Stranded Podcast Episode Five: Monogamy

Shownotes:

0.00-3.17: Intro - I talk about the Ravelry Group I have started for the podcast and show off the cowl I'm wearing - the pattern is Mikan Snood by Kyoko Nakayoshi, knit out of Cascade Eco+ in a long forgotten colourway.

3.18-9.04: Work In Progress - This week I'm only working on one project - my Light Trails sweater by Suvi Simola. This is being knit out of Stranded Dyeworks Oasis Fingering in the 'Highway Code' colourway. I also talk about how important it is to alternate skeins when using hand painted yarn.

9.05-11.06: Spinning - Technically not spun this week, but I forgot to show it last week ;) I'm spinning some hand dyed Polwarth on an Akerworks bobbin. I'm aiming for a traditional 3ply sock yarn.

11.07-18.34: General Chat - I talk about gift knitting and ask for recommendations for patterns for baby boys, thank people for their lovely comments about last week's episode and I talk about a gift horror story ;)

18.35-End : Dyeing - I've dyed a lot of yarn this week - all of which is available in the shop right now.

Thankyou all very much for watching!

Stranded Podcast - Episode Four: For the sixth time...

Shownotes:

0.00-4.23: Intro - lots of apologies for technical hitches and delays, thank you to everyone who's subscribed. I explain the new set up and ask for everyone to bear with me. The book that I mention is my boyfriend's favourite (even if I'm using it as buffer...) is The Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervin Peake.

4.24-15.00: Works in Progress -

Vanilla toe up sock on 2mm (US 0) needles, out of Stranded Dyeworks Oasis Fingering in the 'Flamboyant' colourway. I use Judy's Magic Cast On and Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off for my toe up socks. I also mention the socks I had on the needles in the last episode - both pairs are finished...


Sock Blank Socks from a blank by Sew Knit Obsessed.

Time Traveller Socks out of Knit Picks Felici in 'Time Traveller'.

Light Trails sweater by Suvi Simola, also out of Stranded Dyeworks Oasis Fingering weight, in the 'Highway Code' colourway. This is living in a Doose's Market tote bag - a Gilmore Girls reference - it was a gift so I don't have a link for it! I also mention my 2016 Knitting Resolutions blog post which you can find here. I chat about gauge, ease and why you should swatch.

15.01-19.43: Spinning -

I have spun some sample fibre sent to me by Aleks of the Spindles and Stitches blog - and soon to be of the Spindles and Stitches shop.

I have also spun a batt by SpincityUK - 'Azurite' which I have 2 plied - 168yds of a DK/Worsted weight. I love Louise - you should definitely check out her shop.

19.44-22.00: Dyeing -

I have dyed up a batch of 'Funfair' on Oasis Fingering. I also have a couple of skeins of 'Pumpkin Spice' also on Oasis. I have a large batch of 'Ocean Rainbow' on Castaway DK that I don't show, but mention.  I also share some mini skeins I made for promotional purposes. You can find my yarn company Stranded Dyeworks right here.

22.01-End: - Why I Started Knitting...
I talk about how I started knitting and sideline in to why I still knit now, with a 'knitting is really good for your mental health' overtone!

Thankyou so much for watching!

♥

Stranded Podcast Episode 3: Unexpected Hiatus

Hi everyone, without further ado - please let me share with you, the third episode of the Stranded Podcast!



Shownotes:

0.00-3.15: Introduction: Thanks, technology excuses and apologies for the delay!

3.16-11.46: On the needles / Works in progress:

I show off a pair of ex-two-at-a-time socks knit using Knit Picks Felici in the 'Time Traveler' (only one L! This blows my English mind guys. Same with Color. But it feels wrong to correct spellings of American titles / names for things) these are being knit on 2mm (US 0) Knit Pro Karbonz needles.

I'm also working on a Quicksilver shawl by Melanie Berg. This is being knit on 4mm (US 6) ChiaoGoo Red Lace needles. The shawl is a sample for my yarn company Stranded Dyeworks, I'm using 'Highway Code', 'Spook' and 'Party Dress' on my Oasis fingering weight 75/25 merino/nylon base. I also mention Melanie's instagram, you can find her here - @mairlynd.

I'm still working on my socks from a sock blank from Sew Knit Obsessed, the first one is finished and I'm really pleased with it. Again knit on 2mm (US 0) needles. Kira, the dyer behind Sew Knit Obsessed also has a podcast that you can find right here.

Finally, I'm working on a crochet project - a granny square blanket, using this tutorial by NAME Simply Daisy for Sunburst Granny squares. These are made from Cascade220 in a whole host of colours. This project is living in my Survival of the Knittest tote bag from Pom Pom Quarterly.

11.47-14.12: Finished Objects:

I have finished my Color Affection shawl by Veera Välimäki. This is made from Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles in 'Truffle', 'Villain' and 'Granny.'



I have also finished my Slable Hat by Woolly Wormhead, which was made out of Stranded Dyeworks 'Pumpkin Spice' on the Paradise MCN fingering base.

14.13-15.53: Spinning:

I have finally finished spinning and plying my Nunoco mixed merino bags in the 'Fen' colourway. I have 384yds of a predominantly sport weight. It is not my best work, but it's done!

15.54-18.37: Dyeing:

I have been dyeing a fair amount of yarn - I share my new base - Castaway DK - 100% Superwash Merino, that is currently available in 'Bonanza', 'Spook' and 'Ocean Rainbow'. I also mention 'Russet' on Paradise MCN and 'Flamboyant'. You can find all my yarn in my shop - right here.

18.38-End: Miscellaneous chatter:

I talk a bit about knitting fatigue / knitting ennui / loss of knitting mojo. I also mention the Super Summer Knitogether retreat hosted by The Knit Girllls.

Thankyou so much for watching! There shouldn't be such a long gap between episodes next time ;)

♥

January FO's

So, please excuse the unexplained quiet over here - I've been busy juggling retail work, with dyeing work and knitting and general life! I haven't done as much knitting as I'd have liked this month - my inspiration has been all over the place and I've had trouble settling on projects. But I have finished a few things and I wanted to share them with you. I thought I'd do monthly round ups of my FO's - primarily to ensure I actually take photographs of them! So without further ado, here are January's...

Toe Up Vanilla Socks (improvised pattern). This is my first pair of socks using 72 stitches instead of 64, and 2mm (US 0) instead of 2.25mm (US 1) needles. The fit is much better - and I prefer the density of the fabric to the socks I had been making. I made these as a sample for my shop - out of Stranded Dyeworks Oasis Fingering in the 'Ocean Rainbow' colourway.

I also knit a second Slable Hat by Woolly Wormhead - also out of Stranded Dyeworks yarn - the Paradise MCN fingering in 'Pumpkin Spice'. This is a birthday present for a friend - and is being modelled by mother, as since I've had all my hair chopped off - hats look very silly on me! This is something I'm pretty sad about, as I love love love hats.

Finally, I finished my Color Affection shawl - which was on my list of 5 Shawls I wanted to knit this year. This is a pattern by Veera Välimäki that I knit out of Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles in 'Granny', 'Villain' and 'Truffle'. I love it - but I wish I'd done the yarn over modifications people have suggested on raverly, because the edges are so tight that the ends curl up... But it's still super squishy (technical term) and really wearable.

Not a bad start to the year in my opinion... I just need to work on my sweater goals... But hey, you can't do everything, right?!

♥

Stranded Podcast: Episode 2

Shownotes:

0:00-3:46: Introduction, thankyous, I ramble a bit about the cold weather, show off my new haircut and talk about my hand knit cowl of an improvised pattern, which uses corespun yarn by Heather of Little Owl Crafts.

3:47-9:30: Works In Progress: I'm working on four projects this week...

- Color Affection Shawl by Veera Välimäki, knit out of 3 skeins of Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles in 'Truffle', 'Villian' and 'Granny'. I'm on the 3rd section - the short row section - it should hopefully be finished by next week!

- Slable Hat by Woolly Wormhead, knit out of a skein of my handdyed yarn - Stranded Dyeworks Paradise in the 'Pumpkin Spice' colourway. I mention the previous Slable Hat I made which you can see right here.

- Sock Blank Socks, an improvised vanilla toe up pattern on 2mm (US 0), knit out of a sock blank from Sew Knit Obsessed.

- Two Hexipuffs from the Beekeepers Quilt pattern by Tiny Owl Knits. The yarn is a sample from Wren & Ollie in 'Wheatgrass' and some leftovers of Stranded Dyeworks Oasis in 'Ocean Rainbow'.

9:31-10:35: Finished Objects: I have one finished object this week - my Ocean Rainbow vanilla socks are finished! Knit with Stranded Dyeworks Oasis in 'Ocean Rainbow'. These are an improvised toe up vanilla pattern on 2mm (US 0) needles.

10:36-13:05: Spinning: I've been working on one spinning project, my merino mixed bags from Nunoco in the 'Fen' colourway. I have 2x100g bags that I'm spinning together, separately out the colours to create a long gradient. I then talk a little bit about the fibre prep I like to spin.

13:06-14:19: Dyeing: I show off a new colourway I'm calling 'Funfair' which is on my Oasis base. I've also dyed Ocean Rainbow on both of my fingering weight bases but they're both still drying. (These are up in the shop now if you're interested!)

14:20-End: I respond to a viewer's request to talk a little bit out my experience with Art School, and studying creative subjects to a degree level. I didn't go about the university process in the usual way so I talk about it a little more in depth. The schools I mention are here:

Wimbledon School of Art - They no longer offer the foundation diploma - they turned the building I studied in, into flats... but you can find out more about the foundation diploma's that the University of the Arts London offer right here.

Camberwell College of Art - disclaimer: I didn't study here, but I have friends who did and loved it.

Kingston University, Illustration and Animation undergraduate degree. This was the school and course I studied at.

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Thankyou so much for watching! All feedback is greatly appreciated.

♥

Introducing the Stranded Podcast...

One of last year's knitting resolutions was to start my own knitting podcast. I'm a year too late - but who's counting?! Please excuse the video quality of the very first episode - I'm going to attempt to record the next one using my DSLR...



Shownotes:

0:00-2:14 - Introduction and a little bit about me.

2:15-9:57  - Works In Progress:

Improvised Slip-Stitch socks, on size 2.25mm (US 1) HiyaHiya Sharps, out of Wren & Ollie 'Ollie's Sock' in the 'Serendipity' colourway.

Toe-up vanilla sock, improvised pattern, on size 2mm (US 0) needles - ChiaoGoo Red Lace (even though I don't mention that!) - this is being knit out of my hand dyed yarn Stranded Dyeworks 'Oasis Fingering' in the 'Ocean Rainbow' colourway.

Insouciant by Julie Hoover, out of Habu Textiles in Tsumugi Silk.

Color Affection shawl by Veera Välimäki. This is knit out of Hedgehog Fibres 'Skinny Singles' in the colourways Truffle, Villain and Granny.

Hexipuff Seat Cushion from The Bee Keeper's Quilt pattern by Tiny Owl Knits out of assorted sock yarn leftovers.

9:58-14.40 Projects I'm Proud Of:



Old Romance cardigan by Joji Locatelli. Knit out of Madeline Tosh Sock in the 'Moorland' colourway, with modifications by ittybitty.



Pomme de Pin cardigan by Amy Christoffers. Knit out of Madeline Tosh Pashmina in the 'Leopard' colourway (again, something I neglect to mention). I talked more about this project in this blog post.



Linus Shawl by Annett Cordes, knit out of 2ply, fractally spun handspun from batts by Justadaydream in the 'Olive Bowl' colourway.

14:41-16:50 - Spinning:

No actual spinning to share, but I show off the Akerworks Bobbins I received for Christmas, for my Schacht Matchless spinning wheel.

16:51-End - Dyeing:

No actual dyeing to show (it was Christmas guys, I was lazy!) but I talk a little about my hand dyed yarn business Stranded Dyeworks.

You can find me on ravelry and instagram as amyflorence.

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So it's the very first episode, a learning curve - I need to write more detailed show notes for when I record next - so I don't forget vital information like colourway names! But seeing as I started recording this about thirteen times, just finishing it and uploading it feels like an achievement!

♥

5... Shawls that I want to cast on right now.

I knit three shawls last year - this year I really want to make more! Here are some that have been on my list for a while now...

Exploration Station by Stephen West. I knit a Daybreak shawl a couple of summers back - I think it might have been my first ever shawl project... Anyway, a lot of Stephen's designs are a little too out-there for my tastes, but I really like this shawl. I think the colour palette pictured here really helps too - I love corals.

Color Affection by Veera Välimäki. I've actually already cast on my Color Affection (oh my it feels wrong spelling colour the US way!) - using some Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles that I scored in an update just before Christmas. I've just started the short row section and I'm loving it! Such a fun, addictive knit.

Tailwind by Clara Falk. I first saw this shawl on the Knitting Expat podcast with Mina and I love the simplicity of it! I want to knit this as a shop sample with some of my Stranded Dyeworks yarn - maybe greys with a pop of neon... 
Duane Park Triangle by Kirsten Kapur. The combination of garter, stripes and lace in this pattern is utterly perfect! It's just enough lace to add a dainty, feminine edge.

Volga by Jenny F. This last one is more of a cowl than a shawl - but it was too nice to leave off. I love the drape-y fabric, this is so 'me' - there's nothing I like more than jazzing up a plain top with a big cowl or shawl. I love the slipped stitch 'seam' detail down the centre and the lattice lace sections add a fabulous texture to it.

Okay - let's see how many of these I can manage this year! One can never have too many shawls, right?! ;)

♥