Episode 68 Star Toe and Christmas Knitting

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This episode is sponsored by our friends at Quince & CO.  If you are looking to support American goods, then you can start here with their beautiful and reasonably priced wools.

Annabel Babe Cardigan in Quince & Co Chickadee in Snap Pea and Glacier.
Cap is At First Sight by Laura Linneman in Quince & Co Lark.

Thanks to Charr and Bronwyndp for joining me on this episode!

Winners of Rip Van Winkle Challenge!

Prizes:  Thin Ice Shawl by Laura Linneman (1 to each winner)
Nubby Noro Mittens by Annie's Woolens (1 to each winner)

3 skeins Soft Touch Ultra from Shelridge Farm 100 % Wool Fingering weight. 185 yd each.  (from my stash)  to winner #1

Grand Prize Winner: #42 Elisann

#19 Teal--wins both patterns!

#2 jpeled--wins both patterns!

Congratulations and thank you to our prize donors!

Local knitter hot spots mentioned on the show:

The Blend.  Our local coffee shop and hang-out.
Ewe-nique Yarns.  Morton IL  a full-service yarn shop.  They carry a full line of yarns and tools including Malabrigo, Madelinetosh, Elsabeth Lavold, Noro, Debbie Bliss, Sublime, KnitPicks Needles, Addi, Chia Goo, Hiya Hiya....and the people are friendly!  What more can a knitter ask for?

Heart Hat by Elizabeth Zimmermann.  Picot BO is my own touch.

Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater by Carol Barenys with Heart Hat

Owl Puffs by Jenna Krupar

Can you see where the gauge changed when I switched to Kollage dpn's?

Smitten Mittens by Emily Ivey

Hitchhiker by Martine Behm
Textural Healing Shawl by Shannon Squire
Holly, Ivy, and Steve Three Christmas Hooligan Ornaments by Rebecca Danger
Nubby Noro Mittens by Annie's Woolens
Annabel Babe Cardigan by Carrie Bostick Hoge
Heart Hat by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Baby Sweater on Two Needles by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Seamless Yoke Baby Sweater by Carol Barenys
Smitten(A Holiday Garland) by Emily Ivey.  www.yarnmiracle.com
Big Snowy Owl by Purl Soho
The Bee Keeper's Quilt by Tiny Owl Knits aka "Hexipuffs"
Sock Blanket by Shelly Kang
Owl Puffs by Jenna Krupar
Irish Hiking Scarf by Adrian Bizilia
Palindrome: A Reversible Cable Scarf by Kristin Bellehumeur
Seamless Saddle Shoulder Pullover by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Bridge of Roses by Wendy Gaal.  The Knitters' Brewing Company

Star Toe for Socks

Set up as if you are doing a common wedge toe with even numbers of stitches on 4 dpns. 

• Round 1   Knit to last 2 stitches on needle.  Knit 2 tog.
• Round 2   Knit around

Repeat above until you have half the number of stitches you started with.  Then do the decrease row on all rounds until you have 8 stitches remaining.  Cut yarn and run through these 8 stitches. For a simple sock formula see:
Sock Tips from Have a Yarn

Charm on Charr's Shawl

Bronwyn's Handmade Christmas:

Pie in a Jar

For these recipes Bronwyn has experimented with recipes found online and has come up with her own versions.  Bronwyn's Disclaimer: I'm no expert! Try your own version and experiment. These are both fragrance free, but you can add essential or fragrance oils for scent. They also contain nut oils and butters, so be mindful when giving them as gifts.

Bronwyn's Solid Lotion Bar

2 oz beeswax pastilles

1 oz shea butter

1 oz kokum butter (or 1 oz cocoa butter)

2 oz sweet almond oil

(all measurements by weight)

Stir ingredients together in a double boiler until melted. Pour carefully into molds (soap or candy molds, recycled pudding or fruit cups, etc.). Cool for several hours. Pop out of molds and into tins for giving away. To use, rub the solid lotion bar on hands as you would soap, except with no water.

Yield depends on the size of your molds, of course.

Bronwyn's Sugar scrub

30 oz sugar

7.5 oz coconut oil

7.5 oz sweet almond oil

(all measurements by weight)

Stir ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. Pour into jars. To use, spoon a small amount of scrub into your hand and rub over palms and backs of your hands. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. Be careful not to introduce water to the jar to reduce bacteria growth. Yields about 12 half-pint wide-mouth jars. To make a smaller amount, a sugar to oil ratio of 2:1 is good.

Sources for oils and tins: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com, http://www.elementsbathandbody.com, or your local grocery or health food store, and, of course, www.amazon.com.

Podcasts/podcasters mentioned:

• Diane of Knitabulls
• Meghan of Stitch It! Podcast
• Susan of KnitaJourney
• Erin of MommyNeedsYarn
• Laura and Leslie of TheKnitGirllls

Knitting Pipeline Retreat

March 2-3, 2012 (Fri night and all day Sat)

$50 or $40 for Sat only

See information in sidebar.

Mail registration to Knitting Pipeline Retreat, PO Box 549, Washington IL 61571

Haste ye back!