Girlfriends Knitting

Illness has kept me from recording regularly, but I hope to rectify that soon. However, life is getting busy, so I won’t have as much editing in my episodes (no cool Rav displays.) Sorry. Prize Drawings: Here’s to Your Health - July SSK messenger bag. Thanks to the awesome oohfancypants for donating hers as a giveaway as well. Daizie Yarns Check out the cute Dr. Suess themed podcast by  Heather219 ,  Knits-N-Things . FO’s:  GoT My KAL ,  For Lottie ,  First Baby Cardi ,  Looping Pinwheel Baby Blanket WIP’s:  Summers Shawl ,  Lilac Lizette ,  Modified Looping Twist ,  Rock Star Socks Summers at Scarritt-Bennett Shawl KAL!!

Since I had so much to talk about, it is close to an hour long instead of the usual 20-30 minutes. Hence the name “Double the Pleasure”. That’s what happens when you don’t record for almost three weeks! Too much to talk about!! Long tail provisional cast on tutorial will also be posted under the Tutorials Tab. Enjoy! Your knitting (and teaching) girlfriend

This week has been consumed with spinning - as evidenced by the four, yes four, spinning FO’s. Go Team Knit Me Sassy!

I am wearing the Summer Flies shawl that Cori (irocknits) made for me for ZK. Here is a link to her pattern page for it.  http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Irocknits/summer-flies-19

I don’t have show notes this week, I was flying by the seat of my pants! Next week is ZK, so I will be making short entries on my trip and posting them when I get back in two weeks. Happy knitting!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes! I had a great day! FO: Lazy-day lace shawl WIP: Getting down and Partying it Up socks, Baby Chalice Blanket, Crochet blanket Campy Loopey - Mt. Loopius team!

Just got back from a trip to see the family for some pre-birthday celebrations. FO: Stripe Study Shawl, Gail (Aka Nightsongs) WIP: Partying it up and Getting Down socks, Game of Thrones MKAL. Thank you’s The Summers at Scaritt-Bennett KAL! See the Desert Vista Dyeworks group for more info!!  purplehayes

The red is from allergies, not drinking, though I definitely think the drinking would be more fun! I am SO unorganized this week, but I have two FO’s and a bittersweet new WIP to show you. I will have better notes, and the cool Ravelry pages in the episode thing, again next time. I am going to discontinue the fitness segment until mid-June. I watched the documentary “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” with Joe Cross at the recommendation of  ploverbird  and I found it incredibly inspiring. However, the whole idea of a 60-day juice fast is also very controversial (I am not doing a 60-day fast, just saying!) so I don’t think that what Joe has to say is for everyone. I am going to be trying some of his ideas and I will be documenting my progress on this journey to share with you all at the end. I just don’t want it to be mixed in with the podcast.

Well, it is time to clear out some major inventory in the GFK Etsy Shop. Check out these amazing deals! Some of the stitch marker sets have been discounted as much as 50%! Or maybe you have been eyeing some the newer ring stitch markers. I have several sets in stock for both large and small needles sizes. My current faves are the ones below, it XL!! Or maybe something more unique is up your alley. How about these adorable little gnomes?!?! I think I might have to keep a set for myself! Hurry, I specially ordered these beads, and so there is a very limited supply! Happy Shopping! Your Knitting (and stitch marker making) Girlfriend

Update on Amy, who had minor surgery this week. FOs: Simple Handspun Shawl, Stripe Study Shawl WIPs: Peacock Nightsongs, Yarn Dog HippiePenguin giveaway winner announced!!

FO: Jen’s Little Woodcutter, vest plus hat WIP: Game of Thrones KAL; Simple Handspun Shawl So you want some Hippie Penguin Yarn? Post in the prize thread for the drawing next week. Fitness: Placed 5th place overall, and second in my division, in the Fun Run at my work conference. YAY!! As a side note, I again apologize for mentioning that amazing food.

No FO’s this week. WIP’s: Stripe Study, Gail aka Nightsong, After Hours Woodcutter. Big thank you for all the support and kindness shown to us after last week’s episode. KAL WINNERS!!! Fitness - focus on nutrition still. “You can’t exercise your way to better nutrition.”

In this episode, Amy is here to help me show off my knitting, and tell you about her rare disease. Her blog is spideryoucantkill.blogspot.com.

I’ve been traveling! Some much-needed rest, but these dark circles under my eyes seem to say I need more rest. What have I been doing? Vacation in the mountains Working on a surprise for the GFK KAL! Uploading new art work/logo WIP:  Fisherman Sweater , Getting down socks, Stripe Study Fitness: French Women Don’t Get Fat Skinny Girl Rules GFK KAL!!! Ends March 31.

No show notes this week. Check out the thread on Ravelry for questions and answers about the show.

Let’s start knitting! GFK KAL begins now! Coupon Code  gfkkal  for $1 off paid for patterns except for Racing Hearts socks. Wisteria Garden socks are FREE through the end of March. FO:  Rocky Coast Cardigan WIP: Blanket for a baby boy out of Bernat in Boo Berries New Podcasts to check out: Sheepish Podcast with  knitgirl Knitiots with  LittleSweetPea  &  ValdrikR SwedutchHandcrafts with  swedutch Geeky Girl Knits with  JavaPurl  and  Damaris-abitweird GFK KAL! Knit any pattern from Girlfriends Knitting Designs before March 31 and enter to win one of three fabulous prizes!! Coupon Code: gfkkal for $1 off paid for patterns. Wisteria Socks are FREE IN MARCH! Fitness: Doing good on WW, bad on moving.

Awesome Valentine’s Day! Thank you to all of the wonderful people who worked on my  Sweet Pink Hearts  blanket. The sneaky Ravelry thread where everyone planned it in Emily’s group is  here . Check out the  lemknitcrochet  group for the Histocytosis fundraiser details. Girlfriends Knitting is donating a set of stitch markers. Fitness: Back to recording my food on WW. You really don’t see how bad you are eating until you are recording everything that goes into your mouth! If you want to friend me on WW online, I am cawshirley there, just like everywhere else. Going to attempt the C25K plan again, with DragonTamerBrat as my “coach”! Getting prepared for the Zombie 5K. Running from zombies, always great motivation. FO: Amy’s  Span the Rainbow . Used some Fibernymph Dyeworks to finish off the top. WIP’s: Baby Boy blanket - using Bernat in the Boo Berries colorway. Fisherman Sweater  for Amy in Fisherman’s wool. This  is the website I used to learn how...

Oxford Fiber Festival: Met up with Gale, Eloise, Laura, Holly, Ginger, and Virge. Fiber and yarn from  Sky Loom Weavers . Alpaca Dryer Balls from  Coldwater Alpaca Ranch . Sweater Class with Shannon Okey. FO:  Backseat Passenger Cowl WIPS:  Rocky Coast Cardigan , DAM Gauntlets COUPON CODE:  13% off at Girlfriends Knitting on Etsy with the code  love13 , good through Valentine’s Day. KAL?? Looking at doing a Girlfriends Knitting Designs KAL, March 1 - April 30. Look for two new patterns this month. Prizes include: Project bag from Ginger,  afreespirit , from her shop,  Absolute Wonder . Berroco Boboli in the Bon-Bon colorway. (2 skeins) Green o-ring stitch markers.

It is my podiversary!! I am excited, but there isn’t big goings on… FO:  For My Own Good WIP’s:  Span the Rainbow , Downton KAL,  candy cane   for Candy , Rocky Coast saw no love again this week. Fitness: Too much eating and no exercise! BOOO!!! Check out  A Down Under Yarn  with  fifikins . Yay! I remembered this week! Thank you  froggymonkey  for the pattern! PODIVERSARY SALE : 25% off in the etsy shop,  girlfriendsknitting.etsy.com , through Sunday 1/27/13, with the code “podiversary”. The “love13” code for 13% off will be good again on Monday through Valentine’s Day.

I had a very positive response from the episode on toes, so this episode I talk about heels! I hope it is not too basic for y’all! WIP: Rocky Coast cardigan, Wingspan, Downton Abbey MKAL (DAM KAL! LOL), Skew Socks for Mom Goals: Knit the four skeins of sock yarn I have in my radar! Run a 5K all the way (better get training.) Knitting class at the college in February - wish me luck! VALENTINE’S DAY SALE!!  New stitch markers will be going in the  Etsy shop  this weekend and I will be offering a coupon code for 13% off (relax, you don’t have to do the math) through Feb. 14 for Valentine’s Day. CODE: love13 Lesson on Heels: Heel with Gussett  by Wendy Johnson Afterthought Heel  by Laura Linneman (Tutorial by Leslie  here .) Short-row  heel (Learned from Pretty,  PKJewelry ) Sweet tomato  heel by Cat Bordhi I mention Carin from  Round the Twist  as well as a reference.

In this episode, I talk about all the Christmas knitting I finished up (huge FO parade, well, not really a parade because I only have pics of most) and that I have been fairly monogamous lately. I blame Megan,  justrunknit . I forgot to mention a wonderful new podcast,  A Down Under Yarn  by one of our very own, Fiona!  fifikins . She is so funny! And already being mentioned on many of the more popular podcasts, you go girl! I am so happy for you! Please forgive me for my forgetfulness. I will try to remember for next week!