Kelley goes over some personal tips for keeping relaxed and avoiding discomfort while knitting up a storm. Regarding a different kind of comfort, Kelley also chats with Knitting Community friends Cheryl, Peggy, and Susan about how online communities have changed their own knitting lives.

Kelley chats with Knit Picks designer Kerin about felting your knits and reviews the book "Shibori Knitted Felt" by Alison Crowther-Smith.

Melissa, Art Director for Knit Picks, interviews designer Mary Scott Huff about her new book, "The New Stranded Colorwork".

Kelley chats with Nina about different types of hats, then Angela interviews new knitter Brett about his adventures in making his own hat.

Kelley chats with Tina and Alison about websites, blogs, and tech gadgets available to knitters.

Kelley chats with Stacey, Angela, and Marci about the delight they find in knitting impractical, whimsical projects.

Kelley and Kate discuss the double knitting technique, which creates a thick, reversible fabric that's great for a number of different projects.

Ready to start a new fall sweater?  Kelley chats with Nina about different hems that you can use.

Tina and Kerin talk about how to line your finished knitted bag to make it durable and shapely.

Kelley chats with Tina and Alison about gift knitting - who to knit for, how to plan out your knitted gifts, and other tips to keep your gift knitting on track.

Kelley talks about her experiences with the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure, shares a new free pattern she designed, and chats with Tina about Frankie Brown's fantastic knitting patterns that put a new spin on charity knitting.

Kelley talks with Knit Picks designer Kerin about tricks and techniques for knitting toys, then brings in Judy from Connecting Threads for tips on stuffing.

Kate talks with her friend Kristi Porter, author of "Knitting in the Sun," about knitting for warmer climates.

Kelley gives new knitters tips for choosing (and using) patterns, then chats with Nina about the new Learn to Knit kits.

Kelley talks with Stacey and Kate about the adventures they had at Sock Summit 2009 in Portland, Oregon.

Kelley gives tips on working with multicolor yarn and talks with KP employees about the phenomenon known as "pooling."

All skill levels welcome!  Kelley talks through lace basics, reviews a delicious new lace book, and chats with Nina about designing lace shawls.

Kelley and Tina chat about the new Zephyr interchangeable needles coming out in August 2009.  Also, Kelley talks with Jen Wheeler about her "Cry on Kelley's Shoulder" knitting problem.

Kelley chats with designer Lorna Miser about her new book, "Faith, Hope, Love, Knitting."

Kelley talks with Tina about the new yarn lines coming in Fall 2009.  She also interviews Melissa about the process of designing hand painted yarns, talks with Nina about her Mr. Foster pattern modifications, and discussions the development of the Palette yarn colors with Kerin.

Kelley gives tips and tricks for taking your knitting with you to summertime events, then talks with Star Athena about the Tour de Fleece spinning event that runs during the month of July.

To enter this week's Knit Picks Podcast Contest, submit your answer by email to podcast@knitpicks.com.

Take a deep breath and gather your courage!  Kelley talks you through fixing mistakes and missteps in your knitting.  You can do it!

Kelley chats with Alison about favorite podcast episodes, tried-and-true favorite books, and upcoming surprises for the podcast.  To enter the 100th Podcast Contest for a chance to win a set of interchangeable needles, go to http://community.knitpicks.com/profile/KnitPicksPodcast and leave a comment in the show notes for Episode 100. 

Don't want stretch?  Need drape?  Thinking of substituting wool for cotton, or alpaca for linen?  Kelley gives advice on how to match fiber type to project.

Kelley chats with designer Sally Melville, author of "The Knitting Experience Book 1: The Knit Stitch," "The Knitting Experience Book 2: The Purl Stitch," and "Mother-Daughter Knits."

Kelley gives tips on the how & when of converting a pattern that has pieces knitted flat and seamed to a seamless, circular work of art.

Kelley chats with three new moms who work at Knit Picks - Christy, Katie, and Melissa - about knitting for babies and small children.

Kelley helps demystify steeking and talks through how to apply the technique to V-neck and scoop neck openings on sweaters.

Kelley chats with sock designer Cookie A about her new book "Sock Innovation."

Kelley chats with Kerin, a designer for Knit Picks, about intarsia and the new Nona's Garden Shawl kit in City Tweed.

Every knitter has a different trick for weaving in their ends, so Kelley talks with Tina, Nina, and Kerin about their personal techniques and tricks for beautifully finished garments.

Built-in and applied I-cord are great techniques for giving a polished look to your projects. Kelley gives tips on making it perfect — don’t be intimated!

Kelley doesn't leave you stranded, giving you notes on how to double- and triple-strand yarn for a project.  Also, Kelley has just launched her Classic Lines Cardigan KAL - anyone can join!

Kelley talks about moving into different kinds of mittens and gloves and adds yet another project to the infamous Excel spreadsheet.

Kelley talks about the Magic Loop technique and the ways that it simplifies knitting socks and other projects.

Kelley chats with designer Wendy Bernard about her book "Custom Knits."

Kelley chats with Tina, VP of Knit Picks, about her UFO knitalong and the new tools that Knit Picks has just added to their online catalog.

Kelley talks about the different ways to slip stitches in your knitting, then discusses techniques that use picked up stitches for various effects.

Kelley interviews designer Hannah Fettig, author of "Closely Knit."

Kelley goes over common cast on techniques and describes the best uses for each.

Kelley chats with Melissa, the Art Director for Knit Picks, about choosing colors for Fair Isle knitting and other multi-colored projects.

Learn technique tips for entrelac.  Kelley and guest entrelac-er Karen talk though the best yarn and projects for experimenting with entrelac.

No more ill-fitting garments!  The correct mix of positive and negative ease is the key to getting sweaters to fit.  Kelley and Kerin unwrap the mystery of creating, determining, and working with ease.

Kelley shares some of her 2009 knitting resolutions and talks about her favorite organizational books and techniques.

Kelley chats with designer and author Cheryl Oberle.  Cheryl is the author of "Folk Shawls," "Folk Vests," and "Knitted Jackets: 20 Designs from Classic to Contemporary."

Kelley talks with knitter extraordinaire Lucy Neatby.  Along with designing patterns and operating Tradewind Knitwear Designs, Lucy has a series of highly instructional knitting DVDs.

Kelley discusses her favorite knitterly books and reads a few knitting poems.  Her recommendations are perfect as last-minute gift ideas for knitters.

Kelley chats with acclaimed author and designer Nancy Bush.  Nancy is the author of classic knitting books like "Knitting on the Road," "Folk Socks," and the new "Knitted Lace of Estonia."

Kelley chats with knitter & author Kay Meadors.  Kay is the author of "I Can't Believe I'm Lace Knitting" and many, many more knitting and crochet books.

Kelley talks about ways to plan and organize big, challenging projects, which are perfect for the post-holiday slump.

Kelley talks with Leigh Radford, author of "AlterKnits," "One Skein," and "AlterKnits Felt."

Kelley chats with Franklin Habit, author of the popular "The Panopticon" blog and author of "It Itches," a compilation of knitting cartoons and essays.

Kelley talks with the talented knitwear designer & blogger Stefanie Japel about her books "Fitted Knits" and the brand new "Glam Knits."

Kelley and Tina talk about their favorite knitting tools and offer extra tips and tricks for using them.

Kelley chats with designer Donna Druchunas about her books "Ethnic Knitting Discovery" and "Ethnic Knitting Exploration."

Kelley and our in-house designer Kerin Dimeler talk about ethnic colorwork and knitting styles, from Fair Isle to Lithuania.

Kelley discusses winter wardrobe staples - hats and scarves - which are also terrific stash busters.

Kelley chats with Cheryl Brunette, author of "Sweater 101," about how to make sweaters that fit well and look good.

Kelley talks with the Mason Dixon knitters, Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne, about their new book "Mason Dixon: Knitting Outside the Lines."

Kelley demystifies common knitting questions, such as the difference between k2tog and ssk.

Kelley talks with Miriam about being in the Guiness Book of World Records as the World's Fastest Knitter.

Kelley, armed with questions that knitters posted to her blog, chats with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.

Kelley and Tina talk about the new fall yarn lines, detailing the color selection process and discussing different commercial dyeing techniques.

Kelley talks with Gale Zucker, photographer for "Shear Spirit."

Summer provides lots of opportunities for knitting in public. If you have hesitated before, take my word for it, now is the time to give it a try.

Kelley chats with Margaret, author of "Knits for Men," about her adventures in designing patterns and writing books.

The jury is in on this one.  Blocking is a necessity for any knitting project.  Kelley explains why, and gives you tips.

We love our sock blanks!!  And, after several months of secretive planning and knitting, Tina and I are thrilled to be able to share a few of our experiences as we worked out the details and then enjoyed our own dyeing and knitting pleasures.

While Bob in I were visiting his mother in Philadelphia, my sister-in-laws and I explored Muriel’s recipe cards that she inherited from her mother. It got me thinking about handing down my favorite knitting patterns to future knitters in our family. I’m sure there will be knitters in the family. Otherwise I will come back and haunt everyone until someone gives in and takes up needles and yarn.

Kathleen is an avid knitter whose day job is a director/script supervisor for Recorded Books Productions. I couldn’t resist asking her to join me on this podcast so I could indulge my curiosity regarding the making of audio books.

Mittens are perfect projects for summer or travel knitting. Just as easy to knit as socks, mittens offer many opportunities for creative expression and historic study. Just like there are several different ways to handle the heels of socks, there are different ways to accommodate your thumb.

Joan combines her extensive training as a designer and her love of vintage garments into a delightful collection of projects based on “nethergarments�.

Golf has begun and my mind is filled with projects I want to knit to make me more comfortable while I’m out playing golf with Bob.  

Charts vs. written instructions – relax, one is not better than the other. The key is to understand the pros and cons of each method and then adapt instructions to your personal preference.

Interview with Jillian Moreno, author of "Big Girl Knits" and "More Big Girl Knits."

Chat with Kathleen Taylor. Author of Yarns to Dye For, Knit One, Felt Too, and I Heart Felt.

Yippee! What could be better than being able to talk with the lady who inspired my cable selections that I’m using on my Aran cardigan?

Lace shawls come in several shapes. These shapes aren’t just a question of fashion. Some are easier to knit while traveling and some are easier to knit because they are long strips of repeated lace patterns. Before you choose your lace project be sure to think about your knitting surroundings (traveling or staying home) and how you would like to use your finished shawl.    

Charlene Schurch is the author of Sensational Knitted Socks and More Sensational Knitted Socks. Two of my favorite sock knitting books! What a treat to be able to talk with her about our shared love for sock knitting.

Note: This interview was recorded over the phone, so it was hard to control the audio quality for this week's podcast.

Kelley talks with Melissa, our Art  Director, about her talent for dyeing yarn.

What is the deal with needle sizing?  Depending on where you live, there will be a particular way that the sizes of knitting needles are categorized. It all seems a bit confusing, but it is actually quite simple.

Our new warm weather yarns will be arriving in just a couple of weeks! Tina and I couldn’t wait any longer to give you a bit of a preview.

Casting on is the beginning of every knitting adventure. But, just like a travel adventure, how you get started depends on where you are going. Plane, train or automobile? Cabled, long tail or invisible cast on?

In cold weather, I’m quite comfortable knitting warm garments. But, before I know it, spring arrives and I have absolutely nothing hand knit to wear in the warm weather. What a disappointment! There are many reasons to knit summer tops and sweaters but you need to get started during the dreary days of winter. To help you make your yarn decisions, I thought it would be a good idea to review the qualities of summer fibers like cotton and linen.

Every artist has a set of favorite tools that are a magical blend of usefulness and empowerment. As long as you have your bag with you, you can fix any knitting problem. Over the years I have defined my own collection of tools that I consider to be absolutely essential. I always keep them within reach when I am knitting. Since every knitter has their own style, her own requirements will be little different from mine. But, I will share my must-have list with you in case my collection inspires you to add a few things to your own tool kit.

Knitting socks for Jonathon has reminded me of all the opportunities knitters have to knit for others. Why not extend the spirit of giving beyond the holidays? Find a cause that tugs at your heart and get knitting!

You know that I absolutely love to teach people how to knit. I put in my order for my vacation knitting supplies which included 2 balls of Wool of the Andes and 2 pair of #7, 24� circular needles. This is my usual routine before I leave on an extended trip because it seems I always run into at least one person who tells me they would love to learn to knit. Voila! I have the yarn and needles ready for a spontaneous lesson. I’ve gotten people started by swimming pools, in ski lodges and even during long airplane flights.

 

The holidays provide two excellent opportunities for sharing the joys of knitting. If you happen to joining in family celebrations, you can teach a new knitter in person. The second option is to put together a nice “learn to knit� package that will be nearly as good as having a teacher right at hand.

The funny thing about knitting is how little things can make a huge difference in the ease of knitting and in the look of a finished project. One of the most under-utilized and misunderstood techniques is the simple i-cord, or idiot cord - a tube of 3 stitches that can be used on its own or applied to a garment in a variety of ways. I’ve given you a couple of examples, but if you would like to see i-cord used to its full potential you can refer to some of the projects in Elizabeth Zimmermann’s book Knitting Around. Better yet, watch the Knitting Glossary DVD where she gives no less than 15 useful ways to use this magical tube of knitting.

Double-pointed needles, two-circular needles or one long circular needle? In the old days, you didn’t have the luxury of matching a knitting style to your project or your individual idiosyncracies. Now you can choose classic DPN instructions from books like Sensational Knitted Socks. Try using two circular needles using Cat Bordhi’s Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles or even just one long circular, or Magic Loop, with the help of Bev Galeskas.

What are the pros and cons of each method? How do they each work? Is one method really that much easier than any other? When does your project dictate which method you should use? Hopefully, I will shed some light on the questions raised by being lucky enough to have so many options.

How do we develop a yarn line? Well, if you asked Bob, it would involve a large dartboard and about 200 darts. The truth is that I’ve never been very good at playing darts. The reality is a fine balance of economics and knitting enthusiasm. Much like what every knitter faces every time they choose yarn for a new project.

How do we develop a yarn line? Well, if you asked Bob, it would involve a large dartboard and about 200 darts. The truth is that I’ve never been very good at playing darts. The reality is a fine balance of economics and knitting enthusiasm. Much like what every knitter faces every time they choose yarn for a new project.

Vicki Square

is quite a world traveler when it comes to appreciating our knitting heritage. Two of her books, Folk Bags and Folk Hats, make up an armchair tour of countries that many of us only dream of visiting. In her most recent book, Knit Kimono, Vicki shares her discovery of how beautifully the shape of kimonos provides a blank canvas for the talents of every knitter from rank beginner to long-time fiber addict.   

Dropped stitches cause much more anxiety than they deserve. First, they are actually very easy to fix. Second, they can help you fix other mistakes that have absolutely nothing to do with dropped stitches in their “errorâ€? persona.   

Short rows add extra rows of knitting to help you shape your garment just the way you want.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get started knitting. And, if you are on a tight budget, there are several ways you can continue knitting a variety of projects.

The more people we teach to knit, the more friends we have and the better the world will be for everyone! I have my own little tricks for gathering new knitters around me and teaching them the joys of making one stitch after another.

What is the deal with skeins, hanks and balls of yarn? Believe it or not, there is logic behind each of these different types of “put ups� as they are called by the spinning mills.

This week we will have our second installment of author interviews. With us for Episode 16 is the delightful Ann Budd. A master knitter, author of numerous books and former editor of Interweave Knits... Ann has done it all! Ann's latest book is a comprehensive look at sock construction, gauge, design and execution.

Several of my friends were freeing themselves of neglected and guilt-inspiring projects this week. It got me thinking about how to handle those knit garments we enthusiastically cast on and then lose interest in for some reason. So often we keep them around with the vain hope that we will fall in love with them again. But, I don’t think that ever really happens. Rather than let your energy be drained by these dead-end projects, get rid of them!! It is so liberating and then you can go on to knit something you truly love.

I use several tricks to make my knitting projects as simple as possible. The key is to break down the stitch count into small manageable pieces so that I can spot a mistake quickly. And, it makes it much easier to carry even complicated knitting along with me without worrying about losing my place in the pattern.

Now that I’ve gotten comfortable with podcasting, I want to jazz up the format a bit by occasionally featuring interviews with fellow fiber enthusiasts. To get us started, Shannon Okey agreed to be my very first guest. Shannon has an inventive and confident attitude towards all things fiber. Her articles at Knitty.com on hand spinning, dyeing fibers in your dishwasher, and fiber festivals are entertaining and stimulating. 

This week I would like to introduce you to Carissa Barrett, our Educational Content Developer. I like to think of her as our In-House Reference Librarian. Not a far leap for Carissa because she has a degree in library science. She is responsible for all of the informational material you find in The Knitting Room and in our catalogs.

There are so many things happening in my knitting world. I have a plan to kickstart my dyeing agenda. It sure helps to break things down into small pieces and try something completely unique. Unexpected lessons I learned at the Black Sheep Gathering help me choose gift projects with a good chance of turning into something that will truly be appreciated. The Knitterâ??s Almanac Knit-A-Long has gotten off to an energetic start. I am so pleased with my renewed enthusiasm for knitting!

What to do when you are in a knitting slump? After blaming my attitude on a messy house and disorganized yarn stash, I finally came up with an idea that will keep me focused, challenged and knitting for the next year. I will be working through the projects in Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac beginning with the month of July. If you'd like to knit along with me or just observe, please join the Yahoo group that I created here: Elizabeth's_Year

Let's get out and share the joy of knitting by taking every opportunity to Knit In Public! Every time you pull out your needles you invite people to ask questions and maybe be inspired to give knitting a try themselves. And, you're bound to finish more projects by taking advantage of all that extra time!

This week I would like you to meet Kim Cameron. She is our Inventory Manager who focuses on books and DVDs. Kim loves all sorts of crafts and has been looking forward to sharing a few of her adventures with you. After that, I'll be catching you up on my knitting progress and chat a bit about ribbing.

This week I would like you to meet Diedre Hess. She is our Inventory Manager. Diedre’s love of fiber began on her family’s farm right here in the Pacific Northwest. Her interest in sheep husbandry eventually led her to knitting. We are lucky to have such a well-trained person helping to design yarns and keep track of their travels as they come to us from far away vendors.

Have you ever had the experience of another knitter telling you that you were knitting "wrong"? Well, a listener asked me to talk about the differences between English vs. Continental knitting and it brought back memories of my own encounters with dogmatic knitters. I decided to use the comparison of knitting styles as a way to highlight knitters' individuality and encourage you to embrace whatever method works for you.

First, I need to give you an apology for the brevity of this podcast. This week was filled with activities that kept me away from my taping equipment and computer. Lots of out-of-town visitors, a quick two-day get away with Bob and golf. You will hear all about it in the podcast.

My mind has been focused on wool all week. It must be because I have been thinking about buying a new spinning wheel. That led to the podcast topic - the structure of wool fibers, how that changes depending on the breed of sheep and what it means in terms of the finished yarn. Armed with a bit of knowledge, I hope you can feel much more confident choosing wool yarns for particular projects you have in mind. 

All the time away from the office gave me plenty of time to knit. And, to reflect on how nicely knitting fits into whatever chaos happens. I was lucky to have a couple of easy projects at hand to accommodate my needs.

In this podcast I introduce you to Tina Birch, our vice-president. Over the next few months, I'm looking forward to your meeting all of the Knit Picks staff. Each one has their own history regarding how they got started knitting and what keeps them knitting. As much as I enjoy hearing different accounts of challenges met, I'm sure you will appreciate Tina's story as well.

After that, I'll review a new book that has got me thinking about summer knitting as a way to prepare for next winter. And, there is a surprising twist to What's On My Needles this week.

Reflecting on the idea of being stranded on a deserted island is an interesting exercise in focusing your knitting requirements.  It turns out that my care package would be filled to the brim with sock knitting supplies.  The easy way they fit into my “normalâ€? life has several positive applications for a “strandedâ€? lifestyle.  If you’ve been thinking of learning to knit socks, I hope to inspire you and give you confidence to try it.  If you are already a sock knitter, I think you’ll completely understand the logic behind my deserted island choices.

To begin, I will give you a quick background on how I got started knitting. Then, a review of my book suggestions for beginning knitters. Finally, a review of What's On My Needles this week.