Episode 231: Baa Baa Baa-ble

This week's LONG episode continues our ongoing series of reviews from Cooperative Press with Spilly Jane Knits Mittens. This week's WIPs include a Baa-Ble hat, Rhinebeck cowl, Gradient Hat and vanilla toe-up socks. FOs include more Baa-ble hats and the Jackyll and Hyde face mask. Featured baubles and bling include the patterns Color Tracks and amigurami Owl. We also feature the Hand Knit Gift Wraps book and draw a winner of the River Ganseys e-book!

 SHOW NOTES

October and November KAL/CAL:  Hats.  Let's all get ready for winter!

BONUS Baa-ble Hat KAL:  Knit Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith along with us!  You can enter it both in this thread and the general hat thread!

Shout Outs:

This week we are featuring the book Hand Knitted Gift Wraps by Deborah Tomasello as well as reviewing Spilly Jane Knits Mittens by Spilly Jane (See Gossip & Innuendo for the full review).  We will be giving away copies of both in Episode 233, so don't forget to post in the contest thread in our Ravelry group!

On The Dance Card:

Wendy is working on:

Rhinebeck Cowl (personal design) in Into the Whirled sock yarn with a paintbox gradient set from Fiber Optic Yarns.

Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith from stash yarns.

Sheila is working on:

A Gradient Hat based on Gradient Wrap Cowl by Elizabeth Smith

Vanilla toe up socks.

Rate Your Date:

Wendy finished:

2 Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith from stash yarns.

Sheila finished:

Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith from stash yarns.

Jackyll and Hyde by Saskia de Feijter in stash yarns

Whirlwind Romance:

Nothing

Future Dates:

Wendy will knit a pair of socks with some White Birch Yarns in "You Know Nothing, John Snow."  Sheila will knit socks, hats and some new slippers.

Baubles & Bling:

Color Tracks by Mel-Tran Designs

York the Owl by Tahlia Fernandez

Gossip & Innuendo:

BOOK REVIEW:  This week, we reviewed Spilly Jane Knits Mittens by Spilly Jane, published by Cooperative Press.  Both Sheila and Wendy think this would be a great book for experienced knitters and newer knitters who want to start knitting colorwork mittens.  The book starts out with some good tutorial sections on thumb options, yarn choices, and color work tension, and all of the patterns can be knit using dpns or circular needles, depending on preference.  The patterns themselves vary from simple stripes all the way up to intricate charted designs with multiple colors.  At the end of the book, there is also a blank graph so that you can create your own colorwork designs.  There is definitely something for every mitten knitter in this book!  It would make a great Christmas gift, or a great book to make mittens for Christmas gifts.

If you would like to win a copy of this book, go to our Ravelry group contest thread and tell us which pattern is your favorite!  We will draw a winner in Episode 233.

NEW CONTEST:

If you'd like to win a copy of Deborah Tomasello's Hand Knitted Gift Wraps, check our the contest thread in our group and tell us which gift wrap option you would knit.

Also, this week we drew a winner of the River Ganseys book!

2015 Fiber Events

We will post a new list of events in January 2016.

Episode 230: Cyclops

This week's WIPs include Sheila's Baa-ble Hat, her Jackyl and Hyde face maks and Wendy's self-designed Rhinebeck Cowl. FOs include Sheila's finished Vanilla Socks from a hand-dyed sock blank and Wendy's finished Ribbon Candy Socks. No Baubles and Bling this week.

 SHOW NOTES

October and November KAL/CAL:  Hats.  Let's all get ready for winter!

BONUS Baa-ble Hat KAL:  Knit Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith along with us!  You can enter it both in this thread and the general hat thread!

Shout Outs:

We received four books to review from Cooperative Press!  Yay!  Cooperative Press Books are available on Amazon and electronically through Ravelry's pattern store.  Our first review is of River Ganseys by Penelope Lister Hemingway.  We will be giving away a copy of this book in Episode 231, so make sure to check out the contest thread in our Ravelry group.

On The Dance Card:

Wendy is working on:

Rhinebeck Cowl (personal design) in Into the Whirled sock yarn with a paintbox gradient set from Fiber Optic Yarns.

Sheila is working on:

Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith from stash yarns.

Jackyll and Hyde by Saskia de Feijter in stash yarns

Rate Your Date:

Wendy finished:

Ribbon Candy Socks (designed by Wendy) in Must Stash Yarn self-striping in the Nutcracker Candy colorway.

Sheila finished:

Vanilla toe-up socks knit from a doubled, hand-dyed Knit Picks sock blank.

Whirlwind Romance:

Nothing

Future Dates:

Wendy will knit Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith from stash yarns and start a pair of socks with some White Birch Yarns in "You Know Nothing, John Snow."  Sheila will knit socks.

Baubles & Bling:

Nothing this week.

Gossip & Innuendo:

Don't forget to enter the contest for River Ganseys by Penelope Lister Hemingway, published by Cooperative Press.

2015 Fiber Events

We will post a new list of events in January 2016.

Episode 229: Bursting With Socks Appeal

This week's WIPs include Sheila's vanilla toe up socks from a sock blank, her Edison shawl and Wendy's new design, Ribbon Candy socks. FOs include Sheila's finished modified Rye Socks in her custom Turtlepurl colorway "Superfriends." Wendy has a PHD of one Ribbon Candy Sock. Featured Baubles and Bling include a gift from a viewer of Hobby Lobby yarn and a dishcloth knitting book. We review River Ganseys, a new book from Cooperative Press, and draw a winner of the View from the Charles pattern contest.

 SHOW NOTES

October and November KAL/CAL:  Hats.  Let's all get ready for winter!

BONUS Baa-ble Hat KAL:  Knit Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith along with us!  You can enter it both in this thread and the general hat thread!

Shout Outs:

We received four books to review from Cooperative Press!  Yay!  Cooperative Press Books are available on Amazon and electronically through Ravelry's pattern store.  Our first review is of River Ganseys by Penelope Lister Hemingway (see Gossip & Innuendo for a summary of our review).  We will be giving away a copy of this book in Episode 231, so make sure to check out the contest thread in our Ravelry group.

On The Dance Card:

Wendy is working on:

Ribbon Candy Socks (designed by Wendy) in Must Stash Yarn self-striping in the Nutcracker Candy colorway.

Sheila is working on:

Vanilla toe-up socks knit from a doubled, hand-dyed Knit Picks sock blank.

Edison by Lynn Di Cristina in String Theory Fiber Arts Caper Sock, Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock medium weight, and Handmaiden Casbah.

Rate Your Date:

Wendy finished:

One Ribbon Candy Sock.

Sheila finished:

Modified Rye Sock by Tincanknits.

Whirlwind Romance:

Nothing

Future Dates:

Wendy will knit a cowl inspired by Fall Together, using the Oak Leaf pattern from the October Leaves Sock by Mary Hennigen and Into the Whirled sock yarn with a paintbox gradient set from Fiber Optic Yarns.

Wendy and Sheila will knit Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith from stash yarns.

Baubles & Bling:

We received an awesome package from a viewer that included "I Love This Cotton Yarn" from Hobby Lobby, a dishcloth pattern book and a knitted dishcloth, as well as some sweet treats and a note pad!

Gossip & Innuendo:

We drew a winner of the View from the Charles giveaway!

BOOK REVIEW:

This week, we reviewed River Ganseys by Penelope Lister Hemingway, published by Cooperative Press.  This book is more of a history of River Ganseys with some patterns, than a pattern book.  Wendy and Sheila both loved the detailed photos and information about knitting with sheaths and belts, spinning for gansey yarn, and the myths and facts of the gansey patterns.  The book is filled with photographs of people wearing their ganseys, and all of the historical information is backed up by careful research.  The author weaves in a family history and it makes the book fascinating and fun to read.  The River Gansey patterns at the end are beautiful, with options for men, women and children.  There is plenty of information about how they were knit and the construction of the sleeves, and several charted designs which can be used in one of the patterns, or to develop your own gansey design.  The charts also include two different alphabets so that you can add initials to your sweater, and a blank chart for you to create your own motif.  This book will be perfect for history buffs, gansey knitters, and knitters who want to add some beautiful textured motifs to their library.

2015 Fiber Events

Fiber Festival of New England, West Springfield MA Saturday Nov 7 - Sunday Nov 8, 2015

We will post a new list of events in January 2016.

Episode 228: Babble about Baa-ble

This week's WIPs include Sheila's modified Rye socks and Wendy's new design, Ribbon Candy socks. FOs include Wendy's finished Geek Socks in her custom Turtlepurl colorway "Superfriends." We announced that we are opening a special thread for anyone who wants to knit a Baa-ble Hat as a part of the Hat KAL/CAL, as we both plan on making one ourselves. Wendy also plans to knit a gradient cowl using a color work leaf design from a free sock pattern as a motif.

 SHOW NOTES

October and November KAL/CAL:  Hats.  Let's all get ready for winter!

BONUS Baa-ble Hat KAL:  Knit Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith along with us!  You can enter it both in this thread and the general hat thread!

Shout Outs:

Don't forget to enter the pattern contest for View From The Charles by Jennifer Lassonde!  Just tell us which yarns you would use to knit this lovely shawl, which comes in a DK and Fingering version! A winner will be drawn next week in Episode 229.

On The Dance Card:

Wendy is working on:

Ribbon Candy Socks (designed by Wendy) in Must Stash Yarn self-striping in the Nutcracker Candy colorway.

Sheila is working on:

Modified Rye Sock by Tincanknits.

Rate Your Date:

Wendy finished:

Geek Socks by Wei S. Long in Turtlepurl Yarns self striping sock in the custom Super Friends colorway.

Whirlwind Romance:

Nothing

Future Dates:

Wendy will knit a cowl inspired by Fall Together, using the Oak Leaf pattern from the October Leaves Sock by Mary Hennigen and Into the Whirled sock yarn with a paintbox gradient set from Fiber Optic Yarns.

Wendy and Sheila will knit Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith from stash yarns.

Baubles & Bling:

None this week.

Gossip & Innuendo:

2015 Fiber Events

Fiber Festival of New England, West Springfield MA Saturday Nov 7 - Sunday Nov 8, 2015