Episode 40 Wee Bits and Bites

Listen here or find all episodes on the Flash Player on this site.  Subscribe for free on iTunes!

Quince & Co is a sponsor of Knitting Pipeline.  Sign up for their free e-newsletter.  Thank you, Pam, for blogging about the Estelle KAL.  Pipeliners, let's flood Pam with nice messages, ok?  Our Estelle KAL starts on May 1, 2011!

Giveaway Sponsor Three Bags Full

Week #1 (Episode 38) Winner Mia Bag is Deedalee (Diane)!
Week #2 Winner (Episode 39) of the Spring Peeper and Accessory Bag is Debra aka MichelleQ !
Congratulations to both of you.  Please contact me with your mailing information so Michele can mail our your bags.

Leave a comment in the show blog to enter your name in the Week #3 Drawing for the Hummingbird Project Bag.  The Hummingbird is everyone's favorite bird.  Even non-birders love these little guys.  And who doesn't need another project bag?  These bags can be used for travel, too!  Enter the promo code "piper" for Free Shipping through April 2011!

Nature Notes

American Master: John Muir in the New World is airing on PBS starting Monday April 18th.  John Muir is one of my heroes and I have been looking forward to this 90 min documentary for weeks.  April 21st is John Muir Day.  He was born on April 21, 1838.  Thank him when you visit a National Park.  I recommend his written works, especially My Boyhood and Youth.

Mr. Pileated Woodpecker eating dinner on a log.

Off he goes!

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.    --John Muir

Fix It Notes

WoolenWarrior's sock with Kid Silk Haze foot reinforcement.  She learned the trick from Cat Bordhi.

• WoolenWarrior's socks with Kid Silk Haze knitted into the sole for reinforcement were at Camp KIP!  She says the tip came from Cat Bordhi
• Knit Picks now has their own version of mohair and silk.  It is called Aloft and retails for $6.99 for a 25 gr ball.
• Linda Healy's tip:  Needle Felt to reinforce worn places on socks.  Brilliant!
• Woolly Nylon Thread Source   Thread Art   Thank you, Cottontail!  Economical and she uses it for both reinforcing and darning socks.  Many colors to choose from and only $3 for a giant spool.

The Blethering Room

Charr and Bronwyn joined me in The Blethering Room to talk about what we learned at Camp KIP.  Bronwyn's Little Guy, who is a precocious toddler, is in the background with his happy play sounds.

On the way to Camp we ate at Cowan's in Washington MO, home of Mile High Pie.

We stopped at Bah!Yarns in Washington MO.  Beth has a lovely shop.  She has a Ravelry Group, too.  I am guessing she has been busy listening to podcasts this week.  Hello,  Beth!

We met our housemates, Saige and StevieBee.  StevieBee knits miniature animals.  She has a whole case of this little critters.  Check out her designs on Ravelry.  Stevie gave one of these little turtles to each of the Little Lodge Ladies.

I'll be posting more Camp KIP photos on my personal blog http://www.apiperknits.blogspot.com/.

Bronwyn finished her Esker Scarf by Jen May and started on Daybreak by Stephen West.
Charr worked on Slip Stitch Cable Socks from The Little Box of Socks by Charlene Schurch.  She also started on the Schieffelin Point Shawl by Kate Gagnon Osborne which she is making in Chickadee from Quince & Co in the color Snap Pea. 
I took my Norwegian Sweater along but did not work on it.  I worked on my Eye of Partridge Socks and started a shawl Sugar is Sweet by Rose Beck.  This is part the Be Mine Shawl Collection by Rose Beck and I will soon be reviewing the e-book on the show.

In our goodie bags were two patterns by the wonderful Knit Girllls.  Their video podcast is terrific!  Laura designed Little Bit Socks for the skein of sock yarn that TurtlePurl made for Camp KIP.  Beautiful!  Charr and I are going to make the socks.  Leslie designed the Litmus Lace Shawl, a triangular shawl that will help you decide whether you like knitting shawls...like a litmus test.  Remember high school chemistry?  Laura is also called LaLa and is THE LaLa of LaLa's Simple Shawl which came up during our Garter Stitch Thread several months ago.

I am more eager than ever to knit the Radiance Shawl by Helen Stewart after seeing Mary wearing her lovely version.  There are too many shawls to knit!

There is a Daybreak KAL (Knit Along) in the Camp KIP thread on Ravelry.  If you are in the KAL and are new to the podcast you might want to listen to Episodes 30 and 31 for tips on knitting this fantastic shawl.  My project notes are here with more here.  Yes, I've knitted two Daybreaks, back to back.

Estelle KAL/Knit Along

On May 1 we will start our Estelle KAL.  Next week I will talk about swatching for your project.  It is time to order your Lark from Quince, get your needles ready, and buy the pattern.  I'm so glad we have so many who are joining in.  Welcome to those who have found us through Quince!

Music is from Musica Pacifica's album Dancing in the Isles.  http://www.magnatune.com/.

Save 20% on our beautiful and practical pottery.  Through April 30.  www.longaberger.com/paula

Haste ye back!

Episode 31 Knitting in Disguise

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site.

Quince & Co is now a sponsor of Knitting Pipeline.

Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye--it also includes the inner pictures of the soul. -- Edvard Munch

For photos of "Bliz-aster" visit my personal blog, A Piper Knits.

I recommend: Cornell Lab of Ornithology   Birds of My Region  DVD   Their website and all publications are fantastic!  Project Feederwatch is a way to become involved in their research.

Needles Notes

Sofia Cowl by Jessie Dotson from One Skein Wonders: 101 Yarn-Shop Favorites.  Is it knitting or crochet?  You decide.   I knitted this one for Emily in Quince & Co Chickadee in the color Nasturtium.

Alright.  It is knitting, but wouldn't it fool a lot of people?

I used Quince & Co Chickadee (sport weight) in Nasturtium.

Suspended Bind Off that was used in the Sofia Cowl Pattern.  Thank you, Stitch Diva!

My Daybreak with Garter Border by Stephen West with Garter Border.  Daybreak is a pattern by Stephen West of Westknits Designs.

In blocking stage.

Gartery Goodness.

Increases in first section.

Norwegian Sweater Knit Along

The Most Important Thing is keeping your carries loose in the back.  You do not want the floats to pull and distort the pattern.



I used Crow, Glacier, and Storm for the wrister aka Swatch. Gauge is 6 stitches per inch.  In the sweater I am using Crow and Egret. 



Piecework Jan-Feb 2011 Review 

I mention the following articles (I got a little carried away):

Two-Ended Knitting: A Living Tradition by Carol Rhoades

Not Just an Instruction Pattern by Ingrid Murnane

The Bestaway Gloves Today by Ann Budd

Practical Insanity: A Giddy whirl through the Pages of Weldon's Practical Needlework by Franklin Habit

The Gordon Highlanders and their Socks by Anne Berk

Classic Highlander's Balmoral Bonnett by Anne Carroll Gilmour

First Lady Grace Coolidge and the Story of the Knitted Counterpane by Kristine Byrnes

In the Piping Circle

My husband's uncle remembers the piper, Bill Millin, playing on the beach at Normandy.  Bill Millin was the personal piper to Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat.

I talked about Bill Millin's death in Episode 9 of Knitting Pipeline.

Dutch Pipes and Drums

In Harmony

Dancing Feet, Kalabakan, and Itchy Fingers

Thank you to Dutch Pipes and Drums!

Episode 30 Daybreak and the Norwegian Sweater KAL

Listen here or find all episodes on Flash Player.

Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.
  --Rachel Carson

Nature Notes

Cardinals flock to our feeder in the late afternoon.  There are sometimes 20 to 30 birds, both male and female, gathered in our woods just behind the house.  Owls are breeding and raising their young.  We hear the Barred Owl in these woods, also known as "Eight-hooter".  Deer are coming closer to the house to find food since food is more scarce in the snow covered fields and woods.

The winner of the book Faith, Hope, Love, Knitting: Celebrating the Gift of Knitting with 24 Beautiful Patterns by Lorna Miser is Moxiedot!  Many thanks to Lorna  Miser for her donation of this autographed copy of her book!

Norwegian Knit Along

Yarn Harlot Tips on Color Pattern Knitting

I am using Quince & Co Chickadee (sport) in Crow (black) and Egret (natural white).  I also bought a skein of Winesap (red) and Parsley in case I want to throw in a touch of color at the neck or in a hem.  Love these rich colors!

My order from Quince & Co.  It is like getting a gift even though I paid for it myself.

Another video of My New Favorite Bind Off.  This person calls it Russian Bind off.  And guess what?  I think she is Russian.  I am intrigued by the way she purls.  And I LOVE her accent!

I finished Daybreak by Stephen West.  8 wonderful days from start to finish.  Sigh.  It was so much fun that I started on another one right away.   Five Star Pattern for sure!

I used 5 skeins (5 colors) of Blue Sky Alpaca Silk fingering weight.

Modeled by Sarah.

The Blethering Room

I finished sharing the garter stitch/no purl patterns suggested by Pipeliners.  Thank you, everyone!

Sunshine and Shadows by Evelyn A Clarke from her book Knitting Triangles

Wool Peddlers Shawl by Cheryl Oberle from Folk Shawls

Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann (again and for good reason) 13,597 projects on Ravelry...and counting

Shalom Cardigan by Meghan McFarlane (not garter stitch but done top down)

Little Hanten (baby Kimono) by Cheryl Oberle in One Skein Sock Wonders

Garter Stitch Blanket from The Opinionated Knitter by Elizabeth Zimmermann

Shizuku by Anglea Tong (free download) (see photo below)

Just Enough Ruffles by Laura Chau ($3.50 download)  Not garter stitch but main section could be done as such.

Truly Tasha's Shawl by Nancy Bush (free)

Babies and Bears by Carol Anderson and Kristi Williams

Ramblin' Rows Cardigan by Pat Penney and Carol Anderson

Baby Albert by Sally Melville (small version of Einstein Coat) from The Knitting Experience: Book 1

Emily wearing the Shizuku by Angela Tong.

This poem is apparently a fragment, but one of the most beautiful of tunes by the famous poet, Robert Burns.  Sung by Shira Kammen on the album A Celebration of Robert Burns.  Available on Magnatune.

O, Fickle Fortune, O

1771-1779

Tune: Go from my window, Love, do.

The sun he is sunk in the west,
All creatures retired to rest,
While here I sit, all sore beset,
With sorrow, grief, and woe:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!


The prosperous man is asleep,
Nor hears how the whirlwinds sweep;
But Misery and I must watch
The surly tempest blow:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!


There lies the dear partner of my breast;
Her cares for a moment at rest:
Must I see thee, my youthful pride,
Thus brought so very low!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

There lie my sweet babies in her arms;
No anxious fear their little hearts alarms;
But for their sake my heart does ache,
With many a bitter throe:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!


I once was by Fortune carest:
I once could relieve the distrest:
Now life's poor support, hardly earn'd
My fate will scarce bestow:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!


No comfort, no comfort I have!
How welcome to me were the grave!
But then my wife and children dear-
O, wither would they go!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!


O whither, O whither shall I turn!
All friendless, forsaken, forlorn!
For, in this world, Rest or Peace
I never more shall know!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------