Trish Knits.com

Tag: podcast

  • YouTube Yummies

    Not much knitting happening here, so I thought I would share a couple of really cool things I found on YouTube this week.

    The first is 12-year-old singer, Abby Miller, of Virginia. She’s been making the local press here this week because of a fundraising video/PSA she created to help a 4-year-old girl with neuroblastoma. Check out this amazing young singer:

    Abby has been featured on the TV news and in the Washington Post this week, and when I checked out her YouTube page, I was amazed! Enjoy!

    Next is a new videocast by Carin, AKA, Alcariel, who gained podcasting experience by guesting from time to time on another podcast, which I won’t mention, but the knitters all know which one it is. It’s called Round the Twist, and here’s a sample episode:

    I hope Carin doesn’t mind me posting this to her blog, but the “embed” feature on YouTube makes it handy, and I told her I’d help to promote her new adventure. Check it out!

    As for me, I’m still in the knitting doldrums, and I don’t know why! Sigh. I just need to cast on something new and be done with it. Once again I’ve knit about 5 rows all week. On a scarf. Where is my mojo?

    Sigh…

    Listen to this article
    Listen to this article

  • Today’s Sweater

    August 17 sweater progress
    August 17 sweater progress

    Thanks to those who commented via the comments and Plurk. As you can see, I did start the sleeves. The first one is getting close to being done, but alas I have admitted to myself that there is absolutely no way that I can get the sweater done by the baby shower next Sunday. It’ll be close. As long as I can get it done by September 1, which at the moment seems more reasonable, I should be ok!

    I’m glad now that I have two pairs of each size of smaller needles in Harmonies. I actually had the sweater on the 24″ needles, but also had a pair of 40″ needles. I knit the sweater body onto the 40″ needles and started the sleeve in the round with the 24s. I incorrectly stated the other day that I was using size 2.5 mm needles; I was wrong. They’re 2.25. I like the nice, dense fabric I’m getting, which despite the light weight of the fabric should still make for a fairly warm sweater. I don’t think I’ll be doing a baby sweater with really thin sock yarn any time again soon, though… this one is taking me forever!

    Oh, and in case you’re interested, here’s a closeup of the cables:

    closeup of cables
    closeup of cables

    I didn’t like them at first but they are growing on me. It’s a simple braid, over 12 rows, crossing on row 5 and row 11. It’s a much more relaxed braid than the 8 row variety that is my usual favorite, so the relaxed look wasn’t doing it for me at the beginning. But as fussy as this yarn is I wanted to spread the cable crossings out a bit so that the yarn would be easier to work with. Did it help? Not sure, but I bet it probably did. I found the cables fussy to do as it is, and had to fix them several times during the process. I’m not quite done with the body length yet, so there may yet be more fixing up of this sweater as I near its finish, but I do think I’m finally getting the hang of it. We’ll see.

    The title of today’s post is a nod to my favorite podcast, Cast On, and its wonderful host, Brenda Dayne. She seems to be struggling a bit with a podcast format/frequency schedule that works for her. I just wanted to give a shout out and say to Brenda that I love Cast On, and will take it in whatever way works best. Just please don’t go away. I need Cast On for the connectivity to knitters, much the same way that you say you need it. I’m glad you’re back and can’t wait for the next one, whenever it happens to be.

    Over and out… I actually have to put the knitting down for the night and make some progress on some writing I’m doing. Yuck. I’d rather knit.

  • eBay Treasure… sort of.

    Interweave Knits, Winter 2003

    Ok, I’ve been trolling the interwebs for a little while now, on a quest for a couple of back issues of Interweave Knits. One of the ones high on my list has been Winter 2003, in which there are good articles about gloves and thumb gussets, as well as some comfy unisex slipper sock things.

    I actually lost this one the other day, but the seller wrote to me and said she had more than one copy, so I jumped on it. The magazine is great, the patterns and articles are just what I wanted. But it STINKS. In a big way. In the I’ve sprayed it with skanky car air freshener to hide the cigarette smoke kind of way. But this is a good issue, and I can’t stop looking. And my eyes are watering and I’m sniffly. Oh well, the price I pay for my knitting addiction. Guess I’d better take a hit on the inhaler before bed.

    Which is where I’m headed now. I hear that Kelley Petkun interviewed Charlene Schurch for her podcast tonight. Given my suddenly renewed interest in socks, I can’t wait to listen as I head off to sleep.

    Goodnight for now!

  • OBU

    Multicolored brown ripple afghan in progress

    (Obligatory Blanket Update)

    Well, here it is, the latest photo of my ripple afghan in progress, for Miss Z. One or two more people added their work to the blanket this week, and I feel like I’ve knitted a LOT, but visually, from the picture, it doesn’t really look very different. I guess I’m entering that disappointing stage where hours and hours of knitting yield very minimal results. All knitters hit that wall with long-term projects. At some point. Right? Please tell me I’m not alone.

    So this week my kid decided that she needs to do five rows a day on the baby blanket she’s working on for her teacher. So far, she has stuck to it, except that tonight she is feeling a little punky so I doubt she’ll knit today. I hope this isn’t the beginning of a winter virus making its way through our house.

    I caved and bought yarn this week. Lots of yarn. 25 balls of Wool of the Andes in Amethyst Heather, and 20 balls in Onyx Heather. Not sure yet what I am going to do with it, but I was originally thinking maybe a blanket of some sort, or at least a couple of hats and mittens and scarves etc. We’ll see. Obviously I won’t be taking on any new projects for a while yet.

    Also in the box is a set of needles in size 7 for IJ at work. She wants to learn to knit! I can’t wait to teach her. I’m hoping she will love knitting as much as I do.

    Not much else going on around here. Brenda has a new episode of Cast On up today so I’m gonna go listen and knit. Ahhhh. Knitting and Cast On. Two things that make winter more bearable. Thanks, Brenda.

  • Updates and Stuff

    Z’s blanket progress

    Well, here it is, the latest “baby pic” of Miss Z.’s Blankie. I am enjoying making it but I wish it could go faster. Miss Z. starts her chemo very soon and I want it to be done. Now that the holidays have wound down and most folks are back at work, I am getting even more takers on the “many hands” aspect of the project.

    I have now used all of the yarn colors that I have for the project, so am starting over, in a slightly different color order. I hope I can keep the variations going. In a recent stripe I added Knit Picks Shine Sport in the colorway, Willow, but I’m not sure I love it being there yet, since it is so much lighter than the other shades. But I was having an interesting dilemma of not having enough yarns for the parts in between the primary shades. I had some Shine on hand, so decided to try it. So, I guess we’ll see how it works out.


    Trish’s Got a Brand New Bag

    Namaste Executive Bag, rust color

    Ok, as much as I absolutely LOVE my Jordana Paige Knitter’s Satchel, I have finally had to admit, it’s really not the most practical solution for me. I’ve managed to bend the metal bar that holds the clicky clasp on both of my bags, and so neither one closes well. Which is causing me problems, because except for the little stuff in the zipper pouch, most of the stuff is rolling around in there and all jumbled up with everything else.

    So I bit the bullet and bought a Namaste Executive Bag. I’ve been hearing about these as they seem to be the buzz of all the knitters in the know. But, it’s hard to get. I hear it’s been discontinued, and that a newer, better bag may be coming out soon. But, I gotta admit, this one’s pretty cool! I like that it has separate compartments fort the “purse stuff” and the knitting gear. I also like that it seems to have stronger closures, so I shouldn’t have to worry about the bag tipping over and all of my purse stuff falling out.

    It does seem that the material it’s made of is kinda thin. That’s one complaint I’ve been hearing is that the bag isn’t as durable as some folks would like. So I guess we’ll see how I make out with it, given that I do seem to be pretty hard on stuff. Wish me luck…


    On a Roll

    Toilet Roll Covers book cover

    And now for something completely different…

    I heard Kelley Petkun talk about this on her podcast a few weeks ago, and I thought, “Who in their right mind would buy a book about THAT??” But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Then, this week, my copy of Toilet Roll Covers finally found it’s way to my door. I cannot believe I started feeling all nostalgic, as my mom and grandmother used to make cozies for just about everything. But my mom has never seen toilet paper cozies like this! They are fun, funky and adorable. Of course I will have to make a hat for my toilet paper, and maybe even an Aran sweater. The piano keys are also very cute, and someday, I’ll have to make the “Drum Roll” for my brother the drummer.

    Sigh. Looks like my Redskins are losing to the Seahawks. It’s been a tough year for them. I was really hoping…

    Ciao for now!

  • Folk Style

    Folk Style Book Cover

    A quick trip to Barnes and Noble today to get a birthday gift for a sister-in-law found me in short order in the knitting aisle. (Of course!) I snatched a copy of Folk Style without even cracking it open to peek first. Have I EVER knit anything from a knitting book that I own? (Hanging head…) No. Why then, do I have more than 60 knitting books in my library, and why do I have a horrid desire to own more?

    I’m just crazy, I guess. But there are some pretty, pretty things in here and maybe I will knit something someday. I especially love the Modern Quilt Wrap by Mags Kandis, which of course can be found for free online. (Follow my link… easy! ) But also the colorful Algonquin Socks spoke to me. Have I ever even knit a sock? Nope, not yet! But I want to… really. Also the Tribal Baby Carrier and the Bogolanfini Pullover and the Indian Silk Pillow. All look so pretty! And yet, here I am, still dying to cast on for some hats. I am still working on the rainbow stripey baby blanket. Stitching a little each day, painfully little. It’s just four stinkin’ rows left. I was hoping to have it done today but now I am setting a new goal to be done with the main knitting before the end of this weekend.

    Wish me luck!

    Oh and hey, I found the new episode of Cast On was available today. Makes for good knitting, it does. Thanks, Brenda!