Episode 196 Socks and Cookies

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This episode is sponsored by Quince & Co. I am also a Craftsy Affiliate. This means that if you click from the Craftsy ad on my website and purchase a class, I receive credit for it. It is an easy way to support the show. Thank you!

From  Pam Allen's new book HOME.

You can also find me here:

Ravelry: PrairiePiper Feel free to include me in your friends.

Instagram: knittingpipeline

Twitter: knittingline

Pinterest: Paula Emons-Fuessle

Ravelry Group

Knitting Pipeline Retreats Group.

Pipeliner Notes

Thanks to everyone who was in touch with me recently. We have a new Pipeliner who is Terriglo, she said she’s a long time listener from the beginning but realized she had not joined the group. That’s perfectly ok. I’ve done the same thing.

Itunes was a happy place this week. There were lovely reviews from kvaldes, nittennurse (who is karyol), and BG in WS NC. Thank you so very much for the reviews and star ratings.

From Sweetart77 Kathleen :

I just loved this episode! Taking a break from complex projects and knitting on “me” projects in January while enjoying getting inspired with organizing, purging things, and seeking the peace and joy of nature is just what this girl needed after a busy holiday season. When my bff visited from Boston this fall, I opened up my “wall of shawls” to her and we shared a great moment together with my suggestions and her fashion show. She went home with 3 items I may never have thought would be good for her, but she is now wearing them and thinking of me when she does. I too love a good system for organizing and esp the freeing feeling that comes with created space after a purge. My problem is that I literally lost all of my belongings in 1991 - except for a few treasured books - and so am very challenged when it comes to getting rid of things after having reestablished my inventory of home and personal items. But as I age I find that the best things in life aren’t things and I now use the rule that my items must have a purpose and not just be cute or pretty. Function over form - or both (best). Thanks again Paula.

From Middleagepearl

I’m doing a little catch up with the podcasts and wanted to comment about the tidying. I’m an accountant/tax preparer and it is my job to be completely and totally organized and detail oriented for 8+ hours a day while on the job. I find that my brain just can’t hold onto any more focus than those hours so the home is where I “let my hair down” so to speak. It is also where I do all my creative knitting. I like a clean house but a little clutter is OK. On another note, while not trying to enable your string/twine addiction, have you seen this product called Twool? British natural wool twine made particularly from the fleece of the Whiteface Dartmoor sheep. Their website it fabulous, lots of little video clips about the process of spinning the wool into twine.

My reply: I can totally understand that. A little clutter is ok with me too. The creative process is naturally messy, for me at least. My father was a master wood turner. He wasn’t the tidiest but he was organized enough. Once in a while he did a major tidying up. He said that he knew woodturners who had immaculate shops but most of them didn’t produce much.

(Note that I resisted buying the wool twine. Yay me!)

From Spice 46 Diane

I was listening to some back episodes last night, and have a question about the charity mittens. I would like to participate this fall, and plan to work on them through the summer. I have some lovely mitten wool, but it is 100% wool and not superwash. Is it safe to assume that the folks in Maine know how to care for woolen mittens? I know this yarn makes lovely, warm mittens as I have some that I made for myself from it. Thanks!

Thank you, DCAlane for mittens for Threads, Hope, and Love. This was the 40^th pair for Threads.

Feel free to bring mittens to the retreat. I’ll store them for you until Maine or Cornerstone.

Events and Announcements

Sun Valley Fibers is at www.sunvalleyfibers.com

Prairie Bag Works is a vendor sponsor for the Knitting Pipeline Retreat. Sue and Sandy are the elves behind the bags.

We ship from the Midwest so we are centrally located for US mailings. We specialize in handmade sturdy knitting project bags of varying styles and sizes. Our bags are sturdily constructed and offer extras like inner pockets, straps to secure your knitting notions, and tape measures. Custom orders are another option to personalize your bag, just send us your request. Like us on FaceBook www.FaceBook.com/PraireBagWorks.

Gorgeous Prairie Bag Works Bags!

The Fiber Universe has been a full sponsor and supporter of the Knitting Pipeline Retreats from the beginning. They will be on our yarn crawl for the fourth year and will also set up a booth at the retreat. The Fiber Universe is located in the heart of Peoria with plenty of free parking right across the street. There are several places nearby for lunch or dinner.

We have local fibers and yarn from Lewis Llama Farm!!  We also offer a selection of yarns from Cascade, Plymouth, Skacel, Kauni, Jojoland, Misti Alpaca, Euro Yarns, Dream in Color, Frabjous Fibers, Frog Tree, Malabrigo,  Three Irish Girls, and more! Many thanks to Erin and Melinda for sponsoring the retreat.

Spring Retreat March 13-14. (with March 12 as optional Yarn Crawl Fun Day). Registration started January 5. We are mostly full. Getting to know you Washington IL Retreat

·        Halos of Hope—Angelmum3

·        Free table

Georgia Retreat April 12-15, 2015 Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, Mansfield GA (east of Atlanta, about 1 hour from airport)

Download Registration Information here.

Nature Notes

Great Backyard Bird Count 
Download Great Backyard Bird Count PDF here.

Feb 13-16, 2015.

Needle Notes

Moses Hoodie by Amy Christoffers

It wasn't hard to put the zipper in. Give it a try! I sewed it in by hand.

Yarns at Yin Hoo  Read along Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

Simple Skyp Socks by Adrienne Ku

Desert Vista Dyeworks Goo Goo Cluster

Here are my socks in this colorway.

Episode 67 Donkey Ears and Pigs Eyes blog post

Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles by Cat Bordhi

What I did:  Kitchener stitch: Instead of going into the front or back of one stitch, one the first stitch, go into two stitches.

In the Blethering Room

Episode 59 Curious Handmade Podcast by Helen Stewart

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

In The Pipeline

Susan B Anderson Shawl KAL #sbashawlkal

My husband helped me with the wooden needles. Sanded them a bit and used a mixture of beeswax and foodsafe oil. Secret formula!

Infinite Twist Hayward Kit

Giveaway Thread: Visit Infinite Twist site which color is your favorite? What Infinite Twist kit is your favorite? If

By Feb 2 Ground Hogs Day

Craftsy KAL Winter to Spring

Robert Burns’ Day was January 25^th, the anniversary of his birth. So in case you did not play your pipes or toast your haggis I have a verse to share.

“But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flower, it's bloom is shed;
Or, like the snow-fall in the river,
A moment white, then melts forever.”
― Robert Burns, Tam O'Shanter