I Know You Are, But What Am I? - Episode 16

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A simple picture of a simple sock

Latte: Ben is working on some vanilla socks and a kindle case. Abby is almost done with her Vine Yoke Cardigan.

Stir: Ben met up with Rachel (Roue) of the KnitCents podcast to learn to spin.

Bite: A quick reminder to prove that you were once a child. Don't be scared!

Chai: Abby went to see Pee Wee Herman live on Broadway with Dalya.

Mini-contest: Try to guess Abby's secret crush!

Brewing: Ben wants to modify God Save The Queen from Pretty in Punk for maximum ridiculousness, using Ella Rae Classic Superwash and Noro Taiyo. Abby has experienced a flurry of inspiration from reading The Knitter's Guide to Hand-Dyed and Variegated Yarn.

Tip Jar: Ben goes over the basics of the afterthought heel. Abby talks about learning to read your knitting.

Sharing the Embarrassment - Episode 15

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Ben in a lion costume that Abby made. He was around three years old.

Lots of random things in this episode! Here are the most pertinent links:

Chai: Abby dropped in on the Men's Knitting Group at Knitty City. They have recently been profiled in the Wall Street Journal!

Tip Jar: Ben shared some unexpected uses for Judy's Magic Cast On.

Taste: We talked about some of our favorite TV shows. Abby is almost through all of Deep Space 9, while Ben is working his way through The Next Generation. New shows that they both like are: Boardwalk Empire, Terriers and Dexter. Both are looking forward to the new show The Walking Dead, about zombies, of course!

Come join our ravelry group and spread your own embarrassment by posting a picture of yourself as a child! We did.

Ben is a Robot - and he never was a child Episode 14

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Grande: Ben finished this vest of his own design. He's writing up the pattern to share.

Latte: Abby continues to work on her CeCe sweater, frog mittens, Tree of Life socks, and she started the Girl's Best Friend socks out of Trekking Hand Art. Ben is furiously trying to finish his Mojo socks.

Brewing: Ben's thinking up a new strawberry hat. Abby bought yarn for the Vine Yoke Cardigan. She noticed that the new yarn, Tosh Vintage is called "worsted", while the Free Range she's been knitting with is called DK. The DK, however, looks heavier than the Worsted. What do you think?

We talked about hats we like and asked listeners to share their favorite hat patterns on the ravelry group. Some of our favorites are: Cranio, Dead Fish, Jayne and Brain Monster.

Taste: Abby reviewed New England Knits, a book of classics with a twist.

Tip Jar: Ben shared a technique for jogless joins in the round, and Abby shared some tips from Maggie Righetti's Knitting in Plain English and Sweater Design in Plain English.

Finally, Ben claims that he was never a child, but there is evidence to the contrary!

Please join our ravelry group here!

It's Halloween -- and Episode 13!

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Don't forget about our donation incentive! Donate a dollar or more by Election Day and you'll be entered to win High Whorling and some fabulous fiber!

Ghoul-latte: Ben is working on a vest of his own design. He's almost finished and is employing a "partial steek" technique. Abby's is making great progress on both the Tree of Life socks and the Knitmore KAL CeCe.

Chai-Day the 13th: Abby tells a spooky story about her failed attempts to felt (full) a knitted project.

Tip Jar: Abby recommends getting a tape measure and using it! Ben extols the joys and benefits of spit splicing.

Brewing: Ben wants to knit a tie. Abby dissuaded him from lining it. Abby's working on a new sock pattern (it's a secret!).

Stir: Ben is checking his mailbox for his Jenkins Turkish Delight and we hope for a spinning section from him soon. Abby's still spinning the superwash merino from Becoming Art.

Taste: Ben was amazed and thrilled when he finally watched The Nightmare Before Christmas, and both Ben and Abby love Tim Burton's films!

Extra: Dalya crocheted a Pikachu hat for Halloween! Check it out:

Come visit our ravelry group or feel free to leave a comment here!

Long Episode with a Funny Finish Ep. 12

This is what happens when Ben and I don't speak to each other for a week! Listen here.

Ben knits like the wind! He finished his Devon in a week and a half.

Latte:

Ben has a vest of his own design on the needles. Abby started several projects and frogged almost as many. She couldn't stop herself from casting on CeCe for the next Knitmore KAL.

Abby is also working on a surprise for Dalya, as well as the Tree of Life socks by Janel Laidman from The Enchanted Sole. Abby is also itching to cast on the Vine Yoke Cardigan by Ysolde Teague.

Grande:

Ben finished Devon! See above. Abby finally finished the Ada Lovelace socks. You can see them here.

Chai:

Rhinebeck, of course! It was chaotic, it was fabulous. The weather was superb and Abby managed some well-planned stash enhancement.

This fabulous haul includes luxurious, yummy Free Range yarn from Sanguine Gryphon, acid green super saturated sock yarn from Fiber Optic and three skeins of fingering weight from the incredible Creatively Dyed. Abby also purchased a beautiful Turkish Delight Jenkins Spindle for Ben from Morgaine at Carolina Homespun.

Abby also had fun meeting and seeing lots of knitters and podcasters! Here are just a few photos:

Stir: 

Abby didn't spin this week, but she went a long way towards enabling Ben to start spinning - see above.

Taste:

We talk a bit about Debbie Stoller in general, and review her new book, Stitch 'n Bitch Superstar Knitting: Go Beyond the Basics. Abby is a big fan of Debbie's magazine, Bust. We also mention two classic knitting books which anyone who wants to design his or her own knitwear should own at some point: Knitting in the Old Way and Sweater Design in Plain English.

Bite:

We want to talk about yarn! What do you like, what don't you like? Which are your favorite yarns and for what purpose? We want this to be an ongoing investigation, so please let us know, either here, or on the ravelry group!

Finally, don't forget our donation incentive! Just click on the donate button, donate any amount, and you will be entered to win our fabulous prize package: High Whorling book and some tasty fiber!

Do Yiddish Cops Run in Doc Martens? Episode 11

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Wow, we did a lot of talking this week! Here are the links for everything we talked about.

Latte: Ben is knitting Devon by Norah Gaughan, with modifications. He's devised a spreadsheet which allows him to see everything that is happening "at the same time". You can see -- and download -- the spreadsheet here. Ben says: "the chart attached applies only to size XS, but the same format could easily be used for any other size. Sleeve increases of -2 are to be placed at either side of the sleeve. No stitches are bound off in this version of the pattern. Ones set aside are to be placed on stitch holders, spare needles, or waste yarn. They will either be grafted later or used to start the collar."

Brewing: Abby is getting ready for the Knitmore Girls new knitalong: CeCe by Chicknits. It gives her something to shop for at Rhinebeck. She's also getting ready to cast on the Serpentine Socks from her handspun Sunshine of Your Love.

Demi Tasse: We discussed various strategies for breaking in Dr Martens shoes. Ben recommends Overunder Lacing to make things a bit easier. You can find a tutorial here.

Stir: Abby has started spinning some yummy fiber from Becoming Art in the colorway Firefly. The shop still shows up on etsy, but it looks like they haven't offered anything for sale this month yet. 

Bite: We review The Yiddish Policemen's Union and mention The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, both by Michael Chabon. We've heard that the Coen brothers are making a movie of The Yiddish Policemen's Union, but have no solid information about it.

The Barista reminds you that our October donation incentive is still happening! If you donate any amount $1.00 or more towards our production costs, you will be entered to win High Whorling along with some cool fiber! Just click on the Donation button at the top right of this page.

Last but not least, if you are at Rhinebeck on Sunday, please come to the Podcasters' Grip and Grin meetup! It's at noon, right next to the Ravelry meetup. Here's the ravelry map:

If you have any questions or comments, you can leave them here, or on our ravelry board. Have a yummy week!

Abby has a Super Power and Ben has Ennui

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Latte: Abby and Ben continue to work on their socks, but Abby has finished Acorns! (Well, except for the button band). 

Brewing: Ben's having a little knitting ennui - he can't decide exactly what to knit next. Feel free to send recommendations! Abby's ready for another sweater, or she might just pick up her partly finished Kingscot.

Abby and Dalya took the yarn bus to the Flying Fingers Yarn Shop in Tarrytown, New York. We highly recommend it! Tarrytown is right next to Sleepy Hollow, so if you're up for a Halloween, Headless Horseman type outing, this might just be perfect.

Abby bought some sock yarn, some mystery gift yarn and some mohair for Dalya. She also scored these fantastic buttons:

If you're coming to Rhinebeck, don't forget our Podcaster "Grip and Grin" at noon on Sunday. Abby will be there with Kari from the High Fiber Diet, SavvyGirls Deborah and Melanie, Sydney from Knaked Knits, and others!

We love to hear from you, so please feel free to comment here, on our ravelry group, or PM Abby (Abbyknitz) or Ben (Numbersandnoise) on ravelry.

Have a delicious week! Knit, knit!

For those who asked: here's a picture of the "mouse repellant" shoes (which have not repelled any mice).