podcasts

Episode 92: Prizecast

October 11, 2015April 11, 2016 by Sara

In this episode, I talk a bit about my upcoming trip to Rhinebeck, and I announce the winners of recent contests. First, there is the winner of the 500 member Ravelry prize. As of this episode, 508 listeners have joined the Yarns at Yin Hoo group on Ravelry — and many of you have introduced yourselves and shared a bit about your crafting life and the aspects of the podcast you most enjoy. My next group goal is 750 members, at which time I will award another $25 gift certificate to Etsy. Thank you to everyone who took part in the Instagram contest to win Quince & Co. yarn to knit my newly-released shawl design, Rusted Wing. The winner, chevy49girl, and her pal knit4beer, were announced on Instagram, and their prizes will be delivered very soon. Finally, congratulations to everyone who entered the Asymmetri-CAL with dramatic and fun projects. You’ve already won the distinction of wearing your finished project — but there are six special winners announced in this episode. My gratitude goes to the wonderful folks who donated prizes for this contest: JoAnna (JoAnnaSpring) of Knit Spin Farm, Deb (l1ttleredhen), Emily (chainoffools) of the Fibre Town podcast, Judy (judyinthedyes), and Claire (nhkclaire) of the New Hampshire Knits podcast.

Yarn Lover at Large — Rhinebeck Itinerary

Saturday 10.17

Spinners Hill — Building 35, Booth 5 & 6
Book Vendors @ 9:45 am
Podcaster Meetup @ 1pm
Fiber Craft Studio — Building 22D, Booth 10 from 2-4pm
Jill Draper open studio @ 6-9pm

Sunday 10.18

Leaping Llamas — Barn 27 @ 11:15am
Fiber Craft Studio — Building 22D, Booth 10 from noon-2pm

Arrows and Doorways

The design for this super-cozy cowl was inspired by textiles in a hotel lobby. Concentric geometric shapes kept playing in my mind until finally I was able to chart the pattern and get it onto my needles. The interplay of this chevron-like patterning has a mesmerizing effect–while you’re knitting and when you wear the finished accessory.

Knit up a cowl with yarn from your stash, adding some magical new mini-skeins from your advent calendar, or exchange leftover yarn with a friend. The design invites frequent color changes, and makes an ideal knit for the advent season. It could be just as striking knit with two high-contrast colors.

While most cowls of this type are seamed within a band of a single color, this pattern incorporates a technique called stranded donut grafting, an incredibly clever and completely seamless graft that allows you to maintain colorwork patterning so that your starting and ending rounds are undetectable. Really! With many possibilities for color play and a new technique to add to your skill set, this cowl pattern is really an opportunity for knitters to level-up!

NEW PATTERN DESIGN!

ONE DARK BLUE NIGHT

This hat is the third in a series of patterns inspired by teachings in Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Women Who Run with the Wolves. This time, I drew inspiration from Estés’ retelling of a Japanese tale, Tsukina Waguma or “The Crescent Moon Bear,” in which a young woman travels to the cave of an incredibly intimidating and ferocious bear. She makes several journeys to the cave, leaving food and quickly retreating, until “one dark blue night,” she musters the courage to stand her ground and ask for what she seeks--one hair from a moon-shaped patch on the bear’s chest--which she is granted. The young woman returns, triumphant, to the old healer who has sent her on this quest. She believes this single hair is the magic ingredient in solving the problem that plagues her. She holds it forth, but the healer tosses the hair into the flames. The young woman is in despair until she realizes the true lesson of her quest: that using her determination, courage, and patience, as she did with the crescent moon bear, will help her to confront the challenge at hand.

The moon phase motif of this colorwork hat is meant to capture the magic of a dark blue night--when the moon shines brightly overhead, the frosty air sparkles with possibility, and we succeed in summoning accumulated wisdom from deep within ourselves so that we can apply it to our own healing. Choose colors to conjure a wintery night sky, or select a palette of your signature colors.

Available on Ravelry December 20th.

Episode 92: Prizecast

Yarn Lover at Large — Rhinebeck Itinerary

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