This week’s show is better than a poke in the eye with a pointy stick. Tell me a Storynory – Podiobooks – She’s punk. She knits. Get over it. – Storytelling, with bunnies, at Knitwit – Live Long, and Craft – I’m Damned Sick of Knitting the Same Damned Thing Olympic Moment – Plus… all girls! All the time! At Ruby Fruit Radio – Play nice, and don’t make me get out the pins.
KniTunes:
- 4 and 20 Blackbirds – Song of Sixpence
- Robin Stine – Get Over Her
- Natives of the New Dawn – A Good Day
Special thanks to Gemma Morris and Pete Stacey, Of Coleg Sir Gar (Carmarthen College) for Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, the Welsh national anthem.
Fry with the sinners or knit with the saints in Brother Amos' Hellfire Lace Socks. Now available for purchase on 
"Bring the car around, Jeeves." Driving Miss Daisy finglerless glove pattern, in teal, black or white, available exclusively through 
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I save your show and listen to it on Monday mornings on the train as I go to work. It makes the commute so much more pleasant! While I listen to the rest of the knitting podcasts, yours is the one I look forward to each week. I will be so disappointed when you go on hiatus! – but I totally udnerstand the reasons.
I also wanted to tell you that I was thrilled to hear you talking about the Cider House Rules sweater this morning. That sweater, along with a couple of others worn by Charlize Theron and many of the hats and mittens worn by the children, was designed by my closest friend, Linda Daniels, and the owner of Northampton Wools in Northampton, Massachusetts. You should email her to hear the story about the sweaters and about working with the movie company. I am sure she would love to share and it would probably be interesting for your listeners to hear what goes on “behind the scenes”. I’m going to email her right now to make sure she listens to your show!
Keep up the great work! You are the best in the business. Don’t listen to those naysayers!
Cookies and kudos and hugs. Thanks for such a warm and important podcast. I have struggled with my knitting gauge so long. I actually drove 90 minutes to visit my only real knitting friend and her husband. We had a lovely little yarn crawl in Bellingham Washington and then I was moaning about my loose knitting. Frank (who is very frank) said, “You just pull the string. What’s stopping you?” He’s right. Nothing is stopping me from improving or doing it differently. What about the less tangible parts of my life. Thanks for being there with your humor and insight! You are bridging my knitting to the real world.
Brenda!
I have been listening to your podcast since the very beginning and for some strange reason was compelled to finally visit your blog today. You are absolutely fantastic. I look forward to my lazy Saturday mornings as all I do is lounge around in my sweats, knit and listen to your podcast. Your voice is friendly as well as enchanting. You are doing a great job. Keep it up!
Brenda, I’ve just followed the link about Anthropologie and can’t believe the story that was written. How sad that a company whom you love and have promoted on your site has a leader who is so narrow minded and bigoted.
Now you have to post piccies of your sweaters in the header
Great podcast by the way.
GREAT essay this week, made me very misty. I just LOVE your podcast and it really brightens my Monday commute. Try not to let the negative comments get to you, you are great and are building up quite the loyal listener base, we love you and will never unsubscribe!!!
I nearly peed my pants listening to the discription of the fugly yarn. I live in a university residence and people came in to see if I was okay since they could hear me laughing down the hall. I could see all it’s uglyness in my head. I plan to open my own store some day and your discription in the essay is what I want to create. Well the part about of the store at the beginning. Listening to the podcast was very enjoyable. Thank-you.
Geeze, anthropologies…
I find that as I get older my “don’t buy” list keeps getting longer.
Hola Brenda.
I have yet to listen to this weeks episode, I am saving it for tomorrow during my lunch break, but I saw something you had to know about.
Its going to be Wales Wk in NYC. A week long celebration of Wales and Welsh culture in celebration of St. David’s day. The website is http://www.walesinny.com. So are you coming to celebrate with us !!!
Adios,
Maribel from NYC
Brenda,
Thanks for the mention. I have been able to get the rss feed up so people should be able to subscribe with iTune or the aggregator of their choice.
Love the show. Thanks for the time and effort you put into it.
Hugs,
Carry (KnitWit)
P.S.
I will try to find out which plug in does the play on the website and send you a link.
I think I saw your fugly yarn in the clearance bin about a month ago. And yes, it did look awful — one of those “what were the designers thinking?” kinds of yarns. Enjoyed hearing about how you redeemed the stuff!
Brenda, everyone has already said so many great things about your poscast; all I can say is “ditto” and that I’ll be having a cookie in honor of you at lunch today! Keep up the awesome work!!!
You said you wanted fabulous sock yarn – check out Simply Socks Yarn Company. They’re in the US, but they’re having a half-price shipping sale right now – what a great deal. http://www.simplysockyarn.com/
Thank you so much for these great podcasts. You inspired me so much I actually ordered one of the two available oop 1996 Rugby songs cd with Wales Forever. My partner and I really love this. In fact, I spoke to the organist at the synagogue where I work who confirmed how famous and important the hymn it’s based on is.
About the Berko (sp?)– when I was a little girl in Bavaria (3 year stint there as U.S. Army brat) our nanny’s sister boiled all her laundry in a huge contraption that sounds like the Berko gizmo. It was 1954-5 and synthetics hadn’t hit Bavaria. The house was wonderfully steamy we we visited on laundry days.
Mind if I put your podcast on my blog? http://lizasfibers.blogspot.com
I absolutely love your show. I have been listening since the beginning. I am a newbie knitter but each week I listen to today’s sweater and dream of knitting my own sweater someday.
I really enjoyed this week’s essay! You are so imaginative and special, never let anyone tell you different. Listening to your podcast makes me want to run home and knit. Thanks again for all you do!!
Brenda dearest, I love your podcast. But you have to Have To not take the critical comments to heart. You will never Never please everyone. It makes me sad, concerned, sad that the bad reviews actually hurt you. Just remember that when you put yourself out there there will be naysayers. Don’t go there. Hang in there and be who you are. I would never have the nerve to do what you do. You’re the best. AMS
LOVE you podcast, Brenda! I’ve been listening to you since Christmas, and so look forward to your shows. The music selection is an extra treat. And the sweater feature…Well, we devoted fans could gush all day! It’s just so wonderful to hear about your knititng–and in English. I’m an American ex-pat living in the snowy, cold, windy clime of Norway. Not only the home of snow, but knitting too. I’ve only been knitting for two years, and am still working on understanding knitting patterns in Norwegian. So hearing someone else who’s passionate about knitting & speaking English, it’s like going to a knit cafe from the comfort of home! Just wanted to say thank you for your hard work and sharing the knitting joy! So hoping you can continue to send your show. Happy Days!
)
Brenda,
Thank you for another wonderful episode. Your essay is incredibly beautiful and well-written. Perhaps a publication of your essays is in your future? I would love to have that one in a print form.
Whew! I’ve finally caught up – and i LOVE your podcast. If only those people I pass on my way to work who smile conspiratorally at me as I’m chuckling away, probably assuming that I’m listening to Chris Moyles or Terry Wogan knew – I’m listening to a podcast about knitting. Thank you and never go away!
hi brenda
as usual, my comments come your way long after your broadcast, but this one has nothing to do wiht the podcast. it is to thank you for taking the anthropologie sweaters off the website. although i would not have said anything if you kept them (you are entitled to your own instincts!), i am relieved that you are not supporting that company by advertising for them any longer (and for free!). they have plenty of money to do it for themselves.
also, the sweaters are not handknit, so they do not represent your own efforts very well. i would much rather see YOUR sweaters on your header; they sound wonderful when you talk about them.
thanks again for all your terrific work!
anne hanson
knitspot.com
Get a grip woman, don’t take the few negative comments to heart, I’m sure they are far far outweighed by the positive ones. I can’t get enough of the show, usually listen to it twice, you make me laugh, (Clapotis answer phone message was the best), and cry, (snowday) and have got me through nightime baby feeds. The show is so professional, such a soothing voice and a perfect mix of personal stuff, music, technical and whats going on in the knitting world. I’ve given cd’s of the show to all my knit and not knit buddies and now they’re all listening and spreading the word. I knit Mrs Beetons for the Olympics and even got them mentioned on the Daily Source Code – very proud of that achievement. You inspired me to start my own blog – didyoumakeityourself.com – I kept thinking aim, aim, aim. How mad is it that I got excited about your Lakeland parcel! Take a break but come back please. My brothers favourite saying is “non bowlers off the green”, you need to use this on all the miserable gits that don’t appreciate what you are doing.
Thank you so much
Sarah
didyoumakeityourself.com
YOU ROCK!!!
I love to hear about “your part of the world,” I love your honesty, I love how eclectic this pod cast is!!!
Keep up the awesome job you are doing, being real is sooooooooooooooooooo refreshing.
Cheers to you sister knitter/Mom,
Carrie
Mom of 3
New Jersey
USA
I should have sent a cookie long ago, as I’ve never missed a show since the beginning (and some I’ve listened to twice) I like all the fiber-y podcasts, but yours is absolutely my favorite. Your voice, your ideas, your choices in music and, of course, your sweaters, I love it all. Please keep it up. I would really miss the visits from you if they ended. Many thanks.
Nancy in Holland,MI USA
I loved your podcast – it’s the 1st time I’ve listened. I was told once to remember that you cna’t please everyone all the time and only some people some of the time so it was best to do the best you could. Go have your cookie – you deserve it!!
The essay for this podcast was truly awesome. I hope someday I feel like my life is always on gauge. Thanks for the reminder to create in ways other than knitting, too.
Brenda,
Loved this episode, especially the essay. I listened to it while I knit during my lunch hour. Socks just fly by this way. I had a brainstorm about some unmatched socks for my daughter–so you were my muse for my next project. Thank you.
Marlowe
I’m not even done listening to this episode yet…but I gotta say it.
Thank you.
Still catching up. Loved this episode. I don’t know why people feel they need to comment negatively. No one’s forced to be here. If you want to unsubscribe, go away….
I thought your essay “On Gauge” was wonderful. This is who you are. And everything you do and have done is part of you, whether or not anyone else approves.
Looking forward to listening to the next one! Thanks.
Thank you for all that you do to make my day more fun. Today, I listened to your podcast while I knit, while the my sons were with the dentist, and while I drove home from their school. Not only do I thoroughly enjoy your show, but I have loved almost all of your suggestions for other shows.
Cookie for you! I love knitting to your show. This episode’s essay is my favorite. Thank you for sharing with us your talents – in knitting, in writing, and in voicing thoughts and opinions.
Loved the essay you ended the show with! Is it in written form anywhere? It was that good, and I wanna mull it over some, ya know?
I save up your episodes so that I can listen to three or four of ‘em in an afternoon. I’ve done knitting, other crafts, and housework with you plugged into my ears.
Your podcast and Yarn Harlot’s blogs have complemented my crafting like the perfect glass of wine — I jokingly tell folks that if either of you ever stopped, I’d need therapy!
But no pressure.
love & laughter,
Moon Torbett, Knoxville Tennessee
In this episode you mentioned podiobooks and another site you frequent what is it? I’m always on the treadmill when I’m listening to you and I forget it everytime you mention it. Thank you! Martha
just listened to this episode.
LOVE IT.
Love all of them.
I can’t believe that people would criticize a podcast! You are doing this for FREE, for US.
Anyways, there are times that I don’t feel like listenening to the music you play, because I find your voice so soothing–but that’s MY issue, not anything to do with the podcast.
Just wanted to send you some blog love and tell you to keep up the great work!
p.s. I’m also excited as my comment for the ChubCreek Dinks Dolls was read.
Tee hee
Thanks so much, Brenda. I’ve been listening to your podcasts, in order, and it’s all the splendor and delight of discovering a series very far in its progress, the joy of knowing that I could not possibly run out of episodes to listen to at any point soon. You are the best knitting companion I have, outside of actual living folks I know, and this is no small compliment. I love your honesty and look forward to hearing lots more of it in the months to come. Yahoo, you!
Dear Brenda Dayne,
I just listened to your Podcast, “On Gauge,” and have a particular question about same-titled Essay. You mentioned that you choose Orriginality over Orthodoxy. And in today’s life, this is true. But I would like to say that in the 60’s and 70’s, knitting was Orthodoxy. Does this mean that Knitting is Orthodox today? Yes, and No. It is orthodox because it is how people, before our time, centuries and centuries before our age. Knitting, however, is not Orthodox, because there are new ways to knit, such as with circulars instead of dps. Acrylic and mixed fibers have been invented, to both our excitement and dismay. Knitters have created new items to knit, like shrugs and other things. I would also like to point out that Orthodoxy is Orriginality. People orriginally knit with their hands. It was orthodox to make one’s own clothes by knitting or sewing or both. Therefore, it was not made clear if you were talking about knitting in your podcast, or about your life and choices in them. But I assure you, Knitting is both orriginal and Orthodox. Keep podcasting. we love to hear your voice.
Sincerely,
Julia
I LOVE what you do. THANK YOU so much for being brave enough to share yourself with us. If I don’t like what you say/do then I have the choice to leave… but I don’t need to bore you with that. I’m just trying to say that if I didn’t like your show I would just unsubscribe, or not subscribe at all. You are joining our international knitting community together. Good on you.
I love that you talk about your life, your podcast and the trials and tribulations of it, your knitting… I get a special thrill whenever I hear “Pick up your your pointy sticks, it’s time to Cast On” and the neighbor song. What you do inspires me. I listen to you when I am being creative… cooking, creating things (sewing, knitting, hot-glueing, etc). I love that you remind me to put on my sweater.
I started listening on episode 65 and instantly loved your show. I’m starting from the beginning now and slowly catching up. Your CRAFT is beautiful. That gorgeous voice was born to be on radio, a natural host. This is coming from a fellow American who migrated to New Zealand, a crafter, a knitter, a former college radio host and an audio engineer.
Much love to a friend I’ve never met.
-Amy
You are keeping me company as I sort though things to keep, toss, donate … you know the routine. In the quiet w/o a television, your voice is soothing, thus removing the stress of the day and offering insights as a new dawn approaches.
Thank-you
Brenda, I have been listening, in not particular order, to your podcasts and my day is less complete without hearing your views and mishaps and trials and joys and just general humanity. I realize this is an early podcast, and that since this one you have become less attached to comments of those on either end of the judgement continuum – a goal I am still working on achieving. Featherweight or heavyweight, comments are only just that. I listen because I am learning about you and your experiences, and through you I learn and grow myself -yes totally selfish! Thanks for sharing.
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