I sat down and did a shortrow toe demo for you!



Work to where you want to put your next turn.


Move yarn to other side of needle.


Slip unwrapped stitch to rh needle.


Turn work.


Move yarn to other side of work (working side for the row you will work).


Slip that wrapped stitch (see the wrap? It looks like a purl bump).


Observe pretty wrap, get ready to work to next turn.


When you are finished making short rows, work to first wrapped stitch (as you are working, in other words, the most recently-wrapped stitch).


Knit (or purl) the wrap and the stitch it wrapped.


Toe of sock after short-rows are completed.


Pick up stitches from cast on to make toe of sock.

For heel, the principle is the same, make your short rows and then continue merrily along with your sock.

Download Episode 23

Ok, for now...

The new supermac way of doing the podcast does not have a lot of storage space (about half a gig), so today I'm publishing all of the old episodes that will fit on that space. Then I will leave them up for one month. Then I will clear them off and put up the next set. Those of you who can get it to work (I've already heard from someone who can't) will enjoy the fact that I should be able to put in chapter markers and nifty art to display as you're listening to the podcast. If I don't hear from anyone who can make it work, I will stop messing with it after today.

My to-do list today:
-put up old episodes
-clean house
-do the books/pay the bills
-bake bread (in bread machine)
-make baking mix for biscuits
-finish making turkey soup
-go to bellydancing class at 6

Whoo hoo.

Now I Don't Know What to Do

I just heard from a listener that they did manage to get my old episodes off iTunes, but I do like the new software's ease of use, although I'm not crazy about the format the blog comes up in.

I will keep this site open with a link to the new site if I bail for the newer software. My only concern about the new website is that it has a fairly low storage limit.

I may do the next show both ways. Please let me know if you prefer one over the other, or one works better for you. I want this podcast to be as easy to get as possible.

Starting Over

I have commandeered another computer (there are as many in my home as cats and cars, now that I think of it). I am trying out mac's new snazzy iWeb software, which builds a total website including the RSS feed.

The new site is here.

Please someone let me know if it doesn't work absolutely perfectly for them. If someone who has been having problems says that it works, I will re-publish every darn one of the episodes.

Downloading Woes

My laptop, as far as I can tell, stroked out and died for no reason on Monday. I ended up crying in my basement (because my shower was still backed up after I poured nasty chemicals in it and, well, I was at the end of my rope). So, my promise for a better, very cool software for my podcast has ended for now, until I can get my lovely tibook into the shop and hopefully get it fixed.

However, I did download a new version of the software that I have been using and updated a few settings. Would someone who is having download woes please try to download the very most recent podcast and let me know if it still doesn't work? If it doesn't, I will try something underhanded, which may make everything better.

Holy Mohair!

I just logged into my hotmail account all blase and down about not having time to podcast this week, when I saw this message:

"Greetings from the Amazon Honor System.

We wanted to let you know that we have initiated transfer of the
balance of your Amazon Honor System account to your checking account.
It may take your bank several business days to record the transfer.

$48.25"

That brings the Math 4 Knitters Buy More Books balance to $52.80!

I know at least one super-duper lace book that I'll have to mosey down and snag this week.

Thank you all for supporting my show and the book section of my local yarn store.

I'd Rather Be Podcasting

:( Hopefully soon.

Knitting the Edging

I'm knitting an edging right now - literally and figuratively. The edging is for my grandma's sweater (the yarn finally came!!). The figurative edging is the final touches/production/burning DVDs on my graduate project/thesis. If I get it all wrapped up and mailed out on Monday, I'll be able to do a show. Otherwise, it may still be a little bit. Sorry for the podgap, but I can't help it. :) I do want to thank each and every one of you, because I have really honed my audio skills which gave me the confidence to finish this project which has been hanging over my head for two years. Couldn't have done it without you.

Slight Tweak

I did a slight tweak of the XML code today. Would someone who has downloading woes please try again?

Episode 22: Lucky and Unlucky

Not any math this week, just me rambling about my bad and good luck. I am cooking up a cool pattern that I will hopefully have ready for the next show.

Meanwhile, I found this page about spit-splicing. A good skill to have.

Also, a listener told me that magic loop is one of the methods taught on knittinghelp.com. Maybe I'll try it soon. If you haven't it's under the advanced techniques tab.

Download Episode 22

Episode 21: Magic Eight

In this show I talk about how the number eight simplifies your knitting life, at least when you are making hats, shawls and other round things you want to lie flat.

Scroll down to episode 20's notes to see the photos of my temporary cast-on.

The yarn amounts leaflet last week is printed by Interweave Press. You can find the leaflet here, or, I hope, at your LYS.

Download Episode 21.

Downloading Woes

I've gotten another comment about downloading troubles. I just bought the new mac software for podcasting, I hope to start using it either with my next show or the one after that. Hopefully, that will fix the problem. I'm so sorry to anyone who is having these problems.

PS I'm not answering comments directly as much now because the moderation thing really slows me down. But I do really, really appreciate them and read every one.

Episode Twenty: Fibo Five

After almost a whole month, I dust off my microphone to bring you a longer-than-usual show.

- I review Knitting From the Top by Barbara Walker, a must-buy made possible by a listener's donation.

- Temporary Cast-On in Five Photographs (why 3 steps, in my mind, and 5 photos? No idea.)

This is the starting position for me when I do this.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

um, step 3.5 is taking your left thumb and swinging its yarn back over the top of the needle, bringing everything into place.

- I talk about this pattern, which I wrote in 2001 for a gift for my sister.

- I point out this awesome website, where a lovely helpful lady explains how to figure out exactly how much yarn you need, anyway. Don't be intimidated, her site is written for spinners, but will work for commercial yarns as well.

- I tell you about Warm Woolies which will take extra wool yarn off of your hands (if you send it to them).

Enjoy. Things should settle down here soon. Have I said that before? Is that doom sneaking up on me or is it just the cat?

Download episode 20.

Another donation!

The current fundage for the Math4Knitters Buy More Books fund is $4.55. (Amazon keeps a little bit) Thank you, whoever you are. Does anyone want to vote on what book I should get?

A comment about yarn amounts...

I just moderated a comment about amount of yarn needed for a pattern-less garment. This is when I confess that the main reason I still use patterns as starting points is because I have such a hard time doing this. My local yarn shop has little booklets that estimate sweaters for you. If I were making a vest, I might be tempted to use the sweater amount as a starting point, or possibly 20% less, but I get nervous about running out and that's why I often end up with enough to make 2 sweaters out of the same yarn. When I go by there, I'll look at the booklet and tell you all, hopefully, where you can get them online. Of course, you could get them from my LYS, but that might not be very practical for everybody.

There is a math-measure-gauge swatch way to determine this, too. In fact, there are probably many. A quick google search just found me a very well-written article that explains it better than I can, and I am e-mailing the author to see if I can point you all there and/or talk about it on the show.

Hopefully I'll have a show up in the next few days.

Zipper madness

I went to pick up a sweater for my db from the shoe repair place who kindly sewed in a zipper for me. (I found out that a zipper would cost me $15, if I could find one long enough, and the entire service cost $18, so it seemed like a no-brainer. Especially when the baby sweater I've been trying to add a zipper to is not going well.) She said the called and asked if I wanted the zipper to go all of the way up the collar. By the time I called her, she had already sewn it in. She says she tried it on herself and decided the collar would be too tall with a zipper all of the way to the top, so stopped short. I pointed out that the sweater is for a man who is taller than her, by about a foot. She said to bring it back if he didn't like it the way she did it.

Why this long-winded story? Pleasant ending? Not sewing my own zipper? In other words, freedom from zipper heck? This sweater is enormous. It is so big it ougrew my knitting bag, which is no tiny thing. How did she look at this completely gigantic and looooooooong sweater and decide it was for me? Sigh. Must join a gym.

Thank You, Whoever You Are

I received a donation this week that was left for me on the 21st, so I'm sorry this thank-you is so late. The Amazon system seems to work great. The only problem is that it doesn't tell me who donated money to the show! So, thank you, whoever you are. I used the money toward a purchase of Knitting From the Top by Barbara Walker. Don't be scared off by the (dated to say the least) cover art. Inside, you'll find seamless shoulder shapings very much in the Zimmerman mold, only FROM THE TOP. Not just raglans, oh no, but also set-in and other sleeve constructions. Also, skirts, jackets, really just about anything, explained in a neat way that makes you want to leap up and design the cute little bolero, bedjacket and perfect around-the-house pants you've wanted for years and just haven't found in the right yarn/design/seamless construction.

Makes me breathless. And all due to you, my generous listener.

On the next show (maybe next week, maybe the week after):
- review of this book, in detail, probably still thrilled and breathless
- Proper Thank You to mysterious benefactor
- 5 = 3 + 2 = Invisible/temporary/really cool cast on
- pattern for convertible gloves

When I run out of books to buy (ha!), I will start a little till for donations to buy the new snazzy apple software that is supposed to make podcasting even easier and might even make it so that those wierd downloading problems some of you are having will go away.

Also, I received a kind e-mail from a new listener this week that thanked me for the show but also gently kicked me in the butt about photos of the toe-up socks. On to-do list. Has been for months. We'll see.

Episode 19: 3x1 hat and Long-Tail cast-on

This is the third part of my potentially eternal Fibonacci sequence: 3.

The cast-on I love best, called long-tail, German or continental, is much easier than it looks. It greatly simplifies things if, when you are learning, you use two colors of yarn, because then you can see better if you mess up. The way I see it, it takes about three steps to do this cast-on. I'm going to call the yarn underneath waste even though it's not, just to simplify my terms.


This is the starting position for me when I do this.


This is the first step. My needle tip wraps around, toward me, and then through the loop created over my left thumb.


Grab the working yarn with the needle and bring it back through that loop.


Release the left-thumb loop and pull the waste yarn down, but not too tight.


One stitch down.

And, another hat! This time with 3x1 ribbing. To decrease, divide hat into four sets of stitches. On every other round, perform a double decrease on one of the k3 ribs, one in each of the four sets. On the next decrease round, double decrease on the k3 rib to the right (or left) of the first one and so on until you have a p1, k1 hat. If you use five dpns to work this, your stitches will already be divided into four groups, so no counting! Once you're down to p1, k1, mentally divide the stitches into eight sections and proceed. My first decrease round in this area would have read: ssk, p2 around. (my hat started with 64 stitches). Then one round as worked, then ssk, p2 around, one plain, then ssk, p1, plain, then ssk around until you have 4 stitches left.


This is the hat, with my cat, Boomer, lying beside it.


Boomer inspecting hat on glass head.


My notes.

Download episode 19.

Grrrr.

Even though I have verification turned on, I got some spam in a comment on my last show. I've had to turn on comment moderation. So, if your comment doesn't show up right away, please be patient. Thank you!

Episode 18: 2x2 Ribbed Hat

This week is a little mumbly, bumbly piece about a hat I designed. Also, little reminder. The end of the year is nigh. Knitting-wise. So, be mindful.


These are my notes from making the hat. Allow me to point out the scratches out and re-working.


The outside of the hat, as worked.


The inside, as worked, which I will use as the outside, although the recipient can do what she likes.


Just for fun, my version of the Anticraft's Bad Juju, which I worked in Peace Fleece, in a worsted-weight Ukrainian Red. I think it's spooky and great.

Download Episode 18

No show this week

Sorry.

Problems...

From the comments:
"Anonymous said...
I am having trouble downloading your podcasts from itunes. What happens is that it starts to download, everything looks like it is going normally (i download lots of podcasts nearly daily) and it stops donwloading shortly after beginning-sometimes 25 seconds into it, sometimes a bit longer, but never the entire post. I was wondering if anyone else was having this problem with your itunes link-this hasn't happened for me with any other podcasts i download from itunes..."

I have no idea what is causing this. Any ideas out there?

Show 17: More Sleeve Shenanigans, Links and X

This week I tell you a refinement of my earlier sweater-sizing scheme, which relies on the one and only Elizabeth Zimmermann to save me (and you) from having to redesign a sleeve cap AND sleeve shaping. Whoo hoo. I'm working on one right now, and will let you know how it turns out.

Although, I won't be able to really tell you anything until September, because I am taking the week after next off from work to finish my thesis and am trying to pare down distractions.

Very Cool Link thanks to Jill, who left a comment. (Thank you, Jill!!!!)

Also, Melissa Wherle has a sweater design in Magknits August of 2005 and has offered it to us for deconstruction/resizing/whatever. Please leave a comment and let me know what you would like me to "do" with this wonderful offer.

Download Episode Seventeen

Refinement: Sleeves

I have just realized, after it bugged me for a while, that my little math experiment for determining things like shaping for a sweater would NOT work, neccesarily, on sleeves. Refinement to come this weekend. The smart among you probably know this already, which is why I have not had any non-Eastenders comments.

Episode 16: Part One of one, two, three, five...

Very Simple Pattern

Purchase/find a washable foam sponge. (Are sea sponges washable?)

I think this detail sponge, or just part of one, could work well.

Honeycomb stitch is a good alternative to garter stitch for this pattern.

My segment on the Fibonacci sequence is on Cast-On, episode 23.

Download Episode 16

Unrelated but important

Do any of you live in Minneapolis? I have a proposal for you.

There is a show called Eastenders that airs on the Twin Cities Public Television network on Fridays from 9 to midnight. It went off the air of BBC America some time ago and I have not been able to watch it since. If anyone's public TV station carries it and they are willing to tape and send it to me, I will reply with whichever yarn you like from my local. So far, I have only found it listed in Minneapolis, but it may be elsewhere without my knowledge. (There are only so many PBS stations one can rabidly find and search.) If you don't want yarn, name your price. I'm begging you. I will even send tapes back and forth so that you don't have to go to the store.

I really miss that show.

Speaking of shows, I will do one on Monday where I will talk about my trip to Minneapolis and the begining of a sequence of patterns and discussions based on Fibonacci. I think a little structure will help keep me on track.

Episode 15: Reconstructing Starsky

This week I talk about sizing up and down a sweater with a cable pattern.

I kept turning my head to look at my notes, so I sometimes fade IN AND OUt. Sorry about that.

Starsky Knit A Long

Jordana's website. All hail Jordana!

If you are looking to subsistute yarns, you might want to check out the Standard Yarn Weight System. Since this sweater is in a wool/alpaca blend, you want to be careful what you replace it with. Cotton, for example, may not work, maybe a cotton blend, but be careful. The thing may end up weighing a metric ton.

Starsky!
Macro Shaping of Neckline on one side of sweater (on back, you will need to think about the fact that shaping is happening on both sides)

In the original:
Gauge is 16 sts and 18 rows in 4 inches = 4 sts and 4.5 rows per inch
Decreases happen 14 times every 4th row = 56 rows.
In inches, this means 14/4 = 3.5" in 56/4.5 = 12.4"
Now, we have it in inches, time to convert to
NEW GAUGE: 20 sts and 24 rows = 4 in = 5 sts and 6 rows per inch
NEW decreases
3.5" x 5 = 17.5 stitches; 12.4" x 6 = 74.4 rows
Round to 18 decreases in 74 rows, just about 4 rows/decrease = decrease every fourth row. Eighteen times, instead of 14 times.

Generically =
original gauge = s x r
new gauge = S x R
Decreases happen x times in y rows.
(x/s) x S = new # of decreases
(y/r) x R = new # of rows to decrease
R/S - 1 = # of plain rows in between decrease rows.

If you do plunge in and decide to work your sleeves from scratch, please read this article in knitty.

Also, these sizing charts should be helpful.

Download Episode 15

P.S. - I know I haven't posted the pictures I promised. I ran out of sock yarn.

Good News and Bad News

Good News:
My office is painted and lovely.

Bad News:
My podcasting equipment is in boxes.

Good News:
A wonderful Designer agreed to let me "fiddle with" the sizing of her sweater and tell you about it. Hooray her! I'm working on it.

Bad News: But not until next week, when my podcasting equipment is out of boxes and back where it belongs.

Sorry.

Fourteen: Yarn Substitition

Yarn substitution can work for you by giving you your freedom of fibers and price, but also allow you to change the sizing of a sweater, at will, with just a little math.

If you're thinking of trying a new yarn, check out Knitter's Review and Wiseneedle.

Also, if you need to redesign a sleeve cap because you are monkeying with the numbers, this article from Knitty may help you.

Download Episode 14

Show 13: Counting

If you cannot read your knitting, you must count rows/rounds. This week I talk about the different memory helpers I have used over the years and what show ideas I have in the works.

Download Episode 13

No Show This Week

Sorry. See you next week for show 13.

Episode 12: Money, Socks and Your Comments

This week, I point out my tip jar (under links on the right side of this page), talk about converting sock patterns from top-down to toe-up, and respond to some comments and e-mails.

A shorter show, but I still managed to mess up a few times. I got ahead of myself with both the geometric knitting, which I'm not ready to tell you about and tessellated knitting, which I can't find anywhere. Tessellated quilting, yes. Tessellated knitting, no. If I do either dig that up or make that up, I'll let you know.

There is a little cursing in this show. So, if you don't want to hear the "B" word, please don't listen to the bit about Professor Martini.

Some "if, then" statements.
If you are knitting too tightly, then a new cast on from knittinghelp.com might assist you.

If you are looking for books, then Add All might help.

Carry from KnitWit kindly reminded me that she did mention the thickness of the yarn in her ease discussion of episode 20 of her show. Also, if that is the only show of hers you've heard, you should try some others. Usually, her stories are much more fun, lighthearted and funny than the one in that show. That story was very well told, as are all of hers, but it was a bit sad.

Carry also pointed me to some mathematical crochet.

Which means that I finally have something to lead into Dr. Sarah-Marie Belcastro and her wonderful mathematical knitting (and problem solving tips and teal hair and...). The knitting bit is here.

Download Episode Twelve

Knit Me A River

Here is the press release they sent me:
Knit a river to save lives

International charity WaterAid has joined forces with I Knit, to launch a unique knitted petition calling for water and sanitation for all.

I Knit and WaterAid will stage a unique spectacle to grab world leaders’ attention. I Knit and WaterAid are collecting knitted blue squares that will be sewn together to create a spectacular knitted ‘river’. Campaigners will carry the river at future WaterAid campaigning events.

The squares need to be 15 x 15 centimetres, any shade of blue and any pattern, the variety of shades and textures will ensure the river comes to life. WaterAid are also encouraging people to send in any spare blue yarn.

WaterAid works with some of the world’s poorest people helping them to gain access to safe clean water, effective sanitation and hygiene education. Across the world, there are 1.1 billion people without access to safe water, and 2.6 billion without access to sanitation, and as a result, a child dies every 15 seconds from a water related disease.

Knit a river organiser, Gerard Allt says “The idea behind Knit a river is to create a unique campaigning tool, and raise awareness of the issues surrounding a lack of clean water. Water shortages are very much in the news here in the UK, but for over a billion people, life without water is a daily reality. Please join in and knit a square to help bring clean water to those in need”

Completed squares should be sent to Knit a river, WaterAid, 47 – 49 Durham Street, London, SE11 5JD. Please include your contact details.

For more information visit HYPERLINK "http://www.wateraid.org/knitariver" www.wateraid.org/knitariver or call 07966 157066

Editor’s notes
I Knit is a London based knitting club and speciality wool shop. For more information visit HYPERLINK "http://www.iknit.org.uk" www.iknit.org.uk


--


DId you see that? Send blue yarn! Stash bust here I come!

Tip Jar

This is the link to my Amazon tip jar. Please feel free to donate.

Episode 11: Socks

This week I ramble about short-row toe-up socks, and my own version, which uses a thumb-joint heel, including a description for making a worksheet for same.

Wendy Knits socks are described very well. Her book is Wendy Knits: My Adventures with Two Needles and An Attitude, which was published by Penguin Books in May of 2006 and it's by Wendy Johnson. Her blog site is here. Very readable (readible?) and very fun.

If you can't find a book you really want at your local yarn shop or local book stores, this is a metasearch for books.

The thumb-joint heel, along with a lot more, is described in Ethnic Socks and Stockings by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts. It was published in 1998 by XRX, Inc. and lists at $28.95.


This is the square I made up for the river project mentioned in Episode 10.


This is the little "purl bump" formed by the wrap around a stitch in short rowing.


This is the finished toe (purple and gray) with a little of the foot worked, too.


I haven't knit this far yet, so a picture of a sock all finished (except for the heel) is forthcoming.


This is a heel, ungrafted. Also, unknit, so, not yet photographed.


The result. Also, unknit, so, not yet photographed.

Download Episode 11

I've been editing the podcast less severely lately (mostly just trying to make the beginnings and ends of sections fit together) to make more time for my knitting, photos and life in general. I hope it's still ok.

Episode 10: Rave and Wave

This week I rave about Big Girl Knits, talk about ease, hope you go listen to Knitwit: Rantings of a Rabid Knitter and show and tell about another knitted square. If you have any 6" blue gauge swatches, please think about sending them on a trip to London.


This is the square I talked about last time.


This is the square knit from the outside in.


The above square, in progress.

Pic of the river square coming in the future, maybe.

Download Episode Ten

Episode 10, coming soon

I'm having a really busy time at work this week, and will be even busier this weekend. So, I will do a show on Monday, probably a mini-show and probably holding off on Meg Swansen's second appearance until the next one. We want it to be perfect for you.

Ninth Episode: The Interview that Wasn't One

Apologies to Lee Ann Balazuc, the blogger at Fuzzy Logic. I screwed up the editing and lost my half of the interview, so instead of my voice, when I asked her questions, I had to insert a little fairy-chime-bell transition. Fortunately, Lee Ann is a clear and complete speaker, so it stood up well to my ham-fisted treatment.

An American who now lives in Canada who is also a knitter, designer and spinner, Lee Ann also writes.

In case you are stretching to remember a certain designer or company, she mentions the Yarn Harlot, Knitty.com, Robin Melanson, a designer who Lee Ann profiled in the Spring, 2006, Interweave Knits, The Fleece Artist, and Koigu. She mentioned, although it was not recorded (damn you, software) Knitting Help.

The double decrease I use for my mitered square/diamond is sl 2 as if to knit, k1, psso. I was mistaken when I said it was on the Knitting Help site. I don't think it is. But, I have faith that you can do it. (pictures of square/diamond soon). And I KNOW I said PURL-wise in the show, but I was wrong. This is my punishment for not doing this yesterday. I am all off my kilter.

I would like to welcome back Brooklynne Michelle of The Mosh Knit. I enjoy her show and you should check her out.

Download Episode Nine

Here's what I did instead of working on my podcast today...

1) Vacummed the basement (it has to be done at least three times a year, right?)
2) Cooked a wonderful lunch
3) Spent 3 hours knitting in public, recruiting new knitters to my knit group and helping my friend JN with her mom's afghan
4) Talked on the phone to my twin sister (you wouldn't deny me that, right?)
5) Am cooking and will eat a lovely chicken dinner with risotto and sauteed asparagus

So, no time left today. But, I will make it tomorrow, I promise. It will feature an interview with a lady in Canada and a discussion of mitered knitting (thanks for the suggestion, Deepa!).

(too parenthetical?)

Remix

For my tenth episode, I will be re-interviewing Meg, hopefully with better sound quality. She wants to make sure no one has to strain to hear her. What a lady. :)

Just so that you don't think it's going to be interviews forever, I am working on your wonderful suggestions. I am stretching to learn about things I currently am not an expert, so please forgive me if I stumble (also, please tell me so that I can post clarification/corrections here).

Yes, THE Meg Swansen

This week I break the mold of previous shows and do an interview with Meg Swansen of Schoolhouse Press. Her mother, Elizabeth Zimmermann, was an inventive, charming and math-inclined knitter who created EPS, the Elizabeth Percentage System. You use EPS to design a custom sweater using your gauge and the desired chest size to reach a key (K) number. It turns out that Meg is every bit as inventive, charming and math-inclined as her mother.

Download Episode 8

A look into my notes

Ok, first



A graph of short-row shaping and how it can form triangles to make the top of a hat.



A graph of a square made with two short-row triangles, worked one after another.



Some of the math I did to make the slippers.



My first page of notes about the slippers.



Second page.



Third page.



The final product, all you need is your gauge and the foot measurements of the recipient.

Promised Pics

They look like wookies, right?



I haven't talked about these, but they're also for my dad (his birthday is in June). They're based on "Fair Isle Fairway" from Knitty.

My Dad's Slippers

I'm very proud because I designed slippers that were fun to make and actually look like slippers! I walk you through my obnoxiously overwrought and confusing design process. I hope it's not too torturous.

Things you need to know:
1) How to weave.
2) How to do a temporary cast on. (or invisible cast on or whatever you do that can get you live stitches to knit in the opposite direction).
3) That instead of whatever I said, I should have told you to place the markers 16 stitches away from the center-stitch markers before the first decrease round.

Also, please have a listen to my Fibonocci segment on Brenda Dayne's Cast-On. I appear in episode 23, but you should listen to them all, as she is wonderful.

Download Episode Seven

And, as promised, pictures:


Both slippers, one finished, the other ungrafted (weaving is also called grafting or kitchener stitch).


The sole.


The toe.


A close-up of the undone weaving.

Felted slipper photos and my sketchbook coming soon...