Episode 22: West is the Best!

shownotes:

FORGE:

• In: 
• Mystery Project #2. Knit out of Zitron Trekking XXL in an overdyed, unknown colorway knit on US size 4/3.5mm needles. 
• Sock. Knit out of Knitpicks bare Palette base in the hand-dyed colorway Cloak and Dagger on US size 1/2.25mm needles. 
• StevenBe Shawl #1. Knit out of Zen Yarn Garden Serenity Silk + in the StevenBe colorway on US size 4/3.5mm needles. 
• StevenBe Shawl #2. Knit out of Malabrigo Sock in the Persia colorway on US size 4/3.5mm needles. 
• Out: 
• Nothing. 

THRUST AND CUT: 

• Stockinette Zombies! 
• the Hunger Games Reaping is  still open, but hurry as it closes on the 28th! Check it out here! 
• Josh went to StevenBe and he bought: 
• Malabrigo Sock in the colorway Marte.
• Malabrigo Sock in the colorway Chocolate Amargo.
• Malabrigo Sock in the colorway Aguas. 
• JOSH MET STEPHEN WEST!!!!! 

Episode 21: It's a Blue-tiful Day.

Shownotes:

FORGE:

• In: 
• Mystery Project #2. Knit out of Zitron Trekking XXL in an overdyed-unknown colorway on US size 4/3.5mm needles. 
• Sock. Knit out of Knitpicks Bare Palette Base in the hand-dyed colorway Cloak and Dagger on US size 1/2.25mm needles. 
• Out:
• Rams and Yowes by Kate Davies. Knit out of Knitpicks Palette held double on US size 9/5.5mm needles. 
• Mystery Project #1. Knit out of Unwind Yarn Company Luxe Sock in the colorway Graphite on US size 4/3.5mm needles. 
• Coming Up: 
• StevenBe shawl design. 

THRUST AND CUT: 

• Josh has been dyeing yarn and painting. 
• The Hunger Games Reaping for the Third Hunger Games is open and ends the 28th. To find out more about this knitting competition, please check it out here!
• Congrats to District 5 (and SallyfromIdaho) for winning the Second Games! 
• Happy Belated Birthday to Callie from the DramaticKnits podcast!!!
• Enhancements: 
• From the Two Sisters Stringworks:
• 100% Jacob Wool in the Robin Hood colorway.
• 100% Gotland wool in the Rime colorway.
• 100% Icelandic wool in the Hot Spring colorway. 
• Josh is going to hang out with none other than... STEPHEN WEST!!! :D 

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: 

• What do you do for holiday crafting? Do you knit/crochet all year and stash them for later or do them at the last minute? Do you craft holiday decor? 

Answer the question in the comments below or on this episode's thread in the ravelry group! Ask a question in the same way! (i.e. post a comment or post it into the questions thread in the rav group) Thanks! :D 

Episode 20: Crooked, Broken Picture

Shownotes: 

FORGE:

• In: 
• Mystery Project. Knit out of Unwind Yarn Company Luxe Sock in colorway Graphite on US size 4/3.5mm needles. 
• Socks. Knit out of Knitpicks Bare Palette Base in the hand-dyed colorway Cloak and Dagger on US size 1/2.25 mm needles. 
• Rams and Yowes by Kate Davies. Knit out of Knitpicks Palette held double on US size 9/5.5mm needles. 
• Out:
• Nothing!

THRUST AND CUT:

• Book Review: The Devil's Pass by Sigmund Brouwer. 
• All the test knitter spots filled! 
• Shawliday. Find out more here. 
• Sock-A-Long. (Sept.-Oct.): still going strong! 
• Group has 95 members. Please join today! 
• Enhancements! 
• From the Loopy Ewe:
• Malabrigo Sock in the colorway Persia 
• 2 pairs of Hiya-Hiya SHARP Stainless Steel 32" cable circular needles in US size 4/3.5mm needles.
• From Taylored Fibers: 
• 100% BFL in the Forest colorway.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: 

• What is your dream job? 

You can ask questions in the Ravelry group by posting in the questions thread or leaving a comment below. You can also answer the question in the same way! :D 

Episode 19: Do You Like My Hat?

Shownotes:

FORGE:

• In:
• Rams and Yowes by Kate Davies. Knit out of Knitpicks Palette held double in nine different colorways on US size 9/5.5mm needles. 
• Mystery Project. Knit out of Unwind Yarn Company Luxe Sock in the colorway Graphite. 
• Toe-Up sock. Using the Rounded Toe by the Tanja Murray and an afterthought heel. Knit out of Knitpicks Bare Palette base, hand-dyed by Josh in the colorway Cloak and Dagger. 
• Out:
• Nothing

QUENCH AND TEMPER: 

• Triangle spotlight. 
• Top-Down Triangle: Increase 4 sts per two rows. 
• Bottom-Up Triangle: Decrease 4 sts per two rows. 
• Sideways Triangle: Increase along one edge until you reach halfway through your yarn, then decrease along the same edge until you finish. 
• Tip-Up Triangle: Cast on 1 st (or more) Increase 2 sts per two rows (or more).
• Bottom-Down Triangle: Cast on all the stitches needed. Decrease 2 sts per two rows (or more).
• Centered Sideways Triangle: cast on stitches provisionally. Decrease along one edge until no stitches remain. Pick up the held stitches and decrease down to one stitch. 
• Heart-Shaped Triangle: Increase 6 sts per two rows. 

SOUND THE TRUMPET:

• Thanks to lisamarykay1 for moral support throughout my week.
• Thanks to atinkersdamn for her AWESOME idea of AWESOME! 

THRUST AND CUT:

• Still have one spot open for a test knitter! Contact Josh on Ravelry (swordofaknitter) if you're interested! 
• Lighting. Pretty bad this week, but Josh will play around with it! 
• the Knock You Naked Brownies recipe.
• Project Runway: Season 10 pool: Josh is OUT! 
• The Sock-A-Long is on! Join the group and have some fun! :D 
• If you are interested in donating a prize to the podcast, contact Josh! 
• JOIN THE GROUP!!! :D 

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

• Do you like my hat? 
• Do you like the idea of asking me and my viewers questions? 

Episode 18: Woe Is Me!

Shownotes: 

DRAFTING: 

• Woolen Mill St Yarns 100% Corriedale Roving in the colorway Nightmare. First half done. 

FORGE:

• IN: 
• Mystery Project! Knit out of Unwind Yarn Company Luxe Sock in the colorway Graphite. 
• Westknits Scrapghan/Ten Stitch Blanket by Frankie Brown. Knit out of scraps left over from completed westknits projects on US size 3/3.25mm needles.
• Rams and Yowes by Kate Davies. Knit out of Knitpicks Palette, held double, in 9 shades on US size 9/5.5mm needles.
• OUT:
•  Lightwedge Cozy using the Pine Tree Cable Motif by Mimi Hill. Knit out of some stashed acrylic yarn US 8/5mm needles. 

QUENCH AND TEMPER:

• Shapes and how to do them spotlight. 

THRUST AND CUT: 

• Looking for two test knitters! PM me on Ravelery!! 
• Sockalong! It starts September 20th and ends October 31st! Check it out in the group!
• CONGRATS TO STEVE AND CALLIE OF THE DRAMATICKNITS PODCAST!!!! They reached their 1000th member mark!!!!  

This week's question: 

How do you overcome after-project-burn/project slump? How do you select a pattern to overcome it? 

Episode 17: Sir Talksalot...

Shownotes: 

DRAFTING: 

• Woolen Mill St Yarns 100% Corriedale 4 0z. in colorway Nightmare. 

THE FORGE:

In: 

• Lightwedge Cozy using the amazing Pine Tree Cable Motif by Mimi Hill. Knit out of some stashed acrylic yarn on US size 8/5mm needles. 
• Mitered Crosses Blanket by Kay Gardiner. Knit out of an assortment of wools, alpacas, and acrylics on US size 8/5mm needles. 
• Secret Project! Knit out of Unwind Yarn Company Luxe Sock in colorway Graphite. 

Out: 

• Serrate by Lisa Mutch. Knit out of Malabrigo Sock in colorways Alcaucil and Turner on US size 4/3.5mm needles. 
• Promenade; Easy Doily and Dishcloth by Linda Browning. Knit out of some hand-dyed by me yarn on US size 4/3.5mm needles. (I said this wrong in the podcast!)
• Beaded bracelet by Josh. Knit out of some coned laceweight on US size 0 needles. 
• Westward by Stephen West, earband variant. Knit out of Lion Brand Woolease in colorways Loden and Forest Green Heather on US size 6/4mm needles. 
• Hyperbolic Pseudosphere Scrubbie by Timary Peterson. Crocheted out of some Red Heart in the stash on a US size "J" hook. 
• Westknits Mystery KAL: Rockefeller by Stephen West. Knit out of Zitron Trekking XXL in colorway #185 (blues) and Cascade Heritage sock in colorway #5601 (black) on US size 3/3.25mm needles.

SOUND THE TRUMPET: 

• lisamarykay1 for her USO fundraiser! To find out more about this fabulous fundraising effort, contact her on Ravelry or plurk (lisatomko1).
• knitcroc (Enid) for her insightful critique of the previous episode's lighting problems. Many thanks to you! :D  

THRUST AND CUT: 

• Room Re-arrangement
• Hunger Games challenge group is in the final stage and will be wrapping up in the next month or two and the reaping will take place very soon! Keep your eyes and ears open for more news! 
• Stephen West released two new patterns! Check them out: Barndom and Stringband. 
• Rhett and Link's Good Mythical Morning! They have a FANTASTIC podcast (though not about knitting, still VERY intriguing!) 
• Stash enhancements:

• WrenCouture's etsy shop has some AH-MAZING fibers and batts! I got the Caramel Macchiatto 100% Alpaca batt! Use her coupon code SWORDCAST to receive 10% off! :D 
• Minnesota Nice Yarn Fabulous Fingering in the colorway Stormy lake -green! 

this week's question(s): 

• How do you handle/deal with stress? 
• What are Josh's top 4 colors? (hint: the fourth is acid/lime green) 

Leave a comment here or on the Ravelry group! :D

Episode 16: On the Wrong Foot

Shownotes: 

THE FORGE:

In:

• Westknits Mystery KAL: Rockefeller by Stephen West. Knit out of Zitron Trekking XXL in colorway #185 (blues) and Cascade Heritage Sock in the colorway #5601 (black) on US size 3/3.25mm needles. 
• Serrate by Lisa Mutch. Knit out of Malabrigo Sock in colorways Alcaucil and Turner on US size 4/3.5mm needles. 
• Mystery Project! Knit out of Unwind Yarn Company Luxe Sock in colorway Graphite.

OUT: Nothing.

QUENCH AND TEMPER:  Inspiration Spotlight. 

THRUST AND CUT: 

• WrenCouture has given a coupon code to the podcast! Use the code: SWORDCAST when checking out to receive a 10% discount. Check out her shop here.
• lisamarykay1 has also given a coupon code to the podcast! Use the code: swordofaknitter to receive a 30% discount! Check out her shop here. 
• lisamarykay1 is having drive to send our troops a bath kit containing 5 FULL sized bath products through her Avon seller account! PM her on ravelry or plurk (lisatomko1) to get more info on this awesome fundraiser for the USO! 
• Josh launched a new pattern this week! Check it out on Ravelry! It's called the 11's Have It! Cowl.