Shownotes

Knitting:

1) Completed the Aviatrix Baby Hat, although finding a way to block it will be a challenge.  It just needs a button.  Baby project #1 down!

2)Hub’s Oven Mitt Socks (so called because they are HUGE) just need about three inches of knitting – one inch stockinette, two inches ribbing.  I cannot WAIT to get these done – hopefully in time for our anniversary on Thursday.

3) Evenstar is out of hibernation, and is receiving between one and three rows of love each day.

4)30th Birthday Socks are being knit out of the lovely self-striping yarn I got from Fibernymph.  Each sock will have thirty stripes – one for every year I’ve been alive.

Spinning:

I finished the Shetland from CJ Kopec and got about 426 yards of a fingering weight.  It’ll either become a hitchhiker or an Ishbel… got an opinion on which I should knit?  Leave a comment here or in the Rav group, where I started a thread.

Sewing (NOT a recurring section):

Created a purse for the Mommy Needs Yarn SAL.  It came out much more lovely than I’d anticipated.  I followed (more or less) this tutorial online.

Dyepots:

Nada.  Fiber order didn’t come until after I recorded.  There are a few new spindles up in the shop and there will be fiber and yarn next week.  Promise.  Why not hit up the Keegan Lane Yarns update instead of mine this week? 

Processes:

I get a little ranty in this section about the piss-poor customer service I received from Interweave Press’ Hurt Book Sale.  If you had a similar experience, please contact their customer service, Twitter, Facebook, etc.  LET THEM KNOW you are unhappy!  Otherwise they have no motivation to change.  On the complete other end of the spectrum, the customer service I receive from Associated Bag Company is PHENOMENAL.  They know how to make me feel like I am important.  IP should be taking lessons from them.  Seriously.

Growth:

I need to get in touch with Steven from Dramatic Knits’ LYS – the owner expressed interest in carrying my items.  Life has just been so freaking crazy lately!  Gah!

Grabby Hands:

Had a LOVELY 30th birthday thanks to my two dear friends, Katie and Tina.  Thanks ladies for making a sucktastic milestone a little less sucky.

Tina gifted me a fantastic tape measure that looks like a sheep.  SO much cuter than my old sewing one!

Katie gave me WOLLMEISE.  SERIOUSLY.  It’s the 80/20 twin in the “Maus Jung” colorway, which translates to Young Mouse.  Don’t know what it will become yet, but when I know, so will you!  For now I’m content to pet it.  A lot.

We went to The Cashmere Goat, a new local yarn store in Camden, Maine.  It was nice in there except for the employee who followed us around commenting on everything we picked up.  Katie thinks that maybe she was just very excited, this being a new store or whatever.  I was less willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.  I did buy two skeins of yarn – Zauberball and Jawoll Magic.  Yeay for stash enhancement!

Shownotes

Knitting:

I FINISHED my Girasole!  WAHOO!  Click the link to see my project notes. I modified the pattern only to create a multi-colored edging – I didn’t have enough of either color of wool to use just one color.  So I used both.  I did a rotten job carrying the yarn from color to color, but I don’t care.  It’s DONE!!

I also finished my Starving Artist Slouchy Beret that I told you I was going to knit last week.  It only took three days to knit it up, AND I cast on for it three times!  Gotta love it.  I used almost an entire skein of Basswood Bulky.  It’s bigger than it needs to be, and I have a huge head.  The colorway is Terra Cotta Pot.

I’ve begun knitting another hat, this one for my future niece or nephew (due in January).  The pattern is Aviatrix Baby Hat by Justine Turner.  I’m using my leftover Focus yarn from Intention Yarns.  There will be many more baby knits in future podcasts.

I will be resurrecting my long-hibernating Evenstar Shawl as well this week.  Hopefully I can figure out where I left off!

I have finished spinning some fiber I bought and began spinning in March of 2010.  Plying will happen this week!

Dyepots:

Working on custom orders – if you have asked me for custom yarn, but haven’t messaged me about it in the last week or so, PLEASE REMIND ME what you wanted.  I am trying to get all caught up before my next major shipment comes in.

Speaking of my next shipment – I’m getting several new base yarns and fibers.  Some of these are PHENOMENAL.  I can’t wait to get dyeing!!

Processes:

I purchased Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Knitting Workshop from Amazon to help me design a circular shawl.  EZ is wonderful to read and is so so so inspiring.  Hopefully I can get the shawl started once I finish Evenstar.

Growth:

New base yarns coming!  WOOT!

Grabby Hands:

Associated Bag Company has the most superb customer service.  LOVE them!

Also – I have a new webcam!  It’s a Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 – does neat awesome things (including moose antlers).  It’s $58 on Amazon right now, I think.  I LOVE IT.

Shop update went live at 5pm EST on Monday – there is still a lot left!

Shownotes:

Dyepots – Everything I’ve been dyeing the last few weeks is making its way to the shop.  This week’s update will have all of the sock and worsted yarns, superwash merino, superwash merino/tencel, and corriedale cross fibers, as well as four spindle kits and six stand-alone spindles.  There will be another huge update next week, which should get me current with my inventory.

Tomorrow’s shop update will be happening at 5pm EST.  That’s an hour earlier so don’t forget!

Processes – I created an Evernote file to store my colorway descriptions and fiber content/info.  This means when I list colorways and fibers I’ve used before I can just copy and paste from the files instead of re-writing them every time.  This is MUCH faster!  I can’t believe it took me so long to do this.

I also am putting everything up in the Big Cartel shop and setting them all as “coming soon” so you guys can peruse the wares before the craziness that is tomorrow’s update.  I’m hoping this is something you all enjoy.  Let me know if you feel otherwise!

Growth – I am not working a summer job, which should allow me to focus on Highland Handmades and Intention Yarns full time.  I may even have time to design again!  Look for more bases and fibers to show up in the shop soon.  I hope you’re as excited as I am!

Knitting – I have been knitting.

Girasole is about 10 points further ahead than last time.

La Vie de Bois #2 is ready for gusset increases

Summer Mystery Shawlette is done and blocked.  I love it!

I’m about to cast on a Starving Artist hat in my own Basswood Bulky.  I hope to have that done quickly.

Grabby Hands -  I bought a LOT of stuff in the last few weeks.  A LOT!

Reese’s Pieces Self Striping Sock Yarn from Fibernymph Dye Works.

Fraggle Rock Rockin’ Roving from Keegan Lane Yarns

Wool/Alpaca blend yarn in blues from Good Karma Farm

Fairy Dust Sock Yarn in the Blue Jay Colorway from Enchanted Knoll Farm

I was also given some wonderful gifts:

Yak and camel fibers from my friend Alynxia

a fantastic apron from Kate of DomestiKated Darling

Buttons and other goodies in my packages from Fibernymph and Keegan Lane Yarns

This is a joint podcast from Katie of Knittin’ on the Fly. The goats do quiet down after a few minutes, I promise!

Shownotes:

Recording from the 2011 Maine Fiber Frolic in Windsor, Me.  Have Katie from Knittin’ on the Fly with me!

Knitting:

Summer Mystery Shawlette by Wendy D. Johnson in HH Sugar Maple Sock in the “Greener Side Colorway.”

La Vie de Bois in String Theory nexxus in “kelp” (Heather) and HH Sugar Maple in “Survivor” (Katie)

Spinning:

Katie is spinning HH Falkland in “Katahdin” on one of her new HH spindles.

Heather has been spinning an oldie but goodie punta fiber in “bloodlust” colorway, as well as “Bloodlust” in 50/50 SW Merino/Tencel

Growth:

At the show!

Processes:

Spinning to attract people into the booth.  It works!

Grabby Hands:

Katie: Mad Color Fiber Arts “Cupcake” in 60% SW Merino, 30% bamboo, 10% nylon x 2

“Rock Roses” in the same base

The falkland in “Katahdin” mentioned earlier

“Plum Crumble”, “Greenwood”  in Sugar Maple Sock

Heather: two pounds of lovely merino fleece, one in white one in chocolate

Half fleece of Romney Cotswold

Mad Color “wildside” 60/30/10% SW Merino/bamboo/nylon

Enchanted Knoll “Heavenly Day” batt.  MMMM!