Episode 09: Spring Sprung Sprang

This week, Jenny tells us about her trip to SXSW in Austin, Texas. We discuss some spring knitting patterns. And Nicole discovers an awesome knitting bag.

Episode 9: Spring Sprung Sprang

Deep in the heart of Texas
Jenny and Harold travel to Austin to attend SXSW and meet famous knitters.

• Vickie Howell of the Knitty Gritty
• Stephen of Hizknits
• Synchronized swimming in SF
• Caro of Split Yarn
• Christine Selleck of Pointy Sticks
• Rhonda Bell of Knitting Newscast
• Staci of Very Pink
• Staci's Fair Isle baby set
• Hill Country Weavers
• Yarn Maven Julia
• Needful Yarns Ceramic Yarn

Spring Knits
The weather turned to Spring and we started thinking about not knitting big wool sweaters.

• Imagiknit
• Street Smart Cable Hoodie
• Veronik Avery's Polka Purl Dots from the Spring 04 Interweave Knits (out of print)
  
• Jo Sharp Soho vs Debbie Bliss Soho
• Michele Rose Orne's Molly Ringwald from the Fall 06 Knitscene
• Annie Modesitt's Mandarin Blouse from Spring 06 Interweave Knits
• Norah Gaughan's Diamond Tunic (picture coming soon!)
• Pea Pod Cardigan from Knit Two Together
• Norah Gaughan's Bonsai Tunic from the Spring 07 Interweave Knits

The world's most perfect bag
Nicole hunts down and purchases her ideal knitting bag

• Click the photo above for more pics in my Flickr set
• Namaste Executive Bag (in Clay)
• Scout's Swag (best customer service ever!!)

Thank you, Suzanne of Hill Country Weavers! Thanks for listening!!

Comments

[harold]

Don't Mess with Texas! I was there, too! I'm famous! Nice ep.

[Melissa]

Loved the episode. Now I want one of those bags. But, it doesn't count as stash...hmmm...

[Melissa]

Okay, it's all your fault. I just ordered the bag in avacado. I can't wait for it to come in the mail!

[Madison]

LOVE the podcast. Hope you guys like my new blog =) Hopefully you guys can drop by and leave me a comment! You guys have definately inspired me to become much more of an organized stasher. I think I may have come up with a decent Excel format, so hopefully this one will work out for me! Thanks for the great podcast and keep up the amazing work!!!

[Stephen]

Just did a little subversive listening at work. I've never been mentioned in a podcast before (to my knowledge).

I look forward to meeting you Nicole. Jenny, we should hang soon (when you're back). Thanks for smiles today!

[Lauren]

We are moving to the South Bay this summer. I am so excited to be out there, but I have no idea how my stash will be moved.

[jeanmarie]

Another wonderful podcast...I had to laugh...when ya'll said it was warm at 70 degrees...It was 85 and humid in the Carolinas today.

[Tanya]

Dearest SnB Nicole (and Jenny,too):

Not to add to your problem, but S.Charles Victoria is most assuredly NOT discontinued. Nicole, you know how I know. I'm surrounded by a store surplus of it that I can't get rid of. Let me be your pusherman.

But if you ever need to know if a yarn is DC, why not check Yarndex? It's my professional "cheat sheet" with customers, esp., for gauge subbing.

http://www.yarndex.com/yarn.cfm?yarn_id=645

[samantha]

I have two of the Namaste bags and I love them both! Cute, comfortable, room for everything, and lots fun colors.

I saw the Mandarin Blouse knit up in Soy Silk at the Madrona Fiber Arts Festival in Feb. and I got so excited I bought the yarn to give it a go. Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing I got excited about so I haven't cast on yet.

[meg]

I am a new subscriber and really enjoying your format. I am catching up on past podcasts, so when I saw a woman walking in Harvard Square today with an ENORMOUS FUR pompom on the top of her hat, I figured, hey! I bet she is European. Mais, oui! She was.

[jpt]

So jealous of your visit to Hill Country Weavers! I've only been once, but I love it there (what's not to love about a store that carries possum-fur yarn?).

Spring knitting is tough, I agree. Last year I did lots of socks and Shaunshine's Regine pullover in cotton (Calmer). This year I'm contemplating the Ballet Camisole (Magknits July 2006), Honorine (Magknits Sept 2006), and a little Sherwood (Knitty Fall 2006) for my nephew.

The baby stuff is a fun way to get through sock yarn, I've done several Baby Kimonos (IK Spring 2005) in Koigu. The baby socks in the same issue are a hilarious way to get through leftover sock yarn, and my brother reports they are the only socks that my nephew can't wiggle out of.

[Stephen]

FYI, today (3/29) is Scout's birthday if you want to send her well wishes.

[Oiyi]

Another excellent episode! I really enjoy listening to the both of you talking about projects and then clicking on the links to see the pictures to see what it looks like. And of course, doing this while I am knitting.

[s t a c i]

Something you didn't mention (or maybe forgot)...Jenny, as you know, I had to drive from Houston the morning that we met at Hill Country Weavers. It's over a 2 hour drive, and I spent most of that time listening to Stash & Burn. (I had just learned about your podcast, and I enjoy it so much that I wanted to catch up). From across the room I hear that "Jenny from Stash and Burn" was there, and I flipped out! Then I heard your voice, and sure enough - it was the voice I had been listening to all morning. What a nice surprise for me!

So glad we had a chance to meet. Hopefully we can do it again soon.

[frecklegirl jess]

yay for spring knits!

I have been meaning to ask you guys something- I will send you an email. I think this thing I am doing will be right up your alley!

[frecklegirl jess]

Oh and I think Carrieoke knit that Polk Purl Dots top... I can't seem to find it in her gallery but I bet you could email her if you want to know what she thought of that pattern. :)

[frecklegirl jess]

Okay, I swear I am done commenting after this- getting ridiculous now.

Carrieoke ended up frogging her PPD- fyi.

[Elemmaciltur]

Hehehe, great episode guys! You really got me laughing so much in this one! Keep it up!

[DJ]

Great ep as usual ladies. Just wanted to report back on the Niddy Noddy front. I bought the Ashford Mini, which is about $15, makes 2 ft. loops and is great for counting partial skeins. Or it would be, except that I have instead been using to wind up yarn from frogging so that I can soak the loops and recover the yarn. But now that I have frogged just about everything available, I can go back to stash reduction. Once I finish my current project (the Vestee from the current Knitty), I will at long last try to calculate my stash!

[Jennifer Johnston]

Great episode! You can see I'm a bit behind, but I do remember well that awesome weather in the City. And I can relate to the urge to stop by Imagiknit on the way home from work--especially after a bad day. Now I will try and channel you guys and go home instead and flip through one of my books.

I have a question...not sure if others would benefit. How do you guys organize all your patterns and magazines? So you keep the whole magazine? I used to do that, but then I would get overwhelmed when I wanted to find something specific and had so many magazines staring at me on the shelf. Recently, I've been ripping things out (rather have room for yarn than mags I guess ;-)And now I have managed to create a nice pile that is still overwhelming. Eventually I "plan" to put it all in a binder. I'm sure the binder would help if I just motivated to do it. Just wondering what you guys do? Maybe if I were more organized I could de-stash more quickly ;-)

Enjoy your break. I'm going to wait and listen to episode 10 until next week so it makes the break not seem as long.

Jen in SF

[Sally Villarreal]

Wow. You went to HCW! (I'm here in Texas.)

I used to tag along with my Mom to HCW when she was learning to spin and weave. In fact, back then you could "rent" a loom at the store and pay for weaving time at the store. I still have the scarf I wove.

It was nice to actually confirm the cafe rumor.

I've never been able to make the second Sunday, but I met Amy Singer in April. (which is why I'm so big on "No Sheep"):

http://sally-unraveled.livejournal.com/72156.html#cutid1

BTW- I knit my Mom a small neck scarf with beads out of Ceramic. I think it turned out ok, although she hasn't worn it yet. (I made it to go with the sweater I made her that she won't wear because it shows her neck.)

[Catherine]

I just started to listening to your podcast and I really like this one because I live in Austin and I love Hill Country Weavers! I was wondering if you, Jenny, were going to be at SXSW this year too?