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.