Episode 63: Pod Paaarrrty!

Hello and welcome to a celebratory episode of the podcast. It's my third podiversary - woo hoo!

Links

CaithnessCraftCollective podcast
Raspberry vodka recipe (the actual recipe is for gin but I used vodka instead)
Damson gin recipe
Christmas Pudding vodka recipe
I can't find the exact recipe I used for the Damson brandy, but you could use the Damson gin one. The reason the one we sampled was so syruppy was because I used damsons from  the freezer that had been cooked in sugar with the intention of making jam, then followed the recipe and added more sugar! If I track the recipe down, I'll post an update.

Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

 

We have a listeners' map. Please go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 5 continents now but I'd still love to see where you all are! Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!).

TTFN

Nic x

Episode 62: Une carte postale de Paris

Hello all! this is an extra episode, recorded when we visited Paris earlier this year.

Here are a few snaps...  Who couldn't include the Eiffel Tower? Especially at dusk, when it's covered in twinkly lights...

Some enigmatic bird...

Naopleon III's apartments at the Louvre.

La Droguerie...

Apologies that this one is on its side. I took it on the iPad and no matter how many times I save it in the other oirientation, it's not having any of it!

Boules in front of Les Invalides...

A statue on the Pont Alexandre III. I was fascinated by the padlocks...

Look! It's Miss France!

Links
La Droguerie
Lil Weasel
The Louvre
La Musée Rodin
La  Musée du Quai Branly

Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

We have a listeners' map. Please go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 5 continents now but I'd still love to see where you all are!

Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!).

TTFN,
Nic x

Episode 61: Once Upon A Christmas On Northumberland Street

Hello from an incredibly cold and windy north East of England! This episode contains another small amount of knitting, a present fail situation and some windy audio from The Toon.

Knitting

After a few rows on the Mrs Beeton mitts, I left them behind (doh!) so am making slow progress on the Adrift cardigan, a beautiful Stolen Stitches design. Still no new photos on my Ravelry details, I’m afraid.

A Festive Postcard ...from Fenwick’s window.

The quality of the video isn't great since I took it on my phone, but I thought it would give you an idea. I have no idea how many places still do this, but I know that no store in Oxford, Manchester or Liverpool does anymore.

Music

Sans Day Carrol-Sussex Carol-Deck The Halls by James Edwards (Introduction) and Shchedrik – Carol of the Bells by Kitka (closing music) from The Magnatune Collection Christmas Music. Available to subscribers from Magnatune.

We have a listeners' map. lease go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 5 continents now but I'd still love to see where you all are! Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!).

TTFN

Nic x

Episode 60: Under A Rock

Hello from a cold and wet Cheshire Plain. In this episode I share the world’s smallest amount of knitting, drool over some cables and share some happy and some sad news.

On The Needles: Some Mrs Beeton mitts. Ravelry details here, but no pictures yet, I’m afraid.

Review: Knitty Winter 2012

Podcaster News: The return of Life as a Nuurdygirl podcast and the awful news about KnitPurlGurl. RIP Karrie.

Links

BBC Sports Personality of the Year

Birmingham Christmas Markets

CaithnessCraftCollective podcast

Music

Sans Day Carrol-Sussex Carol-Deck The Halls by James Edwards (Introduction and segue music) and Dancing Day Part II –Coventry Carol by Stephane Potvin and the Con Brio Choir (closing music) from The Magnatune Collection Christmas Music. Available to subscribers from Magnatune.

We have a listeners' map. lease go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 5 continents now but I'd still love to see where you all are! Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!).

TTFN

Nic x

Episode 59: Oops I Did It Again!

Hello from a distinctly chilly Cheshire Plain! In this episode I wonder if I've lost my marbles, coo over a virtual new-born and confess my latest obsession...

On The Needles
Adrift by Stolen Stitches in Lundy by The Natural Dye Studio.

News
The Playful Baby has arrived! If you haven't listened to GreenTriangleGirl at the A Playful Day podcast, go and listen.
One of my photos was featured in a post on Saturday 24th November on the Wovember website. Please go over and browse -it's a great read.

Something I Really Like
Patchwork. Who knew?
I've been learning with Cheshire Needlecraft.

Music

Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune. 

We have a listeners' map. lease go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 5 continents now but I'd still love to see where you all are! Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!).

TTFN

Nic x

Episode 58: Time To Say Goodbye

Hello and welcome from an autumnal Cheshire Plain! In this episode I (finally) bid a fond farewell to a number of things close to my heart - but fret not, dear listeners, you are not amongst them!


On and Off the Needles

All Woolsack Cushions are now done! Woop woop! Since the last episode I have seamed the Make Do and Mend cushion that has a back that was knitted by Carotrike. The front was made in my own handspun that I had dyed before spinning. The blue and yellow were deliciously soft Falkland, the green was the grey Gotland that shed a lot of dodgy looking guard hairs as I spun (Details in Episode 48).

 

I also finished the cushion based on the Circle socks by Anne Campbell. I knit it in the round using Judy’s Magic Cast On to reduce seaming. It’s made from Sheepfold's lovely Clotted Cream, a blended cream aranweight yarn. I dyed what was supposed to be Union Jack red and blue, but it turned out more pink and baby blue!

I have also started an Elsa cardigan designed by the Natural Dye Studio, started and finished a Colour Affection Shawl as part of the iMake podcast knitalong...

 
and started Adrift by Stolen Stitches in  more NDS yarn.

In The Weaving Shed

The finished weaving off the loom before fulling...

 

 

 

And then afterwards. Note how the warp has fluffed up.

 

 

Here is the seamed cushion before being sent for stuffing. Full details are listed on Ravelry here.

I also snuck in a quick Saori style  Möbius cowl (details here). The photos are not great I'm afraid.

 

 

Some of the other cowls that were made during the Weave-a-long can be seen here.

Something I really like

Nicsknots' bags!

Chit Chat

It's goodbye to Woolsack, the Sticks and String podcast and Fibre & Clay. But it's hello to Ruby at home in Namibia:

Coco and Nic at home in Botswana:

and Frank and Otto at home in South Africa!

 

 

All photos courtesy of the Mother Bear photo gallery.

Competition winner!

We have our first London Souvenir winner! The first draw was from the first 100 members of the Ravelry group, and the winner is... well, you'll have to listn to find out! To be in with a chance of winning,make sure you've joined the group here or added a pin to the listeners' map!

Links

Babylonglegs
 
 
Music
Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune. 

We have a listeners' map. Please go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 5 continents now but I'd still love to see where you all are! Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!).

TTFN,
Nic xx

Episode 57: Scratching The Itch

Hello from a family bank holiday in the North East. In this episode I talk about itching to start something new and how going to a yarn show doesn't do anything to reduce the inflammation!

 On and Off the Needles
 I have seamed the handspun listener Woolsack cushion (details on this Rav page )

I also finished the little squares for the front of the Make Do and Mend cushion by Anna Elliot. The back for this was made by the lovely Carotrike. One more left on the needles, based on Circle Socks by Anne Campbell.

 In The Weaving Shed
 The actual weaving in progress. Starting off:

You can also see the yellow of the contrast clasped weft.

Keeping track:

Nearing the end...

Something I really like
The self catering accommodation at Dairy House, nr Cullompton, Devon. Details at www.dairyhouse.biz

Upcoming Events British Wool Weekend, Sept 1st & 2nd, great Yorkshire Showground. Details at britishwool.net.

Links
Woolsack
Electric Sheep podcast

Music
Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune. 

We have a listeners' map. Please go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 5 continents now but I'd still love to see where you all are! Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!). TTFN, Nic xx

Episode 56: Legacy

Hello from a very summery day here on the Plain. In this episode I consider the London 2012 legacy, drool over thoughts of indie dyers and warp a loom.

On the Hooks and Needles

I completed my Millicent by The Natural Dye Studio, although not before the Olympic flame was extinguished :(

Ravelry details are here. I also finished off a few Woolsack cushions (although I'm not sure it gets a mention in this episode!).

Details about the sheepy cushion here and the Guild cushions here.

Recommendation
The Shinybees podcast. Give Jo a listen, it's great!

Warped
Here are some photos from the warping session.

Ready to go...

 ...starting to warp...

...almost there...

...sorting out some tension issues...

...threading the warps through the eyes...

Finally!

Something I Really Like
Yarns from indie dyers such as BabyLongLegs, Easy Knits, Fyberspates, The Knitting Goddess, and The Natural Dye Studio which use common base yarns from...

Upcoming Events
...Bluefaced.com, who are having an open weekend Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th August just outside Chester. Details here.

Links
Woolsack


Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

We have a listeners' map. Please go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 5 continents now but I'd still love to see where you all are!

Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!).

TTFN,
Nic x

Episode 55: A Postcard From The Olympics

Hello from a variety of Olympic venues and tourist sites in London. The Olympics have started!! In this episode I try to capture a flavour of what it's like to attend some of the events, plus I visit a couple of well-known places I've never been before...

On the Hooks and Needles
My Ravellenics projects are Millicent by The Natural Dye Studio and another Woolsack cushion in Sheepfold Clotted Cream. Details here and here .

Links
Nest
Caithness Craft Collective
A Playful Day
Woolsack


Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

We have a listeners' map. Please go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 5 continents now but I'd still love to see where you all are!

Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!).

TTFN,
Nic x

Episode 54: Olympic Fever

Hello from a rather noisy back garden in the North East of England! In this episode, I get over excited about all thinks Olympic. Forgive me.

Finished Objects

In reverse order, I finsihed the weaving and made the cusion from the fabric my class were weaving. Rav details here.

 I also assembled the green woven cushion that's been woven for over two months. Rav details here.

And here are front (above)n and back(below) pictures of the cushion worked on during the Y6 residential that I mentioned last episode. Rav details here.

Something I really like
My brand new Olympic venue Top Trumps set!

Links

Woolsack


Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

We have a listeners' map. Please go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 4 continents now but I'd still love to see where you all are!

Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!).



TTFN, Nic

Episode 53: A Postcard From Oxford

Hello from the Plain! The last few weeks have flown by in a whirl of assessments and cushions, so this is just a quick update prior to the Postcard, which was recorded back in April.

Woolsack Update

The first two Listener Cushions are now assembled and stuffed and ready to make their way to London. Thank you all so much!

The first cushion I think is made from a lot of Rowan British Breeds, and includes a square made in the US on the front....

and squares made in Australia on the back...

The second cushion also has some "Made in Oz" squares, this time on the front....

Thanks to all the listeners who contributed!

A Postcard from Oxford

The music in this postcard is from the album The Oxford Ramble and is used with the kind permission of Magpie Lane .

Some photos from the day:

 Magdalen Tower

 Inside Darn It & Stitch

 The dinosaur in a badly-knitted Fair Isle sweater (aka Keble College)

 Another dinosaur - real this time!

Looking down into the Pitt Rivers - it looks a lot darker than this in real life!

The Shrunken Heads in the Pitt Rivers

The Radcliffe Camera

The Bodleian Library

Links

Magpie Lane http://www.magpielane.co.uk/ ;

May Morning http://www.oxford.gov.uk/PageRender/decVanilla/MayMorninginOxford.htm ;

Magdalen Tower  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalen_Tower ;

Botanical Gardens  http://www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk/  ;

The Grand Cafe  http://www.thegrandcafe.co.uk/ ;

Darn It and Stitch  http://www.darnitandstitch.com/  ;

Oxford Kitchen Yarns  http://www.oxfordkitchenyarns.com/shop/ ;

Morse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_Morse ;

Lewis  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_Lewis ;

Oxford University Museum of Natural History   http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/ ;        

Pitt Rivers Museum  http://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/ ;

Shrunken heads http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrunken_head ;

Bodleian Library  http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/bodley ;

John Hampden http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hampden ;

Christchurch  http://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/ ;   

Dr Fell  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fell_(bishop) ;  

Howard Goodall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Goodall ;

Ashmolean Museum http://www.ashmolean.org/ ; 

Martyrs’ Memorial http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs'_Memorial ;

Oxford Martyrs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Martyrs 

 

Theme Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

We have a listeners' map. Please go on over to pop in a pin - we're covering 5 continents!

Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain AT googlemail DOT com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain and on Twitter as talesfromplain (although Tweeting can be sporadic!).


TTFN,
Nic x