TEFKAKO - Episode 268 - The Knitmore Girls

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This week's episode is sponsored by:

Want a great deal on a great yarn?  Check out our Calder special!  We got a deal on giant, 10 ounce skeins of this wonderful sportweight SuperWash merino, and we are passing that deal on to you. Just one skein will make a child size sweater or baby blanket. Two to three for an adult. This special us only available until these skeins are gone, so hop on over to Abstractfiber.com and grab some up for yourself!

Lo-Lo Baby, available in Soft Vanilla, Lavender Dreams, and Plain and Simple has been a big hit among OBGYN staff, new moms, daycare personnel, and men over 60. A swipe on the diaper area, a bit for massage, or something to help with cradle cap we understand but why are men buying this?  So we asked…we had to. And they told us. They are buying Lo-Lo Baby and using it for itch, heat, and chafing in their southern hemisphere. We pressed on with our somewhat awkward questions and we found out that while they loved Lo-Lo Baby, they wanted two things to be different, the label and a cooling element. Along came Southern Comfort.  Don’t let the moustache on the label lead you think it’s only for men.  Women are buying it as well.  And yes, we asked.  And we were told they're using it for the same reasons, through they used different words like, friction and rash. Southern Comfort is ideal for those that bike (pedal or motor), those that wear skirts and no pantyhose, and those that could just use some comfort in their Southern Hemisphere. Southern Comfort is for external use only. To buy local, visit www.bar-maids.com or purchase on-line.

Purlescence Yarns is the Bay Area's destination yarn shop. From the best in spinning and weaving equipment to luxurious yarns and fibers, we have what you need to make your fibery dreams a reality. We're always happy to provide mail order service for Knitmore Girls listeners. Call us today, it'll be on its way!

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On The Needles:(0:38)

Gigi has finished her Trekking Vanilla socks, and Vanilla socks out of Schoppelwolle.
Jasmin worked on the Barberry Kids cardigan for the #matchymatchy KAL.

She picked a night time project and got Hardtwist in Blue Flame by Lisa Souza, which is a lovely rainbow yarn, and is knitting socks on 2.25 needles.

She mentions the Watercolors sockyarn, by the Periwinkle Sheep in the Yarn Harlot colorway.
She has been wearing them regularly since 2009, and says they still look brand new. She is going to cast on the "Lucy's Hair" colorway next.

Gigi finished the 'Tis socks. She also cast on another pair of vanilla socks in Loops and Threads Luxury Sock yarn in the "Balloons" colorway.

She sewed buttons on two Button Tab Knit Hats, and dropped of another 6 hats at Purlescence, which brings her total to 20 hats.

Events:(9:95)

2/20-23: Stitches West 2014.
The Meet-and-Greet is scheduled from 11:30 to 12:30 on Saturday the 20th in The Purlescence Yarns booth (Booths 804, 806, 808, 903, 905, & 907).

Prizes for the #PodcasterThrowdown:

A lovely skein of Lollipop Yarn in the colorway Sweet Child o' Mine.
A skein from Great Lakes Hand Dyed. #themapples
Sivia Harding's Sister Joan Shawl, knit by Gigi
From FabFunkyFibres: a skein of 15 color rainbow merino/cashmere/nylon
A $100 gift certificate to Namaste
Jasmin's handspun:

• In the Air Tonight, superwash, 328yds, Crown Mountain Farms
• Violet Cherry, Pidgeonroof Studios, 402 Superwash BFL (187) 374 yds
• Atlantis Superwash Merino, Crown Mountain Farms, 500 yds 

You can follow this on twitter and instagram using #podcasterthrowdown.
There will be a little something special for anyone who brings a hat for Halos to Stitches West, and bonus swag for preemie hats.

Gigi will be running a free workshop for sewing labels into Knitmore-Along shawls and garments. (Demo area 2, 1:30PM, Sunday 2/23)

Details about getting labels mailed to you (from us) to be announced after Stitches.

We announced a new prize: $100 gift certificate from Namaste.

Also, if our team wins, we will have a drawing to give the podcaster fashion show tickets to a listener who donated a hat.

In Stitches:(19:20)

The only knits Gigi has been wearing are socks, wristers and a cowl.

Jasmin has been wearing her Blue Streak cardigan, The Yarn Girls' tunic, and her handspun Ribbi Cardi.

Genevieve has worn her Little Oak cardigan out of Cephalopod Yarn, an acrylic sweater Jasmin knit in high school, her duck sweater, and she snuggled under the Love blanket, and wore her Molly hat.

Andrew has been wearing his ten year sweater.
 
Mother Knows Best:(22:25)

This week we answer a question from the "What to you want to hear about?" thread, about a sweater gaping in the front.

We also respond to a question about hand fatigue. Jasmin mentions Carson Dehmer's ergonomics class. Gigi mentions the paraffin bath she got at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

When Knitting Attacks:(32:42)

Gigi was repeatedly attacked by her cast on.

Jasmin was attacked by the cables on her SPAKAL sweater for her Ravellenic Knitting.

Also, the socks she is knitting turned out too big, the issue being the difference between US 2.75 instead of US 2.25 needles.

Gigi was working on her Dr Watson sweater for the TEFKAKO, (The Event Formerly Known As The Knitting O******s), and discovered it was too tight. Frogged.

Purloined:(39:30)

This week we are purloining "Yummies" from the Geeky Girls Videocast, hosted by Cece and Damaris.

We are watching the new season of Downton Abbey, the new season of The Walking Dead, Switched at Birth, and a lot of Sesame Street with lovely musical cameos.

StitchMistress has given Jasmin new suggestion for interesting tv. Also, Gigi is looking forward to watching Under the Gunn (CAUTION: NOISY SITE), hosted by the very dapper Tim Gunn.

Review:(42:29)

This week we are reviewing 2-at-a-Time Socks, by Melissa Morgan-Oakes

Ravellenic Updates:(52:40)

Gigi is knitting the Dr Watson sweater from the new Sherlock series. Jasmin is trying to finish her SPAKAL sweater for her TEFKAKO project.

Straw Into Gold:(  57:11)

Genevieve is starting to treadle for a few minutes at a time. Jasmin mentions Annie and the Swiss Cheese Scarf, and Woolbur.

Jasmin is spinning on the Merino Border leicester Cross and needs some variety.

She perused her stash and found fiber from a Cognitive Retreat, Smoky Mountain Fibers, in the colorway Summer Fruits, that she wants to spin a worsted weight. Jasmin is enjoying working on her Matchless.

Genevieve is helping her spin punis from Gourmet Stash.

Gigi is thrilled with the spinning course she is taking at Purlescence's Spin U. She has learned to ply, how to control the consistency of her yarn, and how to determine what thickness to spin. She is purloining technique from Leslie from the Knit Girllls videocast.

Jasmin mentions Judith MacKenzie McCuin's The Intentional Spinner and automotive paper towels.

Gigi mentions her Julia Louet wheel, and tells the story of the lace flyer.

And Sew On:(1:06:33)

Gigi sewed Halo hats out of polar fleece. The Halo hats on the website have three different sizes, but the top of the hat only comes in one size, which is a problem.

 Gigi also is working on a different series of hats in five different sizes.

Also, she looked though the new McCalls catalog and mentioned the sale on patterns at Hancock's, which she mistakenly attributed to Joanne's.