Episode 6: Wrapping up Socktoberfest

Wrapping up Socktoberfest

This week we take a look into the world of Socks, and a couple of good resources on how to get started. I'm hoping to get into a series of essentials one should be able to find out to make learning that particular knitted project just a little bit easier.

spud.ca update: Still no delivery. The end of the delivery window is 9pm, so there was nothing here for the time of the podcast. Maybe next week :(

Mixed Media Week in Review:

Books: Nothing new. Spilled some Bpal on my Elizabeth Zimmermann Knitter's Almanac, though...

Audio: Still getting caught up on podcasts

Video: Watched Being Human, a DVD from the BBC. We recommend it!

Gaming: Oh, don't get me started. I'm ticked off at the whole "pre-order" system this week.

On/Off/Near the Needles:

- Hermione's Everyday Sock is off the needles! Pictures soon enough, we're in the process of blocking.

- February Lady Sweater: No new progress. But that means nothing horrific has happened, yay!

- Black Tie Optional (Sept. Mock) is back on the needles, at least temporarily as I fix the whole "how long is long enough" issue.

- Traveler's Stocking by Nancy Bush: Hoping to cast on soon!

Sock Knitting:

I mention the following sock knitting resources:

- Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch

- Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd

- Silver's Sock Class

- Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush

- Favorite Socks (25 Timeless Designs by Interweave)

- Socks from the Toe Up by Wendy Johnson

- Sock Innovation by Cookie A.

- Ravelry

I talk briefly about seasonal videos to watch on the lead-up to Hallowe'en, or while you're waiting for the trick-or-treaters

- Donnie Darko (I actually recommend the original, not necessarily the Director's Cut)

- The Crow

- Hellboy

- The Nightmare Before Christmas

- Coraline

Shoutouts:

Harmonix for making compelling games

My husbeast, Robin for being generally awesome.

My cat. For being a cat. You can't get much simpler than that.

Episode 5

or: I'm a bad, bad wife...

Mixed-Media week in review:

Took a trip downtown on Friday and stopped at some of the following places:

- Mountain Equipment Co-Op for some Really Great Shoes

- Fiore, a wonderful Italian restaurant

- Pudding Yarn, where I picked up some Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock

- Steeps

Mentioned Cat Fud. Mischief endorses the following two products:

- Orijen Cat & Kitten

- EVO 95% Beef Canned Cat Food

You might like the movie Waydowntown. It was shot in Calgary and features some pretty unique city architecture!

I mention spuds.ca grocery delivery service, and that the palate for fruit has changed over the years.

Books:

- Still reading Terry Pratchett's Moving Pictures

Video:

- Just finished watching Max Headroom on DVD. Have also been idly watching Firefly.

- About to get started watching Being Human.

- Found a new TV Miniseries, The Pillars of the Earth.

Gaming:

- Just Dance 2

- Fallout: New Vegas

- Rockband 3

- at some point I mention World of Warcraft.

What's on the needles:

FOs: Pink BSJ, Baby Yours Jacket

- Hermione's Everyday Sock: Finished Sock 1, on to sock 2!

- February Lady Sweater: Still in progress, still on the Yoke.

- Black Tie Optional: Still in the penalty box

- Patchwork Weasleys: Buh-bye.

Yarn Review!

- Indigo Moon Merino Superwash in the colourway Denim

Shoutouts/Reviews/These are the podcasts in my neighbourhood:

- Knit Wits Podcast

- Knitmore Girls

- Brass Needles

- Round the Twist with Carin

- Knit Girllls

- Casually Hardcore

- Livin' La Vida Low-Carb with Jimmy Moore

I mention:
- Lime and Violet

I also mention Youtube, Blip.tv and HTC.

Yes, I got lazy with the links. If I've forgotten anything, please post it in the comments! :)

Episode 4

Listen Here

I talk about the past week in review as always, mentioning the following:

- Helping friends move

- Canadian Thanksgiving

Video:

- The Big Bang Theory

- Max Headroom

- Being Human

Books:

- Listening to Terry Pratchett's "Moving Pictures". Finished "Guards! Guards!" and "Faust/Eric" as well as Jim Butcher's "Dresden File" series.

- The Husbeast got to attend a reading by William Gibson, and managed to get my copy of Idoru signed!

Video Games:

- Picked up "Just Dance II" for Wii.

- Rockband 3 will be coming out soon.

- There's a wave of computer games coming out - Fallout: New Vegas, Fable III and Force Unleashed II amongst others.

Knitting:

- Robin's sweater off to the frog pond

- Patchwork Weasley Socks might be headed there next.

- Pink Baby Surprise Jacket has been seamed! Needs buttons.

- Baby Yours sweater is still being seamed.

- Cast on Hermione's Everyday Socks by Erica Lueder in Crazy Zauberball frische Fische

- Cast on February Lady Sweater in Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Dusty Purple

You can see my Ravelry page for all the details

I talk about knitting frustrations, stress, and startitis...and things you can do to combat knitting distress.

I review (better late than never) Sock Innovation by Cookie A.

Shoutout:

Rigamarole Winery for tasty red wine!

(Oops) wine - not so much a shoutout as it set the bar really really low with the bottle we drank. Ugh! Could have been a bad bottle, but still...ugh.

Intro Music: 8-bit Junkie by George Wood.

(I wrote this week's script while upgrading the intrepid Salome, my computer, to Ubuntu 10.10. So far so good!)

Episode 3

or: the whole toof and nuffing but the toof.


Just a very short one today...only about 25 minutes! I've been to the dentist, so the mouth is a little sore.

Off the needles are:
- Sock #1 of the SKA September Mystery Sock
- Online Vanilla Socks are done.

Also worked on the Baby Yours sweater for my friend Sherri. Need to learn more about mattress stitch & whether it applied towards this wee jacket.

Talked about the other two current Supersock Scarefest socks & why I didn't cast them on.

Cast on the Patchwork Weasley Socks by Erica Lueder using a somewhat unappreciated sock yarn.

...and then I babbled for a few minutes before finally signing off. Til next week! :)

Episode 2

Or: How I wound up in Saskatoon & what I found there.

This week we got caught up on the past 2 week's worth of rambling due to a trip to Saskatoon (the bride was lovely, the groom was short...but rather handsome and good-natured) as well as a bad head cold.

I talked about yarn shopping in Saskatoon, specifically at Prairie Lily Knitting & Needlework.

Finished Objects:

- Willow by Janine Le Cras , Pair #1 from Super Sock Scarefest KAL

- Redrum by Jenny Lee, Pair #2 from Super Sock Scarefest KAL

Still working on 'em:

- September Mock (aka Black Tie, Optional by Adrienne Fong), Sock Knitter's Anonymous KAL

I have the new Interweave Knits Weekend! I ramble on, somewhat coherently, about the patterns inside. My final verdict? Flip through it at your LYS or Grocery/pharmacy and see if you think it's worth the money. The cover sweater and the gloves are cute. The rest are really a matter of whether it's to your taste. Not a lot of "classic" designs, but lots of originality.

I rave on about the new Knitty Deep Fall. There are socks. And hats. And pretty sweaters. And an Electra Townie bicycle. You really ought to ride more. The upright bikes are really comfy and you can wear pretty clothing while you ride. Take back the road! (yes, I was dead wrong about the spelling of Electra. Oh well. Can't win all the time)

I give a shoutout to Tanis Fiber Arts for having awesome Blue Label Fingering weight Merino yarn. I made my Dad's Yule present from them last year, and the yarn was a joy to work with. I have another ball of the Green Label Aran that is destined to be a cheery hat for the dead of winter (even if I can't remember the name of the pattern).

Finally, a small apology for the rambling nature of this hour's worth of gibbering. Hopefully, as we go on, I'll get back in the groove. And will hopefully find the perfect intro and outro music. Whee! Isn't technology grand?