Do you want the recipe?

I will not actually write a pattern for this sweater, but I could write a customize-it-yourself recipe, if anyone says they want it.

The Stitch Pattern for the Sweater

It's called Dragon Skin and it's in Barbara Walker's second treasury of patterns, I believe, the one with the red cover.

Episode 28: Finishing and Blocking

This week I talk about tig welding wires and why you might want them, my GORGEOUS GREY SWEATER and why I stuck wires through it (but those will come out), some of my scattered design process and how I carefully avoid sewn seams.

I also mentioned:

My Local Yarn Shop

Film and Fiber - A great new podcast with a podcaster who is taking a tenny break because of her morning sickness. Everyone go tell her it gets better (I've been told, I don't know).

Greetings from Knit Cafe

If you look, you may notice that the link to the book is a UK site I heard about on Sticks and String. I have not tried this shop, but it looks like a good alternative to Amazon, if you want to try it.

and then I went online and looked for corrections for the above book.

It's a great book and I don't think I've reviewed it yet, but it's in the pile.

Download Episode 28

And now, my dragontooth sweater:

The Promised Meg Swanson Interview

Ok, well, first of all, everyone who is commenting is awesome and I'm really psyched to do my next show soon (even though I don't know when). I should confess...

Meg and I did record another interview. It still wasn't stitch-by-stitch perfect, so I haven't used it. I am considering chopping little tidbits out of it, but I haven't yet. I am bound and determined to get a good interview with her someday, somehow, I just don't know how or when.

Sigh.

Oh, and thanks for the heads up. My show was mentioned in a magazine and I didn't even know it. Yaay!

My Goodness

Ok, you know how things sometimes get worse before they get better? That's happening to me right now. Suffice to say I'm stretched a little thin. I still love you all and I am still simmering away a great show for you, but it may still be just a little bit.

And, thanks for all of your support and expressions of loving the show. It means a lot to me.

Confession

My last show brought a torrent of comments and I think it's wonderful. I'm glad that other people have seen how knitting or other hand-work brings out courage and problem-solving. Also, letting go of relationships that are bad for us.

I must now confess why I haven't podcasted recently.

You, see, something is keeping me up late at night, I almost don't want to eat because I can't tear myself away....

I am knitting a sweater of my own design and I already love it so much I just can't put it down. It's from the top down with little saddle shoulders in a pattern called Dragon Skin.

It's grey and I love it love it love it.

I hope you will all understand. I will resurface when it is finished. Soon, I hope.

That New Floor Smell

I couldn't podcast on Friday because there were men in my basement laying a fake-hardwood floor (I've had the supplies to do it since October). The project came in ahead of schedule and under budget, just the way I like it. This is yet another Big Step in my life forward. Some women (like Crazy Aunt Purl, who I love) used to put their finances in the hands of the men in their lives. I have allowed any home management that doesn't include sweeping, dusting and such to be ruled by men. That's why I was so excited when I changed that outlet without killing myself. Was it fiddly? Yes. Did it take longer than I thought? Yes. But did I do it and do it well? Yes. Are the people at Home Depot really nice to the girl who doesn't know what anything's called? Yes. So, I'm making myself do the things that don't involve saws, like scraping wallpaper, switching out the thermostat, and, one day, painting, which I hear is mostly just taping and a little dull but not hard. For saws, I hire people. Also, drywall. Because that's just plain messy.

Before, I paid in so many more ways and SO much more. Now I know what I'm getting and I can trust the work will be right.

I also want to point out that it isn't just that I am afraid of saws. I could get over that. The dang things just cost so much. By the time I buy the saw, I could have paid the guy to bring his own saw. Yeah, that it....