Show #34: Holiday Roundup

In this show, I discuss gifts given and their levels of success...and failure.
Plus, 2 new books are reviewed:
Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn by Carol Sulcoski
Socks a la Carte from Southwest Trading Company

New Patterns I'm loving...

Free:
Noro Stripey Socks
Spider Socks
Lakeside
Ivy
Socks a la Carte Sample
Sequoia
Plaited Points
Blackrose

Paid:
Harika
Aliso Creek
Jack Sparrow
Filigree
Woodsmoke
Caloroso
Cables and Lace
Alpine Fuschia

Episode 33: Flat Bed MK and 2 Needle Socks

Wheeee! Glad to be back after visiting family for the holidays...and having a "problem" with the electricity!

In this episode I discuss my new obsessions....Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

and my Singer 360.
















Perfect for doing the knitting of these Eclipse socks. (picture lifted from her pattern)




















And, DH asked if I could include this. Enjoy:

Show # 29: I Got Wollmeise (and Sock Blanks)

In today's show I discuss the new fad of sock blanks, with tips and tricks.

New yarns: Wollmeise,

Misti Alpaca Sock,

Noro Silk Garden Sock




FO's: Rennaisance Socks,


Laura's Mitts


WIP's: Bart's Tantalizing Socks,

Quidditch Socks

Review of The Eclectic Sole by Janet Laidman

Cosmic Fibers Yarn Announcements
UK Edition Potter's Covers Club has room, and will begin shipping mid-September
Nefarious Club has a very few openings for 3rd three-month series
Shop update this week, including blanks
New Dexter colorways for the upcoming season.

Episode # 26: Feelin' the Love

I'm falling in love with sock knitting all over again with my Pomotomous socks :)

I'm also soliciting feedback from YOU about what sock yarns have held up well over time, and what yarns haven't. I'm thinking about the yarn itself as well as the dyeing. Please send an audio comment or text comment to cosmicfibersyarn AT verizon DOT net, and I'll share the info with other listeners. I'll evaluate how much I have in two weeks--that's March 24, 2008. Thank you, and the knitters thank you, too.

Episode # 24 Swag Makes Me Happyyyyy!

Hi everyone! I've got cool new stuff to tell you about this week:

Karat Stix knitting accessories: these are mine!

Yarn Lust (my seacell is here)
Comfort Sock from Berroco

Online Supersocke

Daily Chum links:
darning tutorial
grafting without a darning needle
two socks on two circs
sock washing tips

I met the dyer of Keegan Lane Yarns :)

Episode # 23: Catching Up on Listener Questions

Hi everyone! In this episode, I talk about all things sock! Big surprise, I know! Only a few links this week, here is my queue on Ravelry. And, here are those FAB Gryffindor Socks I just saw.

Thanks always for your listening, support and comments!

Episode #22: Melissa Morgan-Oakes, New Year's Knitting

Interview with Melissa Morgan-Oakes, author of the new book 2 at a Time Socks

New Yarn Shops in CNY:
Sheep Thrills in N. Syracuse
Knit Me UP in Lafayette

New Year Groups:

2008 Sock KAL
January: Basic Crew of your choice February: Jaywalker/UFO March: Tube sock of your choice April: Anklet of your choice/UFO May: Knitty pattern of your choice June: Fair isle/multi color sock of your choice or UFO July: Lacy sock of your choice August: Cabled sock of your choice/UFO September felted footwear of your choice October: pink sock of your choice (Breast Cancer Awareness month) November: UFO Month December: Christmas socks of stocking of your choice

Sock A Month KAL 5 --closed, but fun to watch

Sock Log 2008
2008 is the year of the sock for me! I will be creating a sock log to be posted on my blog and would love to share it with you. We can post KAL's for sock patterns. Perhaps you are in a sock club and want to see how others are doing with their yarn and patterns. Are you creating your own pattern? Tell us about it. Need some help, I'm sure someone can help you. Just how many pairs can you make this year? Come join us!

Sea Socks '08
Dedicated the joys of knitting socks and thrill of shopping for yarn, this cruise shall delight one an all. With classes, shore excursions, get togethers, and goody bags, the 7 days on board the Celebrity's Infinity, roundtrip from Seattle, up the inside passage, with port call on Victoria, Ketchikan, and Juneau, should prove to be a thrilling adventure. Click here for all the specific details.

Socks 2008
In Norwegian, from Silja Devine

Nefarious Yarn Club

Hill Country Yarn Club is open for its second series. I can vouch that this is looovely, soft sock yarn. Plus, it's very affordable at $60 for a three-installment club over six months. Enrollment is open from December 1-February 15th.

Show # 21: A Short Holiday Visit with Noro

Hi everyone!

Thanks to Susan for letting me read her Night Before Christmas poem.

I talk about my new Dexter yarns.


Here's my interview with Tina at the Knitting Contessa. If you haven't read her blog--defiantly check it out especially for the interviews, but I'm a regular reader, too!

And the new Noro Kureyon Sock.

Show # 20: the Sock Mafia

Launching a new and legal version of Cosmic Fibers! .com coming soon, and a limited number of wholesale accounts are available. Sock and lace yarns---oooh, bandwagon!

My new yarns:
Smooshy, Chewy, Essential, Gypsyknits, Cherry Tree

Patterns I'm admiring:
Marilinda from Cookie
Slytherin Snake Shadow from Freshislefibers
Aurelia from Elizabeth Manning
Arch-shaped socksby Jen Showalter
Sock Blocker by Marianne Wu

Winner of the Sad Sock Story is:
Tracy and her socks (repaired) are here.

Episode # 19: 2 Socks at 1 Time

Note: The Socks Gone Wrong contest from the last episode is still running! Enter with your Socks Gone Wrong story by commenting on Show #18.

In this episode, I talk about my Renaissance Socks:


And my Ravelry Socks:


And Roman's socks, but I don't have a pic yet.

Great tips on the knittingdaily blog for "Losing the Ladders"

And, a sale (when I get the shop filled this weekend!) on non-repeatable Multilayered Colors in my etsy shop. Free shipping in US and Canada for my listeners--please just drop me a line in the comment box and I'll refund your shipping charge, or send you an amended invoice. Thanks ALWAYS for your support.

Episode # 18: Socks Gone Wrong

Socks gone wrong? Mine have been felted, been too small, too large, fall down and fall apart. How about you? Enter into the contest and tell me about your Socks Gone Wrong Story in the comments. Win yarny goodness!

Poor Juliet needs sock encouragement over at Subknit.

Needle review: my all time faves are the Knit Picks nickel plated, but there are lots of good qualities in other needles out there, too.

Sock yarn/etsy review: Knitting Like Crazy with lovely service, packaging, and color saturation.

Episode #17: Still Stashin' After All These Years

Yep, the yarns come in, the yarns go out. The yarns play penuchle on my...

This week's new arrivals are:
Shibui in Honey
Chewy Spaghetti Sport in Cheeky
Dream in Color Smooshy Sock in Petal Shower
Yarn Love Scarlett O'Hara in Romance
Alpaca Sox in Dried Herbs
Raunco
Aktion in October Green
Fiesta Baby Boom in Jamaican Spice

Episode #16 Show Notes

Whoo boy! Lots of reviews this week!

Ultimate Sock Book from Vogue

Harmony needles from Knitpicks

Alphabet stitch markers from JLYarnworks

Heather (55% merino superwash, 30% silk, 15% nylon) debuts from Schaefer Yarn (400 yds/4 oz fingering)

Lovesticks self-striping yarn (400 yd 75% superwash, 25% nylon)

Charity won the skein of Austermann Step. I really, really enjoyed reading all your shopping stories!

Kimmie works on her short-row heel this week

Some heel tips:
Misocrafty's short-row tutorial
Cosmicpluto's is here
And Alison's is here.
For a heel flap, the illustrious Widdershins.
And Mimknits has tips over here.
Ooooh, fancy! A reverse dutch heel by Denise.

Episode #15 Show Notes: Cast On

Cape Cod Roundup:
The Best Sale Section Ever: Ladybug Knitting Shop in Dennis
Best Sock Yarn Selection: Blue Heron Yarn in Barnstable
Best "Serious" Yarns: Adventures in Knitting in Harwichport

New to my stash:
Socks that Rock

Hill Country Yarns

Austermann Step

Opal

And some sweatery stuff you wouldn't be interested in. Oh, you were?

Have you seen the new Knitpicks Harmony needles? Yeah, I found them the night before the email splash. Cha-ching! Anyone wanna give me a full set? They're preeeetyyy.
Jury's out on the Addi Lace, though.

Some shops:
Feather Falls Fiber is a listener-run new shop with some looovely colorways and great prices.
Thank Ewe: I've bought from there before and loved their customer service. They used to focus on soft pastely colors, but their newer yarns are deeper and FAB!

In the news:

The second round of the Hill Country Yarn Contest launched on 9/1. Full entry info can be found here, but in essence, you buy a skein of yarn and can enter in. I just got my first skein, and can wholeheartedly recommend it! And $15 is beyond affordable for luxury sock yarn. Winners can win up to $100 worth of Hill Country Yarns, and the winning patterns will go to the members of the second round of the Sock Club. Entries are due 12/31/07, and the signups for the second 3 month round of the Sock Club open 12/1/07.

The New Sock Knitter Series:

Kimmie decides what stitch pattern, how many stitches to use and whether to go toe-up or top down.

Resources:
for top-down:
Tubular Cast On
Casting on over two needles
Two socks on two circs casting on and setting them up
Or, a magic loop variation
Or, another one

For toe-up:
Judy's Magic Cast On
Cat Bordhi demonstrates Judy's Magic Cast On (video)
And a similar technique here
Twisted German Cast-On (video)
Turkish cast on (also, two socks on two circs)
Square toe cast on
Here is a neat one: Emily Ocker's Circular cast on

I know I have some other ones around here somewhere... From memory, Meg Swansen shows a few in the DVD Knitting Glossary. Try casting one on and then yarn over. Knit the cast-ons and purl the yarnovers (for 1x1 ribbing)

Episode #14 Show Notes

Announcing Potter's Covers!
I'm opening it up to another 25 potential members due to its popularity. Signups will close with the September shipment.

Speaking of, there are some other fun Harry Potter yarns out there--Tyler Macek has a series with some lovely color depth. I know her from the Ravelry yarnies group.

I was reminded that the Loopy Ewe has a referral program that gives the refer-er $5 when a refer-ee signs up and makes their first purchase. If you heard of and started shopping at TLE, please drop Sheri a line or I will for you. 100% of the proceeds will go to yarn for my stash on-show review and listener giveaways.

Listener Questions:

Back to the tidy decreases for the gussets, I have found an alternative to the SSK that is very nice and doesn't require as many steps. I insert the needle in the first stitch as if to knit, and then swing around and insert the needle into the second stitch's back loop--then pulling one stitch through. Tidy and notably quicker for me. Cat Bordhi also has a YouTube video on tidy SSK's. And many other videos I am just exploring. She is a Goddess.

I misspoke when I was describing my new favorite ssk: you insert your needle knitwise into the first stich, then swing around to insert it into the back loop of the second stitch, finally wrapping your yarn to pull through and enact the decrease.

Socks for Soldiers: This group is about sending gifts of love to our soldiers in the Middle East. Since an army travels not on its stomach, but on its feet, please help us take care of them.

Vegan Sock KAL ummm, self explanatory!

Campanula for the cure KAL This is a group of folks knitting in support of a cure for breast cancer and also collecting donations here.

Kimmie picks yarn out for her first socks. We talk about many considerations in choosing a yarn for your toes.

Here's what she settled on: White Willow in Avalanche

Episode #13 Show Notes

Err...just swag, actually.

Misty Mountain Farms


Interlacement Tiny Toes


Colinette Jitterbug


the Knittery Merino/Cashmeeeeeeeerrrrreeee


Lorna's Laces

Episode #12 Show Notes

*note* Harry Potter Spoiler is not a real spoiler, just a spoof on knitting and the Harry Potter fervor! At least one listener was mixed up by this!

Sorry for the problems with the first edition! Technical problems involving networking cables that were not actually networked... It's been replaced and only the corrected (thanks, DH!) version is available now.

Mentioned this week:

Hill Country Yarns Sock Club Signups close Aug 15

I just figured out who mentioned me last week--it was Carrie at BritKnitCast--thank you!

The Harry Potter series sock patterns from Gigi Silva (and I'm halfway down the leg of my Bellatrix!

And these great MacKintosh Harry Potter sock yarns, too.

Lookie here at these new sock patterns: Sprung and Chain Lace

Click on the image to have many sizes to choose from!

Sock Yarns

I just realized I hadn't been posting my yarns here!!!! Here are a few pics for you:

from the Painted Sheep:


from Dyeabolical Yarns:

Episode #11 Show Notes

Fawkes pattern is available at Socktopia. Gigi's at it again!

Jigsaw socks knitalong is starting up! Just email me and I'll invite you to the blog.

My shop updated with the Rocky Horror Picture Show series.

Hill Country Yarns is starting a sock club!


Hogwarts Sock Swap 2 will be opening enrollment on July 14

Belated thank-you to Dyeabolical who sent me an already on the needles skein of DK in Themyscira!


Main Street Yarn and Fibers are doing a fund raising effort for Annie Modesitt's family called Six weeks of socks/

Hand dyed yarn swap

The Painted Sheep is an indie yarn dyer with a brand-new shop who sent me a lovely skein of Tinsel Toes in Mountain View. And I just love the smell of that Sheep Soap!

My newest yarns are: Elann Esprit, Schaeffer Anne and Bamboozle.

Two listener requests: what manly chevron stitch patterns have you encountered, and have you ever found a non-wool self-striping yarn? Please let us know!

Episode #10 Show Notes

The Loopy Ewe is going to be carrying Wollmeise, with domestic shipping!

Very cool Harry Potter themed socks--three for this month: Bellatrix, Fawkes and ? by Socktopia's Gigi Silva.

Yarns discussed in depth: Schaefer Anne and Tofutsies

Kathy, co-owner of Webs has finally consented to knit a sock. Go on over and cheer her on! Tell them I sent ya. She talks about it in her latest podcast.