pod personalities

Posted on Posted in Uncategorized

continuing my post from the other day, here is a list of podcasts by knitters, and a description of each. i apologize for the text-heavy post today; it’s inevitable. i can’t go take pictures of podcasts! i have chosen to present them in the order they appeared for public consumption, so that readers can get a feel for how this snowball has been gaining momentum (i have omitted podcasts which are now defunct). please visit the links in the sidebar to find out more about each podcast. and do that today!

30 minutes into this post: i just went to podcast alley and found two more new ones! oy, oy, oy; can i write fast enough to keep up with it? so, i just made an executive decision : today i will write about the podcasts put out in 2005; most of those i have listened to extensively. in a couple of days, i will post about the podcasts that are brand new in 2006. i will listen to all the episodes i have in my backlog tonite so that when i write about them, i’ll have as much information as possible.

february 2005 knitcast with marie irshad: marie started it all by posting the first knittng podcast. marie works professionally in broadcasting, and has developed a monthly program in which she shares news from the knit world and interviews people working with knitting in their professions. these may include knitwear designers, curators, magazine editors and fine artists. she asks insightful questions and allows the interviewee plenty of time to talk about the topic at hand. this podcast is unique in that it is NOT about marie herself, nor does she use the podcast to explore her own knitting projects. however, by her choices in interview subjects and questions, we learn about marie and her knitting, and get a sense of her generous personality.
marie’s format is typical interview style; sometimes she catches up with people “in the field” and sometimes she interviews via telephone. through the use of professional recording and editing equipment, marie is able to bring us a podcast which sounds as if it was created through the BBC studios, though she makes it right in her home, as she does all her craft projects. in fact, she claims her craft studio is the best place to work becasue all the wool provides sound dampening!
look for knitcast around the middle of each month; each episode approx 25 mins. maries also has a wonderful blog (see sidebar).

october 2005 cast-on with brenda dayne: each friday, brenda captivates listeners with a witty mix of knitchat, songs, and news from her home in wales, so knitters will “have something to listen to while they knit on the weekend”. her philosophy is that those of us that are out there Making things, and particularly knitters, are often working alone, and need to know that we are, indeed, connected to something bigger (for which her program is a switchboard of sorts). each segment includes an insightful essay about knitting and life, written by herself or a contributor. she adds in 3 or 4 pieces from the podsafe music network, thus introducing us to new music we might not hear otherwise, while giving a leg up to the musicians behind the work (i love this aspect of her program; i’ve discovered several musicians i enjoy who are new to me). in her “today’s sweater” segment, brenda describes a sweater she has made, reviewing the pattern and yarn used, and shares her experience while making it, as well as a story about the recipient.
brenda’s program is so entertaining i can hardly wait for each friday to come with a new show! the format is well-planned-out and she has a very clear vision (and philosophy), two things which i think make it exceptional (sort of like having a good business plan). i think that deciding on a structure has, for her, made the program seem relaxed and easy, as well as extremely professional (although, being professional is not important to me).
brenda posts cast-on every friday; each episode is approx 60 mins.

november 10, 2005 secret knitting with daniela johannsenova: daniela guides listeners stitch by stitch through a knitting project. the knitter does not know what will become of it, for daniela does not post pictures of the project til after the show. this is not a podcast that i follow regularly, since i am too busy to sit and knit along with, but i have listened to a couple of episodes and i love the idea! daniela has certainly gone about the podcast from a unique angle. in an interview with marie irshad, i also learned that daniela produces her program right on her laptop with no external equipment, which i find remarkable and inspiring for anyone else who might be thinking of trying this form.
daniela posts her program approximately once per week.

november 15, 2005 the fibercast with caroline: from new hampshire, caroline brings us a practical guide to many aspects of the fiber realm. her program provides a list of current events, which she augments with any personal experience she’s had at them. she also describes processes of fibercraft; anything from preparing raw fiber to stranded knitting might be discussed. she also interviews people on various fiber topics. caroline’s style is very straightforward and packed with information. while she claims to be still finding her footing with equipment and delivery style, she is certainly quite knowledgeable on the topic of fiber arts, and is filling a niche that is not occupied by anyone else. where knitters have both a people community and a strong commercial community, handspinners are more reliant on word of mouth and grassroots connections. caroline brings these corners of the fibercraft community into focus and provides a place for discussion between fiber artists.
caroline’s podcast posts every two weeks; each episode is approx 30 mins.

December 15, 2005 knitting newscast with rhonda bell: rhonda bell’s podcast gives us insight to just one (texas) knitter’s world. rhonda’s program is a review of her own thoughts, feelings and experiences with yarn, knitting, and projects. rhonda talks about events in the knitting world, knitting publications, and some techniques as well. what is interesting in this podcast is the lack of input from outside; this program is truly a reflection of knitting life from inside the head and heart of one knitter. rhonda shares trials and tribulations of individual projects and other knitters’ concerns.
rhonda posts her podcast every two weeks; each episode is approx 30 mins.

december 29, 2005 about-time with whit larson: whit larson brings a fresh perspective to podcasting with her program of random topics concerning her own knitting, and the work of knitters and designers she admires. this is not to say that this podcast is “garage band” in quality; far from it. the quality here is in the richness of spirit that shines through in whit’s broadcast. whit has obvious (and uninhibited) admiration for the people she speaks with in her program, and a charming manner of engaging subjects in conversation about their art, without seeming to conduct a formal interview. her subjects range from familiar knitwear designers or writers to her own friends (otherwise unknown to us), who are involved in aspects of craft she finds fascinating.
i love the more relaxed and casual format of her program (i also like the recent addition of music). i feel as if i am right in her living room, among her bags of yarn and unfinished projects. i enjoy getting to know knitters through her podcast that i am NOT necessarily reading about elsewhere. i especially appreciated the essay by her friend in canada, about the farm.
about time is posted every two weeks-ish and is approx 60 mins; see also whit’s blog, listed in the sidebar.

whew. that was a lot of typing. til tomorrow, remember, get you ears tuned!

2 thoughts on “pod personalities

Comments are closed.