Knitting for Earth Day

Besides being a fun pastime, knitting is a pretty effective way to
help the earth by using less energy. I’m sure you’ve all heard the
adage, “If you’re cold, put on a sweater.” But it goes so much farther
than that!

The difference of just a few degrees on your thermostat can make a big impact on your energy usage. According to the US Department of Energy,
for every degree lower you set your thermostat in the colder months,
you can save up to 1% on your energy bill. Lowering it from 72 to 68
degrees can save a lot more. Instead of turning the heat back up if you
feel a chill, a wool sweater or blanket can be just the thing to keep
you warm without having to warm the whole house. Not to mention that
some blankets, like the Impressionist Afghan, can warm you while you work on it – because it’s made in one piece!

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Podcast Episode 2: Deserted Island knitting

Reflecting on the idea of being stranded on a deserted island is an interesting exercise in focusing your knitting requirements.  It turns out that my care package would be filled to the brim with sock knitting supplies.  The easy way they fit into my “normal” life has several positive applications for a “stranded” lifestyle.  If you’ve been thinking of learning to knit socks, I hope to inspire you and give you confidence to try it.  If you are already a sock knitter, I think you’ll completely understand the logic behind my deserted island choices.
 
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Podcast Episode 3: Meet Tina Birch, Knit Picks’ Vice President

In this podcast I introduce you to Tina Birch, our vice-president. Over the next few months, I’m looking forward to your meeting all of the Knit Picks staff. Each one has their own history regarding how they got started knitting and what keeps them knitting. As much as I enjoy hearing different accounts of challenges met, I’m sure you will appreciate Tina’s story as well.
After that, I’ll review a new book that has got me thinking about summer knitting as a way to prepare for next winter. And, there is a surprising twist to What’s On My Needles this week.
 
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Podcast Episode 4: Wool, from start to finish

First, I need to give you an apology for the brevity of this podcast. This week was filled with activities that kept me away from my taping equipment and computer. Lots of out-of-town visitors, a quick two-day get away with Bob and golf. You will hear all about it in the podcast.
My mind has been focused on wool all week. It must be because I have been thinking about buying a new spinning wheel. That led to the podcast topic – the structure of wool fibers, how that changes depending on the breed of sheep and what it means in terms of the finished yarn. Armed with a bit of knowledge, I hope you can feel much more confident choosing wool yarns for particular projects you have in mind.  
All the time away from the office gave me plenty of time to knit. And, to reflect on how nicely …

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Podcast Episode 5: Embrace your own knitting style

Have you ever had the experience of another knitter telling you that you were knitting “wrong”? Well, a listener asked me to talk about the differences between English vs. Continental knitting and it brought back memories of my own encounters with dogmatic knitters. I decided to use the comparison of knitting styles as a way to highlight knitters’ individuality and encourage you to embrace whatever method works for you.
 
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Podcast Episode 6: Get to know our staff

This week I would like you to meet Diedre Hess. She is our Inventory Manager. Diedre’s love of fiber began on her family’s farm right here in the Pacific Northwest. Her interest in sheep husbandry eventually led her to knitting. We are lucky to have such a well-trained person helping to design yarns and keep track of their travels as they come to us from far away vendors.
 
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Podcast Episode 7: Under-appreciated Ribbing

This week I would like you to meet Kim Cameron. She is our Inventory Manager who focuses on books and DVDs. Kim loves all sorts of crafts and has been looking forward to sharing a few of her adventures with you. After that, I’ll be catching you up on my knitting progress and chat a bit about ribbing.
 
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Podcast Episode 9: What to do if you are in a knitting slump?

What to do when you are in a knitting slump? After blaming my attitude on a messy house and disorganized yarn stash, I finally came up with an idea that will keep me focused, challenged and knitting for the next year. I will be working through the projects in Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitter’s Almanac beginning with the month of July. If you’d like to knit along with me or just observe, please join the Yahoo group that I created here: Elizabeth’s Year
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