Episode 14: "Wonder Wheels Power, ACTIVATE" (41:13)

Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel, never ending or beginning, I think you know just what we feel... when we're spinning... well, when WonderMike is spinning. Maia Discoe and Brooke Sinnes of Tactile Fiber Arts Studio join the Yknit guys for this episode. WonderMike chatted with these spinning divas one late night after a month-long series of spinning classes held at KnitOneOne in Berkeley, CA. They spoke of many spinning things: past, present and future.

The following people and topics were mentioned:

• Birkenstock Shoes - Required spinner attire
• Spindlewood Spindles
• Conference of Northern California Handweavers
• California Cashmere Company
• Straw Into Gold - historical information
• Richmond Art Center
• Norwegian Purl
• Barbara Walker's Stitch Guides
• Celia Quinn
• Judith MacKenzie McCuin
• Earthues Natural Dyes
• Tactile Ravelry Group
• Aija, the scouring, spinning and knitting blog-star of sockpr0n
• Beacon Bend Alpacas
• hizKNITS farm photos from Beacon Bend Alpacas

The following books are recommended by Brooke and Maia. Please support your independent bookstores and LYS by searching for them there. Books about fiber Dyeing:

• A Dyer's Garden by Rita Buchanan
• The Craft of Natural Dyeing by Jenny Dean
• Indigo, Madder, and Marigolds by Trudy Van Stralen
• Want Natural Colour? by Jeanie Reagan
• The Art & Craft of Natural Dyeing by J. N. Liles

Books about Dyeing History:

• A Perfect Red by Amy Butler Greenfield
• Color: A Natural History of the Palatte by Victoria Finlay
• The Root of Wild Madder: Chasing the History, Mystery, and Lore of the Persian Carpet by Brian Murphy
• Mauve: How One Man Invented a Color That Changed the World by Simon Garfield

Books about Spinning:

• The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning by Alden Amos
• In Sheep's Clothing by Nola Fournier & Jane Fournier
• Start Spinning by Maggie Casey
• Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning by Judith MacKenzie McCuin
• Spin It by Lee Raven
• The Yarn Book by Penny Walsh

TACTILE FIBER ARTS CONTEST
We've got two prizes for you courtesy of the kind souls at Tactile.

The first prize is for the non-spinners or just-got-bit-by-the-bug folks. Tell us what drew you in. What was the thing that hooked you? Your prize is a Learn to Spin kit which contains a 2.1 oz. Schact Hi-Lo Spindle, 2 oz. of naturally dark BFL, 2 oz. of naturally dyed BFL, an organic cotton tote and "Spin It" by Lee Raven!

The second prize is for the experienced spinners. All you have to do is tell us your FAVORITE thing about spinning. That's it. Your prize is a $50 gift certificate.

To enter either contest, please leave a comment on Yknit.com or on Ravelry under the YKNIT group discussion. One winner for each prize will be randomly selected from all the entries. DEADLINE FOR ENTERING IS OCTOBER 15, 2008.

CALLING ALL GUY KNITTERS!
The Men's Fall Knitting Retreat will be held during November 7-9, 2008 at the Point Bonita YMCA Center. More details can be found on Ravelry or on MenWhoKnit.com. Please tell all the crafty guys in your life to get in touch with us if they'd like to participate. And if you know any businesses who'd like to donate yarn, patterns, tools or fiber, please put them in touch with us.

Contest Winners
Episode #12, Y Would Dye 4 U: Scout donated a skein of her glorious superwash merino sock yarn in the Marigolds colorway. Our randomly selected winner from the entries is Alex, FetchBoi40639 on Ravelry. His prize is already on its way to Missouri.

Congratulations to our winner and thanks to everyone who participated! The entries for this contest were inspiring.

We used snippets of the following songs in this episode:

• Dizzy performed by Tommy Roe from Tommy Roe's Greatest Hits (Curb, 1970)
• Fanfare for Rocky performed by Bill Conti from Rocky: Original Motion Picture Score (United Artists, 1976)
• Cinematic Snippet performed by Mark Hammil (Luke Skywalker) and James Earl Jones (Darth Vader) from Star Wars, Episode V, Empire Strikes Back (20th Century Fox, LucasFilm, 1980)
• If I Were a Carpenter performed by June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash from Ring of Fire: The Best of June Carter Cash (Dualtone, 2005)
• Comme Un Igloo performed by Etienne Daho (with digital drop-ins by Maia) from Paris ailleurs (Virgin France, 1991)
• Spinning Wheel performed by Blood, Sweat and Tears from Blood Sweat and Tears Greatest Hits (Columbia, 1971)
• Spinning Around performed by Kylie Minogue from Light Years (Emd Int'l, 2000)
• Spinning Away performed by Brian Eno and John Cale from Wrong Way Up (Opal, 1990)
• It's a Small World After All performed by The Chris Walden Big Band from No Bounds (Origin, 2006)
• Sheep performed by The Tiger Lillies from Farmyard Filth (Misery Guts, 2000)
• The Wheel performed by Rosanne Cash from The Wheel (Columbia, 1993)
• Spinning Straw into Gold performed by Barry & Holly Tashian from Straw into Gold (Rounder, 1994)
• The Windmills Of Your Mind performed by Varla Jean Merman from Enough About Me, An Unauthorized Biography (Peak Productions, 2000)

Always, a HUGE thank you to everyone who downloads and listens to Y KNIT.

YSpin? It's where it all begins!

Episode 13: Yknitalong (39:26)

You are not alone! Knitalongs (or KALs) have likely existed from the first moment two stitchers got together to kvetch and work on the same projects. Author Larissa Brown discusses her book Knitalong which provides an introductory course in online KALS, a history of knitterly communal behavior and some groovy patterns to sharpen your knitalong skills.

The following people and topics were mentioned:

• Larissa's art
• Yarnissima's Firestarter Sockalong
• Olympic Sox 2008 KAL
• Mrs. Dalloway's bookstore in Elmwood (Berkeley, CA)
• Melanie Falick (STC publishing)
• Martin Brown, Knitalong co-author, journalist and Larissa's husband
• Michael Crouser photography
• Wenlan Chia, author of Twinkle's Weekend Knits
• Heather/The A.D.D. Knitter
• Chawne/Cauchy09
• whip up - handcraft in a hectic world
• Knit a River
• Peace Knits
• Adrian Bizilia, Hello Yarn
• Sarah Gilbert
• Stumptown Coffee
• Abundant Yarn & Dyeworks
• (not mentioned on the podcast, but an oft-requested item pictured in the book) PezDiva's knitted strawberry pattern

KAL CONTEST
We've got a signed copy of Knitalong and a signed tote bag (for your KAL projects) for one lucky winner. To enter, please leave a comment about your most enjoyable KAL experience. Tell us on Yknit.com or on Ravelry under the Yknit group discussion. One winner will be randomly selected from all the entries. DEADLINE FOR ENTERING IS SEPTEMBER 15, 2008.

CALLING ALL GUY KNITTERS!
The Men's Fall Knitting Retreat will be held November 7-9, 2008 at the Point Bonita YMCA Center, just north of San Francisco, CA. More details can be found on Ravelry or on MenWhoKnit.com. Please tell all the crafty guys in your life to get in touch with us if they'd like to participate. And if you know any businesses who'd like to donate yarn, patterns, tools or fiber, put them in touch with us.

Contest Winners
Episode #11, Man Camp: Unique Sheep donated a skein of their Footprints superwash merino sock yarn in a decidedly masculine "Grey Street" colorway. Our randomly selected winner from the entries is cristinabeena on Ravelry. Her prize is already on its way to Scotland.

Congratulations to our winner and thanks to everyone who participated!

We used snippets of the following songs in this episode:

• Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, Op. 46 by Edvard Grieg performed by Neville Marriner and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields from A Portrait of Sir Neville Mariner (Philliips, 2000)
• Knit One, Purl Two performed by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra Feat. Marion Hutton & The Modernaires from The Glenn Miller Story Vol. 15-16 (AVID Entertainment, 1942)
• Vogue performed by Madonna from The Immaculate Collection (Maverick, 1990)
• I Could Write a Book performed by Dinah Washington from For Those in Love (Emarcy, 1955)
• Love is all Around performed by Sonny Curtis from Sonny Curtis (Aspirion Records, 2007)
• Love is all Around performed by Hüsker Dü from Eight Miles High (SST, 1990)
• Together performed by Joe Williams and Harry "Sweets" Edison from Together (Roulette, 1961)
• The Coffee Song performed by Frank Sinatra from Ring-a-Ding-Ding (Reprise, 1961)
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas performed by Boris Karloff from Dr. Seuss - How the Grinch Stole Christmas/Horton Hears a Who (Warner Home Video, 1966)
• Git Along Little Doggie performed by Old Town School Of Folk Music (with digital drop ins by Larissa Brown) from Songbook, Vol.2 & 3 (Old Town School Recordings, 2007)

Always, a HUGE thank you to everyone who downloads and listens to Y KNIT.

Yknitalong? It's better to do it in a throng!