Holiday vacation is almost here! What an exciting prospect! As I rush about buying and wrapping gifts amidst a mountain of work, I can’t wait to curl up by the fire in a comfortable chair. Once I am ensconced with a blanket and fluffy cat, the first thing I will do is pick up a wonderful book about knitting, or watch a knitting video podcast, perhaps even one where I was invited to present as a "KNITTER OF THE WORLD!
But more about the podcast later.
During the holidays, The Yarn Whisperer by renowned yarn guru and humorist Clara Parkes is a wonderful comfort read. I laughed all the way through it, and learned a lot as well from her insights.
If you are searching for more informative reading, however, I recommend Knit to Flatter by Amy Herzog or The Knowledgeable Knitter by Margaret Radcliffe. I was really happy to discover The Knowledgeable Knitter, as I recently struggled with seaming and finishing my reverse stockinette T-shirt. Radcliffe had great advice on techniques for finishing reverse stockinette fabrics as well as a ton of other useful tips. I am still forging my way through, and the writing is so fascinating I have even read it in the bathtub!
I discovered Radcliffe’s book and a wealth of other wonderful knitting advice on the fruity knitting video podcast, which is my new obsession! Andrea and Andrew are delightful knitters who share a wealth of knowledge, and their podcast features gorgeous European scenery, fascinating interviews with knitting experts all over the world, and little cameos of amateur knitters and their lives. You can find their podcast in which they interview the famous British designer Marie Wallin here:
Watching this video podcast every two weeks has become addictive and I quickly subscribed. Andrea and her husband, who also knits, are so charming and insightful about the role creativity plays in their everyday lives and family! For me, it is just as comforting to watch their show as to curl up with a favorite novel. My friend Lexi was so captivated by the fruityknitting podcast that she binge-watched all 18 episodes in one week, and my other friends have become hooked as well! So you can imagine how tickled I was that I got to appear on the podcast in episode 19, in the “Knitters of the World” segment. You can watch the podcast here:
I was honored to be invited to speak about my couture approach to knitting on the video podcast. When I watched it later, it was rather moving for me to see my own body of work over the past twenty + years. The video created a time capsule that allowed me to see all the beautiful fabrics I had striven to create across that time line, as my skills and passion grew. We knitters and bloggers strive to bring creativity focused on beautiful colors, forms and textures into our daily lives, and this moment was significant in helping me acknowledge that I am growing into the woman I have been attempting to become since college.
The Knitters of the World segment is 14.36 minutes into podcast 19:
However, I strongly recommend that you watch the whole episode, as it contains a wealth of knitting knowledge, and a FABULOUS interview with famous knitting designer Deborah Newton. She shared such amazing advice, I will be re-watching the interview segment with her over and over again! Newton’s book, Finishing School, has moved to the top of my wish list, after witnessing the depth of her knowledge in the interview. You can also find more information about Newton in the podcast notes here:
Also, Andrea shares some interesting advice on how to avoid puckering in Intarsia knitting and shows off her gorgeous Blossom sweater by Marie Wallin. The episode also features a beautiful clip of Andrea herself singing (she is a professional musician), and her husband shares his charming perspective as a knitting newbie on constructing his first garment.
Happy Winter Knitting, everyone!!!!!