Episode 77 Short Rows and Spirals

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Be sure to leave a comment below to enter the drawing for a skein of Dowager Countess from Roman Hills.  If you have problems leaving a comment try being "anonymous" but be sure to leave contact information of some kind!

This show is sponsored by Quince & Co, Peddler’s Way Quilt Co, and The Fiber Universe.

The folks at Quince & Co believe that businesses can be good citizens—should be good citizens—without making too much a fuss about it. So, they have created a line of thoughtfully conceived yarns spun from American wool or sourced from overseas suppliers who grow plants, raise animals, or manufacture a yarn in as earth- and labor-friendly a way as possible. Find them at www.quinceandco.com and while you are there, sign up for their free e-newsletter.

Peddler’s Way Quilt Shop is a sponsor of our show and our knitting Pipeline Retreat, March 2-3, 2012 in Washington IL.  The shop is located just about a mile from our retreat location just off the historic Washington Square.  Peddler’s Way Quilt Shop is practically at the back door of those of you staying at The Cornerstone Inn Bed and Breakfast.  On the second floor of this 6,000 sq ft store is a fiber corner with an array of fine quality yarns, books, and needles. 

The Fiber Universe in Peoria IL  provides quality products, service and instruction for fiber enthusiasts. They stock yarn from Cascade, Plymouth, Skacel, Three Irish Girls, Kauni, Jojoland, Claudia Handpaints, and more.  Fibers for spinning and felting are available from local farms.  The Fiber Universe accepts orders over the phone and offers free shipping on orders over $50.  Check out their website, www.thefiberuniverse.com or give them a call today at 309.673.5659.

I enjoy your feedback, comments on the blog, and questions.  Feel free to write to me at Paulaef@aol.com or on Ravelry as PrairiePiper.

Knitting Pipeline Retreat!

Bronwyn the Brave is keeping a list of those registered for the retreat.  The list is posted on our Knitting Pipeline Group on Ravelry.

March 2-3, 2012 (Friday night and all day Saturday)

Crossroads United Methodist Church, 1420 N Main St., Washington IL 61571

$50 for all or $40 for Sat only.  Includes Fri nite meal, light breakfast on Sat, and Saturday lunch

Make check payable to Paula Emons-Fuessle: Mail to: Knitting Pipeline Retreat, PO Box 549, Washington IL 61571

Pipeliner Notes

Dorothy’s letter last week struck a chord with many listeners. 

Chris left a message about her sighting of a barn owl.

Karebot has a great conversation starter.  What would you do during a zombie apocalypse? 

A correction from last week’s show: (Thank you spinsjal!)  Joshua Tucker is a massage therapist, NOT a physical therapist.  Read Wendy’s note on our board with another side to the issue.

Nature Notes

Last Friday we awoke to dense fog which was not an auspicious beginning to our Snowy Owl Expedition.  Well, maybe it was.  We made it to the Emiquon Wetland Preserve and saw quite a few American Bald Eagles.  We also saw Snow Geese!  There were thousands of them flying in ribbons as far as we could see down the waterway.

Funky and Aizome did see Snowy Owls in Minnesota!  I have not given up yet and there is always next year.

Featured Nature writer: John Madson Where the Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass Prairie. 1982

Poem found in the front of John Madson's book...

To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,

 One clover, and a bee,

And revery.

The revery alone will do

 If bees are few.

Emily Dickinson

Needle Notes

Yarn recommendations for socks (that will wear well).

Traci (4 girls) Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, Woolen Rabbit Harmony, Opal

Prairiepoet:  Blue Moon Fiber Lightweight Socks that Rock

For the record, I have tried duplicate stitch (Swiss Darning) and do not like it for the tight gauge of socks.

I read a letter from JudyBee who is knitting Kevlar into her bullet proof socks!  Even Charlene Schurch was impressed!

Ten Stitch Twist by Frankie Brown took a little over a month to knit using stash yarn.

May I say how much I love my joins?

Spirals are soothing and relaxing even when there are short rows involved. Project notes are here.

Blanket measures 42” across and I figure it is about a sweater’s worth of worsted weight yarn.

The Blethering Room

Article about Pam Allen 

Piper’s Journey KAL begins!  The pattern is available at Quince & Co. in the Scarves, etc.  The whole collection is stunning!  Tag your Piper's Journey shawls for the KAL as pipersjourneykal.  Thank you for your support of my first published design!

In the Pipeline

Oops from last week!  I have done more cowls than I thought.  Kilkenny Cowl by Pam Allen is one of Emily’s favorites. 

Spectra by Stephen West.  2 Knit Lit Chicks KAL

Watching…

Downtown Abbey…we have a giveaway from Roman Hills!  They have a stunning and very clever Downton Abbey Line with colorways named for the characters.  Leave a comment below to be entered into a drawing for a skein of the Dowager Countess.  What is a weekend?  Thank you, Roman Hills!  You have until Feb 21 to leave a comment.

Listening:

The Paris Wife by Paula MacClain.  I’m falling behind in podcast listening.

Reading:

Finished Zombies Don’t Cry: Book One in a Living Dead Love Story.  By Rusty Fischer  Last week I said it was funny.  Right after that it was not so funny.  It was sad.

Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear Book 2 in Maisie Dobbs series.

Goat Song: A Seasonal Life, A  Short History of Herding, and the Art of Making Cheese.  Recommended by Alisonc.

Bob Dylan was inspired by the Robert Burns tune featured at the end of this episode.  It is sung by Shira Kammen from A Celebration of Robert Burns.  www.magnatune.com

O my Luve's like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve's like the melodie
That’s sweetly play'd in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I:
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry:

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun:
I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee well, my only Luve
And fare thee well, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho’ it were ten thousand mile.

Thanks for listening!  Haste ye back! Remember to leave contact information (Ravelry name, email, blog) in your comment so you are eligible for the drawing of the Dowager Countess from Roman Hills!

Episode 52 Kilkenny Cowl and Stripe Study Shawl

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Thank you to Quince& Co for sponsoring this episode.  Do you love beautiful colors and soft wool with a nice spring to it?  Sign up for the weekly e-newsletter at www.quinceandco.com.

KnittyBarb was the first one to respond that my nephew's fiancee resembles Susan B. Anderson!

A special welcome to new pipeliners who sent me emails or private messages last week: Mimi, Lisa, Hannah, and Peggy. 

We also had some lovely 5 star reviews on iTunes.  Thank you so much: Luciaknits, Luvmylabs, Hoversew, Joan/FugueStateKnits,  LeaAline, and Prairie Poet.   

Pipeliner Tip 

Last week mentioned that it is sometimes difficult to photocopy and enlarge charts and instructions from books when the text and charts are too close to the binding.  Julia who is Choosejoy on Ravelry gave a great tip for this on our knitting Pipeline board.  Julia wrote that she takes some of her books to a copy place and has them spiral bound.  This costs about $5.  Thank you, Julia, for a fantastic idea.

Nature Notes

Bob joins me to answer an email from a Pipeliner about keeping Redwing Blackbirds off her feeders.  Bob and I share information about American Goldfinches and their nesting habits with thistle.  I mention www.enature.com 

There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before.

~Robert Lynd, The Blue Lion and Other Essays

  

Needle Notes 

I finished the Chambered Nautilus Tam by Elizabeth Zimmermann from Knit One Knit All.  It turned out a bit small but it is sassy. 

It will take guts to wear this cap, don't you agree?

 The Kilkenny Cowl by Pam Allen.  This is a purchase pattern that calls for 4 skeins of Quince & Co Chickadee.  I used the clay colorway.  It is an unusual color and the name describes it perfectly.l  I made this for Emily, my future daughter-in-law.  Emily designed the new logo for the podcast so Kilkenny is a little token of appreciation.  Better photos coming soon when temperatures are reasonable!

Things I learned from this project:
A cowl isn't necessarily a weekend project.   This cowl is a beautiful contrast of cables and lace.  Well worth the time spent on it.  A fun and challenging knit, but not too difficult. 

Stripe Study Shawl by Veera Valimaki 

This pattern is really making the rounds on Ravelry.  It is an asymmetrical triangle.  There is a spine in it that runs from top to the bottom of the point but it is not in the middle of the triangle.  It’s all garter stitch.  Calls for 880 yd/440 of each color.

I chose Quince & Co Tern in Stonington and Oyster.  2 skeins of each.  Size 5 needle 

Better not knit this shawl if you have any tendency toward vertigo.

Modifications:

• Did a simple backward loop instead of M1 L and M1 R.
• Tapered the bottom point by eliminating the central increases on the last inch or so.
• Bound off in iCord.  I have nicknamed this BO  The Two State Bind off because I started binding off in  Indiana and finished in the middle of Ohio.

The I cord Bind off looks different on each side.  Decide which side you like best.  I cast off on the right side but a lot of people like to cast off on the wrong side.  

At the beginning/end of the row cast on two or 3 stitches by knitted cast on (I did 2).  Knit two stitches.  Slip the next stitch on the left needle knit wise.  Knit the next stitch. PSSO.  Slip these 3 needles back to left needle.  Continue with knit 2, slip one, PSSO, slip 3 back to left needle. 

The Blethering Room

 Yesterday we had a visitor.  Franklin, our resident wild turkey, and one of the ladies.  To those who are new to the podcast, Franklin is a wild turkey who lived in our woods last summer and competed with his own reflection in our windows for several months.  His lady friends were named Knit and Purl by one of our Pipeliners.  I have to admit that it was a bit of a relief when they moved on for a while but I had to smile when he suddenly appeared in his usual place, all puffed up and proud, while Knit or Purl stood coyly off in the woods preening herself.  Maybe this was just a cameo appearance.  We shall see.

If you are going to Sock Summit there is a Podcaster Meet and Greet on Saturday July 30^th from 12 noon to 1:30 PM at the Bar Maids Booth #400.  I will be there!  Feel free to check with me on Twitter @ knittingline to see what we are up to so you can join us.  Charr and I are arriving on Tuesday so we do have time for individual meet ups.

My business site is Longaberger.com/paula.  To be on my business newsletter list just send an email to me with information.  My email address is Paulaef@aol.com.  I'll keep you posted on the weekly sales and monthly features. 

Music

Dutch Pipes and Drums.  In Concert.  Track 3 Atholl Highlanders, Bonnie Dundee, Steam Boat.  available on www.dutchpipesanddrums.nl. Thank you, Dutch Pipes and Drums!

Haste ye back!

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