Buffy's Contemporary - Episode 306 - The Knitmore Girls

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This week's episode is sponsored by:

When you own a business you find yourself up at ungodly hours formulating your next step, and juggling between adored and effective products, and creating new interest. So I found myself face-to-face with facts, the nitty-gritty numbers and the [dirty] details. Numbers don't lie - right?  As difficult as it is, we are discontinuing scents and products that just don't make cents. But we are absolutely thrilled and excited about offering new scents and products that you have been asking for. We are actively creating some major spark in our studio. (This calls for super strong shades!) Before these sparks start flying, check out the nitty-gritty and dirty details of our current scents at the new Bar-Maids Blog

Infinite Twist produces unique and luxurious hand-spun yarns that are crafted in a socially responsible way. Spun from hand-painted roving and hand-blended batts, our hand-spun yarns are a tactile delight for knitters. We also offer project kits that take the guess-work out of yarn and color selection, and hand-dyed mill-spun yarns in striking semi-solid colors. Find out more by visiting infinitetwist.com, or find us on Ravelry and Instagram as infinite twist. Sign up for our newsletter for a free knitting pattern every month, and don’t forget to use offer code “knitmore”!

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!  

Operation Sock Drawer is proudly sponsored by Simply Socks Yarn Company.  Does your sock drawer need filling? Let us help!  With nine years experience helping sock knitters, we’ll help you find what you need. Regia has released a new 8 ply collection for keeping your feet toasty this winter. Also check out the new Active line, which features Outlast fiber- developed for NASA to help with temperature and moisture control.  Come check us out at simplysockyarn.com .

On The Needles:(0:33)

Jasmin has finished the Happy Howloween socks by Lollipop Yarn. Genevieve was Olivia, with a knitted Olivia hat. Gigi finished a pair of tube socks for Genevieve out of Neon Now.

Jasmin is working on Stingy Jack socks  (by Invictus Yarns) and she is going to make afterthought heels. She reminisces about the heels she loved throughout her knitting life: the flap heel from our Knitmore Vanilla sock pattern was the first heel she loved. Then she encountered Lucy Neatby's short row heel, then she got entangled with the stockinette short row heel, then went back to the flap heel.

She cast on a pair of Regia Vanilla socks (Regia 6, colorway #6366) and is planning on doing an afterthought flap heel with a gusset out of the brilliant Sock Architecture  book. Also, this yarn is dk weight and knits up in a flash. Simply Socks has this on sale.

Gigi is not in love with her Van Gogh socks, and they may go live in Jasmin's sock drawer. She is knitting a pair of Halloween socks out of Poste Yarn in the Elm Street colorway #operationsockdrawer.

Gigi is working on the Wild Iris cowl from the Book of Cowls by Sivia Harding. She is knitting it out of Bijou Basin Ranch's Himalayan Trail in the "Sassenach" colorway #kiltmenowKAL.
Correction for last weeks show notes: the Romi Hill boot toppers that we said didn't exist, have now been released!

NaKniSweMo has started, and if you can, run it into SPAKAL, FFFWKAL, or #projectsweaterchest.

We have started wearing knits: Jasmin wore her handspun Tangled Yoke, her handspun Seneca, her Breezy cardigan and Mondo Cable cardigan. Genevieve wore her matching Mini Mondo Cable cardi.  Gigi wore her Cassidy, and  Cat Bordhi's Coriolis socks . Gigi also wore her red mohair Oat Couture Spiral Petal Shawl.

Loose Ends:(15:34)

We were going to talk about the solution to the bleeding issues of the Regia Fluormania. Jasmin mentions the Addicted to Sockknitting Group, and refers to the Citric Acid fix.

We have contacted Westminster, the distributor, but they haven't responded yet. So you may want to call them directly and talk to their customer service folks at:

USA: (800) 445-9276

Canada: (800) 263-2354

Let them know about the problem, and ask what the next step is.

Events:(21:46)

11/28: Pajamma Jamie Jam at Purlescence
2/19-22/2015: Stitches West!

Contest:(23:12)

The winner for Operation SockDrawer for this episode is : FreckledCrafts, who wins a skein of Lollipop Yarn in the Kodachrome colorway.

Parameters for participating in the #operationsockdrawer contest:

Participants: post a picture to instagram with the #operationsockdrawer, have your ravelry name on your instagram profile. Feel free to double dip your projects.

Projects will be judged on originality and general delightfulness.

Next week's prize is a skein of Invictus Yarns, in the Emerald colorway, on the BFL/Nylon base  
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New contest:

We announce the Grinch-along. Starting date is November 10th. Cease and desist all holiday gift knitting! #grinchalong. Knitting only for personal pleasure. Take pictures and post them in the ravelry group and/or on Instagram.

Prizes will be Grinchy knitting bags sewn in the Sweatshop Of Love by the Knitmore Girls out of
Grinchy fabric. Let us know what fun holiday things you are doing instead of gift knitting.

Mother Knows Best:(32:40)

Today we talk some more about an efficient closet. Today's focus is on shoe storage. We like things from the Container Store. Jasmin talks about the closet that Andrew built for her, and the accompanying blog post.

Jasmin talks about information gleaned from a class with Rick Mondragon. She mentions Abby from the Knit Knit Cafe, and Doc Martin boots, and her Namaste bag. We would love to hear your thoughts in the episode thread.

Purloined:(32:24)

This week we are purloining "Today's Sweater" from Brenda Dayne's podcast Cast-On.  We bid her a fond good bye and wish her success in all her future endeavors. She just announced that she cast off her last episode.

You may want to send her a personal message on her website.

Jasmin talks about her first sweater for herself, a Penny Straker design of Cascade 220.

Review:(45:58)

This week we review Charts Made Simple, by J.C. Briar.

Also keep your ears open for our upcoming interview with her. Jasmin mentions Stitch Maps: https://stitch-maps.com/

Straw Into Gold:(56:26)

Gigi has gotten into the routine of pulling out her spinning wheel and is getting more work done.
Jasmin is convinced that she needs a nutmeg colored sweater and she dug out a fleece that she had purchased from Janet Heppler of Nebo Ranch, and is swatching for spinning.

And Sew On:(57:52)

Jasmin is excited to sew project bags, inspired by the lovely Erin Lane bags.  We are using a bag tutorial that is also on Pinterest.  She loves her Featherweight.

Gigi was going to sew buttonholes on Genevieve's summer dress, and she had bought a Janome buttonhole foot, and was missing a manual. She also has misplaced the manual  for her fancy Singer, and so couldn't do buttonholes on that machine, either.