Episode 20 of the Podcast

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First Block of Interviews are from....

• KnitExpo
• Knitting and Crochet Guild
• Woolly Wormhead
• Toft Alpaca
• Anova Books

Explanation of swiss darning.

Second block of interviews are from...

• Knitting 4 Fun
• EasyKnits
• Coco Knits
• KnitExpo (link above)
• IKnit London

Try twitter.com and search for #iknit. Click on that last link to go straight to that search on twitter (no log in needed). Tutorial on "Twitter for Knitters" will be on my blog soon. Plus Follow Me on Twitter.

SkipNorth knitting holiday - more information here.

Third block of interviews are from...

• Woolly Thoughts. Illusions knitting gallery here. 
• Wensleydale Longwool Sheepshop
• The Bothered Owl
• Hedgehog Equipment
• Artisan Threads

Extra links:

• Excellent podcasts from CraftyPod
• Six weeks of free patterns from Duo Fibreworks

Podcast!

Crammed full of rumour and intrigue!

Go here to download and to subscribe on iTunes. 

Did I mention....

THE PODCAST IS BACK!!!

Click here to listen to episode 18 of Lixie Knits It and to enter the competition. 

You can also subscribe on iTunes and at most other podcast catalogues.

Let me know what you think and what you'd like to hear in a future episode.

If you would like to offer a prize for the competition or sponsor an episode leave your email in the comments areas and I'll be in touch.

Knitting bag bonanza

Off I went yesterday, on the bus to lewisham to visit the most amazing fabric shop called 'Rolls n Rems'. There are three of them, I think, in London, but I've only ever been to this one. I really love it. I came out with some clear plastic sheeting, two cottons, a stretch cotton for a skirt, curtain fabric, iron-on interlining, 4oz wadding, buttons and a fabric marker for less than £25. Take a look at the fabric:

and some of the buttons.

These are for my button-up socks as they are all quite small.

Nearby are a couple of charity shops and one had patterns so i got these three.

I also splashed out on a huge bouquet of thistles and these pinky orange things. I can't remember what they are now.

And why was I buying all this fabric? As I said on the podcast (which I know has stopped working again - I am very annoyed with the hosts and have complained again - why do I have to spend so much time complaining? I really hate doing it) I have been spending quite a lot of time thinking about knitting bags. For many years I've been using tesco ziplock type things. They're efficient but not exactly sexy. I also have some drawstring type things that I've sewn in the past or bought. The problem with those is that you can't see what's in them and, if you have such a terrible number of UFOs as me that can be quite a hindrance. So, some thinking and many comments from people later and here we are.

I made 4 prototypes. My frist thought was to make a couple of half plastic and half fabric. These are the ones made of the yellow star fabric. I did wonder how to get these to close since the plastic is a bit thick to ruffle properly. And sure enough, exhibit A.

And exhibit B which wouldn't close properly at all.

I do love the fabric though - £3.60 a metre I think.

So then I moved on to the idea of using reverse applique to create windows. This is the first prototype.

The fabric is furnishing stuff and so quite thick. Not ideal but works pretty well. So being happy with this one I refined it a bit. I wanted to make the edges look neater while not having to do too much fiddling about. Plus I was wondering what would happen with a shaped window. Ta da!

I'm going to write up a pattern for people in case anyone wants to make their own! I'll definitely be making more.

As well as this sudden burst of sewing I've also been knitting away. The Noro socks continue, curse them.

The colours are (mostly) good but the yarn is just horrible. If only there was something like a cross between this and kauni but in sock yarn. Closest I've found is this but the colours get blurred when the plies don't match. I have got some of this stuff, incidentally, and it's pretty nice. Cheap too.

I've also started knitting a bathmat after deciding I don't like mine. I'm using the 10-stitch pattern from an old issue of SlipKnot. Going pretty nicely!

Using some aran cotton I got on ebay, held double. Pooch is very doubtful about this and thinks it will never stand up to his use. I told him that another knitter on ravelry said it was used by her and her husband and their two teenage sons. Pooch says his usage is equivalent to that of 5 fully grown men so I guess time will tell.

Podcast and more

Let us forget about the buttocks and move on...

I had a day off today and spent it in style getting the rather delayed episode 16 of my podcast out. Sadly it's not downloading so you can't actually listen to it. Tsk. Have submitted a plea to the podbean site owners to fix it so will let you know when it is fixed.

I've also been dyeing my hair, catching up on my trash tv and pondering whether a top down raglan fairisle would work. What do you think? I can't help thinking it is chavvy but I can't think what has put that into my mind. I need to do some googling and see what's out there. Now this is nice. And as for this - if Eunny Jang thinks it's ok to do fair isle raglan then it must be ok. OK, I'm convinced. Now I just need to decide on a neckline. Kauni here I come.

My sister Sianybo got me a skein of noro sockyarn for my birthday in July. I finally got on with some socks in it after seeing some nice stripey ones on Ravelry. But...not loving it. The texture is pretty rough and the yarn changes from lace weight to DK with annoying frequency.

I'm glad I've used it though. It's an experience.

After I blogged on sunday I got a bit crafty and finished off my diary cover. This sucker has been hanging around since 2006. It was going to be a tanktop but I ran out of yarn. So some hardcore felting and trimming later...

I *love* it! It's so tactile and gorgeous. Very, very happy.

I also made a needlebook for a swap on swap-bot. The recipient listed daffodils as one of her favourite flowers.

To get my day of rest off to a good start I had a massage last night. This meant I was in Covent Garden so I popped into ArtBox, my latest favourite shop.

I really love the Happy Panda line. Don't ask me why. It just makes me laugh when I see it.

I went to a kniting show and forgot my knitting (and a podcast)

It's true. I went to the stitch and knit show at Excel yesterday to work on the KCG stand and forgot to take my knitting. Rather irritating since could have got through a chunk more rib on Rob's jumper. This is it so far.

Going to look like that for quite a while longer yet!

That meant that I needed to buy some yarn and needles and being patternless I decided on another preemie cardi and hat.

Finished them both barr the sewing up and the buttons while I was there. Not the best show although did get to catch up with Les and Tess from Silkwood which was lovely.

Some of you may remember this little beastie which has become forever known as "Mum's butt ugly jumper" even though its a cardi. I'm just living on the edge type crazy like that. She claims to love it although I find it hard to believe but did ask me to put some buttons on and take off the peplum which was ridiculous from the beginning. So I've done a finishing job that I should have done in the first place but am now stuck on my choice of buttons.

The bottom ones are mother of pearl. The top are boring old plastic fish eyes but somehow they look better. What do you guys think?

So finally there's a new podcast out there. Episode 15. You can either get it on itunes or here. AMAZING competition prizes too, sponsored by Yarnimals. You can also get their stitchmarkers at Woolly Workshop.

A Podcast, a SkipNorth knitting holiday and some knitting

The first two kind of go together because on the latest podcast, featuring the best intro music I've ever heard, Nickerjac and I sit around nattering with her Andy asking us questions about it. It was really good to reminisce about SkipNorths of the past and the kind of shopping frenzies we've seen and also all the stuff we've learnt form other people. We also chatted about which workshops to run (off mic!) and I'll be posting in the SkipHolidays Yahoo group about them soon. Anyone who wants to be kept informed can join the group.

The holiday is excellent fun and I think excellent value too. For £165 you get two nights in the hostel, all meals (and good, locally sourced, huge meals they are too), luxury coach to take you round, specially organised visits to places like the KCG Collection and all materials for the workshops. There's also a cheaper option for people who would prefer to stay in a local B&B. The podcast gives loads more info. You can also find out more and book here: www.proudtobecrafty.co.uk/SN1.html

Oh and the podcast is here! Or you can find it on i-tunes.

So on to the knitting...

The Norah Gaugain sunburst jumper is finished but is in its third day of drying after a good block on friday. Here is yet another pic of it drying:

I am worried it is going to be too big but am saving up my worrying til the weekend when I'll be able to give it full throttle.

There has also been considerable progress on the socks I am making for a friend of mine.

All the details are on ravelry here. I keep going at it in fits and starts and when I really sit down with it the thing shoots along. I'm just about to start the heel of the second one so another few days should see it done.

There has also been some non-knitting going on in the shape of loads and loads of luverly button jewellery. I bought this book recently having shuffled backward and forward between different ones for months. This book is by far the best I've seen and I've already made three things from it. You see, I do love my buttons. This is one I've made as a goodbye present for a colleague. Lots of vintage mother of pearl.

Then this is a cuff using safety pins and buttons with shanks which are always a problem to the button jewellery maker as they don't lie flat.

I'm not actually sure about this one. I love the buttons but it's a bit big. I might put it on etsy instead.

Then in a non-crafty and wholly capitalist move I acted with lightning speed on a comment left on my last entry about duoboots.com. Now I did know about Duo already as a couple of peeps at Golders Green have bought them but what I didn't know is they had a sale on.

Oh yeah. And further more I ordered them friday lunchtime and they arrived at 7.30 AM......AM!! on saturday. Our postman only delivers after 11am on weekdays and suddenly one arrives at 7.30 on a saturday? That's just wrong. But they are good boots. I wore them on sat night and Pooch was very attentive. They are also a perfect fit round the ol'calves.

And finalllllly. Ann sent round this meme...which fibre are you?

Try it yourself here.

Goddamn camera nonsense and a podcast

Actually to be fair it is actually byrne-nonsense as I have consistently managed to ensure my camera, the camera lead and a computer have not once been brought into alignment since we got back from Lille. So rest assured there is much to follow and the crappy quality of the photos in this post are because of my switch to my mobile which is not really designed for such things. However it has encouraged some stealth photography as you will see shortly.

(Lu and Lou do not click on this link for another few days) I have just put these babies in the post - the reason I've put a link is so that Lucy and Louise do not click on it as they are their presents. They are the same as the ones my secret pal made me except different yarn, gauge, buttons, most things so obviously are not as quite as good as hers. I was able to tell her in person what a dude she has been at the Romford Knit-in on sunday. It turns out she is Emma from http://erqsome.typepad.com/ and she has definitely been an excellent pal. She handed over my final parcel when we met and I can't do it justice in words so it will have to wait until my camera meets the lead once again. Go to her blog though. She has a very funny exert from the black lace submission guidelines.

There has been lost of knitting going on chez byrne although nothing much I can particularly show off. Just progress on big items really. I did start and then rip the rainbow socks from magknits because once I'd understood the shaping it all just seemed a little bit mundane. I've started another pair with a leaf design which are coming along very nicely and hope to have some decent progress to report shortly. Sadly I have never managed to produce a garment as magnificant as this 'knitted dress' I saw in H&M window. Yes, the blue lurex one.

Knitted? Jaysus. Whoever thought the 80's and early 90's would seriously come back so much. I still cringe thinking about it the first time. But then imagine my surprise when my ickle sis took me into topman and this was standing behind the counter -

I kept thinking to myself. That must be a wig. Surely that is a wig. But why would someone wear a wig like that to work. But if it's not a wig he must have had to spend real time getting to look like that. Dear god, it's not a wig, he actually wants to look like that. I turned to Byrne-junior and made a joke about Wayne's World which got a "What's that?" type response. Honestly, what are they teaching them in schools nowadays?

Or am I the only one who still does the hand movements when Jimi Hendrix's Foxy Lady comes on the radio? Oh go on, watch it again.

And finally a rainbow from my office window.

Except not finally, because there's a podcast too - last one before xmas. And a humdinger of a competition too!

Post 2 and a podcast

So the second post in this series, if people have got their breath back aafter that awesome blanket, is to look at my knitting and the most gorgeous baby I know. Knitting first...

Bracket Fungus socks are totally finished. I did them on 2-needles with a short row heel and I *love* them! Wore them on saturday.

And then the december tam from the interweave gifts mag is coming along nicely. I can only do a row or two a night as otherwise my tiny brain gets fuddled.

I'm doing it via the magic loop method and loving it although the contrast between the Rowan (thanks secret pal!) and the diakeito isn't as much as I'd hoped. Is nice though and with the weather getting colder am looking forward to wearing it.

Then I very proudly finished my first real granny square. Not much I know but then I've never done a proper old school one before so thought I'd give it a go.

And then I was doing some other of the blocks from the 200 crochet blocks book and this is my favourite so far. I think it might be called 'spinner'.

The yarn doesn't suit it but you can imagine it in something with long colour changes. I am working up to doing a baby blanket so am trying out the various blocks to decide which to use.

And finally, I know this is what you've been waiting for. Here comes the eye candy...

Isn't he gorgeous?! This is of course Pete and I met up with him, Nickerjac, ProbablyJane and Lucy (who I hadn't met before) at the Romford Starbucks yesterday. He even got left with Auntie Lixie for 15 mins while Nic went to Hobbycraft with Jane. And he didn't cry - proudest moments of my life and probably the most tiring. I don't know how Nic and Andy do it...

Here he is with Jane (I really like this one!)

Oh, OK, just one more (check out the huuuuge knitting needle!)

What a cutie!

And finally, there is a podcast featuring an interview with Alice from Socktopus just waiting to be listened to over here. There's also a competition to win the fabulous stitchmarkers pictured on that site. Here are the ones I talk about on the podcast from Glastonbury Glassworks.

And absolutely finally...Pooch's heavenly evening...

(Hint - count the laptops)

Podcast!

Episode 11 is up.

Ally Pally and a Podcast

Podcast is over here.

So I was there yesterday but think I must have been doing rather too good a job on myself in the way of stash management. Everything I looked at I just ended up thinking 'but I've already got some like that....' Of course this did not extend to sock yarn which we all know doesn't count, especially whenit's £1.60 a ball.

Very impressive stall actually which have talked about at length on podcast. Is this place.

I thought there was rather more non-knitting than knitting but this was not all bad as there did seem to be fewer cross stitch stands and more like this one...

String upon string of beads and only a pound or three per string.

There was the usual black sheep scrum - quite a lot of jeager matchmaker for £2 a ball.

And some lovely buttons. That's my mum in there having a look.

There was a quite meeting of the Golders Green knitters, during which they all went resolutely silent as soon as my recorder appeared!

So the haul is a little on the light side.

Plus a kit from Shilasdair:

Although I'm not totally happy about this. £65 for the kit and pattern says 'a medium sized garment' and then doesn't give you any measurements and is only written for that one size. Teaches me a lesson though to enquire more closely before shelling out on a kit.

Pooch spent the weekend in Cardiff and appeared triumphant with a present. Considering past offering I was a bit concerned about what it would turn out to be but in fact the boy done good, if slightly weird.

Isn't she pretty? (and a podcast)

Chuck's cabled socks by Eunny Jang.

Very well written pattern. Have warbled about it a bit among many other things on the podcast. Listen if you dare. It does include a competition this time too! More details here.

Parcel number two!

Knit-wise I had a pretty damn awesome week. Parcel number two has arrived already from my secret pal and boy oh boy am I being spoilt. It actually got here on Thursday but I have been rather remiss in not blogging until now. Here are some ickle pictures for you....

This is what I came across when I opened it. So much stuff!

A few highlights...some divine sock wool. This time from an australian source.

Some smellies, tied up with this amazing wire and bead stuff that was also around a CD containing tonnes of hip hop lovelyness.

A beautiful couple of magazines. My pal also included some of those page marker post-its (in red, so thoughtful) to mark my favourite patterns with and I have used every last one. Will try to scan some of them for my next post.

And then there was this.... I left it til last as I had an inkling what it might be from questions she'd asked me.

Now I have a video of my newly sock-clad feet doing a little dance but it hasn't yet made it onto the computer so these pictures just don't do them justice but - finally - I understand why people like getting handmade socks so much. And these are such an amazing pair!

Bit more detail:

Plus a lovely strawberry candle, lip balms and all done up in such a lovely way. Here's the complete haul!

Went round portobello road with sian yesterday. Found a little bakery that specialised in cupcakes and cakes. Queue coming out the door! We had to stop and try one. I had a chocolate bling (with those little silver balls fairy cakes always used to have in my yoof) and sian got a red velvet in the cute little take away box.

You'll notice my cupcake didn't make it whole to the picture. Well, you don't buy them to look at, do you?

There have been many replies to my appeals to help curb stash enhancement in my last podcast which promise to make the episode 5 even better than the others. And many thanks to those people who have left a review on itunes!

Now must go and answer the latest rsvp's for Nickerjac's baby shower which promises to be excellent and quite possibly cupcaketastic. But before I do, I have this strange urge to get going on a feather and fan something or other. Yarnstorm has one going on. Nickerjac has one as her page header and A Mingled Yarn has just done a very lovely scarf and there are more. I'm not sure whether to give in and just do it or stay strong. I've never had much luck with them before. I always get my repeats and increases mixed up.