Now that I’ve gotten comfortable with podcasting, I want to jazz up the format a bit by occasionally featuring interviews with fellow fiber enthusiasts. To get us started, Shannon Okey agreed to be my very first guest. Shannon has an inventive and confident attitude towards all things fiber. Her articles at Knitty.com on hand spinning, dyeing fibers in your dishwasher, and fiber festivals are entertaining and stimulating.
 
3 easy ways to listen…

I use several tricks to make my knitting projects as simple as possible. The key is to break down the stitch count into small manageable pieces so that I can spot a mistake quickly. And, it makes it much easier to carry even complicated knitting along with me without worrying about losing my place in the pattern.
 
3 easy ways to listen…

Several of my friends were freeing themselves of neglected and guilt-inspiring projects this week. It got me thinking about how to handle those knit garments we enthusiastically cast on and then lose interest in for some reason. So often we keep them around with the vain hope that we will fall in love with them again. But, I don’t think that ever really happens. Rather than let your energy be drained by these dead-end projects, get rid of them!! It is so liberating and then you can go on to knit something you truly love.
 
3 easy ways to listen…

This week we will have our second installment of author interviews. With us for Episode 16 is the delightful Ann Budd. A master knitter, author of numerous books and former editor of Interweave Knits… Ann has done it all! Ann’s latest book is a comprehensive look at sock construction, gauge, design and execution.
 
3 easy ways to listen…

What is the deal with skeins, hanks and balls of yarn? Believe it or not, there is logic behind each of these different types of “put ups” as they are called by the spinning mills.
 
3 easy ways to listen…

The more people we teach to knit, the more friends we have and the better the world will be for everyone! I have my own little tricks for gathering new knitters around me and teaching them the joys of making one stitch after another.
 
3 easy ways to listen…

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get started knitting. And, if you are on a tight budget, there are several ways you can continue knitting a variety of projects.
 
3 easy ways to listen…

Short rows add extra rows of knitting to help you shape your garment just the way you want.
 
3 easy ways to listen…

Decreasing is an essential part of knitting a garment that fits well.
 
3 easy ways to listen…

Dropped stitches cause much more anxiety than they deserve. First, they are actually very easy to fix. Second, they can help you fix other mistakes that have absolutely nothing to do with dropped stitches in their “error” persona.
 
3 easy ways to listen…