RS works on some striped vanilla socks. Sleeves are done and pieces are sewn together on her Sashiko Cardigan. TK is knitting the Fibonerdy Shawl. The Color Affection Shawl is everywhere. TK is making more buttons with vintage fabric and turning them into rings. Very pretty!
Brainy Moments (10:12)
“Jogless stripes” blog post from Tech Knitter. RS is using Traveling Jogless Stripes for socks. TK makes a container for holding needle files out of a glass jar, a piece of crochet fabric, and a plastic drain to keep tools handy and organized.
Shiny! (17:37)
RS shows a few of the different skeins of 2,000 yards of organic heathered gray bulky wool yarn for a future blanket. One of the blanket patterns RS is considering is the Knitted Garter Stitch Blanket by Elizabeth Zimmerman and she mentions Umaro. TK went crazy at the craft store and returned with skull beads and little black felt hats. We mention Lolita style.
Books to Stick Your Nose In (27:55)
TK continues reading the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.
I Spy! (28:21)
RS went to the beach and saw a sea lion swimming in the surf, an invertebrate (probably some kind of snail), a large black fish, and a snowy egret. The Oak Titmice are the ones that make the “tweetweetweetweetwee.” TK saw great blue herons nesting in palms, a flyby pheobe, squirrels, house sparrows, a red tail hawk, hummingbirds, and lots of pill bugs.
RS gets her walks in, including walking to work, but no yoga. TK got her four walks in AND is working out while volunteering in the garden!
Random Remnants (41:10)
RS relates a story about teaching loud and soft to first graders and students relating to the material through monster trucks. TK discovers some new cds in a car junkyard. Score! TK makes her own Ravelry “Hello My Name is” button. We make a vow to go to Stitches someday. TK shares her Kiwi Monocle.
TinyKiwi works more on her Fibonerdy Shawl, and despairs of getting it finished by the end of the month.
TK tries out a scrapbooker’s glue on her potion jar earring stoppers. Hopefully it works!
She then also shows off some of her patterned fabric stash, most of which was originally intended for purses, but TK’s trying to get ridof purses, not make more…so she’s trying to think of something else to do with the fabric.
Rambunctiousky makes good progress on her Sashiko Cardi! Sleeves are cast off, but yarn isn’t cut until they get blocked to make sure that they fit. If not, math may be in her future!
RS also works on a washcloth! The ubiquitous washcloth…
As follow-up from last week, there is also progress on her kiwi cross-stitch bookmark–it’s over half-done now, although RS now remembers that cross-stitch always takes longer than one thinks it will, and fights her need to make her stitches perfect. Sneaky cross-stitch!
TK has one small finished object this week, which is kind of a continuation of last week…but we’ll let her get away with it. She took the shank-less button she made from her grandpa’s shirt fabric scraps, and hot-glued an adjustable ring shank to the back of it. Voila! Instant vintage fabric ring.
Brainy Moments (16:23)
RS talks about wet blocking vs. steam blocking, and shares a link that she’s found useful to a video on youtube about steam blocking your knits. She’s going to use steam blocking for piecing together the parts of her sweater.
Shiny! (20:14)
TK gets new potions jars, including some weird…memory capsules? She’s not quite sure what to do with those guys, so if you have ideas or a link to a pinterest idea, do share!
RS shares the tip that using wool for stranded knitting is better, ’cause the scales of the wool fiber help keep things in their proper places, but as TK’s weaving in as she goes, this property is not as important.
Hyperventilate (29:25)
Murder She Wrote TV series with actress Angela Lansbury. RS talks about episode 2.5 “Sing a Song of Murder.”
Books to Stick Your Nose In (31:50)
TK reads the 5th book in the Mercy Thompson series, called Silver Borne, by Patricia Briggs.
She also reviews One Yard Wonders by Yaker and Hoskins, and shares the errata for the book (of which there’s a lot!) This book has so many mistakes that it’s really better as an idea book, more than a pattern book.
TK also shares the tidbit that interfacing is best when washed, as well as shares a link on the importance of washing (certain kinds) of interfacing, from the sewing blog Male Pattern Boldness. She also talks about pre-shrinking your interfacing by steaming it with the iron (like when you steam block) to keep it from being bubbly when you attach it to your pattern fabric.
Here’s a link to the Japanese book of simple bag patterns that TK talks about: (基礎からていねいに) 手づくりバッグレッスン “From the ground up, handmade bag lessons” with it’s lovely pictorial instructions. ❤
RS requests a WIP bag that’d hold two sweaters. TK may comply or might get lazy! There’s a 50/50 chance!
I Spy! (44:12)
TK hears a Flicker/Woodpecker, and sees a Kestrel, House Sparrows, Hummingbirds and some Red Tailed Hawks having a disagreement of sorts.
RS lures in Juncos and a mystery bird…perhaps a Towhee?
Ear Party (50:02)
TK recommends the CD “Dark of Days” by Bourbon Princess, a sort of lo-fi slowed down alt-rock/funk/jazzy group that’s kind of hard to pin to a genre. The lead singer Monique Ortiz has a deep smokey voice and plays the bass, with saxophone, drums and guitar filling up the rest of the sound. TK usually feels sax makes a piece sound very dated, and that it’s often an overpowering sound, but for some reason I dig it in Bourbon Princess (and Morphine.)
She’s also been listening to Fitz and the Tantrums’ “Out of My League”
RS is still digging on Kasey Musgraves, (not Musgrove as we thought last week! Sorry Kasey!) We worry a little about the hyper-sexualization in her videos, but without knowing the intention, we try to avoid passing judgement.
TK falls short of her goals, with only 3 sessions this week, but as she busted her buns gardening on Tuesday, she’s not really sweating missing the mark a little.
RS gets her two walks and a (questionable) yoga session in!
Random Remnants (59:31)
We start tangenting talking about yoga, and the benefits of doing something aerobic in a class, as it forces you to work harder for longer in a way you don’t on your own.
TK expresses her disappointment that the fabric paint she got is just Puffy Paint in disguise. She’s still searching for an easy way to do something similar to silk-screening.
TK also talks more about the iron-on letters from a different episode, and her trepidation with working with them, but thankfully she found a tutorial, so hopefully she’ll get working with them soon.
RS makes cream-puffs and dreams of her own chef knives! She tries to convince TK to do a knife-sharpening demo…which really just depends on whether or not TK remembers!
And that’s all for this week, folks! Thanks for watchin’/listenin’!
The sound and video are sometimes mal-synced again as we’ve been having some persistent technical issues. We’re working on it, so thanks for bearing with us! ❤ We’re hoping to have it all ironed out by next episode.
Projects of the Moment: WIPS Progress Report
Tiny Kiwi has made no progress on her OWL shawl or BROOM hat+socks. It’s shameful! The Fibonerdy Shawl by Kourtney Robinson is based on Fibonacci’s number(s), so extra mathematical geek points if TK ever gets to it.
TK clarifies her Miss Jane’s Hat is not Jayne’s Hat, but hopes you’ll love her anyway. She’s still plugging away at it! Made with Malabrigo Arroyo in Vaa, if you haven’t been listening in previously. It’s a dream to work with! ❤
This is also the part where we plug the Harry Potter Knit/Crochet House Cup group on Ravelry! Fantastic group, fantastic people, and great for motivation. Check ’em out. The references to OWLs, BROOMs/Missions/Phoenix’s, homework/classwork, and detention are all about that group.
As TK is a beginning knitter, she loves her Cast On, Bind Off book by Leslie Ann Bestor
Rambunctious Sky is still working on her Gemini pullover, pattern free through Knitty. She practices knitting in the dark so she can knit through her opera class during the movies parts.
She’s also eschewed more swatching and has finally cast on her Sashiko Sweater by Ellen Gill.
We talk about how it’s good to imagine how you’re going to finish a project, before you begin it. RS learned this tidbit through knitter’s “finishing school”, TK learned this from her poor beleaguered metalsmithing teacher. (So sorry, Ms. B!)
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane–It’s FOs! (11:34)
TK has cranked out the Catesby Three Hour Cowl for Quidditch’s Speed Trials, which actually took her about 5 hours, but she’s not complaining since it came out so swell. It’s a crochet pattern where you crochet through the back of the stitch only to make the raised pattern. She used Ton of Wool by Ms. Gusset, and feels that it just flies the the fingers! Love the pattern & love the yarn!
Things to Hyperventilate Over (19:53)
RS has been addicted to playing Badland (a for-pay app for iPad) which has a cute little fluffy guy you’ve got to navigate through some beautiful environments while you keep ’em from all sorts of assorted doom. By Frogmind an indie developer, so check ’em out! We totally don’t make any money from these endorsements, this really is just stuff we like (and are addicted to.)
(22:28) TK talks nail art, and expounds about the new things she’s found while on the quest for the perfect Slytherin nails (and the prefect green!)
Sinful Colors nail polish in Calypso (1181) is a lovely deep, deep green (almost green-blue) and is holding up well on TK’s toes. Only one coat needed, but TK slathers it on thick the first time! 🙂
TK also tries “i ❤ Nail Art” pen in fine Pearly White (360) color, by Sally Hansen, and likes it, but it produces thicker lines than she’d hoped for. Might be great for doing french tips easier though, and unlike markers it uses real nail polish. Holds up ok, but has worn away quicker than the Sinful colors.
Photo colors aren’t true, so I tried to get the block behind the text to be the same color, but who knows if it worked?! Computer colors drive me batty anyway.
We talk about the tiny crochet polar bear going around, made by Kim Lapsley. It’s sooo tiny and adorable, so check out her Pinterest page that we’ve linked to find the bear and others of her work.
We also talk about Tiny Owl Knits’s small knit charm bracelet patterns. They are also super cute! Her website is here.
Lastly, TK geeks out about a new flavor of tea she’s found from Lupicia Fresh Tea, (link is to the U.S. store) called Tsugaru Green. Delicious! The taste of apple is a refreshing addition to the green tea, and the aroma is sweet and inviting.
TK confesses to breaking out in song with little provocation. Is she perhaps convinced that her life is secretly a musical?!? Time will tell.
In which TK extols the virtues of new (used) boots for a myriad of costuming options.
Brainy Moments–How To: Tips and Tricks (36:03)
RS discusses the increases in Gemini…she doubted, but then was reassured by her housemates. She also made an adjustment by casting on 4 extra stitches underneath the arms. It worked!
TK shares a tip for the (digital) industrial driers at the laundromat…Hold down the power button at the same time that you hold down the temperature setting button, and the temperature of the drier will display! Let us know if it works for you!
TK asks RS what she uses to wash her delicate knitwear–she uses Soak (Aquae), so TK may get some as she’s finally making a few not-machine-washable things and needs a solution. (Cue the highhat.)
I Spy: Nature lover’s segment (45:40)
RS sees her first snake in the wild! SO exciting! TK squees, but that’s ’cause she loves snakes. TK recommends the coffee-table book of snakes called Serpentine by Mark Laita, as it contains beautiful photographs.
TK tries once more in vain to catch her fly-by hummingbird, but no success. She also bemoans the fact that all the animals think winter is over and have begun their mating routines, including the Mourning Doves and Mockingbirds. She wants more “winter.” People who have real winter must surely mock her, but she stands firm.
Musical Menagerie (51:56)
RS demonstrates the free app called The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, very useful for music teachers (or those wishing to enhance their child’s musical knowledge.)
TK begs RS for fabric strips to make the zoori’s we talked about in a previous episode, but is denied since RS is planning a scrap rug! Send me your tired, your forlorn, I mean your scraps.
We discuss joining something like the Weasley Sisters’ Cardio Knitting Challenge or starting up our own “Walks in the Urban Wilderness” fitness section, so we chat about what we could do, since we both need to get moving more. Right now the goal for both of us is to get out and walk twice a week, so we’ll check back in next week. We’re low-impact kinda gals!
Also, you can hop on over to the Weasley Sister’s Rav Group to follow along with their Cardio Knitting challenge, if you’d like to set fitness goals with the motivation of possibly winning sock yarn to spur you on. ❤
Our sound is a little bit mal-synced from our video, so if you’re watching along, sorry!
Projects of the Moment–WIPs Progress Report
Tiny Kiwi is hating Crocodile stitch phone cosy in Disney Princess color, so she’s sending it to Rambunctious Sky
Jane hat progress!
Horribly long tab beginning on Fibonerdy OWL=tedium! Advice is to not do it in black, if you’d like to actually pick up the stitches properly. Learn from TK’s mistakes!
RS shows off her Berroco Linsey linen & cotton yarn in a suspiciously tweedy color. It’s multiple-colored plys though! Don’t get any tweedy ideas.
We talk scientific endeavor–washing linen–Does it really make it softer? Inquiring minds refuse to take word of mouth and must find out for themselves, apparently. (TK tries to connive RS into giving her the yarn instead, as is her way.)
RS us using this yarn to make the Gemini pullover pattern (free on Knitty). It’s a top down raglan style t-shirt.
TK’s mission debacle news…TK goes for adding on crochet socks to her mission proposal (footy knit socks as a backup!)
RS’s OWL news: She shows off a swatch, learns DK weight yarn is not Aran, (don’t get so excited about pretty yarn you’re buying online that you forget to check the weight!) so she has to pick a different pattern.
RS finally makes gauge on a tiny inch of swatch so TK advises, “You need to make a bigger swatch, Madam!” Maths ensue~! So much maths!
IT’S A BIRD, IT’S A PLANE, IT’S FO’S! (13:30)
TK’s magical Candy Mug cosy
Strange noises? RS’s partner is rollerblading in the kitchen!
RS’s swatch into hat got done! Sadly, it won’t be for detention points, but at least it’s done. Yey for getting WIPs done!
Things to Hyperventilate Over (18:30)
RS talks about her opera appreciation class. (No homework!)
We discuss how everyone in RS’s class is a senior citizen, as is usual for most of our hobbies.
Adventures in Editing! When we talk face to face, we are often talking a mile-a-minute and finish each other’s sentences as we’re so often on the same page. It tends to freak people out a little, and is harder to do on Skype. We’re working on it! Ha ha!
TK shows off the Nautilus shell earrings she got at the artist’s co-op on Molokai, Hawaii. If you happen to go to Molokai, check ’em out! Help support independent artists, and art in the schools. 🙂
RS ties the nautilus shells into her Sashiko pattern, as it reminds her of fractals in tree branches
TK discusses her fear of RS’s yarn being too 80s
Books ta stick your nose in!
TK starts and finishes the Annotated Northanger Abbey discussed in last week’s podcast. TK discusses her love of Jane Austen, Mr. Tilney, and historical writing. But mostly Mr. Tilney.
RS admits that she might not have as much Jane Austen street cred as TK, and TK admits she’s a a pretty big fan of JA.
TK rants about authors who write Austen sequels poorly, but still solicits information on any sequels that can properly capture the tone of the times.
TK also talks about Patricia Briggs’ “Mercy Thompson” series of were-coyote brain-fluff, if you like supernatural novels that are quick reads.
RS cries over reading Bridges of Madison County, but still recommends it. It’s so realistic that National Geographic apparently gets inquiries about the imaginary man who worked for them. Spoiler alert! He’s a man of fiction! Sigh! All the good men are.
TK re-reads To Kill A Mockingbird, and dislikes it all over again. It’s a good book, but sad and TK isn’t into sad books.
RS’s new blue yarn/thread intended for making snowflake ornaments. From Daiso.
The Creative Reuse place provides crochet hooks…only 50 cents a piece! No takesy backsies!
TK suggests Stainless Steel welding rods instead of blocking wires, but hasn’t tried yet. It’s **supposed** to be cheaper! RS says she’s used beading wire previously
RS talks using the snowflakes for homework projects, especially for next month.
More OWL talk! A corkscrew of misery!
Brainy Moments–How To, tips & tricks (46:50)
We talk tensioning yarn, and changes we’ve made to lessen pain and hand problems, while increasing tension, without excessive wraps that get stuck on our sweaty hands!
Hand problems are serious! Try different things! You can teach yourself new ways, even if it takes brain power to get there! Take care of your hands. ❤
Hand stretches are great! Do em! ❤ Tangental sisters strike again~!
“NEXT SEGMENT~!”
I Spy: Nature Lovers’ Segment
Slightly Off Topic: Mariachi music training from Jose Hernandez Mariachi Sol de Mexico, who trained them for two days in Mariachi music…
…so RS got to see a natural garden outside a school, where she saw a hummingbird
TK isn’t taken in by supposedly a “cute” hummingbird. She reminds people they are vicious and go for the jugular. They’re cute to get away with their viciousness! (It should be noted that TK isn’t a professional.)
RS also sees one small mystery bird…perhaps a phoebe?
TK hears two birds, but can’t spot them–a Hummingbird, and a Mockingbird, and reminisces about when Mockingbirds didn’t sound like car alarms (when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.)
RS talks about Bill Robinson in the children’s book Rap a Tap Tap
Bill Robinson/Bo Jangles=best tap dancer ever?!?
He was in the movie Stormy weather, with a song by a New Orleans minstrel band which gets stuck in RS’s head after the 6th viewing.
Sisters Of The Holy Fiber 