Knitting On The Run

Episode 62 – Thanks for tuning in!  Trying the mic in a new location today so hopefully the sound quality will continue improving. Announcements First, new pattern launch!  Last Saturday I released the new Strawberry Blossoms pattern.  This pattern is very dear to me.  As you may remember, I hurt my hand last year and for a while I couldn’t knit at all, let alone design knitwear.  But like the wild yellow strawberries that grow in my backyard in the worlds worst soil (shady, acidic, clay) I hung on.  Not just clinging to the soil, I’m back and I’m blooming!  If you’re interested in this pattern listen to the episode for a special listeners-only discount code! Test Knitters Wanted Go to http://www.windsweptknits.com/patterns/test-knitters/ to subscribe to my test knitters email list – I promise to never sell your data or to spam you; you will only be contacted about upcoming test knitting opportunities. This week I will be starting a test knit for a laceweight shawl that is stockinette st and simple lace.

Episode 61- Lots of Updates New Mic Hopefully this setup works!  No more car recording if I can help it. New Pattern Strawberry Blossoms, a sleeveless tank top with cabled straps.   Sign up for my email list at WindsweptKnits.com to get the best discount code. Be A Helper Prizes Listen for your name!  A big thank you to everyone who participated and congratulations to the winners. FOs 4 preemie hats, all 4 using fingering weight held double. 12 complete! New shawl pattern sample Wips Another new shawl pattern inspired by grandmere’s village (heading to visit this summer) Preemie hat held single Preemie hat held double Silk lace cowl Wearables All the shawls – Rhinebeck, murder mystery knit along, tan house brook, changing staircases, Out and About Not sure if I can make these, but will try to attend some of them. CT sheep and wool April 27 Vernon, CT Sheepshearing festival, Gore Place, April 27th, Waltham, MA NH SHeel & Wool May 11-12 Wool Days, Old Sturbridge Village, May 25-27

Episode 60 – Thank yous, FO, Wips, Wearables, Out and About, On the Run, Fitness Talk, Knitting Talk Apologies for sound – laptop died.  Recording this on travel mic in my car.  Need to get an amp to get my mic to work with old laptop.  Hopefully I’ll have it all sorted before next recording. Thank yous Thanks for bearing with me during this last delay.  Turns out the antibiotics did not get rid of strep throat, I was sick again a week after they ended and back at the doctor to get something stronger.  Feeling better now! Big thank you to my test knitters!  I have one test knit winding up in the next few weeks, with pattern ready to release in early April and I’ve lucked into some amazing test knitters this time.  You ladies are wonderful!  Also, if you have any interest in summer knit tops, I have 2 coming out in the next 2 months, so be sure to visit WindsweptKnits.com and join my email list for access to the best discount codes.  I promise to only email once or twice a month at most and to never, ever

Episode 59  - Monty Python Illness - Knitting and running in 30 min or less Hello!  Yes, I am still alive!  My house has been incredibly ill since Christmas.  Nothing particularly serious, but at least one person in our house has been sick since Christmas – unfortunately, that counted me over the last 4 weeks.  I’ve had 2 viruses and strep throat.  Fun times!  Thanks kids. No pod-faded, I’m back Be A Helper KAL  Extended to Feb 28  Racism in knitting  We have work to do.  You are welcome here.  My 1 rule is be kind to others. FOs 3 preemie hats, 2 from CC Almon’s free pattern, 1 from Sarah Jordan’s Itty Bitty Kitty Sample for new pattern, a sleeveless top in sizes 34”-52” currently at tech editor.  Worked in DK, will be looking for test knitters soon   Wips 2 more preemie hats, 1 from each pattern mentioned earlier Changing Staircases shawl New socks for me On the Run Not much running, but some walking and a little swimming.  Record in the pool is ½ mile, but after illness I dropped back to ¼

Episode 57 – 1/17/18 - Knitting and Running in 30 minutes or less.  You can find me as WindsweptMonique on Ravelry and Instagram or as Windswept Knits on Facebook and Twitter.  Shownotes can be found on my website at WindsweptKnits.com  Apologies for the delay last week – my boys have been passing a virus back and forth!   Be A Helper Craft-A-Long Still goin till Feb 15.  Make ANYthing for ANY charity.  Wips are awesome.  Did you finish a charity project back around the holidays?  That counts, the craftalong started on Dec 5th so go ahead and enter it in the FO thread. Design News Soon be starting a test knit for a sleeveless top in fingering weight yarn.  More details to come soon, but if you’re interested in knitting an A-line summer top, please email me at windsweptMonique@gmail.com or PM me on Ravelry FOs 2nd sock started for Un-Christmas socks Wips Boxy by Joji Locatelli.  Using Bamboo Laceweight from Spinaway Farms that I picked up in Rhinebeck 2 years ago.  Variegated cool blues from nearly wh

Episode 56 – 1/4/19 Knitting and Running in 30 minutes or less.  You can find me as WindsweptMonique on Ravelry and Instagram or as Windswept Knits on Facebook and Twitter.  Shownotes can be found on my website at WindsweptKnits.com  FOs First of the Un-Christmas Socks - knitting these up in CoBaSi, which is a cotton, bamboo, silk, nylon blend that is super stretchy and breathes beautifully on sweaty feet.  The toes, cuffs and heels are a blue/gray blend called Wave Caps, and the foot and leg in a gray named Seattle Sky. Thing 2’s hat – finished last night and he hasn’t stopped wearing since I put it on his head this morning.  in Valley Yarn’s Southwick.  I’m using the green as the contrast ribbed brim, then the purple that Thing 2 chose as the body of the hat.  No pattern, just knitting to his head size.  Wips 2nd sock started for Un-Christmas socks.  Finished toe and started foot. Boxy by Joji Locatelli.  Using Bamboo Laceweight from Spinaway Farms that I picked up in Rhinebeck 2 years ago.  Variegate

After a conversation with a certain special someone at breakfast yesterday, we decided to record a quick episode live from my parent’s house with him as a very special guest. Apologies for the sound quality, we recorded on a lanai and I don’t have all my regular software here to edit, but this opportunity was too good to pass up

Episode 54 – 12/5/18 Knittin & Running in 30 min or less I am WindsweptMonique and today’s segments include: Be A Helper KAL, FOs, Wips, Pattern Stalking, Wearables, On the Run and Running Talk about wearable fitness trackers and accuracy. Be A Helper KAL Started on December 5th but I didn’t record last week because Christmas shopping (had to buy all presents by last Saturday – long story) and laryngitis.  If you finished a WIP for charity on or after December 5th go ahead and enter it. Any thing made for any charity – not just ravelry crafts Donate blood Wips count FO Thread is here Prizes Free pattern from Jennifer Lassonde of Downcellar Studios 1 skein Cascade 220 in an orangey peach color from an anonymous donor and a mini skein of merino – thank you very much, donor! I’m offering up 1 skein of Shibui Reed FOs Kippah made from handspun cotton from Hipstrings, in the Break Of Day colorway, blues and orange using the To Life pattern by Sarah Jordan, aka PAKnitWit Wips Tan House Brooke Sh

Episode 53 – 11/29/18 – Indie Gift-a-long Wips FOs, Wips – lots, Knitting Fail, Spinning, Knitting Talk, Wearables, On the Run, Out and About   FOs Mom’s Christmas socks – both are done; Plymouth Yarn Diversity in Deep Sea Thing 2’s Christmas socks – both are done; Plymouth Yarn Diversity in Pizazz Wips Icon Dress by Kari-Helene Rane in some very old stash that I want to get rid of. New hat for Thing 2 (not xmas gift) – in Valley Yarn’s Southwick that he chose while we were on holiday in Bermuda.  Find Your Fade shawl.  I’m on section 3, the 2nd garter section and still in color #1, the raspberry-dyed handspun cotton that I’ve mentioned in past episodes Changing Staircases shawl in 50/50 cotton/bamboo blend from Great Adirondack Yarn in the Hydrangea colorway blue, turquoise and purple 1 handspun kippah, yarn from Hipstrings Cotton Club in some beautiful handspun yarn made with fiber dyed in Pittsburgh.  Pattern is To Life by Sarah Jordan (all proceeds to Tree of Life Synagogue). Spinning I finis

Episode 52 – 11/15/18 - Happy Thanksgiving  FOs 2 kippot, 1 from handspun –more on that in a minute 5 dishcloths 5 Christmas ornaments 1 kid’s hat 1st sock from Thing 2’s Christmas socks Wips 1 handspun kippah, yarn from Hipstrings Cotton Club.  This finally occurred to me after making 2 other kippot, that I had beautiful handspun yarn made with fiber dyed in Pittsburgh, so I knew I had to make some kippot with this yarn.  I tweaked Sarah Jordan’s To Life pattern to work with sport-weight yarn and it works perfectly. Changing Staircases shawl in 50/50 cotton/bamboo blend from Great Adirondack Yarn in the Hydrangea colorway blue, turquoise and purple Mom’s Christmas socks, knit in Plymouth Yarn Diversity in the Stormy Sky colorway, medium blue with areas of grey, light blue and khaki 2 Christmas ornaments in progress   Knitting Talk Current & upcoming knitalongs that I'm participating in Down Cellar Studio Pigskin Party Knitmore Girl’s Grinchalong Indie Designer Gift-a-long sale starts Nov

Episode 51 – 11/8/18 – Craft Fair Season FOs, Wips, Spinning, Out and About, On the Run and Be a Helper 3 – I need your feedback FOs 3 Fun Fur Hats 2 Doll sweaters 5 doll hats – these are all knit on US 10 needles so they knit up very quickly 1 kippah, pattern by PAKnitWit, with all proceeds going to Tree of Life Synogogue which was attacked last week and 11 members were murdered by a white nationalist.  On Ravelry, some folks are collecting hand-made kippot to give to the Tree of Life community, so that is where I will send mine.   Wips 2nd Kippah, same pattern Another Fun Fur hat Rhinebeck Shawl – the Changing Staircases made with the yarn I just bought at Rhinebeck Spinning I’ve actually spun recently!  Not much, but a little.  I’m working on a cotton sliver from Hipstrings in the Recurrent Theme colorway which is dark jewel tones of blue, aqua, green, purple and burgundy.  It’ll be gorgeous!   Out and About I worked the Nauset Craft Fair last weekend held at the Nauset Middle School in Orl

Episode 50 – Rhinebeck Recap – 11/1/18 Happy Halloween – a day late!  Tried to record yesterday but we have a family birthday on Halloween, which makes everything that much more insane!  Segments include FOs, Wips, Knitting Fail, Out and About at Rhinbeck, Pattern Stalking and On the Run. FOs 12 hats since Rhinebeck for upcoming craft fairs Wips Another craft fair hat, this one is turqouise Find Your Fade shawl.  I’m on section 3, the 2nd garter section and still in color #1, the raspberry-dyed handspun cotton that I’ve mentioned in past episodes Changing Staircases shawl in a cotton/bamboo blend from Great Adirondack Yarns – more on that soon because it’s yarn I bought at Rhinebeck Knitting Fail Sometimes your brain doesn't work right.  Find Your Fade is a simple pattern and I'm still screwing it up! Out and About 2 weekends ago was Rhinebeck and I attended on Saturday via the Webs bus Craft Fair in Orleans, Cape Cod on Nov 3 Pattern Stalking Shawls – now that it’s getting cold all I want to d

Episode 49 – 10/17/18 - Knitting and running in 30 min or less Wips Dancing Dragons Coat Thing 2’s Christmas Socks - in Plymouth Yarns DIversity in the Pizazz colorway Mom’s Christmas Socks - in Plymouth Yarns DIversity in the Stormy Skies colorway Pattern Stalking Asked last week about a Gray Shawl, especially something that would work with gray gradients.  Heard from several people Influence Shawl by Kelene Kinnersly, off-center triangle, kind of thin, mostly garter st with an eyelet lace edging. Tea House Brooke Shawl by Jennifer Lassonde, aka BostonJen, triangular shawl starting with stockinette and working through different simple textures to keep  it interesting Curious Collective 2014 by Curious Handmade, aka Helen Stewart, half-circle shawl alternative garter st and lace Crossflower Shawl by Katinka Designs, new larger version for gradients.  Garter st and lace columns, large off-center triangle Ilumine by Num Teasdale – gorgeous lace, but not sure I have the brain power for it just now We

Episode 48 – 10/9/18 - When Dragons Attack Thanks for listening! Segments this week include FOs, Wips, Knitting Fail, Pattern Stalking, On the Run and the wrap up of our Be A Helper craft a long! FOs 3 doll sweaters from my Super Simple Fuzzy Sweater pattern, all knit in Plymouth Yarn’s Adore in red, orange, and a green and gray multi-colored yarn What I’m now calling my Hamilton Socks, 52-st socks in Plymouth Yarn’s Diversity in the Deep Sea colorway   Wips Another doll sweater, this one in pink Mom’s Christmas Socks Dancing Dragons Coat by Heike Campbell in Be Sweet Yarn’s Bamboo in the Sea Green colorway, a malachite-green, but a little lighter than true malachite.  About 50% done but… Knitting Fail Dancing Dragons Coat – I realized I was going to run out of yarn!! Wearables Empire Top by Lily Go – wore this to Hamilton I wore my Changing Staircases shawl several times, knit up in Fibre Lady’s Mousou Bamboo Mommy’s Tunic, a pattern I designed a few years back – short sleeve A-line tunic wit

No show notes for this one because I literally didn't get a chance to write them up this week. See you in Rhinebeck on the Saturday :)

Episode 46 – 9/11/18 Knitting and Running in 30 min or less Thank you for listening! Be A Helper Craft A Long I've learned my lesson - don't end a Craft A Long during Back To School!  But my chaos is your gain - the Craft A Long has been extended to September 30th.  Enter your FOs here: https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/knitting-on-the-run---windswept-designs/3788284/ FOs First 52-st sock – Plymouth Yarn Diversity in the Deep Sea colorway Wips 2nd 52-st sock Dancing Dragons Coat – finished the back started the left front   Knitting Fail Last weekend we headed to CT for the day – realized I’d made a mistake 20 rows down, in the cabled pattern (ack!!!) Stash Got my first hand carders!  Can’t wait to try them out.  Also got 2oz of cashmere which I’m going to blend with 16oz of cotton to make a super-soft sweater Spinning Started spinning again over the weekend for the first time about a month!  Working on a braid of cotton from Hipstrings Pattern Stalking Ixchel Sweater from the Autumn 2018 PomP

Episode 44 – 9/4/18 – Autumn means schedules! Knitting & running in 30 min or less. Summer is over, kids are back to school and life is finally scheduled again!  This means I should be able to start recording on a regular basis again, huzzah! FOs Dahlia - pattern by Brenda York for Berroco Yarns is finally done!  Whole shawl is from stash.  Blue body is Juniper Moon Farms Neve in Lagoon colorway from my LYS that closed.  Red is Cascade Ultra Pima Fine in the Cranberry colorway held double, yellow & green is Berroco Modern Cotton in the Del & Breakers colorways.  Purple is some ancient Plymouth Yarns Covington. 50-st sock – both are complete thought it’s been too hot to wear 44-st sock for Thing 1 – worked on this while on our cruise to Bermuda last week finished both!   Wips New 52-st sock for me in Plymouth Diversity in the Deep Sea colorway Sock for Thing 2 – he previously asked for the Deep Sea colorwat but after seeing me knit his brother’s socs in the Pizazz colorway, he changed his

Episode 43: 7/31/18 – Knitting and Running in 30 min or less WIPS Dahlia - pattern by Brenda York for Berroco Yarns.  Finished garter stitch and am about 1/3 way through the stockinette colorwork section.  Blue body is Juniper Moon Farms Neve in Lagoon colorway from my LYS that closed.  Red is Cascade Ultra Pima Fine in the Cranberry colorway held double, yellow is Berroco Modern Cotton in the Del colorway.  Green is also Modern Cotton in the Breakers colorway.  50-st sock in Plymouth yarns Diversity in the Fruity colorway, which is white with stripes of green, yellow, orange, pink and purple.   Spinning Finished my Tour de Fleece spin!  1lb of cotton became roughly 950 yards of 3-ply sport weight yarn.  I am soooooo glad I participated in TdF for the first time.  Spinning that much over about 3 weeks really helped me become more consistent in my spinning and by the end I was generating some good yarn! Out And About Was out in western MA last weekend for a friend’s wedding and was lucky enough to me

Episode 42 – 7/20/18 As always its knitting and running in 30 minutes or less.  WindsweptMonique on Instagram and Ravelry or WindsweptKnits on Twitter and at WindsweptKnits.com FOs I finished the Changing Staircases shawl by Jenga Knits.  This is a shawl inspired by the Harry Potter books, the way the staircases are constantly changing and I’m working on it in Mousou a 100% bamboo yarn from The FiberLady.  It’s done and ready to wear to a wedding next weekend! WIPS Cast on a new Hitchhiker shawl in ancient stash, Deborah Norville’s Serenity Garden Yarn in the Gems colorway.  52-st sock in Plymouth yarns Diversity in the Fruity colorway, which is white with stripes of green, yellow, orange, pink and purple.  Turned heel on first sock which leads me to… Knitting Fail Turns out the 52-st sock is really 50 sts…   Spinning Tour de Fleece – not going to make my 16oz goal but having fun.  Am roughly 10oz in and have 3 bobbins of cotton full and ready to ply!  Hoping to make at least a dent in the last 6

Segments this week include: FOs, Wips, Spinning Well, it’s nice to be back finally! How is it July?!? FOs Not a lot of knitting the last few weeks.  I’ve been re-staining the deck and my finger has been hurting again so I haven’t gotten nearly as far in my Wips as I’d hoped. I finished my 52-st sock!  They’re not finished-finished, I still need to weave in ends, but the knitting is done.   Haven’t tried them on yet as it’s been HOT up in Boston recently, but they look good. Wips I’ve put a lots more rows onto my Changing Staircases shawl by Jenga Knits.  This is a shawl inspired by the Harry Potter books, the way the staircases are constantly changing and I’m working on it in Mousou a 100% bamboo yarn from The FiberLady.  I said last time that I was about 75% but I totally misjudged – I was about 66% complete and I’m on the last section, so probably 95% complete. Blue Dahlia pattern by Brenda York for Berroco Yarns.  Finished garter stitch and am about 1/3 way through the stockinette colorwork section.