podcast roundup: part III

Posted on Posted in projects, Uncategorized

i don’t know about anyone else, but i really missed having some colorful pictures on my page yesterday. so before i begin the third part of my podcast compilation, i will write a very quick (and Illustrated) review of project progress at chez knitspot.

last weekend i briefly wrote about a new shawl i am knitting for a friend who is ill. most of my other projects have been put on hold while i knit this special piece, as i would like to finish it and get it out to her ASAP. my friend fell and broke her hip, and is in a rehab hospital. she is an extraordinary knitter herself, but i haven’t seen that she knits lace very much, so i am hoping that she really enjoys this shawl (i know i enjoy receiving knits that i would not make myself). i am aiming for a lightweight and smallish piece that is not heavy, which she might throw over herself for napping or just to feel cozy. right now it is about 29 inches square and i am working through the first tier of lace after making a garter stitch center square. i would like it to be about 54″ square i think. i am sort of designing it on the needles, though i AM using stitches i know, so hopefully not courting design disaster (better known as ugly).

i also finished a couple of scarves this week for the shop. one is the multi-directional scarf (Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf) in karaoke, a soy silk and merino blend that is soft, soft, soft.

and the other is the cable/openwork scarf of my own design that i ripped out twice before and restarted because the stitch pattern wasn’t fun. it is made with classic alpaca and i love the way it turned out. i finished it tuesday night and blocked it wednesday morning:

i don’t always block scarves, but i wanted this one to be a little bit opened up. i was very gentle with the steam so as not to flatten the cables. here is the finished piece:

well, february was a busy month for newbie podcasters, probably sparked by brenda’s challenge to “get thee a microphone”.

creating this compilation of knitting and fiber related podcasts has been a reall eye-opener about just how fast a trend can move. even while writing it, a couple of new ones appeared in podcast alley. yesterday i invited all the podcasters i am writing about to send input that might be helpful for these posts. i was delighted to get email back from a several of them, and hope the rest will read the posts, as these writings may prove a helpful guide to what is available for knitting listeners (and maybe worth mentioning).

last night and this morning i listened to the newest podcasts out this week. many of them have only one session posted, so some of these decriptions might be brief. i have subscribed to all of them and will continue listening to future episodes. i am looking forward to writing more about them in a few months. my biggest challenge now will be keeping up with the explosion of knitter’s programs available!

february 8, 2006 pointy sticks with christine: christine’s podcast was the first new program to debut in 2006. this texan has been knitting only about a year, so as a knit teacher, i am particularly interested in what she has to say about the ups and downs of learning to knit. christine obviously has had a great initial experience with the craft; her enthusiasm has ignited the performer in her to “go live” with it. christine, a photographer, has a warm manner and an observational style that invites one to see through her lens; when she describes a scene or a yarn she is currently using, i find myself looking and touching along with her. her christine adds new music to the mix, for she is obviously enthusiastic; this aspect of her show keeps things moving and contributes to her commentary. it will be wonderful to listen to her progress through her future knitting journey. christine’s blog is also well-worth reading.
Christine hopes to post her podcast every 2 weeks or so, and have episodes that are 45-60 mins in length.

february 17, 2006 the mosh knit with brooklynne michelle: when i heard about brooklynne’s podcast i RAN to my computer to download it; advertised as a knitting program with punk leanings, i was very anxious to find out about it (what can i say; i’m a child of the 60s, teen of the 70s, wild thing of the 80s). as i said before, i really like a good mix of programming from every viewpoint, and this podcast will not disappoint. brooklynne is fascinating, from her rather androgynous voice (neither male or female), right down to her knitted vagina (hahahaha! see episode 1). i feel a sisterly comeraderie when she talks about knitting lace, and at the same time, my hackles get up a little because it seems sometimes she is saying that the subversive belongs only to punk types (only my momentary perception; not necessarily her take at all). a strong reaction like that is just what i’m looking for in entertainment! the music will make you want to get up and move, so have some ball-winding, needle felting, or stash sorting handy. definitely not your average knitting show! (did i just say average knitting show??!! what is the world coming to?). brooklynne also updates her blog frequently with information on her whereabouts and progress.
brooklynne posts her podcast every week so far, and the episodes have varied in length.

february 20, 2006 knitwit: rantings of a rabid knitter with carry: carry’s program is made up of short stories she tells about her life and knitting. carry lives in a house with her boyfriend, cat, rabbits, and stash. in her yard (not sure if she lives on a farm) live her dog and her five sheep. on her road live her neighbors. she has knitted for most of her life and her living environment seems to be shaping itself around her interests. in her podcast, she tells us stories about all the above characters and places and their intersection with her fiber-related interests. these episodes are short and frequently posted, and i had the opportunity to listen to six of them in a row last night. by the fourth one, i was laughing out loud; carry has a warm but dry delivery, and the half-hidden humour in her tales reveals itself slowly over the course of each story. i don’t want to spoil any of it by retelling, but let’s just say that, like carry, i am well-protected from an old age without yarn. check out carry’s blog as well.
carry posts her podcast every few days and each episode is approximately 10 mins.

february 26, 2006 aussie knit with kate: kate’s podcast is just one episode old, and this first piece was mainly a test-drive for her. kate, a university student, tells us about what’s available to knitters in australia (and more importantly to kate, what’s NOT), what her peers are knitting, what projects she has on the needles and what she has just finished up. in future episodes, kate plans to incorporate music, reports on future projects, and feedback from listeners. as an internet beginner, struggling with the mechanics of this website, i can really identify with where kate is at with her program. she talks about having a hard time with a few things, but she has the guts to put it out there anyway, and to ask for help from the audience. i admire that a great deal. this is a chance for listeners to offer input and technical support; you never know, it could come back to you tenfold some day!
kate plans to post every week or so; episodes will be approx 30-45 mins.

march 1, 2006 musings of a peaceful knitter with lisa akers: lisa will create short episodes that focus on thoughts for knitters to ponder as they work. lisa plans to keep segments to 5 mins or less, so that the knitter will have time to think. lisa definitely has the tech side of her program organized, so her format is a little more polished. the lack of technical distraction contributes to her purpose of focusing on one clear idea (again, varying technical quality, for me, is not an issue; in fact i like to think of it as a change in texture from one podcast to another). it will be interesting to see how lisa’s program develops; she does, by her own admission, like to talk, so sticking to 5-min programs might be difficult!
lisa will post her program every two weeks; ech episode will be approx 5 mins

March 1, 2006 time2knit with donny thulson: from durango, donny enthusiastically admits to being addicted to knitting; she took up the needles one year ago and never looked back. donny’s program is a journal of one knitter’s progress through, as she puts it, the Tales & Trials of Knitting. donny is so comfortable with a mike that it makes me jealous; i have always had a huge shy streak when it comes to speaking to strangers. it’s hard to believe she was a nurse and not a radio announcer! because she has so far posted only one episode, i do not have in-depth information about where she is taking this program. but donny tells me that she plans to focus mostly on the experience of the new knitter, including such bits as the Newbie Moment. donny, a self described techie, seems to have her hardware in place; the sound quality of the podcast is excellent, which is a nice feature. however, she would also like to learn about incorporating music into her program, and invites listeners to help.
i’m not sure how frequently donny plans to post, but she is in iTunes now (though the iTunes link to her website does not seem to work).

well, as far as i can tell, for this five minutes anyway, that is the sum of the podcasts for knitters! while i was working on this piece, i also worked with my yarn correspondent debbie, who has a report about knitpicks. and i have an interview with mason i’ve been working on as well. more later!

3 thoughts on “podcast roundup: part III

  1. Thanks so much for your kind words! I really appreciate it! I do now have my website liked to my iTunes feed…but I did have to switch RSS feeds. Go to: http://www.time2knitpodcastblog.blogspot.com
    and click on the link to my iTunes URL. Resubscribe with the new feed and you’re all set!
    Thanks! Great “roundup” of all the knitting podcasts…very informative!
    Donny Thulson, Time2Knit Podcast

  2. The podcast roundup was wonderful! Keep up the great work. Really appreciated seeing and hearing about some of your projects!

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