Rockin Sock club anyone

The rockin sock club is taking on new members at 10 am PST today.

Some people have expressed disaappointment in the club, and the colors and patterns ave available to everyone the next year. I think I'm going to pass on this one...

Episode 12 is up!

Well, it has been a great yarnie week. I have had so much support and positive feedback on my yarn-puppies. I have to say, even though I love them, you never know how other people will feel about them, so I am glad that they are going to good homes to become beautiful pieces.

I have to say though- the colorways that I thought would be the first to go (peach cobbler and peacock) are still there, so you never know.

Anyway - this week we talked about that person at work (I'm convinced every workplace has one at least) who makes you question how you can continue to work there.

We also talked about Sunshine yarns pure silk laceweight yarn. The colorways are the shaded solids that are perfect for lace work.
http://Sunshineyarns.etsy.com

And some fun stitchmarkers from http://nytefalle.etsy.com

And the best dying tutorials I have come across from three irish girls at http://www.irishbabyknits.com - I would have saved myself a lot of aggrevation if I had found this before I had started.

Now for a challenge - tell me what you like and don't like in a knitting podcast.

Ie do you like having music or not, and if you do, do you like whole songs or just bits thrown in for spice.

Do you like patters, yarns, etc?

So - write in, and be gentle, podcasters are only human and if you prick us, still we bleed.

Almost ready!

The yarn is almost ready for its debut! I am so excited about it!

podcast update

I just fixed a glitch with the latest episode of the podcast. But it still isn't in mp3 format. Sorry everybody!

Wow!

I am so shocked that so many people have downloaded the new episode of the podcast and viewed my website! I feel so honored! And a little embarassed actually. The podcast I put out was a little...rough. It was really just to get me out of the funk I was in about putting out a new podcast.

For next week... The format will still remain abbreviated. This is my first time working with garage band, which doesn't want to export to mp3, but will only put out an aac, m4p file. Its a pain in the butt, but it might resolve itself through updates. Honestly I have no iea how macs work. I am used to the PC where you have commands, you execute the commands, and there you go. With the mac, I am convinced it has a pretty active life while I am away during the day and when I sleep. Especially while I sleep.
So I digress, the format - it will go back to:
1) a quick(ish) what's new in my life
2) A review of what new stuff I have discovered knitting/fiber related. (Remember, it may just be new to me)
3) What's on the needles. (Now with yarn info and pattern and needle size)
4) Yarn pron - just like it used to be, a review and virtual scrooge mcduck-ing through the stash enhancement.
5) Maybe some pattern chatter.
6) And of course what is happening with yarn dying. A little info on what is new on the website - www.yarndyenasty.com

So, really I have much higher expectations for the coming episodes.

Thanks for still listening!

Visits home

Are always great because they involve seeing all of the animals I don't have room for. That's chopsticks.

Pointed knits on Ravelry

So i started a group on ravelry for siamese owned knitters and thought i would get some pictures of the babies up there. They are 17 and 15 years old if you can believe it. I remember when the 15 year old was born. They look like plump little white mice. Where do the years go...

Ravelry question

Dana asked me in a comment to my last post when I had signed up and when I got the invitation.

Signed up on june 4th and got invited july 24.

Check your position at www.ravelry.com/antsy

I am sooooo up on Ravelry!

If you are up too, drop me a line. I am TheCraftyWoman - naturally.

Which brings me to my next point of interest. I have started a lace knit-along on Ravelry - it is called Laceapalooza. If you are on, go check it out! If you aren't on yet, looke me up when you get up and running. I got my invitation this morning, and could barely tear myself away from my computer this morning to go to work. And I found myself logging in 3 times from work. This is so not good. I am sure it will be blocked soon enough, but I am totally going to get fired if I keep this up! The treasury just released new regulations for 403(b) plans (which is like a 401k but non profits and govt agencies set them up for their employees just like regular corps set up 401k's)
So its back to reading those and not my ravelry pages.
I think I will totally have to take a ravelry day off from work... That's not normal is it?

Thanks for the support.

Here is a picture i took when i got far enough away. Knowing that it was just steam is great. Knowing that it could have just as easily not just been steam is not great.

Not to be a bitch, but...

I have no problem with the free exchange of ideas. I welcome it, but when I post a comment on someone's blog and I leave this web address in the url field on the comment page, that does NOT mean that this conversation, which is an open dialogue on someone ELSE's blog should be continued as a comment to an unrelated post on my blog.

Keep it in the original string so you can own your comments in front of everyone who is taking part in the conversation.

But if people would like to discuss the relative merits and demerits of a free market economy, let's do it.

If you would like to discuss the pros and cons of living on the east coast vs the west coast, even the fairness that the time zone you are in might find you asleep when Sheri updates the Loopy Ewe for us, I would be happy to. I have been doing some thinking about why I am living in NYC and not someplace more lifestyle oriented anyway. I stepped out of Grand Central Station at 6pm on Wednesday. There were clouds of smoke (only later did we know it was steam) coming from behind a building. People were running and screaming trying to find anyone who could tell us what was happening. The police could only tell us that there was an explosion and to get out of the area as fast as we can. The thought going through my head, and probably through the heads of the people around me was "Please god, not again."

Maybe living somewhere where your problem is that you are asleep when the Loopy Ewe has a shop update, that's not such a bad thing, and maybe I should join you there.

But if you want someone to care that you were asleep when other people were awake buying yarn, call your mother, father, brother, sister, best friend, boyfriend, girllfriend - anyone else, but I don't have the time.

Everyone wants to be up on Ravelry

Show notes are coming soon

But in the meantime look at the progress I`ve made on the last border of my lace scarf.

Progress report

Here is the progress so far on the first lace project I`ve gotten past row 3 on. I`m obviously biased but I think it`s lovely. I can see myself getting totally addicted to lace knitting. And it can be done with certain sock yarns with about what you might buy for a pair of socks.

Embracing Technology

I've discovered that I can keep this updated by emailing my updates from work (or anywhere really). I can even send in pictures of my progress from my phone.

So, I am nearing the halfway point on my lace scarf (the first lace project ever!). I need to use my new handy dandy gram scale to make sure before I get over the halfway point that I will have enough to finish. The endpieces are knitted on separately, which means that if I don't have enough to finish I would have to rip out the one endpiece and however many body lace repeats necessary and then redo the endpiece. So to avoid that - I bought a scale.

I also broke down and bought a ballwinder and swift. 1250 yards is a bit much to wind by hand and I'm all paranoid about my yarn losing elasticity. So yadda yadda, new winding aparatus should be coming in from knitpicks by the end of the week.

On my socks in Seacoast Panda - Reef - I am just done with the heelflaps and am about to turn the heel and pick up my gusset stiches.

The sock yarn but not socks contest is still ongoing and will close June 15. I will be announcing a winner (along with the full contents of the Sur-prize package) the weekend of the 16th.

That weekend also is Father's Day weekend. If anyone has any ideas for a fun Father's day gift (knitted or not) kindly send those along too. He's not a sports guy. And, he spends a lot of time with our two dogs. Maybe a knitted treat sack for when he takes them to the dog park...

Alright. Keep knitting and stay tuned to the blog. *now with 80% more updates!*

Some mornings look like this.

So, I got a new phone and the cat is completely unfased by my need to try out all of the gadgets.

Episode 7 - Notes from the Drama Club

First of all, I just want to thank everyone for all of their comments and for listening to my podcast. It just goes to my thory that knitters are just good people.

This week has actually found me absorbed in a whole new world of lace knitting. I really like it. As I have said, I have been a backward continental knitter for about 20 years, and for lace knitting, the purls have to be wrapped the "correct" way for the knit two togethers to run smoothly.

I am currently trying out my lace knitting using the pattern on page 100 of Victorian Lace Today and Mars Quake in Sock Merino from Lisa Souza.

Of course, this has given me the confidence to get some Sea Silk in Mermaid and two giant skiens 1250 yards long 50% Silk and 50% Merino, one in Keen from Chewy Spaghetti and one in Midnight Rainbow/Harlot's Peacock from Perchance to Knit.

None of these are done justice by their pictures! The varigation of color on the Keen (very peachy) and Harlot's Peacock are really gorgeous.

The Sea Silk really does live up to the hype. I know it sells out in a flash at the Loopy Ewe, but check out the selection at Tidal Brook Yarns. This is the perfect example of why I say knitters are good people. I bought from Tidal Brook and because I have trouble trusting eBay, I bought the insurance, it calculated it, and I payed with paypal. By the end of the day, I had a refund of the amount I had paid over what the insurance actually costs.

I am having such a good time knitting my lace, so I will keep you updated with pictures as much as possible. Of course it won't look like much until it's blocked, but you can get the gist.

As for the contest: Leave your ideas for what to do with all of the sock yarn I have in my stash that's not socks. Leave patterns, ideas, pictures etc, and of course there will be a prize to my favorite.

Music:

Lara St. John - Bach Allegro (intro as always) (magnatune)
The Laschivious Biddies - Odd Bird (podsafe)
David Ippolito - Bill O'Reilly and the Legend of the Big Giant Head (podsafe) (a little political, but still amusing!)

Promises promises promises

Ok, so I've had two weeks that can be kindly described as drama-full. But a new episode is on its way, I promise.

Episode 6 - Happy Mother's Day and a Better Week

So I am slowly getting over my fear of groups and knitting with others and although poor planning made it so I missed the Saturday morning knitting group, I did get some public knitting in at the Museum of Art and Design at the Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting exhibit.

It was actually really nice! I finished up my Mother's day Socks (River Socks in Lorna's laces Shepherd Sport Aslan), which were a big success, but I don't know if she will pick up and knit the socks I gave her the needles, yarn and pattern for. I gave her two skiens of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Watercolor (which I though was very clever since most of her artworks are done in watercolor) but we shall see.

I have one big Mea Culpa for this week - Berta, the proprieter of School Products (with the cones of yarn at great prices) is the author of Runway Knits, which is also a great book! But Wenlan Chia, the author of Twinkle Big City Knits , is not affiliated with School Products, but is also the proprieter of Twinkle living (really pretty but really expensive housewares and linens). I don't know how I got that wrong, but a little internet search an hour or two earlier would have turned that up. No one has sent angry emails enlightening me, but I just wanted to set the record straight.

I confess to listening nonstop to Everclear - Ten Years Gone and Welcome to the Drama Club . The ability and willingness that the lead singer Art Alexakis to strip bare his own soul in Drama Club is refreshing and maybe a little cathartic.

Music this week comes from:
J.S. Bach Violin Concerto I: Allegro, as played by Lara St. John brings us into the show, as she did last week and the week before.
I am grateful that we aren't all crazy on the same day, so I give you David Ippolito - Crazy on the Same Day from the podsafe Music network
And I end the show with Summer of Life by Peapod - Music you live on also from the Podsafe music network

Direct download:

Only Ewe

I just made myself a little buddy. There was a little bloodshed, but he was worth it. He's Loopy from the Loopy Ewe! He came to work today.

Episode 5 - Power in Groups and the Week that Almost Killed Me

Hi Everyone!
Welcome back to the Crafty Woman podcast with episode 5, in which I slowly recover from the worst week at work ever, or so far at least. I guess I do a lot of talking about my horrific week, and then somehow for brief periods of lucidity I talk about how I knit as a solo activity, and my phobia thus far concerning crafting in groups. I lurk on the message boards of the Stitch and Bitch groups and other knitting groups in the city, but have yet to come out to the groups for a public knitting experience. Then I talk about work again. Can you tell where my head is?

I am asking for any help at all with the Cookie German Stocking pattern. How does one knit on the WS (wrong side) when you're knitting socks in the round. I'm so confused.

This week I welcome into my home (sort of - still stuck in a post office somewhere) the woolpets loopy ewe. Some Seacoast Panda in Reef, Interlacements Tiny Toes in Mountain Jewel and Schaefer Lola in Midsummer Night's Dream. I also look through all of the sock yarn stash and find that it cheers me up quite a bit. Maybe I should have done that on Monday...

If you want to find out what is waiting to be turned into socks in my stash you will just have to listen

Music this week comes from:
J.S. Bach Violin Concerto I: Allegro, as played by Lara St. John brings us into the show, as she did last week and the week before.
I am playing a tribute to the country music "could it get any worse" motif with Ocean Street - Cold (Acoustic Version) from the podsafe music network
And after all of that, I end the show on with a laugh with Marc Gunn - Wild Kitty from his album Irish Drinking Songs for Cat lovers from the podsafe music network

Direct download:

trying new on site mp3 player

Apologies all around

Hi everyone, I am sorry there is no new podcast up this week, but I have been having one of those weeks at work that makes you wonder why you got out of bed in the first place and instead of looking at yarn you start looking on expedia for places with warm turquoise water, fine sand between your toes and no cell phone service.

But not to worry; I've issued myself a stern "Suck it up, Cupcake." I am all too aware that even if you love your job, you won't like it every day.

After all, tomorrow is another day.

Guess what found me at work

A cute little bundle of trouble, that's what.
Look how cute that is? I have gotten birthday gifts wrapped with less care. But that may just be saying more about the company I keep than the yarn package.
Anyway here, it is. So what did I do? I ordered some more, of course.

Episode 4 - The First Step is Admitting You Have a Problem

Hi Everyone!
Welcome back for episode 4, in which I come to terms with the fact that I am completely addicted to yarn. I go through some self analysis, which you may or may not find useful. I confess to my recent yarn purchases, which includes three skiens from WoolGirl, which includes the Grape Nehi from Seacost Handpainted yarn, Plumeria from Mama Llama Dye Pot, and the Flocksock yarn in the BlackJack colorway from vanCalcar Acres, which I can't find on the woolgirl website since I got the last one (ha, victory is mine). I also confess to some Loopy Ewe purchases - the lorna's laces in sport weight that just went up, and I got some yarn love (which you can't see anymore because it's sold out too - ha ha). I got the lorna's laces sportweight in Aslan (I do love the Chronicles of Narnia), and Lakeview and the Yarn Love is in Latte Swirl, which just may be a tribute to my love of foofy coffee drinks.
And oh my - I didn't see this in time for the podcast, but look at these Poseidon socks - This is attention to detail.
Anyway, I spent some time with Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby, but I still haven't found a lace shawl I like more than the Shetland Lace shawl by Shirley Paden in the Vogue Knitting Fall 2005 issue.
We talk a little abut cooking and knitting, and how to pull it off. Here is the recipe:
1 Package Tofu, sliced2 cups brocolli florettes1.5 cups sugar snap peasGarlic, choppedGinger, gratedStir fry sauce of your choice1 Cup vegetable bullion (I use the bullion cubes and make some broth in the microwave)2 tablespoons flourRice (Mmmm ricecooker rice is ideal)
Put the rice up to cook in the ricecooker.
Using a nonstick skillet I sautee up the garlic and ginger with a little olive oil, because it is a little healthier, but toasted sesame oil is really tasty. Then I throw in the tofu, and if you want to harder tofu, use more oil and really fry up the edges, I prefer it just steamed, so I just stir fry up the tofu slightly with very little oil and then throw in the vegetables (use whichever vegetable combination makes you happy) and the vegetable broth, cover and let the veggies and tofu steam for a minute or two, still keeping the veggies firm and the tofu intact. Then uncover and let some of the vegetable broth evaporate. Then mix in the two tablespoons of flour with the stir fry sauce, and then mix with the tofu and veggies. Keep stirring until sauce thickens. Turn flame off and serve over rice.
Prep time : Depends; how fast can you chop?Cooking time: Actual flame-under-skillet time is about 10 minutes.
Enjoy! (And it's kinda healthy too...)
Music this week comes from:
J.S. Bach Violin Concerto I: Allegro, as played by Lara St. John brings us into the show, as she did last week.
Alun Parry - You Are My Addiction from the podsafe music network (You can be my Ned Flanders - hee hee)
And I end the show with the Divine MAGgees - Riverlady from the podsafe music network

Direct download:

Episode 3 - If we could knit all day

This week, the first thing we hear is J.S. Bach Violin Concerto I: Allegro, as played by Lara St. John, which can be found on Magnatune. I have used different intros, but I think I am going to stick with this one.
Ok, so I spend about 20 minutes talking about jobs and what life would be like if we could get paid to knit. I start rambling and it's only by virtue of the fact that I got sick of my own voice and put on some music that I was even able to shut up.
I played New Leaf - Magic Carpet, which can be found on the podsafe music network, music.podshow.com.
I finished my Monkey Socks in Cherry Tree Hill Gypsy Rose, which are so cute, I know that at some point I will make that pattern again. I have always found the kitchener stitch to, well, not work, but the pictoral tutorial on knitty is the only one that i have found that is detailed enough to show me what I was doing wrong. I will never kitchener again without this tutorial in hand. I had nothing on my needles when I recorded last night, but I have since cast on Cookie's Twinkle Toes socks which she demonstrated on the DIY network's Knitty Gritty. I am using Lisa Souza's Hardtwist Merino in What a Melon. They are coming out really cute and knitting up so fast! They are knit from the toe up, but instead of using the figure eight cast on that is usually used (or so I hear since I have never tried it) I used the magic cast on found on the Knitty website. I still plan to cast on for that sweater coat I have been wanting to knit, but I have to say that sock knitting is damn addictive. Of course, I am knitting the socks two at a time, because it goes even faster that way, and any mistakes you make on one, at least match in both.
I realize that I have become powerless over my yarn purchasing at the Loopy Ewe, it's just that the yarn is delivered so nicely and it arrives in a day and a half, and I it gives me a delivery at my office to look forward to. This time, I succumbed to the charm of some Lorna's Laces supersock and some Lorna's Laces Sport. Don't judge.
I had no real yarn porn, well just a little yarn porn. Mostly just some stuff that I saw on Etsy.
I dont' find any of the mass marketed tote bags especially cute or fun, so if you share my opinion, check out Janine King's designs.
I have been looking at some Amigurumi, and Amy Gaines has the cutest. Check out the Garden Gnomes, pretty awesome.
And finally the only real yarn porn comes in the form of pairs of hand-dyed sock yarn. Epicurious $14- you can't beat that.
And I leave you with David Ippolito - Talk Louder from the Podsafe Music Network, music.podshow.com
Keep knitting, and until next week, Secret Squirrel is signing off and, finally, shutting up.

Get this episode:

Episode 2: You might be a Yarn Snob if...

Hi!
Welcome back to the Crafty Woman Podcast, or if this is your first time listening, just plain welcome!
This week we are taking a look at a world with an emphasis on luxury, is there such a thing as too luxurious, and in a city where affordable yarns are the rareity, is there any room anymore for acrylic? Ask yourself if you are a yarn snob; the answer may surpise and delight you.
On my needles: Cookie's Monkey Socks from Knitty winter 2006 in Cherry Tree Hill - Gypsy Rose, which I got from the Loopy Ewe
We will talk about some Koigu Cashmere and String, the yarnstore behind Luxury Knitting
We will look through Knits from a Painter's Palate by Maie Landra, the woman behind Koigu.
And then the Yarn Pr0n:
Have a look at the Citrus colorway from Fearless Fibers, the handdyed laceweight and Mohair Boucle from the Laughing Rat, the homegrown angora fibers from the little bunny herd at Wooly Wonka Fibers, and the tabby calico colorways from Spindle Cat Studios.
Once again, the music comes from the podsafe music network music.podshow.com
Rob Coslow - LA Passing By
Cassandra Kubinski - Lime Green Taxi
Brothers in Stereo - Your Voice
That's all I have for this week... Until next week, happy knitting!
Feel free to email me at TheCraftyWomanATgmailDOTcom

Get this episode:

Episode 1: Not Just Another Knitting Podcast... Or Maybe It Is

Welcome to my first podcast. This is my first attempt at a podcast, so bear with any technical difficulties, and hopefully it will get better as we go along, maybe with some help and advice from some podcasters out there who have been doing this for some time.
So without further ado, here are the show notes:
I am working on my second sock, of the Metropolis socks in the Opal Rainforest in the Catapillar colorway.While the combination isn't quite working, these can be found at The Loopy Ewe.
As I mentioned, I am looking forward to knitting the Lava Flow sock from Sock Bug in the Peacock Colorway
The Loopy Ewe is one of the most amazing online yarn shops I have ever ordered from and Sheri is so incredibly nice to email. After seeing Ms. Lime actually steeped in the loopy yarns, I have fantasies of wading through seas of brightly colored soft sock yarn...
If you see the Cherry Tree Hill Sock yarn at the Loopy Ewe (I bought the Gypsy Rose Colorway) but socks are not your thing check out the other Cherry Hill yarn types in the same unique colorways, check out The Yarn Market. They also have a lot of yarns that are pretty tough to find, like the yarns for the patterns in Rebecca.
Next week will have much more yarny goodness because I am expecting some serious yarn Pr0n through the mail in the plain brown wrappers. So stay tuned. If I can figure out how to put pictures up with this I will photograph my subrosa deliveries (yes, they are both being delivered to work) for you to have yarn fantasies about.
If you are looking for a few really great patterns to knit, check out Dawn Brocco's patterns. She has one for a Watermelon Baby Blanket that is just so cute. If knitting baby stuff is not your style, look at this cable handbag. She also has some knitting that combines beading. If you try it, tell me how it goes. I am way too chicken to start something like that.
All of the music that has been played on this podcast have been courtesy of the artists on the podsafe music network.
The opening song is Fumitaka Anzai - Sad Sequence Part 1- 2
The song in the middle is Alun Parry - Life of Crime
And the song at the end is Rob Costlow - Bliss

Get this episode:

Trying out this blogspot thang

So at some point I promised pictures of sheep from my trip home for Easter, so here goes nothing... upload