Heckled! Episode 29

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Do you know what kind of birds these are?

I'm having technical difficulties uploading the podcast, but here are the show notes in the meantime! As soon as the episode is available, there will be a link to your right.


Latte: Ben is knitting the Norwegian Star Earflap Hat. Abby continues to work on Cassidy, Distelfink and the Derry Pullover. She is also trying hard to finish Stricken for the Spin Control KAL, but is not hopeful.


Grande: Ben finished his bias knit scarf; Abby finished Flagstone, which might just end up belonging to one of her teachers.


Chai: Ben had a whirlwind Madrona experience, and bought some lovely yarn, including: Dream in Color Starry, Angora Valley Fibers Lacewing Sock and Crown Mountain Farms sock yarn. He also met up with a bunch of friendly podcasters!


Stir: Abby is anxious to finish her yellow sock yarn so she can jump into some strange, experimental spinning, inspired by Jacey Boggs's Sit and Spin DVD.


Bitter Cup: Ben had some stranding mishaps, but Abby is disconsolate over her failed cashmere Ptarmigan. She cannot figure out why she didn't have enough yarn, and is so very, very sad.


Demi Tasse: Check out the Evolving English "Map Your Voice" website where you can hear English in its many regional flavors, and even add your own if you like.


Tip Jar: Abby rants shares her thoughts on how everyone can knit with high quality yarn. She also explains how she remembers how to do kitchener stitch without a visual or other aid. Ben refers to another grafting method from Techknitting.


Yes, we were heckled by Melanie of the Savvy Girls. 

Brooklyn - Episode 28

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Latte: Abby continues to work on many, many projects. Ben is knitting his bias scarf and designing a Teddy Bear sweater. He's planning to knit replacement Hiking Socks but is having some difficulty finding the right yarn.


Grande: Neither of us finished anything!


Brewing: Ben and Abby are both pondering cast ons and other mysteries.


Bitter Cup: Ben's girlfriend learned the pain of stranded knitting with too-tight floats. Abby discovered that her Cassidy's fronts had been started with the wrong size needles.


Taste: We reviewed Westknits Book Two by Stephen West. We are both totally excited, once again, and you'll hear the word "clever" about 20 times. Our advice: buy it now!


Chai: Abby and Savvy Girl Melanie braved the wilds of Brooklyn and lived to tell about it. We visited Brooklyn General (although you'll have to wait to hear about it next time), La Casita Yarn Shop Cafe and One Girl Cookies -- yummy all around!


Tip Jar: Ben recommends Judy's Magic Cast On as the perfect provisional cast on. Abby found this neat yarn calculator on the Jimmy Beans Wool site. 


See you next week. Knit, knit!

Startitis! Episode 27

Latte: Ben is knitting a bias scarf, but Abby has cast on (too?) many things this week, including: Stricken socks by Cookie A, Ptarmigan by Jared Flood, Distelfink socks by Mary Scott Huff and Derry Raglan from New England Knits.


Grande: Ben finished a hat, which he blocked on a dinner plate. Abby finished her Rumplestilksocks.


Brewing: Ben is designing a sweater for a teddy bear. Abby finally began her patternless, seamless cardigan from her hand spun BFL.


Bite: We ask how and when you substitute yarns. Do you have a method? We'd like to know. 


Demi Tasse: Abby encountered three types of dpns this week with varied results: Lantern Moon Rosewood dpns, Kollage square dpns and Blackthorn carbon fiber dpns.


Taste: Abby and Ben are both laughing themselves silly watching Portlandia.

Chai: Abby reveals her haul from Vogue Knitting Live: Blue Moon Fiber Arts BFL Sport, Marine Silk Worsted and Silk Hankies; Tess Yarns Fine Cashmere and Donegal Wool Spinning Company 100% Wool.


Tip Jar: Ben recommends constraining your choices to enhance creativity. Abby is enjoying knitting her stranded socks and catching the floats every other stitch. Video to follow (watch this space!). 


Extras!! Special thanks to Sarahmontie and Meshuggeknitter. Sarah sent Abby her Seaweed Scarf pattern, and some very cool Habu yarn for knitting jewelry (!!!) Meshuggeknitter (Diane) gifted Abby Walk Now from Irish Girlie Knits. Proceeds from this pattern are going to Autism Awareness.


Finally, Ben reveals the source behind his rav name, NumbersandNoise. It's from a comic book by Grant Morrison, The Invisibles. So now you know.