Yarns and Tales

Most people have particular times of the day when things just "work" better.  I am no exception when it comes to casting on the show.  Having missed that optimum window to cast, I delight my listeners with one of "those days" while explaining and working our sample stitch of the week, the Purse Stitch.  I also share a few thoughts on fast food drive-thru voices and my chat with a wonderful real estate broker about her field of expertise. Grab your needles and yarn and let's get started!

Just when it looked like episode 16 was going to cast on without a hitch, I had to frog it.  In the second cast on of episode 16, it worked out just fine, as podcasts go.  I mention the fingerless glove project (again).  I tell a little tale about two of my cats in our rather chilly weather.  Then, the fun begins as I talk about how a diagonal stitch lacked "umph" and how another sideways stitch went straight.  Add in a minor appearance of frogginess, and the leftovers sample stitch pattern, known as Oblique Rib, made a proper appearance.  Hop in and have a listen with today's Yarns and Tales! To find this stitch, look here.

I cast on episode 15 with a brand new mic, some soft kid-friendly black yarn, and the stitch of the show -- garter.  I talk about the fingerless glove project again, along with gabbing about silly words, regional words, gender words, and one of my cats.  Did I mention I talked about food too?  Why don't you just come on and get settled in?  It's time for Yarns and Tales!

We cast on episode 14 after a day's delay due to the 'influence' of the neighbor's lawn mower.  Yes, noise pollution, suburb style.  We talk a little about the fingerless glove project, a lot about our next fun sample stitch Irish Moss, and about feline gifts of love.  Did I mention my husband got a nerd car?  Join me for this edition of Yarns and Tales! For this episode's stitch, look here.

I love the number "13", but outer-worldly techno-gremlins delayed the posting of this episode.  With that said... We begin Episode 13 getting caught up on the fingerless glove project and its progress, then cast ourselves into the next sequence of shows.  We are going to learn or practice a handful of stitches from my favorite stitch dictionary (I mentioned it in a previous episode) using leftovers from the stash.  In the end, in theory, we'll be able to make a small coverlet, lapghan, or afghan while having more room to replenish our stash with brand new eye-candy.  It's all a win-win scenario, right? Let's get started! For this episode's stitch, look here.

Another episode without the gremlins of techno interfering with the casting of show number 12.  In this podcast, I start us on a new project after I plundered through my pattern notebook, looking for ideas.  This project is for a pair of fingerless gloves.  From there, I wander about chatting on confused weather and thermometers to what other hobbies you enjoy when you're not knitting or crocheting.  I talk about my other favorite hobby as well as... wait, why don't you just listen in and find out what else I talked about?  Welcome back, it's Yarns and Tales!

I was thrilled that episode 11 cast on without any techno-gremlins this week and flowed easily, pardon the puns.  I chose the topic of eco-friendly, knitted tampons.  Yep.  Reusable "lady gear".  This project is quick and simple, great for the environment, and both budget- and body-friendly.  Tune in and keep an open mind, if this isn't something you've considered before. You can find the written pattern here.

The casting of episode 10 went flawlessly, which was a surprise after the last couple of episodes involved techno-gremlins in one form or another.  In this Valentine's Day episode, we work on the flap from the eyeglass case project we started in episode 9.  While rib knitting, we chat about love in the long term and the early beginnings.  Throw in some advice on marital courtin' and we have a fun little show.  Next episode's topic is also revealed.

Between a cat, an overlooked on-off switch, and a cranky morning start, episode 9 finally found its footing in the software.  The project for this show is another spontaneous eyeglass case worked on size 4 DPNs with some leftover Caron Simply Soft in the color Sunset.  Follow along as my Southern demeanor struggles to remain polite after such a rough start.

Episode 8 cast on without any tech gremlins this time.  Since yarn addicts are natural born pack rats for the fuzzy stuff, we are also prone to keeping our yarn-centric magazines and other periodicals.  Recently I stumbled across one of my mags from 2003, prompting me to seek out a couple of my other not-so-fresh mags to share with y'all.  I also chat about my not-so-pleasant nail snag as well my spur-of-the-moment creation for reading/sun glasses.  I may have mentioned my knitted mic fuzzy and my crochet-topped WIP baby sock.

Episode 7 of YaT opens with me, blueberry tea in hand, chatting about my favorite stitch dictionary and the different terms used for crochet (English vs American).  Then I get talking about a crochet top addition to my favorite knitted baby sock.  The subjects of Looper (the movie) and drive-by yarn purchases in Wal-Mart also come up.  I finish off the chatter talking about favorite snack foods from the healthy to the not so much.

Episode 6 is successfully cast a second time after technical gremlins frayed the first casting.  While hiding a final tail in yet another found UFO, I talk about educating the hubby on yarns as well as my adventure in the written instructions from knit and crochet patterns from my 1860 September edition of Godey's Ladies' Book. Mentioned Links: 1860 Child's Ruff 1859 Child's Bib The Yarnover Truck Etsy Herrschners Knit Picks

In episode 5, I work on sock toes and define things like SEX and frog ponds plus a few other acronyms.  I also display my foggy morning ability to loose my thoughts and my stitch markers.  It's all in day's journey for a yarn lover.  Grab your fuzzy fiber and join me in this episode of Yarns and Tales! The list of lingo is found on Knitting Tidbits. The yarn I used today (seen below) is from Lion Brand.  It is from the Tweed Stripes collection and is called Mixed Berries (#753-202). I also mentioned the wonderful site called Ravelry.  If you're a yarn lover, you'll enjoy discovering this site.

Before casting episode 4, I noticed my UFO pile was becoming a bit "unruly" you might say.  Now for me, my UFOs consist mainly of those knitted or crocheted objects that simply require a seam or seams.  My count?  Seventeen.  Is that a sheepish grin on your face?  Are you just as guilty of this offense?  Also, in this episode, I talk about turning the heel on my favorite baby sock pattern that was started in episode 3.

In episode 3, I cast on a new project, my favorite baby socks pattern.  I also talk about the days of learning how to use DPNs and how I dealt with learning to turn heels.  I display my elegant counting skill after casting on my stitches.  Along the way, I talk about notebooks for pattern keeping.  Join me for a giggle or two and a bit of tea. The baby sock pattern is here.