Episode 80 The Owl That Might Have Been

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This show by sponsored by Quince & Co, Peddler’s Way Quilt Co, and The Blend Cafe.

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 earth friendly overseas. 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.  http://www.peddlersway.com 

The Blend Café is an independent coffee shop in Washington IL  The Blend's slogan, “Where coffee and community come together,” is more than just a catchy phrase to us - It is our passion! Our desire is to provide a comfortable place for those in our community to gather together and enjoy good company along with GREAT coffee.  If the front parking lot is full there is additional parking in the Russell’s Cycling and Fitness Center parking lot, just behind The Blend. www.theblendcoffee.com

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.

Pipeliner Notes

We did buy that first house we looked at because I fell in love with the front door. I could not have goats there.

I made a mistake when I told you last week about the way I do the selvedges instead of slipping the first stitch.  See directions in the sidebar on this site.

Last week’s episode brought out the goat lovers and back to the landers.  If anyone does send me a goat I will give it to one of you.

I read a note from SpringPeeper about her fondness for goats. 

Asta wrote about gjetost.  It is eaten in very thin slices and not combined with meat or much else other than perhaps a dab of lingonberry jam.

Nature Notes

Saturday morning I went on a Snowy Owl Expedition by myself.  A snowy owl had been seen at Illinois Central College.  This seemed to be the perfect moment for a snowy owl appearance as I was listening to David Tolk (see In The Pipeline), but I did not see one.

I took a walk later that day about sunset and I was looking up into the sky in a moment of complete reverie when I saw a white bird flapping its wings WAY UP HIGH.  I am 90% certain it was a Snowy Owl but can’t be sure.

Alone and warming his five wits, the white owl in the belfry sits.
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Needle Notes

Spectra by Stephen West

Began Gyllis by Stephen West but I frogged it.  The way the pattern was written was too frustrating.

OhSo Hat by Lee Bernstein

Well-written pattern and wonderful for beginners. Photos show female models but really is unisex and my husband likes it. 

Piper’s Journey KAL

Wave 2 starts March 5.  We started a new thread on March 1^st because the other thread is getting quite long and that can be discouraging if you are just getting into it. Seasoned PJ knitters can jump in to help.

Piper's Journeys from left to right by Charr, Bronwyn, and Paula

In The Pipeline

Knitting
New shawl design called Hyla Brook and socks for retreat.

Considering casting on one of the other designs in Scarves, Etc.  Not sure which one.

Watching

Downtown Abbey is not a soap Opera.  Soap operas do not make a lasting impression, they do not have costumes like this or film in castles, and they do not have Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville.  You might say that soaps have come a long way since I last saw one in 1968 but they have not evolved that much.

Reading

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

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonsen  Random House 2010  Love, love, love this book!    Helen Simonsen’s first novel and may she write many more. The writing reminds me so much of Alexander McCall Smith.

Listening

Since finishing The Paris Wife by Paula McClain I am catching up on podcasts.  Thank you to Louise of Caithness Craft Collective Podcast for her shout out for Piper’s Journey.

David Tolk.  In Reverence.  Title song of CD which I have purchased on iTunes.  Beautiful.

The Blethering Room

I tell a story about meeting Hazel Carter, lace knitter and designer, about 2000.  I asked her how to pronounce “Mma” and “Rra”.

Travel safely to the Knitting Pipeline Retreat.  Yikes! It starts tomorrow!

Have a great week.  Haste ye back.  Hold your knitting close.

Episode 63 O' Hushed October

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(Link will work after 8 PM CDT 10/20/11)
This episode is sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business.  Always at home in your home.  www.longaberger.com/paula  Sign up for my newsletter for sales and specials by sending an email to Paulaef@aol.com. 

DC Unraveled is a new podcast!  Check it out.

Our Woods today

Nature Notes

October

By Robert Frost 1874–1963

 

O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;

Tomorrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow.

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know.

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away.

Retard the sun with gentle mist;

Enchant the land with amethyst.

Slow, slow!

For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,

Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,

Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—

For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

Tip from Pipeliner

Cat suggested using teflon tape for interchangeable needles that tend to come unscrewed.  Use a very small amount on the threaded part of the join.

Needle Notes

Radiance Shawl by Helen Stewart  760 stitches with Picot Purgatory

My project notes on Ravelry are here.

Semi circular shawl in laceweight.

Double in size with blocking.

Easy knit with panels of stockinette, garter, mesh, and spiral lace.  Lace patterns very easy and increases are at the end/beginning of each section so within the section you don’t have to deal with increases.

One of the best written patterns!  Includes a checklist.

At First Sight by Laura Linneman

My project notes are here.

Laura has donated 3 copies of the pattern to Pipeliners! Leave a comment below to enter the drawing.  Please include contact information...email address or Ravelry ID.  Thanks!

Magrathea...I finally took better photos.  If it isn't wrapped properly I could trip on it!

 In The  Pipeline

• Afterthought Heel Socks using pattern by Laura Linneman
• Nellie by Donna Higgins  (Rip Van Winkle Challenge for both yarn and pattern)
• Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater by Carole Barenys  (Rip Van Winkle Challenge for both yarn and pattern)

Shaelyn KAL (Knitalong) continues in The Pipeline.

Piecework Magazine Sept/October 2011  Literary issue.  8 literary inspired projects. Knit Hans Brinker’s Mittens.  Rowan Pure Wool DK  adult medium.

Did you knit an Estelle Cardigan?  We are making a photo collage! Email a photo of you in your Estelle to marthajhealy@gmail.com

Rip Van Winkle Challenge  October 1 through November 30th

Go through your Ravelry queue to find a project that has been asleep for a long time.  Or maybe you have been asleep while others have been knitting this project.  In your Ravelry queue you can see when you put projects in your queue. 

Another mission for the overachievers out there:  go to your stash and try to find your oldest yarn and match it to an pattern in your queue. 

KA Needle Promo from Pinkfeatherknitting!

$4 off shipping for all orders.  Shipping is normally $4 for U.S./Canada and $9 International so that means Free for some of us and $5 for others.  The offer is through October 31, 2011.  Use the promo code piper at checkout.  All lower case.  

 Product Review

Sock it To Me  available at Knit Picks

Music

www.magnatune.com

Waiting by Benji Goodrich.  Track 2 Oceans Apart.

Remember to leave contact information with your comment to enter the drawing!  The winners will be chosen when I do the podcast the last week of October,

If you send me an email to sign up for my Longaberger customer e-list please include name, address, and phone for my records.  Thanks!  The system likes to have this information with your name.  Your information will not be shared.  Thanks.  Send request to Paulaef at aol dot com 

Haste ye back!

View from my window today.  October 20, 2011.

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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