Podcast Episode 69: Kelley and Tina Talk Tools

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Comment by Christine Sloat on May 12, 2009 at 11:07am

I am relatively new to the Knit Picks' podcasts, and am trying valiantly to catch up in my listening. This past weekend, I listened to this "tools"podcast (69th episode). When discussing the ball winder, Tina made a point to mention that "holding" your yarn between the ball winder and the swift tightens the yarn in the ball, which affects gauge and more. I agree, and have always cautioned against "pinching" the yarn while winding.
What I did want to point out to Kelley and Tina is that the Knit Picks video showing how to use a ball winder show the person pinching the yarn!! I would strongly suggest re-taping that instructional video, and making mention of the affect of pinching the yarn.

Comment by ddisandro on December 1, 2008 at 11:52am

I love the podcast...but was really disappointed with this one. I listen to them while driving, not near a computer or catalog. There was a great discussion about stitch markers. I heard all about your thoughts on jump rings. WHAT IS A JUMP RING? You never say!
You mention that lace blocking wires are indispensable. I agree, but they came with no instructions. I was hoping you would shed some light in the podcast...but you didn't.
Kelley & Tina are so familiar with the products, that they forgot to describe what they were discussing so that listeners would have a clue.
I hope you'll repeat this idea. It is a great idea. But please be a bit more clear next time.

Comment by Inukshuk71 on October 20, 2008 at 10:36am

Thank you for this podcast, it was most informative. Some of the tools you discussed I already have and cannot imagine ever doing without again. I'm obsessed with Kookaburra wool wash and spend all day with my nose inside my sweater sniffing the sweet piney scent when I wear a sweater I've washed with it.

I have an extra tip for winding yarn with a swift and a yarn winder. I find that even though I do not hold the yarn when winding it from the swift to the winder but rather just guide it through the palm of my hand, that the result is still a bit too tight for my liking. I always take the end of yarn from the centre pull ball I just made, set it up on the winder again and roll the ball a second time. The ball of yarn always comes out 1/3 bigger than the first time it was wound and the yarn remains very relaxed until I need to use it.

Comment by Roxane on October 16, 2008 at 5:18pm

The lace blocking wires? What Tina said! Blocking lace is so critical, and it's easy to get put off by all the other ways people have of blocking lace. Years ago, I heard lace knitters talk about how it would take them hours and hours to block lace, because they had to crawl around on the floor and pin out every single picot. Or how they would make a blocking frame out of carpet tack strips for each and every project, and use that--never mind the fact that the carpet tack strip would not have the exact right interval for each picot. I had heard about lace blocking wires, but never actually found any before they turned up in the KP catalogue. If I hadn't been far too old to do cartwheels, I would have. They're worth their weight in gold.