Stitch It!! Podcast

so one of my podcast listeners pointed out today that i had a Freudian slip….i called my new wheel Charlie….when his name is Frank. obviously, this is a very embarrassing situation, since our relationship is so new and whatnot. but i sat down with Frankie this morning and we had a chat. i told him how much he meant to me, how much better off i am with him, how Charlie holds a special place in my heart because he was my first, but that i have out grown him and we have gone our separate ways, how i am much happier with Frank, and how he makes me feel special.   Frankie and i are working through this. and that’s all that matters.

can you imagine what would have happened if i called him Charlie while we were actually SPINNING?! i don’t even want to think about the possibility.

well, frank and i have a double date this afternoon with stephanie and her wheel. we’ll spend a wonderful day together, and then i have to wrap him in bubblewrap and box him up for SOAR so Ry can ship him for me tomorrow.

i hope he doesn’t get car sick…

Episode 41: “Hello, Mom? I forgot my underwear…”

on/off the needles:

-blanket for comfort…duplicate stitch?

-ry’s hat moves to the back burner

-yearning for socks again….and i’m thinking magic loop

-baroque socks by janice (i love the lendrum in the photo!)

-vinnland by becca compton

-springgrass by stephanie degan

-clementine by monkey toes

-knitting group revisited….cashmere and mystery shawls

-manic purl podcast

babble:

-little man learns his colors (or tries to)

-me and little man go to walmart

-baby Neveah is born! 8lbs 5oz 21 inches

public service announcement:

-register to vote please

spinning:

-”spitting retreat” coming up soon! less then 2 weeks away!!

-making lists…checking them twice… history of forgetting things

-got the box for Frankie (see latest post)…he’ll be packed up and shipped this coming monday (for $35! such a deal!)

-Batts vs roving vs top vs rolag **I said it wrong, it is a Diz not Div**

-YarnCon Chicago preperations are being made

SOAR homework (sponsored by Ellen):

East Friesian

-dates back to 1530 where the Vatican archives mention the breed

-originated from Friesland Germany and near the Netherlands

-primarily a dairy sheep because of the high production of milk, docile nature, good fertility, and milk fat percentage

-wool is used mostly for carpets in the textile industry; coarser wool

-rat tail

-used to be milked more then cows in the 1980′s. their milk was used for feta, pecorino romano, and ricotta cheeses originally

Favorite Thing:

Apple Orchards

Curtis Orchard, Champaign, IL

Kuiper Family Farm, Far Far Far west Chicago suburbs

episode 40: “here…take my card”

knitting on/off:

-we call them pirates….done….but it doesn’t look pretty..

Pre-felting:

(i tried 2 times to get the red out of little man’s eyes, but its just not saving tonight…)

After Felting:

-english? or continental?

-boyfriend hat

-owen blanket (aka barn raising quilt)

-apprehensive about the february lady sweater….

babble:

-even happy people get sad sometimes

-lake front property

-new daycare?

-understanding language

charity blankets:

singing the blues blanket

knit by: 1to1, catsaysknit, LJWT, stlmamaknits, knitinmn, and bethany

spinning:

-SOAR approaches….business cards?

-2nd HHHH box showed up! thanks MarciaViola!!!

-my favorite tea this time of year? Stash Chai Spice Black Tea (with cream and sugar/honey)

-Virtual Knit and Spin in. join us on saturday nights! on stickam.com

-spinning up some BFL for mittens…have i learned a lesson with handspun for projects?

-no homework this week…sorry teacher….

my favorite thing:

Swedish Visiting Cake

episode 39:”i’m not perfect”

On/Off the Needles:

-the shawl is completed!! (see prior post for photo) it’s beautiful! not perfect, but beautiful!!!!

-we call them pirates!

-2 color knitting on the brain….

-February Lady Sweater gauge? weird….normal= size 8, worsted weight mine= size 5, dk weight

-charity blanket will be cast off and a crocheted boarder put on this week!

Babble:

-forgetting everything…new job, new thoughts, forgotten things

-laundry basket GENIUS!

-playing with the neighbors

-baby giggles are awesome: baby laughing at the wii, best laugh ever, hahaha, this guy sounds like Louis Armstrong

Charity Blanket Updates:

These blankets were completed by the Midwest group. i pestered bethanyg, and she gave me a list! hehehe

Good Day Sunshine 3/08–completely done
xbethany
xjenaus0524

xknitmyworld

xLJWT

xstlmamaknits

x1to1

xOde To Spring 4/08–completely done
xbethany
xcatsaysknit

xcmazzio

xholly

xkrispyknits

xCoggieTM

xTip Toe Through The Tulips(5/08)–completely done
xbethany
xpinsandneedles
xjeffner77
xhyjinx
xsaraheunice
xchristenjaye
xholly

Podcasts Mentioned:

- High Fiber Diet with CoggieTM

-Knitting at Night with Casey

- Knit Sibs with Pinsandneedles and Valink

-Knitters Uncensored with Mrs B

Spinning:

-HHHH box came!!!

Thank you, Marcia!!!!

-new Spin Off! Magazine came….PURE GOLD!

-Found a box for Frankie!

SOAR homework (brought to you by Ellenspns)

Coopworth:

-Breed by Professor Coop in New Zeland in the 50s and 60s

-cross between a Romney and Border Leicester for it’s fleece and good meat production

-Ewe’s are fertile, good mothers, and most can raise twin lambs without assistance

-Finer fleece can be used for outer garments and stronger fleece are used for carpets

-spun fine well, but it was a more rough ridged yarn. i preferred it as low spun long draw thick singles. it allowed the fluff to soften the yarn. spun from the fold easily as well.

Favorite Thing:

Giambotta (Vegetable Stew)

crock pot version of Rachael Ray’s

-3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1-2 onions chopped (i didn’t have any, so i used 2-3 tbs onion powder mixed with some olive oil to make a paste)

-5 red potatoes, washed and chopped

-1 eggplant

-1 zucchini

-1 yellow squash

-1 green pepper

-1 red pepper

-1-2 tbs basil

-1/2 box of chicken stock (low sodium, cause it’s good for ya)

- 2 28oz cans fire roasted tomatoes (or used diced tomatoes, and add some liquid smoke to taste..that roasted flavor is what makes this stew go from okay, to AMAZING!)

-salt and pepper

add first 10 ingredients (all washed and chopped into larger bite size pieces) in order into your crock pot. you’re layering things up according to thickness . put it on high, and cook for 2-3 hours. give it a stir, turn it to low, and add the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper to taste. cook on low for 1 more hour.

serve it with some nice cheese grated over the top and a piece of crusty bread. freezes and reheats well.

tastes vary, and so do the veggies available, so mix it up! if you like broccoli a lot? throw it in there!

it’s done and blocking!

i can’t wait to see it draped…i should have it in the mail this week!

i haven’t touched them. i haven’t seen them. heck, i don’t even really like knitting on straight needles much anymore, but i can’t stop thinking about those knitpicks straight harmony needles.

they are on my mind constantly lately…and i think the yarn harlot is helping with that…why? because she’s a crazy productive knitter, and it’s almost always on straights…. i haven’t actually touched my straights in forever! why? they’re brittney’s, and while i enjoy them immensely, i fell in love with the speed of slippery metal needles…..namely, my knitpicks options….so here i am, thinking to myself “maybe you would like the finish on those harmony needles better then your brittneys…..maybe they’ll work better for you…..they sure are pretty….what if you sold your brittney set to get a set of these?……christmas is coming up….”

in fact…i had a DREAM about them last night….

and i just found myself looking at them online again….

maybe i should think this through….or at least read reviews and stuff before i do something rash like list my brittney set for sale on ravelry…

hmmmmmm

Episode 38: “Olympian in the Making”

On/Off the Needles:

-Shawl is coming to a close! well, almost….

-Virtual Knit and Spin-in on Stickam.com friend Betzi, and see you 8:30 eastern
-Sideways Spencer...pretty cute!

-knitting a gauge swatch for my February Lady Sweater

-Nona Multiplier Madness + using the numbers on the pattern already to come up with correct size

-We call them pirates hat will be cast on this week….if i can just get the lighter color yarn plied up and washed!

Babble:

-Olympic summersaults

-No tv past 12pm = better sleep? we’ll see….

-learning how to listen now that he can hear

-a rough day at work…

Charity Blanket Knitters:

here’s everybody for the East Coast BLankets that just finished:

Here’s our knitters: Silja, serenknitity,jerseyshoredeb, justbeth, dsdknits, martha24, knittingnovice, knittinmichelle, Pania, and Tonya

Here’s our crocheters: siljadevine, Tonya, Innerpeace1081, knitpirate, Pattyb, saranicole01, dsdknits, and Pania.

And for the West Coast Group, i received the Spring Fever blanket today to knit on!

Spinning:

-BFL is the new light color for ry’s hat

-ramboulliet top for a nice cropped cardigan? or gifts? ORDERED! Crystal Creek Fibers

-SOAR is coming…. Spinning 201 is the workshop… Interviews? interested? let me know!

SOAR homework (brought to you by ellenspns):

Blue Faced Leicester aka BFL:

-also known as the Hexham breed

-long haired sheep that were breedings of different hill sheep from the Hexham area

-named Blue Faced because of the black skin with white hair on their face creating a blue appearance

-long staple lengths 3″-6″

-nice even crimp, with deeper crimping, making it easier to draft

-next to skin softness, and a luster that other wools don’t have

-very easy to spin, making it great for beginners

-spins from the fold, long draw, super fine, or loose singles all very easily

Favorite Thing:

Heroes!