Do you have P.S.S.D. - Post-Sock Summit Depression?

I know I do!

It was a long road and lots of work to get ready for them, but my classes at Sock Summit were a success. Much fun was had by me and the amazing students who took Hip Hems for Him & Her and HIZsocks - Making Socks Manly. Thanks, Tina and Stephanie for choosing me to be part of it!

The good news is, I will now have more free time to devote to getting out the next 3 episodes of YKNIT that have languished in varying states of completion!

To combat P.S.S.D., I've found reading KnitSpot's Sock Summit summary makes me smile. (Thanks, Anne!)

Stay tuned...

Howdy, listeners! Saddle on up for a wild ride with everyone's favorite knitting Canadian!

The Yarn Harlot is back again with another thoughtful AND humorous look at her close friends from the fiber world and beyond! Michael spoke with her (in his trusty mobile recording studio) back in October during her book tour for Free Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes Again. They talked about Kinnearing, writing (not knitting) deadlines and the politics of immigrating to Canada.

The following people, places and things were mentioned:

• Stephen King
• Barbara Kingsolver
• Miriam Toews
• Kinnearing
• Jacey Boggs, aka Insubordinate new fabulous art-yarn spinning DVD, Sit and Spin
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada, just in case you're interested.

 

Our big evolutionary and educational announcements are:

Stephen is teaching at Sock Summit and at 2009 Men's Spring Knitting Retreat!!!

Michael is teaching at Article Pract and A Verb for Keeping Warm!!!

Michael is leaving Yknit to pursue other fiber disciplines. This was a difficult decision to make, but it really does make sense because his interests are going all over the fibersphere and he'd like the freedom to explore and report about all of it. He's also excited about doing video work and instructional pieces which don't really fall under the scope of Yknit. Rest assured that Stephen is carrying the Yknit torch onwards and upwards. AND they will both be active on Ravelry and in the world of fiber! A great big virtual hug and kiss to all of our lovely listeners. Keep your eyes and ears tuned.

 

Free Range Knitter CONTEST

We have three (count 'em) THREE copies of Free Range Knitter by the Yarn Harlot to give away. All you need to do is tell us what is MISSING from the world of fiber and craft instruction? What would help you free up your range of learning? Hmmm.

To enter, please leave a comment on Yknit.com or on Ravelry the Y KNIT group discussion. Three winners will be randomly selected from all the entries. DEADLINE FOR ENTERING IS MAY 15, 2009. We look forward to seeing what everyone has to say!

AVFKW Contest Winners
Episode #18, Natural ReVerberations!: Our randomly selected winners from the entries are:

• ChrisFixedKitty (Ravelry). Chris won naturally dyed Verb fiber for spinning and the Shaped Arch sock pattern by Marlowe Crawford.
• Cath (blog: Changeling Things). Cath won naturally dyed Verb sock yarn and the Slipstream sock pattern by Marlowe Crawford.

Congratulations to our two winners and thanks to everyone who participated!

As always, a HUGE thank you to everyone who downloads and listens to Y KNIT. Evolution is real!

YKnit? It's Darwin-ic!

We used snippets of the following songs in this episode:

• "Main Theme from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" " performed by Ennio Morricone from A Fistful of Film Music (Rhino Records, 1995)
• "Man with a Harmonica" performed by Ennio Morricone from A Fistful of Film Music (Rhino Records, 1995)
• "Home on the Range" performed by Julie Andrews and Robert Preston from Victor, Victoria (MGM/UA, 1982)
• "Free Range" performed by The Fall from Free Range, CD Single (Phonogram, 1992)
• "A Man Could Get Arrested" performed by Pet Shop Boys from Please (Remastered) (Parlophone, 2001)
• "Brideshead Revisited" performed by Jeremy Irons from Brideshead Revisited (Granada TV, 1981)
• "Martian Hop" performed by The Ran-Dells from Brain in a Box (Rhino Records, 2000)
• "Dear Mr. President" performed by Resident Genius and Howard Zinn from You Can't Blow Up A Social Relationship (Thick Records , 2005)
• "Humming Chorus" performed by William Orbit from Hello, Waveforms (Sanctuary, 2006)
• "A Case of You" performed by Joni Mitchell from Blue (Reprise, 1971)
• "We'll Meet Again" performed by Vera Lynn from We'll Meet Again: The Best of Vera Lynn (ASV Living Era, 1995)
• "Don't Fence Me In" performed by David Byrne from Red, Hot and Blue (Chrysalis, 1990)

 

Hello Fiber Friends and Yknit Listeners,

My friend, Kyle Kunnecke, is working on project about men who knit. Part of said project is a survey that will take you around 10-15 minutes maximum to complete.

If you're a knitter (and I suspect quite a few of you are!!), please consider taking the survey. Women and men are wanted!

All other questions about the rest of the project can be found on the FAQ.

Thx!

~wonderMike

Perhaps you found your way here from the Sock Summit site or the Yarn Harlot's blog. Welcome to our podcast!

It's true, Stephen will be teaching at Sock Summit 2009 in Portland, OR, August 6-9. It's going to be an unbelievable event, for new sock-heads and advanced sock-stars alike. The teacher line-up boggles the mind, but just wait until they announce the classes!

If this is your first time to Y KNIT, have a listen (or 18!). Just click on an episode's title or the POD graphic next to it to download the .mp3 file. You can also subscribe to the show using iTunes, Zune Marketplace or any RSS reader. We'll be talking about Sock Summit in future episodes, and hopefully recording bits and pieces of this historic event for posterity.

Yknit SOCKs? There are so many reasons, we can't SUMMIT up.

A Verb for Keeping Warm, as well as its founder and owner Kristine Vejar, transcends a simple definition. A business that sells naturally-dyed yarns and fibers and all manner of tools to use those fibers (spindles, wheels, looms, knitting patterns), it's also creating its own unique community (in the Bay Area and online) through education and celebration of traditions and textiles for knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers, dyers and all people who do labor-intensive work with their hands. Hear how Kristine's childhood connection to sewing and quilting took her to India and the origin of Verb's inspiration.

The following people and topics were mentioned:

• A Verb for Keeping Warm online store
• Adrienne's Garden Blog. Adrienne is the master builder who created the Workshop and who makes all things online and digital for AVFKW.
• Aija aka sockpr0n's blog. Aija handcrafts the Zero stitch markers that are available at the Verb Store.
• Earthues Natural Dyes
• Krista and Pigeon Roof Studios
• Stitches West, in Santa Clara 2/26 - 3/1 (where you can meet WonderMike in person!)
• Slipstream and Shaped Arch sock knitting patterns by Marlowe Crawford
• A Verb for Keeping Warm Ravelry Group
• Cleo (nee Cleopatra), the cutest dachshund, evah, and the first of two Verb mascots!
• Marcel, the cutest French Angora bunny, evah, and the second of two Verb mascots!
• Kris' (aka Bockstark Knits handspun) that hizKNITS is using for the Boyfriend Socks.

 

For all you bookworms, the following books are recommended by Kristine (get ready to Google!):

Books about Women, Textile History & Culture (including the origin of Verb's name):

• Women's Work by Elizabeth Wayland Barber

Books about Natural Dyeing:

• A Dyer's Garden by Rita Buchanan
• The Craft of Natural Dyeing by Jenny Dean
• Indigo by Jenny Balfour

Books about Fiber and Spinning:

• The Intentional Spinner by Judith MacKenzie McCuin
• Beautiful Sheep: Portraits of Champion Breeds by Kathryn Dun
• The Natural Knitter: How to Choose, Use, and Knit Natural Fibers from Alpaca to Yak by Barbara Albright
• A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd

Books about Weaving:

• Weaving Made Easy: 17 Projects Using a Simple Loom by Liz Gipson
• Hands on Rigid Heddle Weaving by Betty Linn Davenport
• Textures and Patterns for the Rigid Heddle Loom by Betty Linn Davenport

 

A VERB FOR KEEPING WARM CONTEST

The first contest is for the Shaped Arch Sock Pattern by Marlowe Craword and the fiber to spin for the socks. All you need to do is tell us your favorite VERB FOR KEEPING WARM.

The second contest is for the Slipstream Sock Pattern and the Verb sock yarn to knit the pattern. All you have to do is tell us your FAVORITE color in Kristine's colorways.

To enter either contest, please leave a comment on Yknit.com or on Ravelry under the Y KNIT group discussion. One winner will be randomly selected from all the entries. DEADLINE FOR ENTERING IS MARCH 15, 2009. We look forward to seeing what everyone has to say!

Contest Winner
Episode #17, Go West, Young Man!: Our randomly selected winner from the entries is Chris Bogs, Chimakwa on Ravelry. His prize is already on its way to Philly. Congratulations to our winner and thanks to everyone who participated! The world WOULD be a better place if more men knit.

YSpin? It's where yarn comes from!

As always, a HUGE thank you to everyone who downloads and listens to Y KNIT. You hear us. You REALLY hear us!

We used snippets of the following songs in this episode:

• "Theme from Jeopardy" performed by The Gamers from Game Show Favorites (Essential Media Group, 2007)
• "Lunchdate" performed by The Sisterhood of Convoluted Thinkers from Ume Sour (Darla, 2001)
• "Speaking My Language" performed by Leslie Tucker from In This Room (Compass Records, 1995)
• "Sandhya Raga" performed by Ravi Shankar from Inside the Kremlin (Private Music, 2004)
• "Toxic" performed by Britney Spears from In the Zone (Zomba Recordings, 2003)
• "Textile Lunch on Moody Street" performed by the Flanagan/Ingham Quartet from Textile Lunch (33 Jazz, 1999)
• "Secret Garden" performed by Depeche Mode from A Broken Frame (Mute, 1982)
• "Weave Me the Sunshine" performed by Noel Paul Stookey from One Night Stand (Warner Brothers, 1973)
• "Introduction" from Star Trek: The Original Series (Paramount, 1966)
• "De Colores" by Connie Bieberach from Arco Iris Musicál (CD Baby, 2004)

 

Episode 17: Go West, Young Man (33:49)

The very first Men's Knitting Retreat was held in the Spring of 2008 and featured the hard work of QueerJoe and KnitterGuyTed. The Fall 2008 event was held at the Point Bonita YMCA in the Marin Headlands and the manly magic was in full effect. The event was November 7-9, 2008 and this audio features interviews with two of the instructors: Brian Kohler (professional designer with Skacel), and Harry Wells (President of Humboldt Handweavers and Spinners Guild). But we start things off by chatting with Ted Myatt aka KnitterGuy (organizer and co-creator along with Joe Wilcox aka QueerJoe of the Men's Knitting Retreats).

The Men's Fall Knitting Retreat 2008 was blown away by the extraordinary swag we received from the following folks: Article Pract, A Verb for Keeping Warm, Briar Rose Fibers, BrooklynTweed, Danny Oulette Designs, Hansigurumi, HelloYarn, KnitSonya, Knotty Naomi, Oceanwind Knits, Perchance to Knit, Schoolhouse Press, Shelridge Farms, Spinning Loft, Tactile Fiber Arts, Unique Sheep, Wild Geese Fibers, and Yarn Nerd. We're so not worthy!!!

If you're interested in attending the Men's Spring Knitting Retreat 2009, give QueerJoe a shout.

Contest
Skacel has given us a handsome entrelac scarf pattern designed by Brian Kohler, MFKR attendee and instructor. The prizing includes 3 balls of Skacel's new felted yarn called Loft. To enter, simply tell us how the world would be a better place if more guys knit. A winner will be randomly selected from all entrants.
DEADLINE FOR ENTERING IS JANUARY 31, 2009.

Contest Winners
Congratulations to our winner from episode 16 with Linda Cortright of Wild Fibers magazine, Tyler Macek. He receives a year subscription to WF courtesy of Linda! Thanks to everyone who entered and shared their fiber adventure stories.

A big thank you to everyone who listens, reviews, recommends and responds to YKNIT! Without you, we're nothing.

YKnit with guys? It's MANdatory!

We used snippets of the following songs in this episode:

• "Morning Edition Theme" performed by BJ Leiderman (BJ Leiderman Music, 1979)
• "Indy Rides the Statue" performed by John Williams and the London Philharmonic from Raiders of the Lost Ark (The Soundtracks Collection) (DCC, 2008)
• "Boys Keep Swinging" performed by David Bowie from Lodger (RCA, 1979)
• "Richard's Joust - Medea Vita" performed by John Barry from The Lion in Winter (Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Columbia, 1968)
• "Jesus Baby" performed by Faith + 1from Southpark: The Complete Season Seven (Paramount, 2006)
• "Holiday for Strings" performed by Walter Schumann from The Voices of Walter Schumann (RCA, 1958)
• "Teacher I Need You" performed by Elton John from Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player album (DJM, 1973)
• "I'm Just Wild about Harry" performed by Al Jolson from Golden Years of Al Jolson (Soho, 2005)
• "The Brian Song" performed by Sonia Jones from The Life of Brian Motion Picture Soundtrack (Virgin, 1979)
• "The Penis Song" performed by Eric Idle from The Meaning of Life Motion Picture Soundtrack (MCA, 1983)
• "Go West" performed by the Pet Shop Boys from Very (Remastered) (Parlophone, 2001)