Rantings of a Rabid Knitter

originally posted at 2:06 pm on Sunday, November 18, 2007

Finally starting the discussion on wool. It was hard for me to decide where to begin. So I decided to start at the beginning.

Sheep were domesticated over 10,000 years ago. Can you just imagine how that happened? I give you my version of one possible scenario.

What do you think happened? Please let me know.

Or just drop me a line and let me know you are still there. I have missed hearing from you.

website: autumnbreezedesigns.com

email: carry.autumnbreeze@gmail.com

Thanks. Carry

approx. 9 minutes

KnitWit 95: Wool Beginnings [ 8:49 | 8.09 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

original posted at 8:28 pm on Sunday, October 14, 2007

I talk about spinning.

• History of the equipment
• The spinning process
• A spinning story

I want to know what you think.

website: autumnbreezedesigns.com

email: carry.autumnbreeze@gmail.com

Thanks. Carry

approx. 10 minutes

P.S. Wayne thought I should link to a place with all the parts named out. So here it is http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/wheel-parts.shtml.

KnitWit 90: Spinning [ 9:58 | 9.14 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

originally posted at 12:28 pm on Sunday, September 9, 2007

I continue with the discussion of silk.
Part 1: Life cycle of the silk worm
Part 2: Preparing silk for spinning
Part 3: Spinning silk
I throw in some other details concerning silk.
If you have any additional details you want to add or if you know why you put a hole in the middle of the hankies, please contact me.
website: autumnbreezedesigns.com
email: carry.autumnbreeze@gmail.com
Thanks.  Carry
approx. 18 minutes

Silk Part 2 [ 18:28 | 16.92 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today, I talk about the stories and history of silk.
Silk was discovered (unraveled) in 3000 BC by a Chinese princess Xi Ling Shi.  For centuries, China held a monopoly on silk.  Whenever there is something of value, theft  will occur.
In a future episode, I will discuss other aspects of silk.  Should I wait until episode 85 or should I do it next week?
website: autumnbreezedesigns.com
email: carry.autumnbreeze@gmail.com
Thanks.  Carry

Standard Podcast [ 10:35 | 4.86 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Personal news.

Computer is in transit.
Sadie is a bad girl
I play with new yarn TOFUtsies

I talk about man-made fibers.  Concentrating on the original man-made fiber, rayon.  I discuss its history and how it is made.  I hope you find the information interesting.
Please let me know what you think.  What are you experiences with these fibers?
website: autumnbreezedesigns.com
email: carry.autumnbreeze@gmail.com

Thanks.  Carry

Standard Podcast [ 19:22 | 8.88 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Linen comes from the flax plant.  Flax was first cultivated in ancient Egypt.  It was widely cultivated in Europe in the middle ages.
Flax gives us flax seed and linseed oil as well as linen.
Getting linen out of flax is a time consuming and labor intensive activity.  You have to rot, dry, break, scrape, and comb the stalks to get the linen.
Linen is usually spun using a distaff, which really is just an extra hand.  Wet spinning produces a smoother yarn.  After spun, the yarn is boiled and blocked to set the twist.
Please let me know if you have any questions or know of any good stories concerning linen.
website: autumnbreezedesigns.com
email: carry.autumnbreeze@gmail.com

Thanks.  Carry

Standard Podcast [ 14:24 | 6.61 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Thank you for all your suggestions on knitting topics.  I have started a list and will get to them.
I had a brain storm and thought it would be interesting to look at some of the stories and myths of some of the common fibers we use.  I will also ta[…]</itunes:subtitle>
<itunes:summary>Thank you for all your suggestions on knitting topics.  I have started a list and will get to them.
I had a brain storm and thought it would be interesting to look at some of the stories and myths of some of the common fibers we use.  I will also talk about spinning the fiber and what makes it different from other fibers.   In addition, a short discussion about what the fiber is good for making and what are its pros and cons.
Since it is Summer here (where did Spring go?) in North Carolina, I thought I would start with cotton.  I like cotton to wear and to knit with.  Cotton is a challenge to spin and I am still working on mastering it.
Here are the wheel and one of the spindles I use for spinning cotton.

The wheel is based on the original spinning wheel designed in India (500 – 1000 AD).  It is a hand cranked spindle wheel and is ideal for spinning cotton.
I learned how to spin cotton from the seed around 8 years ago.  It is how I imagine cotton was originally spun.

You can see the seed is still in there.  This will give you a yarn with more ‘character’ being more uneven.
Cotton has been around forever and ever.  Growing wild in the Americas, Asia, and Africa, it was spun for thousands of years.  Spinning has been around for over 10,000 years using a spindle.  Oldest cotton garment ever found was dated to be over 7,000 years old and was found in a cave in Mexico.
I talk about the history and controversy of cotton in the Americas.
Please let me know what you think.
website: autumnbreezedesigns.com
email: carry.autumnbreeze@gmail.com

Thanks.  Carry

Standard Podcast [ 24:17 | 11.16 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Totally knitting episode. I talk about how to calculate how much yarn is needed to knit a sweater.
It involves some work in that you will have to knit a swatch but you were going to do that anyway.  Right?
You will need access to a scale that weights very small amounts.  I use a postal scale.
Formula 1 :  TA = C * L * 3 / 2
where:

TA: total area of sweater
C: circumference of the sweater
L: length of the sweater

In words, the approximation of the total area of sweater is the circumference of your sweater times the length of your sweater time 3/2.
You need to relate the area to a weight.  So weight the swatch and calculate the area of your swatch length* width
Formula 2: SA = k ozs, SA: swatch area.
Formula 3: Y  =  TA * k / SA
where:

Y: weight of yarn needed
TA: total area of sweater
k: weight of swatch
SA: area of swatch

Yarn needed in oz is total area times weight of swatch divided by area of swatch.
I hope you find this information helpful and not overly technical.
If you have comments or questions please contact me:
website: autumnbreezedesigns.com
email: carry.autumnbreeze@gmail.com

Thanks.  Carry

Standard Podcast [ 8:48 | 4.05 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Another oldie.  This time a rant.

I can’t find the old blog for this but thought since the next show was part 2 I should put part 1 up.

Enjoy.

website: autumnbreezedesigns.com
email: carry.autumnbreeze@gmail.com

Thanks.  Carry

Standard Podcast [ 14:01 | 6.43 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I got my yarn from my secret pal.  Check out previous post for pictures.
I want a red summer sweater.  Since you wanted to know more about my designing method, I invite you to join me on this journey.
First crucial steps are being taken.  Choice the yarn.  Choice the style.  Choice the needles.  Determine gauge. Take measurements.

I reveal my secret to knitting sweaters from my yarn choice in many styles.  Barbara Walker&#8217;s Knitting from the Top Down (http://www.schoolhousepress.com/) shows you how to knit a variety of styles in a seamless top down fashion.  I use this book all the time.  This is the most used book in my library beside stitch dictionaries.
Did you find this interesting?  Helpful?  Let me know.
website: autumnbreezedesigns.com
email: carry.autumnbreeze@gmail.com

Thanks.  Carry

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