Episode 86 Skyp Sock Wave

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes.

This show by sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince& Co.

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 suppliers. Find them at www.quinceandco.com and while you are there, sign up for their free e-newsletter.

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.  My business site is www.longaberger.com/paula

Pipeliner Notes

I share notes from Judiuni and Lasknits2.

Nature Notes

Garlic Mustard Day.  Take a few hours each year to pull up these plants on your property so you can keep it in control. 

Common Violet  Viola sororia sororia State Flower of Illinois since 1908 Possible host plant for a number of butterflies, especially fritillaries. Flowers are edible but have little flavor.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream  Act 2 Scene 1  William Shakespeare

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;
And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:
And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes,
And make her full of hateful fantasies.
Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove:
A sweet Athenian lady is in love
With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes;
But do it when the next thing he espies
May be the lady: thou shalt know the man
By the Athenian garments he hath on.
Effect it with some care, that he may prove
More fond on her than she upon her love:
And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow.

Needle Notes

Main Needle Choices for Socks or other small items in the round:

1.      Double Points  4 or 5

2.      Very Short Circular 9 to 12”

3.      2 circulars, usually 24”

4.      One long circular also called Magic Loop, 32” or longer

Both of these somewhat dependent upon newer and more flexible cables than were available prior to 2000 or so.

Socks Soar on 2 Circular Needles by Cat Bordhi  2001

The Magic Loop by Bev Galeskas January 2002 

I attempted 2 at a time socks on Magic Loop.  Took Judiuni’s email to heart and divided up my Austermann Step into two equal balls of 21 g each.  What a mess!  Would work better with toe-up using Judy’s Magic Cast On.

KarenE1969 started the Simple Skyp Sock Wave at the Knitting Pipeline Retreat.  Thank you, Karen!  This is my new favorite sock pattern.

Simple Skyp Socks by Adrienne Ku   Written for sport weight but I didn’t realize that until today when I started on the show notes.  Stitch count seemed right for fingering weight and mine fit perfectly.

Cakewalk Yarns Stash  colorway Vernon  80/10/10

Reasons to Love Simple Skype Socks by Adrienne Ku

1.      6 + 2 rib is super stretchy so the sock fits well.

2.      Easy to memorize, only 2 rows and one is simple rib.  Skyp comes from the main stitch Slip one, knit 1 YO, PSSO

3.      Wonderful for variegated yarns.  Pop of color and texture. 

4.      Unisex-usually a YO in a man’s sock is the death knoll but it works here because of the pass over.

Piper’s Journey KAL

Welcome to newbies who are joining the KAL!

The Blethering Room

I tell the story of how a Snowy Owl was in our town for two days and I didn’t know about it.  Sigh.  Shed a few tears.

In the Pipeline

Lookbook KnitBot Essentials

KnitBot Essentials by Hannah Fettig

Print and e-Book $24

e-book only $20

Slipped Stitch Patterns

Interrupting Cow Socks by Laura Linnemann  $4.00 Ravelry Download

Blue Monday Set a free design by Thea Colman www.spudandchloe.com  Beewing linked to it on our board.  Hat and mitten pattern with stranded slip stitch colorwork. 

Lorna Miser Blue Ray Socks from The Knitter’s Guide to Hand-Dyed and Variegated Yarn.  

Skyp Ribbed Socks by Adrienne Ku

Claire by Adrienne Ku top down, unisex, ribbed  $5

If I like a free pattern by a designer then I try to purchase one of her patterns as a thank you.

Joy in the Congo.  60 minutes April 8, 2012   Amazing Story!

Book Notes

Sock Knitting Master Class: Innovative Techniques and Patterns from Top Designers by Ann Budd. 

17 designs by 15 designers so that is a great value even if you just consider the patterns in the book.  Although the font is a rather small I recommend this book if you enjoy sock knitting.  Font is a bit small.  Highly recommended.

Haste ye back!

Episode 85 Sock Songs

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes.  You can subscribe on iTunes!

This show by sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince & Co.

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 suppliers. Find them at www.quinceandco.com and while you are there, sign up for their free e-newsletter.

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.

Thank you to everyone who left 5 star reviews on iTunes

Pipeliner Notes

Thanks for the feedback on last week’s show.  Several of you enjoyed the story that Lois sent in about Alexander McCall Smith.  Musings on the Slip Stitch brought in comments.  Karebot said she is going to honor the Slip Stitch in April.  That came off the cuff more or less in jest but in reality I have actually been appreciating slipped stitches more.  Funny thing.

Nature Notes

We’ve gone from very hot weather to much cooler, which I am enjoying.

A Eastern Phoebe, or pair of phoebes, is building a nest on our gutter outside the bedroom window.  Phoebes are in the flycatcher family so you will see them doing some gymnastics as they fly and catch insects.  They have a tail that bobs up and down.  Their call is a raspy and short Phoebe rather than the clear Phoebe or Sweetie of the Black capped chickadee.

May Apples and Sweet William are adding to the color of the woodland floor.  The Spring Beauties are still in full bloom and the leaves are really beginning to come out on the trees.  We are still hearing the spring peepers although they were quiet last night as the temperature was below 50 when we went to bed.  Fifty degrees seems to be the cut off point for the peeper song. 

Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment. ~~Ellis Peters

Needle Notes

Low Note: Proactive Star Toe Socks:  Pico Accuardi Dyeworks.  Accidental Felting despite not going into dryer. 

Plain Ol' Socks

Used Austermann Step with Aloe and Jojoba. Two knots in skein.  Great yardage.  A little on the thin side.

Listening back to an Episode and I heard myself say that I didn’t like having two pair of socks going at the same time.  Why?

Erin of MommyNeedsYarn No MoreTears for Autism Speaks.  Started project on March 23, Finished April 1, 2012.

BBknits Butter Pecan  Size 1 32” Harmony Needle

Learned:

1.      I will not collapse if I have more than one pair of socks in progress
2.      Magic Loop…getting into the groove. 
3.      Had a gutter where the loop came out.  First stitch on each needle was a purl stitch. See Episode 84 Cat Bordhi video with alternative way to purl.  At this point my head was beginning to spin but I decided to
4.      Cable without a needle.  Knittinghelp.com  (see below)
5.      Short Row Heel  First do a series of decreasing short rows with wrapped stitches and then a series of increasing short rows with wrapped stitches
6.      New way of concealing wraps  Cat Bordhi video

Cabling without a Cable Needle

Piper’s Journey KAL

Will probably unsticky the thread at the end of the month

Upcoming Pattern: Hyla Brook

Will use 2 skeins of Quince & Co Tern (wool/silk blend)

In the Pipeline

Knitting

McHenry by Susan B Anderson

Simple Skyp Socks by Adrienne Ku

Watching

The Fat Squirrel Speaks by Amy Beth.  Fantastic video cast!  Go watch it!

Reading

At Home by Bill Bryson

Listening

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Bird Decals from Duncraft 

Episode 82 That Pesky Purl

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes.
This show by sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince& Co.

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 suppliers. Find them at www.quinceandco.com and while you are there, sign up for their free e-newsletter.

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.  My business site is www.longaberger.com/paula

BostenJen has a new podcast called Down Cellar StudioPodcast.

Erin, MommyNeedsYarn has video from the Knitting Pipeline Retreat on her show.  Episode 48 RetreatRecovery  Thank you, Erin! 

Pipeliner Notes

I read notes from Hybridgirl and Silverbell.

Bronwyn wrote on the group thread:

 I guess we’re all spun from the same sheep, knit from the same skein.

Nature Notes

80 degrees the past few days

Why a warm winter does not mean more insects in summer.

Spring Visitors:  Pileated Woodpecker

Franklin the Wild Turkey takes a few pecks at the window.

The peepers are back!

Flocks of blackbirds

Every day that is born into the world comes like a burst of music and rings the whole day through, and you make of it a dance, a dirge, or a life march, as you will.
Thomas Carlyle

Needle Notes

SpinunLady wrote about the Purl Stitch being larger, a question Charr posed last week.

Ysolda Teague Little Red in the City

The Principles of Knitting by June Hemmons Hiatt

The Principles of Private Detection by Clovis Andersen in Alexander McCall Smith’s #1 Ladies Detective Agency.  I read a short passage from Blue Shoes and Happiness.

Piper’s Journey KAL

Warm enough in March to sit on the deck and knit!

In The Pipeline

Listening this week:

CaithnessCraft Collective, Fiber Beat, Knit Knit Café, Knitting Brooklyn, Positively Overcommitted, and A Playful Day.   Thanks to A Playful Day for a mentioning Knitting Pipeline on her show.

Knitting:

Socks.  Austermannwool Step Classic had two knots, both of which landed on the heel and heel flap!

Hyla Brook final sample for Quince and Co.

Cardigan for me?   NantucketJacket by Norah Gaughn

 Paulie by Isabelle Kraemer 

The Lady Edith by Carrie Steinmetz

Susan B Anderson toys  McHenry and Fat Robin

Watching

Watched Anatomy of Knitting.  Erin is either switching to video or doing both.

Lie to Me  Tim Roth and Kelli Williams  

The Good Wife

Project Runway All Stars

Owl Cam: The Hidden World.  Ward and June Barred Owls.   2 hours.  Ward is getting frustrated, is worried,   Learned:  some owls are a lot busier during the day than you might think. 

The Blethering Room

A Visitor surprised me when I was playing my pipes by the creek.

In The Piping Circle

St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow!  I will tweet.

Music

Dutch Pipes and Drums

In Concert

Haste ye back!

Episode 77 Short Rows and Spirals

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site.

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 76 Save our Socks!

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes.

This episode is sponsored by Quince & 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 combined efforts to create 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.

The Fiber Universe 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.

Knitting Pipeline Retreat!

We still have room for you!  

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

I read a letter from Dorothy about her wonderful mother and how she knitted until her recent death.

Nature Notes

Stitch Markers from Kim Ogle.  www.ogledesign.etsy.com

Karin says that Bertie the Bat is back!

I’m still on the watch for the snowy owl.  Thanks to everyone who has sent me information.  There was a clip on the NBC evening news onWed Feb 1. 

Tomorrow I may be going on a snowy owl expedition to Emiquon.  I think time is running out.

Needle Notes

I’ve been proactive about my sock knitting lately.

1. Choose yarn that will wear well.  What are your favorite hard wearing sock yarns?
2. Knit to a tight gauge
3. Close fit (negative ease)
4. Smooth skin (bring on the lotion!)
5. Pre-darning

Tips from Clara Parkes in Vogue:

1. Look at your socks.  See what areas are wearing out.  When you come to these areas in your knitting go down a needle size.
2. Turn socks inside out. Thread a blunt needle with your sock yarn and run it through the purl bumps on the wrong side.  I took this a step further by making horizontal rows with mohair-silk blend.

Inside of sock showing pre-darned area.

Crafting with Carpal Tunnel Group

First thread is sticky.  Do this one thing for your wrist pain.

Joshua Tucker specializes in the elimination of carpal tunnel pain and symptoms.   

The Blethering Room

Piper’s Journey KAL

We will start as soon as the pattern is released by Quince & Co.  I hope this will be in the next week!

In the Pipeline

Designed a cowl in 2 yarn weights and going for a 3^rd.  I enjoy wearing it.

On the Home Stretch on Ten Stitch Twist by Frankie Brown.

Spectra by Stephen West with 2 Knit Lit Chicks Podcast.

I bought bulky yarn to make Lee Bernstein’s OhSo Hat

Watching:

Downtown Abbey!  Now has its own thread on our Knitting Pipeline Ravelry Group

My Life So Far

Filmed on location in Scotland (Argyll), kilts, kilt hose, Scottish Country Dancing, pipe music, a knitted shawl, Fair Isle Vests, and Colin Firth!

Listening

The Paris Wife by Paula McClain  

Reading

Zombies Don’t Cry: Book One in a Living Dead Love Story.  By Rusty Fischer  Yes, my first zombie teen fiction. 

The February sunshine steeps your boughs and tints the buds and swells the leaves within.  William C. Bryant

I didn't have time to get music on the show this week. I am looking for snowy owls!

Haste ye back!

Episode 68 Star Toe and Christmas Knitting

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site.

This episode is sponsored by our friends at Quince & CO.  If you are looking to support American goods, then you can start here with their beautiful and reasonably priced wools.

Annabel Babe Cardigan in Quince & Co Chickadee in Snap Pea and Glacier.
Cap is At First Sight by Laura Linneman in Quince & Co Lark.

Thanks to Charr and Bronwyndp for joining me on this episode!

Winners of Rip Van Winkle Challenge!

Prizes:  Thin Ice Shawl by Laura Linneman (1 to each winner)
Nubby Noro Mittens by Annie's Woolens (1 to each winner)

3 skeins Soft Touch Ultra from Shelridge Farm 100 % Wool Fingering weight. 185 yd each.  (from my stash)  to winner #1

Grand Prize Winner: #42 Elisann

#19 Teal--wins both patterns!

#2 jpeled--wins both patterns!

Congratulations and thank you to our prize donors!

Local knitter hot spots mentioned on the show:

The Blend.  Our local coffee shop and hang-out.
Ewe-nique Yarns.  Morton IL  a full-service yarn shop.  They carry a full line of yarns and tools including Malabrigo, Madelinetosh, Elsabeth Lavold, Noro, Debbie Bliss, Sublime, KnitPicks Needles, Addi, Chia Goo, Hiya Hiya....and the people are friendly!  What more can a knitter ask for?

Heart Hat by Elizabeth Zimmermann.  Picot BO is my own touch.

Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater by Carol Barenys with Heart Hat

Owl Puffs by Jenna Krupar

Can you see where the gauge changed when I switched to Kollage dpn's?

Smitten Mittens by Emily Ivey

Hitchhiker by Martine Behm
Textural Healing Shawl by Shannon Squire
Holly, Ivy, and Steve Three Christmas Hooligan Ornaments by Rebecca Danger
Nubby Noro Mittens by Annie's Woolens
Annabel Babe Cardigan by Carrie Bostick Hoge
Heart Hat by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Baby Sweater on Two Needles by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Seamless Yoke Baby Sweater by Carol Barenys
Smitten(A Holiday Garland) by Emily Ivey.  www.yarnmiracle.com
Big Snowy Owl by Purl Soho
The Bee Keeper's Quilt by Tiny Owl Knits aka "Hexipuffs"
Sock Blanket by Shelly Kang
Owl Puffs by Jenna Krupar
Irish Hiking Scarf by Adrian Bizilia
Palindrome: A Reversible Cable Scarf by Kristin Bellehumeur
Seamless Saddle Shoulder Pullover by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Bridge of Roses by Wendy Gaal.  The Knitters' Brewing Company

Star Toe for Socks

Set up as if you are doing a common wedge toe with even numbers of stitches on 4 dpns. 

• Round 1   Knit to last 2 stitches on needle.  Knit 2 tog.
• Round 2   Knit around

Repeat above until you have half the number of stitches you started with.  Then do the decrease row on all rounds until you have 8 stitches remaining.  Cut yarn and run through these 8 stitches. For a simple sock formula see:
Sock Tips from Have a Yarn

Charm on Charr's Shawl

Bronwyn's Handmade Christmas:

Pie in a Jar

For these recipes Bronwyn has experimented with recipes found online and has come up with her own versions.  Bronwyn's Disclaimer: I'm no expert! Try your own version and experiment. These are both fragrance free, but you can add essential or fragrance oils for scent. They also contain nut oils and butters, so be mindful when giving them as gifts.

Bronwyn's Solid Lotion Bar

2 oz beeswax pastilles

1 oz shea butter

1 oz kokum butter (or 1 oz cocoa butter)

2 oz sweet almond oil

(all measurements by weight)

Stir ingredients together in a double boiler until melted. Pour carefully into molds (soap or candy molds, recycled pudding or fruit cups, etc.). Cool for several hours. Pop out of molds and into tins for giving away. To use, rub the solid lotion bar on hands as you would soap, except with no water.

Yield depends on the size of your molds, of course.

Bronwyn's Sugar scrub

30 oz sugar

7.5 oz coconut oil

7.5 oz sweet almond oil

(all measurements by weight)

Stir ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. Pour into jars. To use, spoon a small amount of scrub into your hand and rub over palms and backs of your hands. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. Be careful not to introduce water to the jar to reduce bacteria growth. Yields about 12 half-pint wide-mouth jars. To make a smaller amount, a sugar to oil ratio of 2:1 is good.

Sources for oils and tins: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com, http://www.elementsbathandbody.com, or your local grocery or health food store, and, of course, www.amazon.com.

Podcasts/podcasters mentioned:

• Diane of Knitabulls
• Meghan of Stitch It! Podcast
• Susan of KnitaJourney
• Erin of MommyNeedsYarn
• Laura and Leslie of TheKnitGirllls

Knitting Pipeline Retreat

March 2-3, 2012 (Fri night and all day Sat)

$50 or $40 for Sat only

See information in sidebar.

Mail registration to Knitting Pipeline Retreat, PO Box 549, Washington IL 61571

Haste ye back!