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episode 77 – Heart

Welcome in for another episode of the podcast. Today’s episode features a lot of projects and people with real heart.

↓Listen to the podcast

You can also listen on iTunes, the podcast app, or search your favourite podcatcher, if you prefer!

| Sponsor

751479f4-0161-4446-9805-115f49505a2b

Edinburgh Yarn Festival is the UK’s premier urban knitting event and is running from 9-12th March.

With workshops from world class tutors such as Bristol Ivy, Nancy Marchant, Woolly Wormhead and Felix Ford; with a yarn-packed market place full of hand-picked vendors ; with meet ups, demos and the Blacker Yarns Podcast Lounge – the Edinburgh Yarn Festival is a truly a haven and an important date on every yarn-lovers calendar.

Click to visit their website.

|  Show Notes

| Thanks and Woolly Muckers

My heart is pretty full this week. I did not start the last episode lightly with my statements about embracing positivity (and neither do i care how many folk went bye-byes after it) but thank you so very much to everyone who got in touch to go “YAY! POSITIVITY!” and were so supportive. Thank you.

AND! The Woolly Muckers sponsorship spots sold in a minute flat! THANK YOU! I very much appreciate that and I am bowled over. I am really looking forward to introducing you to Mazzy, Alison, Maylin, Susan, Sue, Lesley, Anthea, Emma, Barb and Christine to you, on the podcast over the next year. Read More

episode 76 – all views expressed are my own

Welcome in to another episode, it’s lovely to have you here

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You can also listen on iTunes, the podcast app, or search your favourite podcatcher, if you prefer!

Shownotes

I start this podcast with an important message and a bit of a raised voice. If you are the kind of person who likes free speech, standing up for your rights and the rights of your fellow human you can pretty much skip the the first 5 mins. Here…look at some of the positive images that I am clinging to (As Beyonce sings, Who Run The World?!),  whilst I talk to the one or two listeners who have told me this week that they aren’t interested in standing up for equality  et al.

For anyone who who misconstrues my words in the podcast, let me put it clearly here also…

This is primarily a podcast about wool and knitting and the powerful force that knitting can be in our lives. When I record this podcast I don’t put listeners into neat boxes or consider what your politics may be – because I consider us all to be unique.  I don’t talk about politics in any great deal (again, mainly all about the wool) but I definitely get to have an opinion and all views expressed in this podcast are my own. If you don’t like it, just don’t listen. Don’t put words in my mouth and read between my lines. Tune out and take your scorn elsewhere. If you want to come back and play nice, you’ll be welcomed. I’ll be here trying to cling to the positive and my knitting life (c)raft as usual.

Now, let’s get on with some wool shiz…yeah?! Cool. Read More

KnitBritish Woolly Muckers: Listener Sponsors

I am pleased to announce that I will be launching the KnitBritish Woolly Muckers on Friday. If you have no idea what the KnitBritish Woolly Muckers are, read this post first. This is an opportunity for you to sponsor an episode of KnitBritish in 2017.

I am opening the Woolly Mucker sales on Friday. 3rd February at 11am (UK time). There will also be a podcast out that day too. There are ten (10) spots only. I do not expect them to all disappear at once, but when they are gone, they are gone, so this post is your klaxon, of sorts.

This is the link you need for the shop.
http://knitbritish.bigcartel.com
(It will be added to the menu above soon too)

You’ve been asking me for ways to support KnitBritish, but we’re doing it my way, so you want to help KnitBritish then I want to give you things! Essentially, what you are doing is buying a bundle of goodies and the terms of the sale mean that you are also going to sponsor an episode of the show in 2017.

For your £35 (plus additional postage) this is what you get.

  • TWO 100g skeins of limited edition Cornish Tin II DK, in Levant Grey – courtesy of the very lovely, kind and generous Blacker Yarns . (Worth over £30.00)
  • A handmade, screenprinted project bag from The Knitting Goddess, printed in colours to represent my love of natural sheepy shades on heavyweight fairtrade organic cotton. (34cm tall x 28 cm wide) (RRP £25.00)
  • A KnitBritish dotted notebook and badge! (You are meant to be as impressed with this as you would a Blankety Blank Chequebook and pen!)
  • You will be a featured sponsor of an episode of the show in 2017.

Click on an image to open a larger slide show

Your episode (on a date tbc between us) will bear the message “KnitBritish is proud to be sponsored by “Insert your name here” (or words to that effect).  If you are game, I’d also like to include you in the episode a bit more, but I know that some people are a bit shy.

I can’t think of another way to sufficiently thank you for your support unless I make you part of the show in some small way.

The shop accepts PayPal only and the Woolly Muckers bundles will be posted out once per week. I will post to UK, Europe (select “France” for European destinations), USA, Canada, Australia and NZ. Postage applies for each country. Postage is untracked and will be second class UK and standard International.

Woolly Muckers Listener Sponsors are only open to individuals, not businesses. Please do not purchase this if you have a wool business interest that you are looking to promote via the show. If you are a business and interested in sponsoring the podcast you can visit the sponsor menu option above, but please be aware there are very few spaces left for 2017.

There will be tote bags coming soon, but to save my own confusion they will go on sale later in the month.

I must apologise for the length of time its taken since I first announced it, one or two things behind the scenes transpired all at once, and well, tbh, I’ve been struggling a bit recently – like we all have. However, we need to be positive about the things we can be positive about and shine a little light where we can.

This is a new kind of thing for KB and something we haven’t done before. I don’t predict too many foibles, but do email me louise (at) knitbritish (dot) net, if you have any questions.

Until Friday!

episode 75 – The Indiestry

Today I’m really delighted to be able to bring you two interviews from some incredible people who are working to their own vision for creating unique British wool that speaks of where it has come from and the special relationships with farmer and mill to create those yarns.

↓Listen to the podcast

You can also listen on iTunes, the podcast app, or search your favourite podcatcher, if you prefer!

| Sponsor

751479f4-0161-4446-9805-115f49505a2b

Edinburgh Yarn Festival is the UK’s premier urban knitting event and is running from 9-12th March.

With workshops from world class tutors such as Bristol Ivy, Nancy Marchant, Woolly Wormhead and Felix Ford; with a yarn-packed market place full of hand-picked vendors ; with meet ups, demos and the Blacker Yarns Podcast Lounge – the Edinburgh Yarn Festival is a truly a haven and an important date on every yarn-lovers calendar.

Click to visit their website.

| Show Notes

Pussy Power and other news

(photo credit: https://twitter.com/brianmka)

The power and value of knitting is never lost here at KnitBritish. How glorious is the sea of pink hats at the Women’s Marches and how glorious that knitting plays its part in asserting our rights. Crafting as a political act is not a new concept but I feel that the pussyhat is going to be an incredibly strong icon for generations to come. More power to our needles and all the positive changes it can bring.

| Wool Tribe

The new issue of Wool Tribe is out now! Read More

Let’s make a podcast: Connections in craft

(Image: Me interviewing Karie Westermann, in the Podcast Lounge, 2015)

As you may know there is a wee theme going on in the Blacker Yarns Podcast Lounge, at Edinburgh Yarn Festival this year. Let’s Make a Podcast has been inspired by those of you at previous Podcast Lounge events who’ve been full of questions about getting started. Also, there could be no better time to bring the theme around to podcasts. It is the Podcast Lounge, after all, and full of podcasters (in fact, more this year than in previous years). With more and more vlogs and podcasts starting up EYF is a prime and very unique chance to chat with other podcasters about making show. There just isn’t the opportunity on a scale like this at other events.

Last year I wrote a very short piece about knitting podcasts for Wool Tribe.  But the word count was just not enough to really get my feelings  about podcast making and the podcast community into words. So I hope that you will indulge me here.

Reasons for starting a craft podcast are varied. Some people decide to take laid back approach and focus on their own crafting journey through showing off their stash acquisitions and talking about their WIPS and craft plans. I think of these as almost personal crafting journals, shared with a wider audience. Other podcast makers create a structured approach, which can focus on a combination of personal craft stories and segments with a wider appeal – these can be trips to yarn events, interviews or yarn reviews. Shows like this can also take a focus on the knitting industry – design or business, perhaps. Read More

episode 74 – Let’s Make a Podcast!

Happy New Year podcast lovers! Settle in for lots of

↓Listen to the podcast

You can also listen on iTunes, the podcast app, or search your favourite podcatcher, if you prefer!

| Show notes

n.b If you are listening with kids there is one F&&K and a few Sh!ts in this episode from 2 mins 29! (but I think that’s them all! You’ll tell me if not!)

| Blacker Yarns Podcast Lounge News

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The chatter for the #BlackerPodKAL is well and truly underway (click the logo or visit the Blacker rav group). We cast on on Thursday and the thread and the enthusiasm from the participants is a joy! Whether you can come to Edinburgh Yarn Festival or not, you are very welcome to join in the fun with this KAL. Read More

#BlackerPodKAL – Westcountry Tweed

After having a little look at my PodKAL plans for Tamar last week, is your appetite whetted for another of my favourites?

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Westcountry Tweed was released way back in September 2014 and was initially a limited edition yarn, which I am glad to say is now a main stay of Blacker Yarns awesome ranges. It is a blend of Teeswater, Romney/Shetland cross and Black Welsh breeds and it is a really woolly delight.

I reviewed the yarn on the blog and the podcast back then and have scooped a bit of that review out for you below. (it is hilarious listening back to myself! Hello me from 2014! ) Please be aware that the yarn recipe is slightly different now to how i described, and there are different shades now available,  but the resulting yarn still has the properties I discuss. Read More

#BlackerPodKAL is coming! What will you make?

Happy New Year, KnitBritishers! I hope your 2017 is off to a cracking start. Mine has involved getting down to the blocking mats and dressing some of the FOs I managed to crack out before the end of the year.

I’ve been trying to clear the decks WIP-wise because the Blacker Yarns Pod KAL* is kicking off soon. I talked about this on episode 72 and since then myself and Sonja have had such great feedback from you guys, all excited about joining in.

If you didn’t already know about the C/KAL, we are casting on for this KAL to celebrate the Blacker Yarns Podcast Lounge at Edinburgh Yarn Festival (10-11 March). A KAL is such a great way to ramp up the excitement and make something with your fellow festival goers, but don’t worry if you can’t go! Even if you have the EYF FOMO we still want you to cast on and feel part of the festival. Here are the KAL details. Read More