In which an American Thanksgiving is celebrated in the UK, albeit a day late and a pumpkin pie short.

One of the first pieces of writing I recorded for Cast On in 2005, this has become one of my most popular podcasts. This particular version was rerecorded in 2011 for A Knitter’s Manifesto, and features sound design by artist, Felicity Ford.

It’s autumn. Time for finishing projects, knitting socks and celebrating the impending winter by taking the sweaters out of storage. This one is all knitting, and I make no apologies.

I'm channelling my grief in the time-honoured tradition: by knitting all the things.

I am filling the sock drawer starting with a riff on Winter's Gift, by Amy Snell, using Autumn Leaves and Tarmac colours and a traditional Scandinavian motif. Followed by Follow the Fleet, by Don Yarmon; and Priory Socks, by Louise Tilbrook.

Riff Socks, by Lise Brackbill and Toe-up Socks with Fleegle Heel, by Nitro Knitters, are waiting in the wings. Yes, that's a lot of socks on the go, but they're all necessary.

It's time to add twin stitch and triple stitch to your bag of knitting tricks. (The method is also known as Shadow Wrap Short rows.) Here's how you make twin stitches on the knit side and on the purl side.

There is still time this year to knit your own Clapotis '24 and participate in the massive ClapotisFest Contest (which I somehow forgot to mention while recording). I'm knitting my latest in handspun Shetland yarn made from Fellview Fibres gradient rolags.

My Kiba Waistcoat is on the back burner while I hunt for another skein of the discontinued yarn or choose an alternative in which to work the side panels. Do check out the project gallery. I wasn't kidding when I said this garment looks great on everybody.

Lastly, my new main project is Ghost in the Orchard by Thea Colman. I used Tillybuddy cast on for this one, and I'll have much to say about that in the next podcast. Once it became my main project, I worked this vest to the underarms in about a week. The yarn is Donegal Tweed, which was many other things before it became this vest.

Music in this podcast:

Jim Fidler, Merrigan’s Reel

Layup, Who You Share it With

The Great Airing of the Stash 2023. Hibernating projects emerge, blinking, into the light. The Red Edge gets a new button band and top-down contiguous sleeve cap. Made progress on Against All Odds - closer to done than I remember. Love that. The butterflies from Paint Pan will be knit into stripes using the 24 Days Sock Pattern.

Then, after taking care to continue work on old projects, I went a little nutzy starting new things. Schnenke (really fun knit, clever and interesting shape). Gilet Parodia destined to become my new favourite Grandpa sweater. And my first ever Argyle socks from Anne Berk’s Diamonds Are Forever knit to the length of August Argyles.

The production line. Tiny arms. The trouble with Esther - I’d rather begin the yoke with GRANITE (not “graphite”). Ready to redesign the colorwork on the swatch. The sock makes a brief appearance before returning to time out.

I have not yet performed penance on recent stash acquisition, but I did just think up a great name for this project: The Squeaky Spinach Boreal. It’s perfect, right?

Ready to learn beautiful mending with Visible Creative Mending and micro skeins of joy (twenty pence piece for scale = roughly the size of a US nickel). Fiona’s very sad sleeve and the mend from last year.

Make your own Desert Boots in this online class from the Chicago School of Shoemaking. (Tip o’ the needles to Sarah S.)

Massive thanks to Kim Werker for her time, enthusiasm and inspiration. Kim’s current project with Kate Atherly is Digits & Threads, about Canadian fibre and textile arts. Their first book: Sheep, Shepherd and Land.

Music: Jim Fidler, Merrigan’s Reel; Marie Hinds, Light Up the World

IKvetching is now free to all! Find it on Ravelry or on Jeny Staiman’s Payhip.

The Stitching show was fun, if a bit short on yarn. Next year, Wonderwool. That said, I’m pretty happy with this button. (Left: new button; right: with the incorrect button it replaced.) The button makes the knitwear. I have always said this.

I Can Make Shoes, and so can you. Check them out.

Music: Jim Fidler, Merrigan’s Reel; Marie Hines, It’s Just the Beginning

The level of craft chaos was high this week, but Lilly’s retro-vibe pinnies are finished! Pattern is Bias Trimmed Apron from Little Things to Sew by Oliver & S, in lightweight linen with bias binding in designer fabrics from this UK eBay seller. Several knitsibs want an adult-sized version. Still looking - drop a comment if you know of something similar.

The Sock is not at a very interesting place, but you can see progress. The yarn is Coop Knits, Socks, Yeah! in Labrodorite (reads more dull green than grey). Happy with my decision to drop the reverse stockinette and make the diamond shapes both wider and taller. Progress will be slow.

Yarny goodness: arrival of the darks for my Magic Circles Afghan palette. The interspersed cakes are handspun and/or variegated - might be too dull chromatically speaking. The basket of clear bright colours is calling to me. Yes, 100% wool, blanket designated for HUMANS ONLY. May have to post a sign.

Gene Marshall is a rabbit hole. You’ve been warned.

Music: Jim Fidler, Merrigan’s Reel; Bear Jackson, My Way

This week’s quest: design socks that are plain but not boring to knit. It’s a tall f*****g order.

Thanks to Fetching designer Cheryl Niamath for her playful spirit and gracious acceptance of our mods. Cheryl models the version of Kvetching that Jeny knit for her; two versions of Fetching at different gauges; Jeny’s uses her interlock bind off.

After recording I realized I’d neglected to mention Knucks designer Pamela Grossman, whose beautiful top-down thumb gusset inspired the one Jeny and I used in Kvetching.