Episode 42 Happy Estelle Day

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Quince & Co is a sponsor for this episode.  Sign up for their Free e-newsletter at http://www.quinceandco.com/.  Thank you, Quince!



Quince & Co Chickadee in Clay, Split Pea, and Carrie's Yellow.  Yum.

Owl Bag Giveaway

Three Bags Full is donating an Owl Bag for this week's giveaway. Has anyone noticed that each week the prize gets bigger? Isn't it adorable? Thank you, Michele!  Leave a comment by noon on Thursday May 12th to enter the drawing.

We have a winner!

The winner of the Pink Daffodil Bag from Episode 42 is PJM, who is Paula, or pjpurls on Ravelry.  Congratulations!  Please contact me to claim your bag from Three Bags Full.

Nature Notes

Take a course in good water and air; and in the eternal youth of Nature you may renew your own.  Go quietly, alone; no harm will befall you.   ~~John Muir

Nancy and Susan joined me on the deck for an afternoon of armchair birding.  Rosebreasted Grosbeaks are migrating though.  The males are flashy and the females look like overgrown sparrows.  We also saw the Wood Thrush.  Both the Rose-breasted Grosbeak and the Wood Thrush have beautiful songs.

A fox caught a squirrel for his breakfast.  The squirrels were getting complacent about the foxes.

John Muir books are available on Librivox, a free audio source.  The following John Muir works are currently available for FREE!

• An Adventure with a Dog and a Glacier (in "Short Nonfiction Collection Vol. 021")
• The Mountains of California
• My First Summer in the Sierra
• Steep Trails
• Stickeen
• The Story of My Boyhood and Youth
• Travels in Alaska
• The Yosemite

Needle Notes

I finished several projects to get the deck cleared for the Estelle KAL on May 1.

Eye of Partidge Heel Socks

Other than the Eye of Partridge Heel there is nothing too special about this pair.  On the second sock I took Anna Lena's advice and used the slip stitch pattern that is often used on the heel to reinforce the bottom of the sole.  With one sock reinforced in this way and one not, this will be an experiment of one.

I am still loving Charlene Schurch's technique for eliminating the pig's eye (hole) where the heel flap and the gusset join.  (See Episode 34, March 4, 2011)

I decided to not match the pattern on this yarn but it matched itself!

Sugar is Sweet by Rose Beck

from the Be Mine Collection





Blocking on guest bed.

Edge detail

Miss Bab's Fingering weight was the main colorway in blues and browns.  I used the rest of Forever in Blue Jeans (The Woolen Rabbit, Pandora) for the blue stripe and Barnacle (Quince & Co Tern) for the bottom border.  I saved enough of the Miss Bab's to do one row of knitting and the BO row which I think made it all work.  I love the crescent shape of the shawl and the three dimensional textured lace.

I forgot to say that I intended to make a smaller size but wasn't paying attention and passed up the stitch count so went on to make a large.  If I had stuck with a medium size I might have had enough of the Miss Bab's.  I am happy with the result.

I used The Russian Bind Off for a nice flexible (and tidy) edge.

The Blethering Room

Happy  Estelle Day!  Charr chimed in on May 1st with this greeting and I loved it. 

The recommended yarn is Lark by Quince & Co. I chose Glacier, an icy blue.

Raglan increase detail.

Several of us seem to be having trouble with gauge.  I checked my gauge when I was about 4 inches into the yoke and it was off, actually tighter than it should be.  The fabric seemed a little too dense.  I shifted to a size larger needle and may go up one needle size.  I think we have people knitting with everything from a 3 to an 8, which goes to show how individual we all are as knitters.

If you like the Lark at a looser gauge than what is recommended, then you have some options.  You could knit a smaller size or you could change the stitch count.  If you change the stitch count for this or other projects you might want to try Ann Budd's nifty My Favorite Formula on her blog, AnnBuddKnits.

Charr and I are going to Sock Summit!  We are also going to Stitches Midwest.

Book Notes

Be Mine: 5 Sweet Shawlettes to Knit by Rose Beck

$12.99 e-book.  Individual patterns are $4.00

•  Simplicity is the key with these shawls, all knitted top-down and either triangular or crescent shaped.  The shawls are subtly romantic. 
• Clear instructions.
• Various sizes and yarn weights
• Large charts--no need to enlarge before knitting
• Highly recommended for lovers of small shawls.

Kim of The Woolen Rabbit has a beautiful version of And So Are You.  She used Opal in the color Grey Goose.  (Did I hear the word "grey"?  You know my passion for it!)

The music in today's show is For My Daughters from Quieting by Lydia McCauley.  http://www.magnatune.com/

Haste ye back! 

Episode 41 Ready, Set, Gauge!

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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!  What is a Knit Along?  A KAL is when knitters simultaneously work on the same project to share their ideas, progress, suggestions, and challenges.  Feel free to join us.  Estelle is suitable for adventuresome beginners.  It is a top down cardigan with little or no seaming.

Estelle by Melissa LaBarre

Giveaway Sponsor: Three Bags Full

Week #3 Winner of the Hummingbird Project Bag is KnittingLady 54 aka Gwyn!  I will give you a week or so to contact me so you can hear your name announced on the air. Congratulations!


Our Week # 4 Giveaway from Three Bags Full is a Pink Daffodil Project Bag.  Just leave a comment on this blog post by noon Central USA time on Thursday April 28, 2011.  The winner will be announced on April 29th.  Since we have an unexpected 5th Friday in April, Michele has generously donated another very special bag to go with next week's show's theme.  Thank you, Michele!  Also, there are just 10 days to enjoy FREE Shipping at Three Bags Full by using the promo code "piper" at checkout.  This offer is good through April 30, 2011. Michele is a busy lady and each bag is handmade so shop ASAP for the best selection.

Pink Daffodil Project Bag for Week #4 Drawing from Three Bags Full

Pipeliner Notes

Birgit from Germany has the most amazing collage photos on her project pages and also on her blog.  Her Ravelry name is BConstanze.  She uses Picassa for the collages.

Yarnette reminded us to no use food coloring in hummingbird feeders.  Just 4 parts water to 1 part sugar.  Boil and cool before adding to feeders.   Do not use honey or any other sweetener.

Nature Notes

John Muir in the New World was a fantastic documentary.  Watch it online here.  April 21 is John Muir Day.  April 22 is Earth Day.  Bob and I and two of our friends participated in the Great American Clean Up...in the rain on Sat April 16.  I won't say it was fun but it was rewarding.

Thank you to Maggie H for sharing that the John Muir autobiography The Story of My Boyhood and Youth is available for FREE on Kindle! I immediately downloaded it and am enjoying reading it again.  (I gave my copy to one of our sons.)

Take a course in good water and air; and in the eternal youth of Nature you may renew your own. Go quietly, alone; no harm will befall you.   --John Muir

Needle Notes

Clockwork is a scarf by Stephen West of Westknits.  I used two kinds of fingering weight yarn from The Woolen Rabbit.  Pandora is a wool/bamboo blend and the color is Forever in Blue Jeans.  No wonder it looks great with Casper's denim jacket.  Harmony is a merino wool superwash and the color is Birch Beer, a very rich green/gold.  I love these two colors together. 

Casper modeled Clockwork moments before leaving our place for Chicago and then back home to Denmark.

Clockwork closeup.

I put all the finishing touches on the Norwegian Setesdal Sweater.  The sleeves might be a tad long but he likes them that way.  I will get photos of Bob wearing the sweater as soon as the rain stops here.  We have had torrential rains and thunderstorms lately.

The sweater measures 43" across the body.

Sleeve detail.  See, steeks aren't scary.

My momentary stroke of genius was to add a woolen fabric label that looks a bit old.  Visit a local quilt shop as they sometimes have wool scraps for wool applique quilts.  Or repurpose that old wool skirt that no longer fits you.  I used a fine tipped Sharpie marker.  A scrapbook pen works also.  You have to steady the fabric with a straight edge and write along the top of the edge.  Slowly.

I have also sewn the labels on the side seams but he liked the idea of having it at the neck.

I probably should have pressed the label before sewing in.  We will see how it looks in a week or so.

Gauge Swatch for Estelle

First Swatch with size 4 needles.  4 YO K2 tog make it easy to tag your needle size on the swatch.

Before blocking measure with smaller needles.  Put the pins in at exactly 4" apart at a point where the fabric is not distorted by ribbing or lace.  Count the "v"'s between the pins. 

Wash and block the swatch however you plan to treat the garment.  Don't cheat when counting the stitches. Include partial stitches as these will affect the size when added up.

Book Notes

Sock Yarn One Skein Wonders:  101 Patterns that go way beyond socks.
edited by Judith Durant.  Storey Publishing 2010.  $18.95

Little Hanten by Cheryl Oberle.  This design is the reason I bought the book.  I also like:
Spring Garden Shorties by Cathleen Campbell
Mitered Square Gloves by Kathleen Taylor
Lettuce Slide Scarf by Bobbie Morris
Baby Hoodie by Diana Foster
Patches Baby Sweater by Christiane Burkhard

The musical selection has our friends, the spring peepers, in it!  I think this is the perfect lullaby for all ages.

Every Bug, Every Bee, Every Breath by Lydia McCauley from Quieting.  http://www.magnatune.com/

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It's Pottery Week on my Longaberger site www.longaberger.com/paula . Enjoy 20% off through April 30th. If your order is over $150 you may qualify for a 1/2 price item. If so, please contact me directly.

Haste ye back!

Episode 40 Wee Bits and Bites

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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 39 Spring Peepers

Listen here or use the Flash Player at right.  All episodes can be accessed from the Flash Player.  Find the show on iTunes.  Thank you for your positive 5 star reviews and wonderful comments!

Thank you to Quince & Co for their continued sponsorship of Knitting Pipeline!  Sign up for their free e-newletter to stay current on Quince & Co news.  Our Estelle KAL starts on May 1, 2011.

Estelle by Melissa LaBarre.  Yarn: Lark in Peacock

Open up your peepers to this beautiful bag set from Three Bags Full!  Leave a comment below by noon on April 14th to enter the drawing for the bag set!  Enjoy FREE SHIPPING through April 2011 from Three Bags Full by using the promo code "piper".  Since this episode was prerecorded the winners from Week #1 and Week #2 will be announced on the April 15 episode.

Spring Peepers

Peepers (Pseudacris cruciferi) are as sure a sign of spring as bird song in the morning and the first crocus.  In the spring I like to "go to bed with the frogs and wake up with the birds."

Download Spring Peeper wallpaper and ringtones at National Geographic site.

Hyla Brook

By June our brook's run out of song and speed.

Sought for much after that, it will be found

Either to have gone groping underground

(And taken with it all the Hyla breed

That shouted in the mist a month ago,

Like ghost of sleigh bells in a ghost of snow)—

Or flourished and come up in jewelweed,

Weak foliage that is blown upon and bent,

Even against the way its waters went.

Its bed is left a faded paper sheet

Of dead leaves stuck together by the heat—

A brook to none but who remember long.

This as it will be seen is other far

Than with brooks taken otherwhere in song.

We love the things we love for what they are.

--Robert Frost

Needle Notes

Pieces laid out on the floor to mark the sides for steeking.

Red wool marks the side stitch.  I was preparing to use my sewing machine to stitch on both sides of the line.  Two times for good measure.

I am coming down the home stretch on the Norwegian Sweater.  On Saturday I steeked for the sleeves.  I recorded this technique for you on video.

The next step was joining the shoulders at the top.  I used Meg Swansen's technique, an i-cord Bind Off that is similar to the Three Needle Bind Off except you incorporate i-cord.  It makes a sturdy seam for the drop shoulder and looks nice too.  I left the 3 icord stitches live on each shoulder and will incorporate them into the neck ribbing.  I also sewed the sleeves in the sweater.

The Blethering Room

Thank you for your information and tips about sock heel reinforcement.  Woolly Serger Thread can be found in some fabric stores.  Schoolhouse Press has a heftier version.  It is not wool.  It is actually stretchy nylon with a brushed coating.  Use it to reinforce socks. 

My favorite tip is from Anna Lena.  She uses the slip stitch heel technique on the bottoms of her children's socks for reinforcement.  I am going to try this on my next pair of socks.

I darned one more sock using the Swiss Darning Method with my mods.

In the Piping Circle

Thanks to my band mates Karen (Band Manager), Heather, Rob, and Deb who listen to the podcast and encourage me.  Also thanks to Kevin, a great friend and the voice you hear at the beginning of each episode.  The music is Amazing Grace, played at a regular rehearsal in March 2011.  Soloist is Pipe Major Ted Kerrn.

Episode 38 Sock Chatter

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Quince & Co drawing winner!  Congratulations to Robin (comment on 3.11.11)  Please send me a message to collect your prize of a pattern from Quince & Co and 2 skeins of Tern yarn!  Thank you to sponsor Quince & Co for continuing to sponsor the podcast.

Three Bags Full is our giveaway sponsor for the next 4 episodes! We will have a drawing each week for one of Michele's beautiful project bags! This week the prize is the Mia Bag. Leave a comment below to enter the drawing. Enjoy FREE SHIPPING through April 2011 by using the promo code "piper" at Three Bags Full.



Mia Bag from Three Bags Full. 



Inside of Mia Bag.  Love those little pockets!

Thank you, Michele!

Japan Relief

Martina Behm is donating the proceeds from Magrathea, a small shawl, to Japan Relief.  Purchase before April 5, 2011 and the money will go to the German Red Cross.

Nature Notes

In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous. 

 --Aristotle.
The black panther was spotted by 6 people at the same time.  One person is a local county law enforcement officer.   Robins abound.  The American Robin is in the Thrush family.  Male robins have black heads and tails.  I saw a bluebird and a brown creeper this week.

Needle Notes

My socks in progress have Eye of Partridge Heel!

Have a Yarn  Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

Eye of Partridge Heel

I am tired of talking about the Norwegian Sweater.  On Saturday I started knitting Clockwork by Westknits.  I'm back in my groove!

Ann  5 Gauge Socks is a booklet for knitting socks in most sizes in most gauges.   These are toe-up but look like top down.  The pattern is available at Quince & Co.  Ann  Budd's web site is here.

In The Blethering Room

Join us for an Estelle KAL (Knit Along).  We will start on May 1.  Estelle is a top down cardigan by Melissa LaBarre.  Lark is used for this pattern.

Fix It Notes

I fixed one pair of socks with a combined method of Swiss Darning and traditional Darning.  I used my great-great-grandmother's darning egg.

Thin spot on bottom of heel

Just in the nick of time!  These threads were ready to pop.

Darning Egg

Sock Mending Video in progress...to be uploaded soon.

Music

Lamb's-Fold Vale (or David of the Blue-Storm) by Cheryl Ann Fulton from The Airs of Wales available on Magnatune.

Haste ye back!

Episode 37 A Startling Shawl Discovery

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Come forth into the light of things. Let Nature be your teacher.  --William Wordsworth

Quince & Co offers a line of thoughtfully conceived yarns spun from American wool.  Leave a comment in the show blog to enter the contest for your choice of 3 patterns and the Tern yarn to make it.  Choose from Sabrina Mitts, Abbey Road Socks, and Barcelona Scarflet.

Pipeliner Notes

I read a letter from Elseline about seeing a large number of Short Toed Eagles.  She sent me this link as well as photos.  The Short Toed Eagle is probably a descendent of the old world vulture. 




Elseline's photo of a Short-toed Eagle.  Note the beautiful markings.

 I got to meet Jen when she visited Celtic Cross Pipes and Drums rehearsal.  I also met Kathleen!

Paula, Jen, and Kevin.

Nature Notes

My friend Mr. Fox on his way to the bird feeder.

A busy Fox Sparrow.

Visit Pileated Woodpecker Central, a site solely dedicated to this woodpecker.
Our resident Red Fox visits daily and he is very shy.  A flock/den of Fox Sparrows entertained me with their scratching in the leaves at the edge of the wood.  Fox Sparrows are the largest of our sparrows.

Panthers in Illinois

Needle Notes


Blethering Room

I finished a ribbed stocking cap that is too small for all the men in my family.  This will go to charity.
Sewing in the ends on a piece of ribbing is like magic if you know where to put it.



Find the row of bumps where a line of knit stitches meets a line of purl stitches.  I call it "the gutter". 



You sometimes have to spread the fabric a bit to see the row of bumps that is nestled in here.

Run your threaded blunt needle through the bumps for about 3 inches.

See it?

I left a little tail sticking up so you could see where the tail is threaded through.  Pretty nifty, eh?  This is the wrong side of the hat so you are essentially making a ribbed hat reversible by hiding the ends so well.

Is anyone interested in a KAL?  I have to knit this cardigan!
Estelle by Melissa LaBarre

The Leila Cap by Carrie Bostick Hoge reminds me of Flower Fairies.  I also mention Annabel Babe Cardigan because when I talked about it last week I did not say the name.

Book Notes

Knitting Traditions  Winter 2011 on display until 5/15/11  $14.99
Color, Texture, Lace:  45 Projects frm around the world
Special edition of Piecework by Interweave Knits.  Contents comprised of articles selected from Piecework's 17 year archive, favorite Interweave Books, and new stories and projects.

How could I resist with this beautiful pair of mittens on the cover?

Highly recommended for those who enjoy historical knitting, traditional knitting, folk traditions, and colorwork. 

Music is from Celtic Cross Pipes and Drums, recorded at our rehearsal on Thursday March 25, 2011.

Here another photo of the band in the St. Patrick's Day.