Fit, function, and fashion - Episode 43 - The Knitmore Girls

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This week's episode has been sponsored by:

New in: Tanis Fiber Arts fingering weight and a pattern written specifically for it: the April Showers sock.

Check out our weaving supplies!

Administrative stuff: (00:39)

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On the Needles: (3:58)

Gigi finished a pair of vanilla ribbed socks in the Kaffe Fasset Regia, a pair of vanilla Claudia's Handpaints Argyle. Gigi has also finished the first skein of yarn for her On the Vine scarf.

Jasmin finished her pair of Ellen's Half-Pint Farm socks (out of the Merino/Tencel sock yarn) in the greens. Jasmin is "chain-knitting" her socks. She cast on the Creatively Dyed Calypso (80% Superwash Merino/20% Nylon) in the Jamaica colorway. The color reminds Jasmin of Lisa Souza's South Pacific colorway.

Gigi is working on a former UFO - she is working on her white Einstein jacket again.

Jasmin and Gigi discuss knitting with neutrals for "lasting" garments. (You can see the "Mimosa yellow" shawl here.) They discuss balancing fashion and timeliness with how long it will take to finish the project. Jasmin talks about Tim Gunn's 10 essential items list and how to encorporate that into your knitting.

Jasmin and Gigi will be swatching this week! Gigi will be swatching some of the Tess Yarns' Silk and Merino (in charcoal grey) for a Cocoknits design. Jasmin has some of the same yarn, but in a pale blue from a few years ago. Jasmin is using it for the Cire-Perdue from the third Norah Gaughan book.

Gigi brought over a children's loom so that Jasmin can determine whether or not she really, really wants to weave.

CONTEST!

Go into our Ravelry group and suggest show topics in the "What do you want to hear about?" thread.

Mother Knows Best: (26:04)

Gigi and Jasmin discuss matching yarns and patterns. Vanilla socks are a great way of testing new techniques (like the channel island cast-on). We also encourage you to treat your swatches the way you would treat the garment.

When Knitting Attacks! (33:26)

Gigi has been too efficient with her knitting, and ran out of on-the-go vanilla socks. Cat Bordhi is a genius, and Jasmin is not, and proves it while working on a pair of Coriolis socks. (The test drive pair is in Myra Hansen's Fancy Image Yarns sock yarn.) Jasmin notices the correlation between knitting attacks and the hours in which they happen. Also, her complete inability to do math into the late hours of the evening.

Straw into Gold: (40:50)

Jasmin is spinning 70% Alpaca/30% Silk roving from Abstract Fibers in a deep, rich blue/black colorway. Jasmin talks about showing surface area and shine while spinning, spinning posture, and is honest about how she feels about spinning cotton. Jasmin recommends taking a beginning spinning class from Sandi Luck (at Purlescence) if you're in the Bay Area, and any spinning class from Judith MacKenzie McCuin.

(Next week, Jasmin will talk about cleaning spinning wheels.)

Jasmin talks about spinning merino/silk batts from Crystal Creek Fibers for Gigi (pictured above). Jasmin talks about using a Fricke skeinwinder with a yardage counter. Jasmin also had spun up some of the Fat Cat Knits 50% SW Merino/50% tencel roving in Spring Bulbs. Jasmin also talks about winding up the Black Magic Woman that she had spun up and was still resting on the bobbins.