A New Beginning or "It Just exploded!"

Welcome to the show notes for the first episode of AJ Knits!


 Production Scheduling : "The Intro"

I got the nick name AJ from a salesman at work.  I'm sure you know the type.  Way to amped  up on his own sales pitch, kinda obnoxious, with a penchant for writing checks his rear end can't cash...  In real life my husband Joe and I have been married for 6 years with two kids and live in Kent, OH.  I have been Knitting for over 10 yrs and crocheting for almost as long. Hand made items were something I grew up with.  My Grandmother was a knitter and made all of us hats, mittens, and sweaters.  My Mom and Grandma both sew as well so there were always hand sewn dresses as well.

I picked up the needles to make a baby gift for a dear friend of mine.  That blanket was a long and arduous process taking way too long and looking back now not my best work.  After that initial blanket I spend a long time process knitting and not really finishing anything,  My UFO pile is huge and I have no hope of finding the patterns again.  Which is why I started this podcast.  I need to expand my horizons and find a more fiber friendly community.  Believe it or not with all of the farms around here the LYS' are not that friendly and I could only find one Knitting Group!

So what to expect from AJ Knits?  We'll go though what's on my needles (which is always a lot...  cast-onitis anyone?), my opinions on patterns and trends, my journey as a beginner spinner, perhaps some diet and exercise updates (I need someone to keep me honest!), and my home life as a mommy.  There will be no yarn snobbery.  I do think acrylic has it's place.  I'm also pretty frugal at times so there won't be too much mindless stash expansion. (Though I may have to eat these words later!).

In Production:

Melissa's Socks
Juno Regina by Miriam Felton
Pedestrian Crossing Cowl by Melissa Tuttle Sibley
The Baby Swirl Hat
The Calculate Your Own Raglan
The February Lady's Sweater

Next to cast on:  The Daybreak Shawl by Stephen West.

QC Inspection:

The Spiral Luscious by Ann Hanson

This project has gone "ALL BAD" several times.  It's been frogged at least 3 times and has actually exploded once. All this grief has inspired me to rename it the "Spiral Vicious". Of course all difficulties with this lovely pattern are all me and have nothing to do with Ann Hanson.

Materials Sourcing

I have recently bought a Babe's Fiber Garden Productions wheel.  (No Snickering!)  It's a lovely wheel and does what I need it to do.  In the tradition of "Every good wheel needs a name." I have named it Babe.  No, it;s not because I'm dreadful at naming things (Which I am.) It's because Babe's Fiber Garden wheels aren't the prettiest things.  So, she's my singing pig.  Then of course there is the dirty dancing reference "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!"  and that's pretty much where my wheel lives.  Too many puns to resist! Babe and I are getting along well.  I'm having all standard problems singles are thick and thin, treadling too fast and occasionally too slow, though I'm not getting too much breakage now and joins are getting easier.  I've spun though the initial ball of roving sent with the wheel and have broken into my 8 oz of Corriedale I bought for my drop spindle.  I have one completely full bobbin and a second that's very close to full.  I can't wait to get doen with this white corriedale and move on to the fun colored roving.  I've been spinning through the white to get my bearings so I hopefully don't butcher the pretty stuff.  I have a full 16oz of Paradise Fibers pot luck roving in the Party colorway calling my name!

Shipping

There's no finished objects since I've been a slacker on Melissa's Socks.  Next week I promise!

After 5

The Easter round up in which I show love to the Knitmore Girls podcast and Gooey Butter cake (Say it with me mmmmmm  Gooey....  Buuuuttttteeerrr...  Caaaaaaake!), this weeks mommy story, and a very long and confusing sign off in hich I ask you to tell your friends about me twice! (ooops)

Until next week...  May your stitch markers be handy and your swatches never ever lie!

Hyper Smash