Episode 59 A Visit from Meghan

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Quince & Co Chickadee in Bird's Egg

Thank you to Quince & Co for sponsoring Knitting Pipeline.  Visit them at www.quinceandco.com

Meghan of Stitch It! Podcast came for a visit!  We baked whole wheat bread, ate soup, knitted, and did a podcast episode together.  We also had a Knitting on the Porch morning with Charr and Bronwyn.

Charr, Bronwyn, Paula, and honored guest, Meghan.  Knitting (and spinning) on the Porch Day.

Thank you to everyone who was in touch with me this past week.  I heard from new Pipeliners Simple Quiet Wisdom, Andrea, Gloria, PamelaJean, Liz, Ginger, Becky, and Sheryl.

There is a new review up on iTunes from KnitsLiketheWind.   Thank you, knitslikethewind, so much for your 5 star review.

Winners of Drawings 

The winners of the drawing for the Shaelyn pattern were announced last week and we actually had two people with the same name win.  Designer Leila Raabe graciously donated a fourth pattern so no one would be disappointed.   I will try to remember in the future to remind you to put your Ravelry name, email, or blog link in your post for the prizes so we don’t have any confusion.  Thank you, Leila.

Fawl Shawl KAWL for AWL update 

Shaelyn by Leila Raabe 

What is a KAL/Knit Along?  Sometimes you will see KAL/CAL (Crochet along)

Details vary but basically:

1. Choose a pattern or theme.
2. Set a date to start.  Sometimes have an ending date.
3. Share excitement, photos, questions, tips.

Our Fawl Shawl Kawl for Awl starts on October 1, 2011!

Estelle Cardigan Update

October 15 is Wear Your Estelle Day.

Take a photo of yourself in your own town, workplace, home, etc.  We’re going to make a photo collage!

Tip

Tip for frogging mohair or mohair blends from Lala/Laura of The Knit Girllls.

Put in freezer for a few days beforehand.  That will make the fibers less grabby and wanting to stick together.

Needle Notes 

In the pipeline:

Meghan is knitting Vivian by Ysolda Teague.  She's having some issues with the pattern.

I am knitting:

 Radiance Shawl by Helen Stewart
Magrathea by Martina Behm

Listen to the new audio podcast! 2KnitLitChicks… Barb and Tracey 

A Shawl Like Kate's 

My Reading Chair with new Reading Shawl.

• Milk Run Shawl by Cat Wong
• Free pattern
• Triangular, garter stitch with center spine and bell ruffle
• Quince & Co Chickadee in Birds Egg  7 skeins.  181 yds per skein  1,267 yds.  Ruffle took 400 yds.

Simplified ruffle by using simple M1.

Tip for counting stitches.  This is what I often do when I have a lot of stitches on the needle.

• I was aiming for 193 x 2 (two sides of triangle.) 
• On one side I marked off 150 stitches.  (both sides are the same so I only did a rough count on one.)
• There were no increases in this marked area of 150 since the increases were only on the edges and the middle.
• There were 4 stitches added on every right side row so I made a count down list.  (Photo is actually one from another shawl but you get the idea.)  This way I don't have to count all of the stitches; only the ones on either side of the marked set of 150. 

The Blethering Room

How do you get faster at knitting?

• It comes with practice.
• Try different methods and study knitters who are fast.
• Don’t worry about it too much.

How do you get past the stalled areas of uncompleted projects?

• Know your limits for WIP’s .  How many can you comfortable juggle at a time?
• Have safe/relief knitting when you are working on a more complicated project.
• Know your limits for keeping projects going.
• What is the reason for stalling in the first place?  Should this be frogged?

For an analytical approach visit the blog of Executive Knitter.

ExecutiveKnitting : Project Management One WIP at a time

Product Review: KA Needles (Bamboo)

Pink Feather Knitting

What a clever business card!  Diane gave these out at Sock Summit.  The wee needles can be used as a shawl pin.

• Made in Japan
• Very smooth.  Feels as if they are already broken in.
• Fixed, interchangeable, Straight, double points
• Swivel cable
• Affordable! Fixed Circular 36” is $10 

From the pinkfeatherknitting web site:

KA or Kinki Amibari premium bamboo knitting needles are made in Nara, Japan. More than 500 kinds of bamboo grows in Japan. KA uses only two of the finest, aged bamboo, that are superior in density, flexibility, color and gloss. Pinkfeather Knitting offers the full line of KA interchangeable knitting needles. Tips as small as US size 0 and as short as 2 inches. KA SWITCH system offers the widest range of options of any interchangeable...

These are the best bamboo/wooden circulars I have found so far. Meghan and I give them a 5 star rating!

Meghan likes Crystal Palace double points.  She has not tried Crystal Palace Circulars.

I like Clover double points but am not impressed with the circulars.

This just in (and not on the podcast!)

Special for Knitting Pipeline Listeners at www.pinkfeatherknitting.com :  Use promo code "piper" at checkout for $4 off shipping.  (That means FREE shipping in the U.S. and Canada).   International is usually $9 so would be $5!

Thanks to Meghan for visiting and co-hosting this episode!

Haste ye back!