Episode 93 - Knitting summer-style

This episode we catch up on each other's projects and review what we've been working on during the past month. Because of summer travels and schedules, it has been a month since we recorded an episode with our usual segments. There is lots of summer stalking and discussion of summer knitting and yarns. We both acknowledge that even though fall will be here soon, during these warm months it is sometimes hard to knit a big heavier-weight project. Lighter sweaters and garments and shawls are on the needles now and taking up most of our stalking time. Despite the summer heat, the Yarniacs Colors of Fall 2015 #yarniacscolors2015 KAL is going strong with many participants and many of us thinking of Fall outfits.

This photo was taken during recording. Boo helped himself to Gayle's felted laptop bag, aka Boo's felted cat bed. All the different variations of purple made us smile. :) So pretty and so predictable, LOL.
- Sharlene

 What are we wearing?
Drifting by Cecily Glowik MacDonald
Sharlene's Drifting
Sharlene's Drifting 2
A Hint of Summer by Isabell Kraemer
Gayle's Hint of Summer
madelinetosh Prairie
Pagewood Farms U-Knitted Nations Artesana

What are we stalking?
Sunny by Ewelina Murach
Ruth's Tee by Rachel Ivy Clarke
Sharlene's Ruth's Tee
Talavera by Amanda Collins
Mesange's Talavera
Itty Bitty Bear Cubs by Carolyn Ingram
Slanted by atelia alfa
Soubrette by Mary Annarella
Spring in her Path by Mary Annarella
Yellow Wall Cardigan by Judy Brien
Bonny by Tincanknits
Deep Breath Sweater by Kirsten Hipsky
Thorne Cowl by Laura Aylor

What are we knitting?
Easy Folded Poncho by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas
Miss Babs Isadora yarn
Pagona by Stephen West
Longfellow by Michele Wang
Smitten by Emily Ivey
Rose City Rollers by Mara Bryner
Candy Skein Yummy Fingering Superwash Sock
Therapy Shawl by Laura Aylor

What have we finished?
Bug Warmer by Taiga Hilliard Designs
Sharlene's Bug Warmer 2
Heverly by Julia Farwell-Clay
Dragonfly Fibers Pixie
Sharlene's Heverly
3 Color Cashmere Cowl by Joji Locatelli

Episode 93 audio

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Episode 92 - Love your stash Q2 summary

What are we wearing?
Literally Over the Top by Megan Williams
Coronado by Toluca Knit

What are we knitting?
Easy Folded Poncho by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas
A Hint of Summer by Isabel Kraemer

In episode 92 we wrap-up the second quarter (Q2) of our "Love your stash" movement. We want to change the culture of stash and empower knitters to take charge of what yarns make you feel good as a knitter and a stasher, and to cut loose those yarns that add clutter and negativity!

At the Northern California Knitting Retreat, we talked to fellow attendees, and gave them the opportunity to share something about their stash.

Erin and Monica tell us about the oldest yarns in their stashes. 
Erin - aka ErinB on Ravelry, one of the hostesses of the Doubleknit Podcast
Monica - aka KirbyMo on Ravlery
Sharlene's oldest stash is some Elann Sock It To Me
Gayle's oldest stash is Kidsilk Haze
Gayle plans to make Ice Queen by Rosemary Hill
or Wisp by Cheryl Niamath

Lorrian - aka Meowlam on Ravelry
Lorrian tells us about her stashing enhancements and online shopping.
If you have collected yarn for many years, you are well aware that there are yarn trends. What is popular this year will be replaced by something new in a year or two. Like a clothes closet, if you fill your stash with this year's popular offering, will it still be trendy by the time you get around to knitting with it? Or are you choosing classic yarns that will always be in style? The internet has brought so many new shopping opportunities. Some folks love to shop online--while others have been disappointed, or like me, are just too picky to purchase "sight unseen."

Kelly and Marsha, the hostesses of Two Ewes Fiber Adventures, tell us about yarns that they cannot resist, especially "orphan yarns."
Kelly - aka 1hundredprojects
Marsha - aka mfuesal
Kelly likes combining orphans yarns into new and interesting fabrics. 

Kelly, from the Shorty's Sutures podcast tells us about lessons she has learned from stashing.
Kelly - aka ShortysSutures
"What are we stalking?" is often a favorite segment for listeners because we highlight new patterns, projects, or yarns that have caught our eye. One of the lessons I have learned from stalking is that I have stalked many, many patterns that I did not cast on or never want to knit. There are patterns I want to knit for myself or someone else and then there are patterns that I like to look at, or like to look at the projects. Stalking for eye-candy's sake only. I think that distinction is important. Not everything you stalk is necessarily something you want to make. You can be an appreciative fan of a certain pattern, or of a certain knitting skill--think fair isle or intarsia--but not necessarily want to knit the item yourself. This is perfectly valid. :)

Julia Trice is a knitwear designer. Julia shares with us a little of her stash handling techniques, specifically how she handles "personal" stash and "business" stash.
Julia - aka mindofwinter on Ravelry
If you keep stash, having a pleasing and efficient way to store your yarns is very important, and will influence how you feel about your stash. Do you feel pleasure or dread when you need to find that one skein of sock yarn that you purchased two years ago? Do you like keeping your stash in moth-proof boxes away from the light or out in the open for inspiration? In addition to curating stash, having an organized and useful system for storing and finding things is important. Gayle and I both rely on the basics--boxes, cabinets, and drawers. We both have loose organizational systems that seem to work for us and help us find yarns when needed.

We hope you enjoyed this episode and as always, thanks for listening and happy knitting!

Wildlife sightings: I wanted to add that while recording I observed a woodpecker, and when Gayle and I were driving home we saw many deer, including a fawn with spots! We tried to get a photo, but I couldn't get one worth publishing. Just know that the little guy was very cute!

Episode 92 audio

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