Y KNIT -- genetically speaking

Mon, 11 February 2008

Episode 1: Boy Tested, Boy Approved (featuring Debbie Stoller)

Yknit, The Podcast
Volume 1, Episode 1

Introduction:
Greetings Fellow Knitters and Fiber Enthusiasts. Stephen (hizknits) and I (WonderMike) have been talking about this podcast ever since we got re-acquainted at a Cat Bordhi book signing at Purlescence Yarns last summer. We had a bit of difficulty synching up our crazy social butterfly schedules (yeah, right!) but we've made the tough decisions about priorities and personal growth. Naturally, we live and dream in yarn and needles, ergo we believe everyone should. Let us tell you all about it.

Story of Yknit Genesis:
The story of two boys who were re-introduced through the wonder of knitting and the magic of the interwebs.

Interview with Debbie Stoller:
Debbie Stoller has written a new book, Son of Stitch 'N Bitch, filled with patterns for guys. We were fortunate enough to get an interview with Debbie before her book signing at Moe's in Berkeley, California.

You can read more about Debbie and her books at her website (which doesn't mention Son of S&B just yet). Or check out her day job at BUST magazine.

Contest:
We've got 2 signed copies of Son of Stitch 'N Bitch by Debbie Stoller especially dedicated to Yknit listeners. Send us the name and source of your favorite male pattern of all time and why it works for you. We’ll select a winner at random from our mailbag.

Feedback:
Have some ideas for future shows? We’d love to hear what you think. Thanks so much for listening and keep on knitting.

Heart-felt Thanks To:

Debbie Stoller. What a delightful and thoughtful interviewee. An inspiration to all knitters!
Our producer and composer, Anthony Bonet. He made us sound fabulous and created a slammin’ podcast theme for us. He's our hero (and my partner!).
The Yknit Cheerleaders: KnitSonya, KimChiCrafts, KnitYaYa, SpeedyNeedleFreeman and PunkRawkPurl. We love you ladies.

Yknit? It’s genetic.

Bonus link: Here's the Cycling Aran by designer/spinner/dyer/inspiration Adrian/Hello Yarn (did Stephen mispronounce your last name?), as worn by her hunky husband Mr. Hello Yarn.

Direct download: Y_KNIT_PREMIERE_PODCAST.mp3
Category: podcasts -- posted at: 2:07 AM

Comments[32]

Nice work, you two!

As for best men's knitting pattern, I don't often do other people's patterns, so I guess I don't have an answer. I still want to adapt Stephen's Brancusi pattern to kilt hose, though.

posted by: Mel on Tue, 2/12 01:05 AM EST

You two are the chromosomic bomb - Y knit? Because it's fabulous!

posted by: Sonya on Tue, 2/12 01:22 AM EST

WOW!!! Very impressive, you guys did an amazing job!!! And Debbie Stoller as a 1st guest? Holy s**t! But seriously, it's great to finally hear what you guys sound like and get to "know" you outside of your flickr pics/blogs. And for a pattern, I would have to vote for a sock pattern and it will be ... drumroll... The Boyfriend Socks by slippedstitch. My husband loves his boyfriends to death.

posted by: bockstark.knits on Tue, 2/12 04:22 AM EST

congratulations gentlemen. I look forward to hearing the podcast on my commute to work. Fun stuff.

posted by: sean riley on Tue, 2/12 07:46 AM EST

SWEEEEETTT!!!
:o)
you guys are SO FABULOUS!!!
and i am BLUSHING...
Thanks so much for letting me be a part of this wonderful project!
CONGRATS!!! love you guys.
ek.

posted by: kimchi on Tue, 2/12 03:54 PM EST

great podcast! how awesome is Debbie Stoller? Congratulations on a very professional and fun first episode.

posted by: jenny on Tue, 2/12 06:21 PM EST

FABULOUS!! Really polished and well done. I loved it. And I can't wait to start trying double-knitting. I want that book! Oh, and the music POPS!

posted by: Colleen on Tue, 2/12 06:44 PM EST

About patterns my guy likes: he only likes vintage patterns! He likes close fitting, fine gauge knits, and prefers short sleeve sweaters. So, basically, I'm knitting him a tshirt! So I'm not going to enter your fabulous contest because I have yet to actually knit him a garment that really works that's an exclusively man pattern. (He likes Knitpicks 11th hour hat, but that's unisex.) Can't wait to hear who wins the book, though--it's so sweet of y'all to start of by giving away something so delightful!

posted by: heather on Tue, 2/12 11:26 PM EST

Hey youguys~

It was great first knitting potcast! I hope keeping a great job and hoping that will increase men knitting cimmuity!

Also I email the anwer my favorite male pattern!

Love and Kiss...

Charles

posted by: charles the \"knitter\" on Wed, 2/13 03:45 AM EST

Awesome! I am such a Debbie Stoller fan-- she taught me to knit!! :)

posted by: aija on Wed, 2/13 10:55 AM EST

Oh! Caro from splityarn told me to come over here. Thanks, you two. Mark (Mr. HelloYarn) is super flattered. (He is super cute, isn't he?)

The podcast is great! You are naturals.

I'm so glad you like the pattern and am proud to be a part of this book.

So close on the pronunciation. Instead of the "uh" at the end, it's "yuh".

posted by: Adrian on Wed, 2/13 11:18 AM EST

Holy crap that was excellent! It was so nice to hear your voice maw, and Stephen whom I shall one day meet...and Anthony, that was some great editing! I am so excited to go out and buy Stitch n Bitch. xoxo

posted by: Julie on Wed, 2/13 01:51 PM EST

Hej!!! What fun! You guys did a great job! Thanks to Debbie, too. Love ya and look forward to listening on a regular basis -- Congrats!

posted by: Jill on Wed, 2/13 02:20 PM EST

Well, it seems my comment had been eaten.

So, here I go again: Great to finally hear what you guys sound like. Totally not what I had expected (I'm not even sure whether I had any idea about it).

And you got Debbie Stoller as your first guest? Sheesh, I think we Uncensored Knitters seriously need to do something. ;-p

As for men's pattern? Hmmm....no idea. I'd probably say EZ's seamless hybrid sweater (not that I've knit one yet). It's such a classic.

posted by: Elemmaciltur on Thu, 2/14 01:41 PM EST

Nice job, fellas! It made me want to go out and buy the book (and I already own it!). Seriously, though, well done and the music is great, too. I'll keep listening.

posted by: John on Fri, 2/15 12:41 AM EST

Woohooo!
Nice work, guys.....glad to find the podcast while randomly interwebbing!
Looking forward to the future....great start, and thanks!

posted by: TonyD on Fri, 2/15 10:27 AM EST

Great listen guys! Wonderful 1st guest in Deb. Looking forward to the next episodes.
Y Knit? Because we can!

posted by: Kimberly on Tue, 2/19 05:25 AM EST

Got hold of your podcast via David Reidy - expect lots more listeners! V enjoyable and interesting. Please carry on the good work.

posted by: Lizzy on Tue, 2/19 12:17 PM EST

Also heard about the show from David's podcast. Looking forward to more!

My favorite (little) guy knit is Sherwood from knitty.com. The pattern is easily accessible and free, it is challenging enough to be interesting, looks great on little boys, involves minimal seaming, and doesn't require buttons, since I always get mixed up about which side to put them on for guys. The next big guy knit I'd like to do for my hubbie is the Cambridge Jacket by Ann Budd from Interweave Knits. It looks fun to knit and totally wearable.

posted by: Vanessa on Thu, 2/21 12:13 PM EST

Boys, I just listened to your first podcast today. Loved it. I've had a fantasy about having a podcast for years. I wish you well and I will be listing faithfully. Congrats to you for getting Ms. Stoller. I've had a crush on her for a while.

posted by: Andy B on Thu, 2/21 01:38 PM EST

I already posted on Ravelry, but I must gush over here as well. Oh-my-freaking-GAWD your podcast is awesome, and I am a podcast hater!! Finally a podcast that doesn't make me want to chew glass, I am so excited for you guys. Congrats!

posted by: Heather on Fri, 2/22 09:16 PM EST

Hi S&M,

I'm so glad to have found your podcast (thanks to David Reidy, the Australian bloke and podcaster). I am so glad to see more male presence in the knitting (and crochet) community.

My favorite male pattern is the simple knitted hat. It's quick and easy to make, and most men will actually like AND wear it!! Having the recipient appreciate the gift is all a knitting gift giver wants, right?

Irene

posted by: Irene on Sat, 2/23 03:25 PM EST

And the BEST thing is?!?!?! You guys are in the Bay Area!! I've wanted SOOOOO long for a podcast to come from the WEST coast. THANK YOU THANK YOU for doubly representing!

irene

posted by: Irene on Sat, 2/23 03:27 PM EST

I don't have a favorite male pattern yet, as I'm a fairly new knitter. But your podcast with Debbie Stoller inspired me to go out and buy the first Stitch'N Bitch book. I wish I had gotten it sooner! Great interview!

posted by: debd94 on Sat, 2/23 04:08 PM EST

Great podcast, guys!

Most of the knitting I do for men is socks, because they're easy to do and please even the fussiest men. The vast majority of the man socks I've knit have been for my husband, and my go-to pattern is the Gentleman's Plain Winter Sock from Nancy Bush's "Knitting Vintage Socks." It's a pretty plain (read: boring) pattern for me, but they're always a huge hit with him.

posted by: Sarah on Mon, 2/25 01:52 PM EST

great podcast! my favourite men's knitting pattern are the "boyfriend socks" by alice bell - making them right now for my dad's birthday :-)

posted by: xiaoyi on Tue, 2/26 03:28 PM EST

Love to knit for my guys. My oldest wants the Lucky Socks from Son of Stitch and Bitch, oh and a vest. He has hats, scarves and mittens. My youngest wants anything with skulls, hats and fingerless mitts. They are fun to knit for and very easy to please - Me, I would love to make the Gatsby for one of them.

Love the podcast. Great interviews.

posted by: Anita Themer on Thu, 2/28 08:45 AM EST

Enjoyed the podcast! I've been knitting since I was a young child and only knit for a man once - back in high school and made a fair isle sweater for a boyfriend. It took a while for the curse to kick in but he was gone after a while! I've been with my husband for about 20 years and he never expressed an interest in any of my knitted goods until he put on a pair of socks last year. So now it's all about non lacy, sturdy looking socks. He doesn't care about bright colors, so I've been sticking to 2x2 ribs mostly. I think I might try the Boyfriend Socks and Thuja for him, they both look good.

posted by: Kathy on Tue, 3/4 07:20 AM EST

Love the first episode! You guys are going to be huge :) I plan to play your promo in my episode 6 (5 is already recorded).

posted by: ck on Tue, 3/4 05:57 PM EST

The Brangelina hat by Crazy Aunt Purl. It's seriously fisherman hot.

posted by: Juls on Wed, 3/5 01:04 AM EST

My fav knitting pattern for men (though I suppose this could be unisex) is the Thuja sock pattern in Knitty. I just made a pair of Thuja socks for TH out of STR mediumweight and they look fab on him.

posted by: Emily on Fri, 3/7 04:56 AM EST

I'm here via David as well and your podcast is FANTASTIC!!!!

You guys ROCK!!!!

Please keep the podcasts coming!!!

Love,
Yoki

posted by: Yoki Zihna on Mon, 3/17 08:59 AM EDT

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