The Shinybees Knitting and Yarn Podcast

It's the last day of 2014 and the last podcast of 2014. I simply couldn't allow you all to fall into the cold, harsh light of January without a comedy knitting and yarn podcast episode to cheer you along. Excuse my lemsip induced dulcet tones and slightly dulled reactions during this quick-step instalment of the podcast. The giveaway for WTF Knits by Gabrielle Grillo and Lucy Sweet is ongoing. To enter the draw, leave a comment on the blog post for episode 27. Wippin' Piccadilly It's been a finishing palooza over here at Shiny Heights! Off The needles we have the Cardamom Rose cowl by Thea Colman. Also off the needles and onto the head is the Hipster Hat by Tin Can Knits.  Still ongoing is the Quadratic Shawl by David O' Kelly for Eden Cottage Yarns. Also new on the needles is the Kunye shawl by Clare Devine, which is a pattern that was designed to celebrate a year of The Golden Skein. The KAL is ongoing and there will be prizes. Hashtag is #tgsonekal and the details are over here on Ravelry. Anyone is welcome; if you have 400m of fingering weight yarn and 4mm circular needles, get yourself over there! Review of Yokes by Kate Davies My copy of the latest book by Kate Davies arrived a few weeks ago, and I am now sufficiently familiar with it to give you my informed opinion. It's a collection of 11 designs along with essays that covers all kinds of yokes from countries all around the North Atlantic as well as interviews on the subject. RRP is £19.99 and it is available now from Kate Davies or a variety of local and online knitting emporiums. That's all of this episode and for 2014. A big thank you to you all for listening this year; I hope you've enjoyed the direction the podcast has gone in and will join us for 2015. There are lots of big plans ahead for the year of the sheep! As always, feedback and comments are always appreciated. Happy Hogmanay!

It's a yarn, comedy and sock knitting palooza this episode as we review WTF Knits and welcome Clare and Kate for the Sock Surgery. It's time for your luxury yarn fix, with the latest offering from The Golden Skein. Check out our yarns from Knitsch in New Zealand, BaT'at in Yorkshire and Eden Cotatge Yarns in Yorkshire. There's also an announcement of the #tgsonekal, a knitalong to the pattern "Kunye" which was designed for us by Clare Devine. Details over at The Golden Skein group on Ravelry. There will be prizes. Very nice prizes. Interested in weird and wonderful knitting patterns? I review WTF Knits: Weird Adventures in Wool by Gabrielle Grillo and Lucy Sweet, published by Bantam Press. Available now, it's a cracking little stocking filler that is sure to have you chuckling into your knitting. Want to win a copy? Enter the giveaway over on the blog at www.shinybees.com Finally we have Clare and Kate back on the show for the Sock Surgery, discussing the pros and cons of toe up and sock down for knitting socks. We also revisit the needles choice aspect of episode 25, with feedback and discussion from out lovely listeners. Full shownotes for this episode are available at www.shinybees.com          

Ever wondered what it is like to write a knitting book whilst you homeschool your 3 children? Wonder no more, as Sally Cameron aka PinkHairGirl joins us from South Africa for an interview about just that. Learn about some of the trials and tribulations of how she accomplished writing a knitting book as well as picking up some top tips in general. She also kindly offered a copy of her book as a giveaway prize. Wippin' Piccadilly returns with mentions for the Lapsang pattern by Clare Devine, Hipster by Tin Can Knits and Cardamom Rose by Thea Colman. On our yarn shop travels, I review Nairn Wool Shop, aka Calendonian Craft Connections and Wool on the Brae. Show notes as always are available at www.shinybees.com

Ever wondered how to choose needles for your first attempt at knitting socks? Want to hear some more about those other methods you might not have tried yet? Clare Devine returns to give us the low down on needle choices for knitting socks, ably accompanied by Kate. We also have a review of a new knitting book from South Africa, by Sally Cameron. Msanzi: South Africa on my Needles is a knitted journey from the beaches of the south to the baobabs in the north. Fifteen patterns for all the family are accompanied by breathtaking landscape photography from Cape Town based Andre van Rooyen. Giveaway for this episode is kindly sponsored by Linda of Coach House Yarns, a new to the scene UK indie dyer. The colourway reviewed is 'Tiger Tiger' in the Everyday Sock base. Check out her shop on Etsy, where you can also find a range of colourways inspired by the film Labyrinth. Full shownotes with links are available at www.shinybees.com

Learn the basics of what to consider when choosing yarn for socks this week with my guest hosts Clare Devine and Kate Read. We chat about fit, durability and aesthetic and why considering each of these for your project is important. There is a rundown of the latest instalemtn from The Golden Skein Power of 3 Club, Autumn Harvest. This included yarns from Sylvan Tiger, Hartlam and Kettle Yarn Co. Finally, we have a preview of the latest yarn to be offered from Blacker Yarns in Cornwall. West Country Tweed will be available in 4 shades, undyed, blue, purple and olive and comes from sheep from just two farms in Devon and Somerset. It will be available from 14th November 2014 at www.blackeryarns.co.uk Full show notes are available at www.shinybees.com.

Hello and welcome to a special bonus Hallowe'en episode of the podcast. Take a break from the tedium of opening your front door to little kids dressed in black and high on sugar and e numbers to go for a quick canter through the history of the day. To go along with this, the infamous pattern pick returns with the somewhat apt theme of pumpkins. As always, shownotes are found at www.shinybees.com. Enjoy!

Command and Conquer it ain't. Well, maybe. This week sees the latest happenings in my world, along with a quick virtual canter through this year's trip to Yarndale. In Wippin' Piccadilly, the Lush cardigan by Tin Can Knits in Blacker Swan is complete, and Quadratic by David O Kelly at Eden Cottage Yarns is on the needles. A new section is announced in the podcast: the Sock Surgery with Clare Devine and Kate Read. There is a giveaway PALOOZA jointly sponsored by Ginger Twist Studio and Yarn and Pointy Sticks designs. Finally, we have a one on one interview in the Ginger's Hand Dyed studio in Edinburgh, with the ever fabukous Jessica James. Join us as we chat Brigantia, red acrylic and sweaty little piece of chocolate. Shownotes as always at www.shinybees.com. I am Shinybees on Twitter, FAcebook and Instagram. Enjoy!

This week the episode has nothing at all to do with card games and everything to do with yarn. We have a quick intro from my new house, creaks included, followed by a bit of knitting news. Then, there's the triumphant return of the Wippin Piccadiily section, in which we hear why you should listen to Clare Devine and not some random lady on YouTube. Then, the bit you've all been waiting for: an interview with the ever fabulous Victoria Magnus of Eden Cottage Yarns, recorded at Unwind Brighton. She talks all things yarn and business and gives a real insight into her journey into the business, spidery cottage and all. As always, shownotes are at www.shinybees.com.

This week we finally round-up Unwind Brighton, which took place on 12-13 July 2014 in the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange. There is also a run-down of the progress of the #lushpodkal Lush knitalong, by Tin Can Knits. I'm using Blacker Yarns Blacker Swan yarn for this - use the code LUSH5634 for 10% discount until 14 September 2014. There's also an interview with the ever fabulous Clare Devine of Yarn and Pointy Sticks designs and George of Yarn Garden, about yarn, the universe and everything. George is in no way like Heisenberg of Breaking Bad, it would seem, but he does like a slice of passion cake. Possibly not as much as Clare enjoys lockable stitch markers. Listen in to figure out exactly what I'm talking about. Shownotes are available at www.shinybees.com and music is provided by Adam and the Water Boys, via Music Alley.

Nothing to do with James Bond and everything to do with the return of the pattern pick this week, on the theme of Octopus. Octopi?! We have a round up of the lattest knitting news and anouncements, with the eagerly anticipated Unwind Brighton festival taking place on 12-13 July. There is also the launch of a fabulous new collaboration between Clare Devine of Yarn and Pointy Sticks and Sock Anatomy fame and the wonderful Jess of Ginger Twist Studio, who is dyeing the yarn for the colection. Keep your ears open for Scotland's answer to Unwind - The Edinburgh Yarn Festival. There is some knitalong news from P-Hop, who are running a Commonwealth Games KAL and from my good self, as I am teaming up with the Louises of Caithness Craft Collective and Knit British podcasts and the ever amusing Aimee of KnitSpinCake podcast. We're going to be doing a Lush Along of the Lush cardigan by Tin Can Knits. Lots of lovely prizes lined up, so come and join us. The pattern pick, as mentioned, covers a variety of cephalopod delights. I review Fluph in Dundee for our Yarn Shop Review and then there is a quick Wippin' Piccadilly update to ease those of you who are worried about the state of my knitting mojo.

The funk has been slam dunked by admitting we have a problem, Houston! This week we have a roundup of the knitting news, including a fab new yarn shop that will be opening, Harbour Yrans, and the coutdown to Unwind Brighton is well and truly on. The Second Quarter of The Golden Skein Power of 3 Yarn Club is revealed. We discuss tactics for alleviating a knitty funk in the Wippin' Piccadilly section and I resolve to do a giveaway of yarn from my recently frogged project. Leave a comment on the thread for this episode in the Ravelry group to enter. Finally, we have a yarn shop review of Ginger Twist Studio in Edinburgh.

Coming from Scotland in the depth of the knitting funk of 40,000 years, the crafty mojo has left the building. This episode sees the return of Wippin' Piccadilly, a short pattern pick and a new South African knitting video podcast for you. There's also a yarn shop review of Be Inspired Fibres of Edinburgh.

Tune in for the latest knitting news on upcoming events in Brighton and Edinburgh. There is a rundown of all the gossip from The Golden Skein and a yarn shop review of The Woolly Brew in Pittenweem. Finally, the pattern pick returns on the theme of 'bunny'. No cats were harmed during thr production of this podcast. Keep an ear out for a slightly vocal cohost!

This episode has more than its fair share of swans, clowns and unicorns. There is a quick catchup of news and a brief intro to my new abde in Fife. A large section is dedicated to PodRetreat and there is a giveaway associated with this. Finally, the pattern pick this week focuses on Unicorns.

This week there is a lot of news regarding various things. The Golden Skein is explained and you can find everything to do with this UK yarn club at www.thegoldenskein.com. We have a book review of Clare Devine's first ebook, "Sock Anatomy: Dissecting Heels and Toes". The Wippin' Piccadilly section returns, as does the pattern pick, which is on the topic of 'child hat'.