We Digress - Episode 38

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Latte: Abby is still working on Cassidy. She has started the sleeves, and also is still knitting the Marilinda socks. Ben is continuing on with his Paraphernalia socks.

Brewing: Ben is thinking up designs for whimsical 3-D yarn bombs. We talked about stuffing knitted items to give them shape and also about knitting with wire. Abby shared that her favorite stores for art supply inspiration are hardware stores. Abby is designing a small shawl. We discussed how we feel about knitting patterns and other things going "viral". Abby has surrendered to the Camp KIP KAL madness and is ready to cast on Daybreak with the yarns pictured above. They are from Malabrigo, Artyarns and Koigu. Abby also talked about the book Astounding Knits! where yarn bombing is just one of many fascinating examples of "knitting art". 

Bitter Cup: Abby knit quite a bit of an Elektra shawl before deciding she was using the wrong yarn. We discussed the seductive nature of variegated yarns as well as the challenges of working with them successfully.

Chai: Abby had a visit from the exterminator and discovered that, even in New York City, there is no such thing as a "better mousetrap".

Bite: We ask listeners two questions: Do you abandon things you like when they become "too popular"? Also, what is the most ill-considered or craziest thing you've ever made (need not be knitting)? The last question was inspired by Susan from the Knitajourney podcast describing a vintage magazine she recently acquired. Ben talked about attempting to knit a dalek, which led us to.....

Caffeinated: We are both totally pumped about the new season of Doctor Who. 

Demi Tasse: After Ben's discovery of a bag of googly eyes, Abby got curious and discovered this very amusing site.

Taste: Ben gave us an update about Knit Visualizer. It does, in fact, "know how" to vary the stitch count from row to row if you set it up properly. Again, you can download a free trial and the manual here.

Tip Jar: Ben talked about some of his favorite increases, lifted increases, which are sometimes called KLL or KRL, or, as Cat Bordhi calls them, La-Link and La-Rink. You can see Cat demonstrate these increases here. 
Abby talked about some of her favorite project bags: Keep Calm and Carry Yarn, Goknits pouches, Pretty Cheep bags and Tom Bihn yarn stuff sacks.

Little Bread in the City Episode 37

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Latte: Ben is working on a heavily modified pair of Paraphernalia socks. Abby is making great progress on Cassidy and has noticed some subtle striping on her hand spun Marilinda socks. He is working toe-up using the Cat Bordhi technique and knitting them out of Fly Dyed Lacewing Sock yarn.

Grande: Ben finished Stephen West's Honegart (see above). Abby finished Transatlantic. Abby's still trying to work out the logistics of blocking a large item. Ben mentioned the google application SketchUp as a good way to build an online model of her apartment. 

Brewing: Ben found a big bag of googly eyes and is planning to knit....something, using them. Abby wants to make a small shawl with her hand spun "Firefly" yarn. She  found this generic shawl "recipe" that might serve as the basis for the shawl. She's looking at Barbara Walker's and Nicky Epstein's books for possible stitch patterns. Abby also wants to casts on Romi Hill's Elektra shawl. Also, Abby loves red!

Chai: Abby shared the perils of preparing for the holiday of Pesach (Passover), discussed the insane salad prices at her local Farmer's Market, and reminded you all to come to the opening of the Art Show Volumes II (see previous post for invite). She also mentioned getting Zipcar for a shopping trip to New Jersey. 

Taste: We reviewed Knit Visualizer, which we both really like. You can download the manual and a free demo here.

Barista's Special: We announced the winners of our Stephen West knitalong!

Special Guest: Abby chatted with Ysolda Teague at Vogue Knitting Live back in January. Ysolda shares what we call a Bitter Cup. 

Invite to Art Exhibition, as promised! (No, not a podcast episode!)

You are invited to the Opening Reception  of VOLUMES II An Exhibition of Art Curated by Tobi Kahn FEATURING ARTWORK BY JTS STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF  PARTICIPATING IN THE JTS ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM, INCLUDING: Leah Schechter Bennett • Abby Cohen • Aryeh Davidson • Sarah Diamant • Sara Figueroa • Gregory Gilbert • Jennifer Gersch • Sonia Gordon-Walinsky • Tamara Kohn • Jonathan Kremer • Ilana Sassoon • Jennifer Stern • Demetrios Vital • Jeremy Willinger Thursday, April 28, 2011 6:00–8:00 p.m. at  The Library of The Jewish Theological Seminary  3080 Broadway New York, NY 10027 The JTS Artist-in-Residence Program is sponsored by Chancellor Arnold M. Eisen, the Master’s Program in Jewish Art and Visual Culture,  and the Office of Student Life

Fun & Engaging but not Stupid Episode 36

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Latte: Ben is knitting Honegart from Westknits Book Two; Abby continues to knit the Marilinda socks.

Grande: Ben finished his Greek Key dice bag and is taking a break from making these. Abby finished Hawthorne but has not figured out how and where to block it.

Bitter Cup: Abby started a wedding shawl for a friend, but has been stymied by the way the pattern is constructed and printed. Cassidy is going along just fine now, but Abby inadvertently knit more on one front section than the other until she found a fix. Ben could not find the right buttons for his Filbert and is thinking of repurposing some fallen tree limbs to make wooden buttons. We both talked about knitting and how to keep track of what we're doing. Abby mentioned she'd seen instructions online for making a row counter bracelet.

Taste: Abby is using a pair of new ChiaoGoo lace Red Line circulars for her Marilinda socks and really likes them. She bought them on etsy from Grandma's Handknitting. Abby also mentioned that she was able to clean her Leslie Wind brass cable needle/necklace using toothpaste. This is reported to work on the Addi Lace Turbos as well.

Chai: Abby's looking forward to seeing the musical of Catch Me If You Can during her upcoming Spring Break. She also thought the latest New York Magazine issue about apartment living in New York was enormously entertaining. 

Caffeinated: Ben is really enjoying the new music album by Maritime. They remind both Ben and Abby of Death Cab for Cutie, Minus the Bear and Of Montreal.

Barista's Special: You have until April 15th to post a photo of your Westknits project in order to be entered to win an autographed copy of Westknits Book Two. You can do it!

Vermin - Episode 35

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KAL Announcement! The Westknits KAL has been extended to April 15th. To enter the drawing for an autographed copy of Westknits Book Two, please post a photo of your finished project either on the ravelry thread, or link to it in a comment on the show notes. There is still enough time to start and finish a small project.

Latte: Abby's still knitting Transatlantic; she's loving Hawthorne and has cast on Marilinda socks (see above) from her handspun sock yarn. Ben is making another dice bag with a Greek Key pattern. He might felt it.

Grande: Ben finished his Flagstone. It was such fun to knit; complex and simple all at the same time. Abby finished the Surprise Socks.

Brewing: Ben is considering which Westknits project to tackle next. Abby still hasn't settled on a lace shawl, but it's coming!

Chai: Abby had various New York moments this week: President Obama tied up traffic in the neighborhood, it snowed on April Fool's day, but flowers are in bloom. Abby is going to have some pieces in an art show; details to follow. And yes, the mice are back in the apartment. 

Taste: We reviewed Amigurumi Knits by Hansi Singh.

Caffeinated: Abby is being audited by the IRS. Enough said.

Tip Jar: Ben warns that using pencil to draft a pattern that you want to keep has its risks. Abby used her computer screen to magnify a sock detail and thus fix an error.

The Episode with No Name - 34

It doesn't have a name because Garageband kept crashing and simply refused to save the file with a name! Either way, you can listen here.


We were joined this week by Ben's girlfriend Nichs!


Latte: Ben is still working on Flagstone, and he's fashioning a Converse sneaker inspired tag for imminent yarn bombing. Nichs is knitting a hat that leads a double life. Abby started knitting Hawthorne, and loves the feel of Mopsy yarn in her hands. She is determined to finish the Surprise Socks, and continues to work on Transatlantic and Cassidy.


Grande: Abby finished Ptarmigan and is in cashmere-loving heaven. She won't take it off, and is glad the weather is still cold.
Nichs finished a Snapdragon hat out of Malabrigo Rios.


Bitter Cup: The Surprise Socks are driving Abby crazy; they're too simple to really hold her attention, but too complex to knit on automatic pilot. Frustration reigns.


Brewing: Abby ponders the next big lace shawl project. Nichs wants to knit some chemo caps. Ben is wondering what to knit when the weather turns warm. Abby suggests lace!


Demi-Tasse: We are very excited that one of our favorite books, Sweater Design in Plain English is about to be published in a revised, second edition. Grab it!


Chai: Abby shares "New York's best kept secret" - Century 21. The store, not the real estate company! They are about to start selling online, so check it out here. Bargains are to be had!


Tip Jar: Spring is here, or will be soon. Before you put your knitwear away for the season, make sure you've washed and blocked everything first. Ben's cure for knitting ennui is to take a break and sew in all your ends. We think this is brilliant!


Non-segment: Abby reveals that she's been spending quite a lot of time on an art project in connection with an art show she's participating in that opens in April. Each participant was asked to create a piece of "book" or "book cover" art to be used in the promo poster. If you want to have a look at Abby's piece, here it is!

Abby Goes Batty - Episode 33

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Latte: Abby is working on some Surprise Socks for her mentor, Transatlantic for the Westknits KAL and has cast on Ptarmigan again thanks to a very generous listener who sent another skein of (gasp) cashmere! Ben is still working on Westknits Flagstone.

Brewing: Abby wants to knit a big lace shawl but is still undecided on a pattern. Meanwhile, she wants to finish Ptarmigan and also start and finish Hawthorne out of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Mopsy. Ben is trying to consolidate his notes from various sweaters he's designed so that he can publish them here. Go Ben!

Stir: Abby finished her 3 ply Lemon Meringue sock yarn from FiberOptic pin drafted roving. She's also experimenting with long draw, funky batts and "letting go" in her spinning. 

Bite: Listeners have offered some great suggestions for the Evergreen Knitters' Group library, including the Stitch n' Bitch books, the Knitter's Book of Yarn, the Knitter's Book of Wool, the Nicky Epstein "Edge" books,  and The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. Abby also recommended Bust magazine, edited by Debbie Stoller for the adventurous among you. 

Double Chai: Abby visited and talked about Seaport Yarn. We also finally hear the Brooklyn General conversation between Abby and Melanie of the Savvy Girls Podcast.

Barista's Special: The Westknits KAL has been extended (at least) through April 7th. Knit on!

Demi Tasse: Ben and Abby got a kick out of a promo for a live-action Mario parody. Again, explicit language warning.

Tip Jar: Keep your ball bands! Put them inside your yarn cakes and when your project is complete, file them with pertinent reference information. Also, when you give a knitted gift, include a ball band for the care instructions.

Knit, knit!