destiknit™

Once again, thank you to each and every listener/reader who informed me of the apparent successful load in iTunes.  As I mentioned to Nancy, I suppose I should stop asking how this is possible and just be grateful that it happened!

Notes for this past episode are listed below:

Books Reviewed:

• Little Felted Animals by Marie-Noelle Horvath, Published by Watson-Gupthill 2008, ISBN: 978-0-8230-1504-7 (0-8230-1504-1)

• Knitted Gifts by Ann Budd, Published by Interweave Press 2009, ISBN: 9781596680913

• Lily Chin’s Crochet Tips & Tricks by Lily Chin, Published by Potter Craft 2009, ISBN: 978-0-307-46106-3 (0-307-46106-8)

• Lily Chin’s Knitting Tips & Tricks by Lily Chin, Published by Potter Craft 2009, ISBN: 978-0-307-46105-6 (0-307-46105-X)

Items Discussed:

Autumn Rose Pullover a la Knit Picks Palette

Julia Spinning Wheel by Louet

Golding Spindles

My Golding Spindle, Ebony Ring Whorl, Walnut Shaft, .84 oz.

Natalie Spindles

Bosworth Spindles

Greensleves Spindles

Hatchtown Spindles

Junk Spindles, A quick and easy tutorial (by me ^_^)

Materials required: 1 chopstick, 1 peanut butter jar lid, 1 sharp knife

Step One:

With the tip of a sharp knife (I’m using a paring knife), held at a 45% angle, carve out a small hole.

Step Two:

Depending on your preference for a Top Whorl or Bottom Whorl Spindle, push the chopstick through the hole, allowing about 1″ of the chopstick through. (I have decided to make a Bottom Whorl Spindle).

Step Three:

Spin. Wonderful tutorials can be found at SpinOffMagazine.com for both Top Whorl Spindling and Bottom Whorl Spindling.

I’ve read some recent comments on this blog, Facebook and Ravelry.  Thanks to all who mentioned Episode #42 is indeed up in iTunes.  It still is not showing at my server or in the feeds but somehow, inexplicably,  managed to make it’s way to iTunes.  Whew!  What a relief!  Again, many, many Thanks!

So two weeks ago I recorded Episode #42, a great episode to include four books some chat on sock knitting, holiday knitting, spinning and a new-to-me craft, weaving.  I also announced the winner of the last prize drawing and shared information on creating your own ‘junk’ tools for spinning and weaving.  I really wish you could have heard that particular show, I felt like I was truly back in the saddle.

But you won’t hear it.  I was able to upload the show to the server, it showed up in my archives immediately so I wrote a post and clicked ‘publish’.  Everything seemed to be going as expected.  I ran down to the kitchen to make a pot of tea and when I returned I searched for the show’s feed so that I could distribute the show.  The feed was not there.  I then logged back in to the server and the show was not there either.  It seems to have been swallowed up by the ubiquitous black hole that is the internet.

Not one to overreact too soon, I reluctantly began to start the uploading process over, from scratch.  Searching my files, it too was gone.  How it could be missing from my computer is truly beyond me, though my DH has a reasonable explanation.  DH believes there was a slight power surge, causing my file to disappear from my computer (I am notorious for not saving files in progress).  And, since my session was not over within the server, it too vanished.

This coming week I will be recording once again but I can’t bring myself to completely regurgitate the ‘lost’ show.  I will review some, if not all, of the books and will share some of the ‘old’ information as well as new information.  I will also announce the following:

New Prize Drawing!

This will be one of the next books to be reviewed and has been donated by Random House for this Prize Drawing. Thank You Random House!

Rules for this drawing: Post a comment anywhere on this blog from today until 19 January 2009 11:59 pm CET. (Can’t get a time calculator for you *right now* but will do so in the next few days.)

Blh54 is this month’s Prize Drawing winner!  Congratulations.  Please contact me for details of how to obtain your prize.  Blh54 won a WPI Tool Kep Fob and a Kitchener Key Fob of her choice from Karatstix.  The next Prize Drawing will be announced in the coming days.

Regarding the Podcast… I have recorded and uploaded Episode #42 but it does not show up in iTunes or in my Feed.  I am in the process of pinning down the issue, likely a financial resolution, and hope it will be available to you soon.

Thanks for sticking with me!

I can hardly believe we have entered December… I’m still not over Thanksgiving!  Though my neighbors do not celebrate our American Thanksgiving, I would have believed I were in the States on 27 November.  The day after Thanksgiving, our neighbors began decorating for the holidays… the pressure is on!

While most of the unpacking is done, I have yet to venture out to the garage where boxes and bins of Holiday decor is wrapped in plastic bubble wrap.  Oh, Joy to the Season.  Don’t get me wrong – I love the holiday season.  What I do not love is the increase of volume in my house, the arguing over who gets to decorate what and the inevitable crying from the one who does not get his/her way.  I thought I would circumvent this sort of thing last year by decoration the house myself, while DH, DD and DS1 were out at their respective places of work.  Despite my cunning efforts, there was still arguing and an increased disappointment in Mommy.  Be Merry and Bright. Yeah.

Perhaps the most important decoration, the decoration which can make or break your holiday season, The Tree.  In years past we have had perfect-lush-just-the-right-height trees, too-wide-too-tall-bare trees, healthy-looking-get-it-home-it-falls-apart trees and :gulp: fake trees.

The fake trees began three years ago, when we realized the farming, cutting and disposal of Christmas Trees was blatantly wasteful.  We had considered purchasing a live tree, with roots intact, but considering the soil of our Hawaiian terrain and I did say Hawaiian, we thought it was time to buy a fake tree.

But, we were not quite ready for the commitment and we were not too sure if we would like having a plastic tree.  We decided to purchase three small trees, one for each child to decorate.  It went quite well, the decorating of the tree and the subsequent home decoration to include the small trees around the house.

That is, until the oldest child decided her tree must travel the house with her, to make her ‘happy’.  When Tweedle Dum moves the left foot, Tweedle Dee moves the right and Tweedle Do tried desperately to keep in time.  So many decorations were broken as a result, which in turn cause crying and general discord.  We would NOT do this again.

Still not ready to purchase a fake tree, two years ago I came up with a brilliant-to-me idea.  We would MAKE our own tree.  We had a family pow-wow one evening after dinner and I made the announcement.  I challenged everyone to be creative and throw out their ideas but there were restrictions.  We could not purchase anything for our tree, we had to use items we already owned.  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose.

Each child and myself enjoyed the challenge while DH seemed unenthusiastic and doubtful.  Three days later we regrouped and shared our ideas, finally agreeing on a three-dimensional cardboard tree.  We made a small prototype, gathered a few of the many, many moving boxes we had stored and got to work.  When finished, we were all delighted of our success.  We hung our ornaments and garland, made hot chocolate with lots and lots of marshmallows and basked in our thrifty genius.

The days preceeding The Big Day, we did make note of a few oversights such as issues of top heaviness due to too many ornaments, the non-symmetry  of the tree overall and the fact that our tree was brown and therefore, not very festive.  On the first day of the New Year, we disassembled our tree, deciding to tear off one piece which we dated and tucked into the ornament storage box.  Last year we decided to make another tree, this time correcting some of the previous issues.  Again we basked, again we learned and again we saved a piece of the tree.

This year, being surrounded by such gorgeous nature and truly festive and merry people, we are somewhat indecisive as to how we will handle the tree.  Having just moved, we certainly have more than enough cardboard on hand but we also have a yard and I can see purchasing a live tree and planting it later.  Our landlords have been wonderful, allowing us to do what we’d like with the yard.  They’ve even encouraged us to rip out all the trees, shrubs and flowers and plant our own – to make the home our own.

I guess it’s time for another family pow-wow.

As mentioned in the revious podcast and on this blog, podcast notes will now be part of a blog post.

Books Reviewed:

• Special Issue Verena Knitting: In 80 Socken Um Die Welt, 30 European Sock Designs by Vikant Crafts Publishing, 2009.

Gorgeous designs from countries around the world, such as Finland, Croatia, Russian and The Netherlands, are represented in the special issue edition of Verena Knitting.

Although this issue is not yet available in English, a knitter can easily knit any one of these designs due to the fantastic charts accompanying the written, German, instructions.

Tall socks and short socks for Men, Women and Children in traditional and yet unique design.  Travel to countries like Scotland, Ireland and France through the discovery of socks.

• Sock Aus Aller Welt by Stephanie van der Linden Published by TOPP, 2008, ISBN – 978-3-7724-6585-7

Stephanie van der Linden has been something of a sock knitting rock star for years.  Though if you aren’t a German native, if you do not belong to Socken-Kreativ-Liste Yahoo Group or Ravelry, you might not know it.  Stephanie’s designs range from feminine and masculine to cute and fun to colorful and unique and of course, traditional.  In addition to sock design, Stephanie also designs women, children and infant garments, as well as toys.

Socken aus aller Welt offers 26 socks designs with interesting colorwork, beautiful lace, cables and my favorite – twisted stitches.  You will also find interesting techniques such as Vikkel braids, gusseted soles, intarsia, beadwork, embroidery, duplicate stitch and a creative solution to knitting Argyle socks in the round.  Each pattern is written out and charts are provided as an addendum to the book.

Although Socken aus aller Welt is a German title, the provided charts do make deciphering the patterns possible.  Or if you can wait, sometime in 2010, I am guessing in the Spring, two of Stephanie’s books, Der geniale Sockenworkshop and Socken aus aller Welt will be available in English through Amazon.com.

Want to get your hands on one of the patterns in Socken aus aller Welt? Delfter Blau, a colorwork design featuring a unique gusset placement is available Free as part of a German craft publication,  Wolle & Co., on page 12.  Click this link and then select ‘Wolle & Co.- Ausgabe 1/2009′, a direct PDF download.

Language barrier?  What, you don’t speak or read German? Me either!  Fortunately this high-tech, super-sonic world we live in  makes it possible to do what we think im-possible.  After Googling the phrase ‘knitting german to english’, I found many resources to help decipher German knitting instructions to English.  Below are two links I found most helpful.

Granny’s Garret

Garn Studio

I Spy:

Signature Needle Arts NEW Sock Blockers! nifty

Pörrö Sahlberg’s DIY Yarn Swift!

Seeking color inspirations?  Colr.org

Product Review:

I have loved Karen’s etsy shop, KaratStix, since I discovered it.  Handsome, well-made crafter’s tools with attention to detail and custom orders at GREAT pricing.  The perfect stop for birthdays, holidays and swaps.  Earlier in the year I asked Karen if she might be able to produce spinner’s tools such as a diz or plying tool.  Four weeks later, Karen surprised me with both!

The diz is fantastic, enabling one who preps fiber to create a traditional roving or pencil roving, as well as thick and bulky singles.  Like all of Karen’s products, I love this tool for both it’s function and it’s incredible cuteness.

The plying tool is equally cute and also very functional.  The four small holes toward the center are perfect for fine singles to be plied one, two and three times.  The larger holes along the outside enable a spinner to get creative, ply thicker singles, for plying cabled yarns and artisan singles, too.

Though not regular items in the shop, Karen is always accommodating to custom orders at KaratStix’s Etsy shop.

Prize Drawing

I really do love Karen’s shop, KaratStix.  I love it so much, I want to share two of her items with YOU!

Front of the Kitchener Key Fob

Back of the Kitchener Key Fob

Alpaca stlyed WPI ToolWPI Tool Key Fob

These are only examples and not the actual items to be won. The winner will receive a Kitchener Key Fob and a WPI Tool of thier choice, to include customizations.  Karen has decorated her tools with images such as flowers, sheep and yarn to skulls and crossbones, she can do it all!

Just leave a comment anywhere on this blog from today until 13 December 2009 at 23:59 CET* and you will be entered to win!  Please note, while you can make as many comments as you would like, only one entry per person is counted.

Also, I do moderate all comments and your comment will not show immediately… it might not even show for days :”)

*What time is 23:59 CET in YOUR time zone?  Click here.

Pfffffttttt….

That’s how I am feeling right about now.  Two and a half weeks of moving and still not settled!  Three of four kids sick!  I.Am.Poopped!  But, I just had to chat with you and now I feel much better :-D  There are a few stops and starts… you haven’t missed anything ;-) I also had some feedback in this recording … :-/

This episode explains a little more as to why this move in is taking so long and wiping me out, what I’ve accomplished (or not!), an apology for, an explaination and spoiler of my Knit Study™ and some Fair Isle discussion.

Books I’ve made reference to or have referenced from in this episode are listed below:

• Folk Knitting in Estonia by Nancy Bush, Published 2000 by Interweave Press, ISBN: 1883010438

• Fair Isle Knitting by Sarah Don, Published 2007 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 0486457540

• Traditional Fair Isle Knitting by Sheila McGregor, Published 2003 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 048643107X

• Traditional Scandinavian Knitting by Sheila McGregor, Published 2004 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 0486433005

• Ethnic Knitting: Discovery: The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and The Andes by Donna Druchunas, Published 2007 by Nomad Press, ISBN: 0966828933

• Ethnic Knitting Exploration: Lithuania, Iceland, and Ireland by Donna Druchunas, Published 2009 by Nomad Press, ISBN: 0966828992

• Folk Mittens: Techniques and Patterns for Handknitted Mittens by Marcia Lewandowski, Published 1997 by Interweave Press, ISBN: 1883010349

• Alice Starmore’s Book of Fair Isle Knitting, Published 2009 by Dover Publications, ISBN: 0486472183

• SELBUVOTTER: Biography of a Knitting Tradition by Terri Shea, Published 2007 by Spinningwheel LLC., ISBN: 0979312604

• Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop, Published 1981 by Schoolhouse Press, ISBN: 0942018001

Note: Links no longer take you to Amazon but to the Publisher instead.

We have been in the new house for just about a week  now and are waiting for the internet to be ‘hooked up’.  I’ve dashed down to the library to place this post with the burning question – Who won the Regia?

Let me first announce that we did have one reader submit two comments.  The first comment counts, the second does not.  So, using Random.org I entered numbers 1 -23 and the lucky winner is #9!  That would be Peacockmom.  Please send me your mailing address and I will get this gorgeous skein to you as soon as possible ^_^ Congratulations!

Thanks to all who played along.  If you did not win, please know I will be hosting more prize drawing in the near future ^_^