What are we wearing? Boxy by Joji Locatelli Therapy by Laura Aylor What are we stalking? Apres Surf Hoodie by Connie Chang Chinchio Buttercup by Heidi Kirrmaier Lilli Pilli by Ambah O'Brien Stolen Moments by Shannon Squire What are we knitting? Heartfelt by Veera Valimaki Spectrum by Joji Locatelli Memory Blanket by Georgie Nicolson Violet Waffles by Halldora J What have we finished? Minthe by Anne Ginger Small Flowers Mitts by Pinneguri Knitted Knockers Gayle and I share some of our favorite th...
Apr 15, 2016•1 hr 4 min
What are we wearing? Fancy Cardi by Joji Locatelli Sharlene's Fancy Cardi Secret Cove Cowl by Rosemary Hill Gayle's Secret Cove Cowl What are we stalking? Women's Peaked Cap by Patons Hinagiku Hat by 87knit Kaiya Mei by Jamie Hoffman Fancy Cardi by Joji Locatelli Citadel by Joji Locatelli Breathing Space by Veera Välimäki Veronika by Julie Weisenberger Woodfords by Elizabeth Doherty This episode of The Yarniacs Podcast is sponsored by Fix-A-Stitch. Ever face the tedious task of having to drop do...
Apr 01, 2016•53 min
What are we wearing? Hogwarts Express by Susan Ashcroft Sharlene's Hogwarts Express Neighborhood Fiber Company Rustic Fingering Razzle by Allie Coffey Gayle's Razzle What are we stalking? We are both stalking the Interpretations 3 collection by Joji Locatelli and Veera Välimäki. We both want to make: Breathing Space (pullover) Heartfelt (cardigan) Sharlene also likes: My Everything (cardigan) Expressive (shawl) Gayle also likes: Timeless Henley (pullover) Tidalground (cardigan) Peeping Cowl If y...
Mar 18, 2016•1 hr 6 min
What did we wear at StitchesWest 2016? Nakahi Shawl by Francoise Danoy Sharlene's Nakahi Polaris by Hiroku Fukatsu Sharlene's Polaris Newsom by Bristol Ivy Sharlene's Newsom Yowza Weigh It Shawl by Susan B. Anderson Gayle's Weigh It Shawl Twinkle Sock by Western Sky Knits 3 Color Cashmere Cowl by Joji Locatelli Gayle's 3 Color Cashmere Cowl Ecuador by Joji Locatelli Gayle's Ecuador This episode of The Yarniacs Podcast is sponsored by Dragonfly Fibers. Rich saturated color. Bold interesting combi...
Mar 04, 2016•1 hr 1 min
What are we wearing? Inner Peace by Joji Locatelli Sharlene's Inner Peace What are we stalking? Dar by Bristol Ivy 3 Color Cashmere Shawl by Joji Locatelli Scowl by Xandy Peters Bugle the Baby Elephant by Susan Claudino sock yarn blankets Stitches West vendor list What are we knitting? Rhilea by Suvi Simola Dragonfly Fibers Djinni Sock Arabella by Ann McCauley Hermione's Everyday Socks by Erica Lueder What have we finished? Ice River hat by Helen Stewart Wonder Wander by Megan Williams madelinet...
Feb 18, 2016•1 hr 6 min
Do you knit when you are sick? Whether or not I can knit when I am feeling under the weather is my usual "heat check" to tell exactly how sick I am. If I don't, can't, or aren't feeling well enough to knit, then I and everyone around me knows I am probably feeling quite poorly. When we recorded episode 106, I knew I wasn't feeling 100%, but it was a few days later that this cold really took me down. I've tried to stick to my usual routine as much as possible, but there has been less knitting, mo...
Feb 05, 2016•55 min
In addition to welcoming the new year, January brings our podcast anniversary. Four years of Gayle and I chatting about knits, our yarns, project fails and project wins. We've learned a lot about knitting, about podcasting, and about our listeners as we've recorded over the past four years. The heartfelt thanks I expressed last year to our wonderful Yarniacs community still holds true, and I repeat it here today. "The community we have formed on Ravelry with our fellow yarniacs has been the most...
Jan 22, 2016•55 min
A new year, like a new project, can be filled with hope, expectation, and always uncertainty. As in life, we never know if that mistake we made back on the foundation row will come back later to bite. Maybe it will be a small insignificant purl in a sea of knit stitches. Or we might find ourselves unraveling hours of work to start anew, with a better base, a stronger beginning. Our annual Self-Indulgent Knit-a-long, #SIKAL2016 is about beginnings. Taking that special yarn, that special pattern, ...
Jan 08, 2016•53 min
In this episode, we welcome Rachael Herron, author of the Cypress Hollow series, several mainstream fiction books and a non-fiction collection of memoirs. Rachael and I met years ago when we were both involved in the knit-bloggers ring, and recently reconnected at a local guild meeting. On the morning we were recording it was unusually windy and we had even had some rain. You've heard Gayle and I talk about the California drought, so yay, rain! But the wind? Not so much. Our internet conferencin...
Dec 23, 2015•1 hr 3 min
Our regular recording time is sometimes bumped by one of our work schedules, which was the case this week. So it was a surprise to me when Gayle texted me the afternoon of our regular recording day to find out if I could meet later that evening. Though it meant finding an impromptu spot to record in the car, we quickly decided to give it a try. It was dark, so we drove down to the harbor in hopes of finding better lighting. What we found was a holiday treat! The annual lighted boat parade had ta...
Dec 11, 2015•1 hr 17 min
What are we wearing? Cupido Cowl by Hiroku Fukatsu Sharlene's Cupido See You There by Joji Locatelli Gayle's See You There Trickster by Elizabeth Doherty Gayle's Trickster What are we stalking? Knit It Black by Alex Tinsley Indie Gift-a-Long group on Ravelry Trickster by Elizabeth Doherty Mom's Favorite Color by Paige Reisenfeld Zirkus by Lisa Hannes Elf Baby Hat by Robin Weldon Lilli Pilli by Ambah O'Brien Starshower by Hilary Smith Callis What are we knitting? True by Joji Locatelli Sharlene's...
Nov 27, 2015•1 hr 2 min
The beginning of November has finally brought us the beginning of sweater weather, and as we delightfully exclaim this episode "When you're cold, you're cold." No apologies for putting on sweaters as the thermometer dips below 68º this episode! In fact, we are rather gleeful to pull our old friends out of storage and welcome them back into our wardrobe rotation. (In fact, though I didn't mention it on the podcast, this editor is planning on wearing her big oversized Traveling Sweater later on th...
Nov 13, 2015•50 min
Episode 100 is something a little different. Amongst the knitting chat, we've included some Q & A that you, our lovely listeners, submitted over the past few weeks on our Ravelry board. Thanks so much for that! We took the bait and shared a little bit about the origins of both our friendship and the podcast. While neither are at all mysterious, Gayle and I do normally stay on topic with the knitting, crochet, and crafting talk. So if this is your first time listening, be aware that in genera...
Oct 30, 2015•1 hr 6 min
Gayle and I had planned to record at the seashore, with the sound of waves crashing delightfully in the background. Planned. But the noon time sun and lack of shade forced us to relocate to a less picturesque, but more conducive-to-recording-audio spot about a block off the beach underneath some eucalyptus trees. We'll try another beach-side episode when the weather is more cooperative. We both love sharing little peeks into this part of the globe that we call home. This episode we return with o...
Oct 16, 2015•58 min
It is said that first babies see movement, and soon can distinguish shades of blacks and whites, with other colors eventually becoming recognizable. As children grow, color often seems to play a role in their definition of self. "My favorite color is red," or "What's your favorite color?" are oft-heard conversation starters with the "under 10" set. Working in a yarn store, I commonly see shoppers carrying around yarns in colors that either match or complement the colors they are wearing. Some fo...
Oct 02, 2015•1 hr 11 min
I often think that Gayle and I talk too much about the weather. Really, on a knitting podcast, who wants to hear about the California drought? But it is undeniable, the weather, the drought and other external factors affect the items we knit. September and October are often the warmest months of the year for us, with temps peaking at 100°F but dipping at night into the 40s. This past summer was so hot and winter is an unknown. Whether El Niño brings us needed precipitation, or even cold temperat...
Sep 18, 2015•1 hr 13 min
This episode takes the prize for most tongue-tied moments, restarts, retakes, and redos. I am not proud of saying that, and offer it not as an excuse, but rather a hope that you will laugh with Gayle and I as we can laugh at ourselves. As I listened to the final edit of the episode, there is a point where Gayle asks me how to describe the color of a yarn and the pause was so long that I had time to check my iPod screen to see why the audio had stopped. Alas, the audio had not stopped, it was jus...
Sep 04, 2015•59 min
First, the length--this episode is longer than usual. If this is the first time you are joining us, please know we generally keep the episodes at about 60 minutes and this is an aberration. Bear with us, apparently we had a lot to say on the topic in our feature section. We surprised ourselves, having thought we wouldn't have so much to say about yarn put-ups, knots, and such. But most knitters have something to say about knots, especially when they come from the manufacturer in that fresh new y...
Aug 21, 2015•1 hr 22 min
In episode 94, I recount that someone recently said to me, "You only knit sweaters from the top-down." For me, nothing could be farther from the truth. When I started knitting, I knit sweaters from contemporary patterns, which had me dutifully knit my fronts, back, and sleeves, and stitch them all together. But patterns, like clothing styles, evolve and change, and new designs caught my eye that involved new techniques. Being a sucker for innovative constructions, it wasn't long before I was sti...
Aug 07, 2015•1 hr 3 min
This episode we catch up on each other's projects and review what we've been working on during the past month. Because of summer travels and schedules, it has been a month since we recorded an episode with our usual segments. There is lots of summer stalking and discussion of summer knitting and yarns. We both acknowledge that even though fall will be here soon, during these warm months it is sometimes hard to knit a big heavier-weight project. Lighter sweaters and garments and shawls are on the...
Jul 24, 2015•1 hr 8 min
What are we wearing? Literally Over the Top by Megan Williams Coronado by Toluca Knit What are we knitting? Easy Folded Poncho by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas A Hint of Summer by Isabel Kraemer In episode 92 we wrap-up the second quarter (Q2) of our "Love your stash" movement. We want to change the culture of stash and empower knitters to take charge of what yarns make you feel good as a knitter and a stasher, and to cut loose those yarns that add clutter and negativity! At the Northern California...
Jul 11, 2015•1 hr 9 min
This week, Gayle and I hit the road and we record in the redwood forest of Santa Cruz. We found a quiet location and the wildlife was all around us--some of which you will hear on the recording. You will likely hear the ravens and crows, like the ones pictured here . We have an abundance of both ravens and crows and both were nearby. The Steller's Jays are another common sighting. There was a mule deer wandering around the brush as we recorded too. Mountain lions sightings are commonplace in thi...
Jun 26, 2015•1 hr 4 min
What are we wearing? Raiun by Kirstin Johnstone Sharlene's Raiun Echoes of Color by Joji Locatelli Gayle's Echoes What are we stalking? Summertime Shawl by Michele Meadows Madelinetosh Dandelion yarn Spring in Her Path by Mary Annarella Times Square by Norah Gaughan Norah Gaughan for The Fibre Company: Oporto Novel Construction Silver Lines by Andrea Hallasi Designer Jana Huck Mix It Up! by Jana Huck Meritence by Jana Huck What are we knitting? Heverly by Julia Farwell-Clay Sharlene's Heverly Al...
Jun 12, 2015•57 min
When life is crazy and I am pulled in many directions, my knitting time decreases and my projects and productivity suffers. Sadly, during the crazy time is when I need the quiet comfort of my knitting to keep me sane. Quiet stockinette to sooth the nerves! The season is changing, spring is moving on to summer, and many of us experience some subtle shift in our routine at this time of year. Here's hoping we can all find a little bit of time and space to stay connected to and through our knitting....
May 29, 2015•49 min
One of our favorite podcast segments (and we hope yours too!) has always been "What are we stalking?" Project planning and choosing yarns are often one of the highlights of a new project. At that point, it is still a knitting fantasy, and every knitter has an active knitting fantasy life. If you have a Ravelry queue the grows weekly, then yes, you too have an active knitting fantasy life! But sometimes those fantasies don't turn out the way we planned. In what will probably be the first appearan...
May 15, 2015•1 hr
The Northern California Knitting Retreat--which Gayle and I have been working on behind the scenes for the past year--was a retreat in the true sense of the word. We got away from our normal day-to-day lives, spent time doing enjoyable activities such as knitting and visiting with friends, we laughed and relaxed. It was a first retreat experience for both of us and we enjoyed our little weekend knitting getaway. One of our favorite things at all knitting events, is seeing everyone's sweaters and...
May 01, 2015•56 min
What are we wearing? Heaven and Space by Martina Behm Zephyr Cove by Rosemary Hill We talk about shawl hangers. Gayle's version is from The Container Store, link here . Sharlene has a version from IKEA, link here . What are we stalking? Naima by Ankestrick Rachel by Josee Paquin Sunray Shawl by dunkelgrun Scrappy Hearts Hat by Sonja Otto Swingback Hoodie by Amy Gunderson Aurelia Cowl by Hilary Smith Callis Focus Dress by Meiju K-P What are we knitting? Bath scrubbie No Fear Socks Sharlene's sock...
Apr 17, 2015•1 hr 15 min
This week Gayle and I recorded in a different location and there might be a few spots in the recording where you can hear the whirr of the local surfboard business. Just a little local flavor as you can't go very far in Santa Cruz without passing a surf shop, or a taqueria, or a yoga studio. Sometimes all three in our casual beach town. :) We discuss the first quarter (Q1) of our #loveyourstash movement. We met our goals and (surprisingly?) stayed with it. For me at least, who dislikes anything ...
Apr 03, 2015•1 hr
This week, in keeping with the "love the yarn you own" movement in our Ravelry group , Gayle and I talk stash. This week we focus on how we feel about our stashes and stashing in general. A well-curated stash that we are happy to own is important to every knitter and crocheter. Is something about your stash making you unhappy? Too much of one type of yarn, too little of your favorite color? Not enough yarn or too much? Now is the time to take inventory and think about what makes you a happy stas...
Mar 20, 2015•50 min
This episode we share some of our experiences, observations, purchases and sights from the StitchesWest 2015 expo. It was fun, educational, entertaining and exhausting. You'll be hearing about some of the new yarns as they become works-in-progress. Please welcome Robbie (aka Photoknitgal ) as a moderator to our Ravelry group. Both Gayle and I have days when we can't get to Ravelry to check out the group discussions. Now Robbie will be there if anything comes up and Gayle and I are away from the ...
Mar 06, 2015•1 hr 1 min
