Episode 85 Sock Songs

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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 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!

Episode 67 Donkey Ears and Pig Eyes

Listen here or use the Flash Player on the show blog. 

This show is sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business www.longaberger.com/paula .  Sign up for my sale newsletters and special offers by sending an email to Paulaef@aol.com.  Please include your name, address, and phone.

Nature Notes 

My Life as a Turkey on PBS 

For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Afterthought Heel Socks by Laura Linneman 

Ginger from Mississippi found the solution for those pesky donkey ears on the corners of heels and toes that have been grafted (Kitchener) in:

Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles by Cat Bordhi

Donkey ears are for donkeys, not sock toes: To avoid those little boxy corners on your grafted toes, slip the outermost stitch on each end on each needle over its nearest neighbor, eliminating four stitches which might have gone boxy on you. Now graft.

Ginger adds:

This works great on DPNs or two circs but if you’re using magic loop the stitches should be transferred to DPNs first. I slip the first two stitches on the left needle to the right needle, then pass the first slipped stitch over as if binding off, then move the remaining stitch back to the left needle. Another way to do this is use a crochet hook to pull the second stitch on the left needle through the first stitch (dropping the first stitch) and then putting that second stitch back on the needle. 

Cat Bordhi's web site and blog 

Little Box of Socks by Charlene Shurch and Beth Parrott

Vogue Knitting featured Martha Stewart and her new line of yarn from LionBrand.

I have a new favorite whole wheat bread recipe.  You can throw away the other one.

Before baking.  These are the bread pans I bought from The Urban Homemaker.

Cooling after baking.  I put a clean tea towel over the loaves, but of course, I had to take it off for the photo.

Ready to slice!

The Urban Homemaker

Best Bread Recipe

Rip Van Winkle Challenge

Enter for the prizes on our Ravelry board on the thread Prize Entries for Rip Van Winkel

The prize thread will close on Dec 1, 2011.

Nubby Noro Mittens Pattern by Annie's Woolens

Shawl Pattern by Laura Linneman  Thin Ice 

3 skeins Soft Touch Ultra from Shelridge Farm  100 % Wool Fingering weight.  185 yd each. 

Product Review

The Best of Knitscene: a Collection of Simple, Stylish, and Spirited Knits.

by Lisa Shroyer
Highly Recommended.

High Note

Meghan of Stitch It!! Podcast introduced me to:

Good Earth Original Caffeine Free Tea

(I see their packaging has changed from what I have.)

 Music 

Diana Rowan.  Panta Rhei.  Track 07 The Sea Set. www.magnatune.com 

You can find me on Ravelry as PrairiePiper 

Knitting Pipeline Retreat March 2-3, 2012

(Friday evening and all day Sat) in Washington IL

  information on overnight accommodations is in the side bar, along with registration information.

 

Episode 63 O' Hushed October

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes.
(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 61 Let the Shaelyn KAL Begin!

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site.
Thank you to Quince & Co for sponsoring this podcast episode.

Two wound skeins of Quince & Co Chickadee Carrie's Yellow.  Ready for Shaelyn Cast on!

Nature Notes

 

Tracks & Trails Newsletter of Forest Park Nature Center in Peoria IL Fall Migration Challenge which gave me some things to think about. Here are some of the ways that we humans can help birds and other animals.

• Turn off outdoor lights when possible to avoid confusing the birds.
• Provide birdfeeders, birdbaths, and nestboxes.  Due to land development there are not as many natural sources for animals.  We starting feeding in all our feeders about a week ago despite the chipmunks.
• Plant native plants.
• Reduce litter.
• Reduce toxic pesticides and herbicides.
• Help birds avoid window collisions with stickers, decals, window birdfeeders, or curtains.

Whooping Cranes in Florida Class of 2011 Whooping Crane Chicklets will be making their first migration with the help of an ultralight.  Migration starts on October 8, 2011.

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace

As I have seen in one autumnal face.

~John Donne

My path to the compost bin.  Isn't it lovely?

In my Pipeline

•  Radiance Shawl by Helen Stewart
• Magrathea by Martina Behm
• Afterthought Heel Hiking Socks using pattern by Laura Linneman
• Shaelyn by Leila Raabe

JanMarie suggested I overdye the socks with too much yellow, idea which had crossed my mind.

Needle Notes

 Fawl Shawl KAWL for AWL update

Tag for your project:  knittingpipelinekal2011

Name of Project  Fawl Shawl KAWL for Awl  or Fall Shawl KAL for All

Shaelyn by Leila Raabe 

Most successful KAL we’ve had so far.  It’s not too late to jump in.

330 yds IS enough sport weight.  My cost to knit Shaelyn in Quince & Co Chickadee is $14.00.  A bargain!

Beginning of Shaelyn.  Fun!  Color is Carrie's Yellow.  It is richer than the photos indicate.

Marker shows beginning of lace pattern.  I explained on the thread on the board how to read your lace so you know when to start another band of lace (without counting rows.)

I did a video tutorial of the garter tab cast on.  I forgot to mention in last week's episode on Garter Tab CO to use two double pointed needles.  This tip seemed to help a lot of knitters.

Lifeline Tip from Twinsetjan:

Instead of a thread for a lifeline use a long circular needle in a very small size.  Advantages are that if you have to frog (unravel) the stitches will already be on a needle.  Plus stitch markers do not get caught up in the lifeline.

I tried this method and I wasn't real fond of it (although I am fond of Twinsetjan!) but encourage you to try it for yourself!  I prefer using a blunt needle and fine crochet cotton for now.

The Blethering Room

 Wore my A Shawl Like Kate’s (Milk Run Shawl by Cat Wong) to the grocery store (Aldi).  Interesting experiences. 

Quince & Co has new colors.  Gray heathery colors called Iceland, kumlien’s gull, kittywake, sabine…in chickadee, lark, osprey, and lark.

Estelle Cardigan Update

October 15 is Wear Your Estelle Day.

Take a photo of yourself in your own town, workplace, home, etc.

We (Bronwyn) are going to make a photo collage.

For those of you who have not finished your Estelle please join us in the fun! Take a photo of yourself knitting on your Estelle and we will include it in the collage. 

Movie    The Big Year starring Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, Jack Black  release date Oct 14, 2011

Knitting Pipeline Retreat

March 2-3 Washington IL 

New development for the adventuresome knitters:  you may camp out at the facility!  Bring your own sleeping gear, towels, etc.  More info coming soon. 

October Rip Van Winkle Challenge 

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. 

Product Review

Vogue Knitting Knitopedia: the Ultimate A to Z Guide

Sixth and Spring Books  2011  $34.95 US $41.95 CA

Comprehensive scope.  Oversize book.  Maybe not for every knitter's library but still an excellent book.

In the Piping Circle

Greg, Kevin, Paula

Paula, Kevin, Greg

Greg and Heather in foreground.  Tuning before the Walk.

Heather, Rob, Paula, Kevin in the tuning circle.

Music

Dutch Pipes and Drums.  In Harmony.  Track 8 

Salute to Royal Fendersmith, Corkhill, The Banjo Breakdown.

Thank you to our friends from Dutch Pipes and Drums!

Haste ye back!

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