Links - Podcast Mania!

I have been so busy lately trying to get ready for Fibrations, and part of that preparation is getting as much handspun ready as possible. I'm also trying to get at least one more pattern published before then. Add to that the usual website maintenance and blogging, and as you can imagine I spend a lot of time parked on my backside, generally in front of the computer. I've started listening to loads of knitting podcasts to keep the whole experience less ...well... boring.

I haven't listed any Wednesday links for a while (I was hoping you wouldn't notice) so I thought it would be good to share my favourite knitting podcasts today.

The Knitgirllls is a great videocast and is very popular. It's like chatting with friends at knit night. I think this 'cast is set apart by how much fun Laura and Lesley seem to be having, and by its quality. They also have a big community on Ravelry.

Never Not Knitting is designer Alana Dakos' thoroughly enjoyable audiocast. I love that she interviews other designers. It's a very knitting and design focused show, with fun additions like 'knitting stories' from guests.

Just One More Row is another great audiocast. Dana and Brittany seem like really nice people, and they are very engaging. They talk about knitting and spinning, and their frank reviews are great. They talk about a lot of different patterns and yarns which is awesome when you are looking for a little inspiration.

Complex Texture is a weekly videocast, which happens to be by one of my favourite professors from university, Dennine. The real treasure in her 'cast is the 'footnotes' section, in which she looks at the textile arts from a more scholarly angle.

The Pagan Knitter is a new audiocast by Ursa, the mastermind behind Gaia's Colours, an indie yarn company that she has since closed down. Her recordings and editing are of wonderfully high quality. She talks about all sorts of fibre arts related fun, but also does a section on Pagan topics. She is very informative and well spoken. Both Ursa and Dennine of Complex Texture are local to me, which is fun (for me, and for you if you are too!).


Brass Needles is my new favourite audiocast. Miss Kalendar combines knitting with in-depth conversation about science fiction, steampunk, and general geekery.

What podcasts, knitting related or otherwise, do you listen to?

Links: Tea Break

credit

I've been feeling a bit stressed lately. It's not that I've been running around and doing a lot, I've just had a lot on my mind, and I'm really going all out for the Tour de Fleece, and apparently running a small business is somewhat tense (who knew?). I don't feel like I've had time to decompress. It's like my brain needs to be defragmented. I have therefore decided that today's links need to be a recipe for relaxation. Or, at least, tutorials for a crafty relaxation spot. Make a chair, hand stitch some coasters, whip up a tea ball and some biscotti, and mellow out.

get the links after the jump!

Links: Tactile Jewellery

credit

I love jewellery and accessories that aren't delicate (what can I say, I'm clumsy). These wonderfully tactile pieces won't be destroyed if you drop them, or, if your life is like mine, a little monster/toddler tries to steal them while you're wearing them.

Get the links after the jump!

Links: One of these days I'm gonna get organezized

credit

Hi fives if you know what movie the title comes from.

I'm not quite sure why, but this time of year is my lazy season. I don't want to cook, I don't want to clean, I don't want to do laundry. The house gets messy, and the family lives on noodles. I thought a few links to projects that might help a crafter get organized might help break me out of my summer messiness rut.

Links after the jump!

Links: Upcycled

credit

I love people's upcycling tutorials. I do find that it would often cost a fortune to make a replica of their tutorial because it isn't often you find the exact same recyclable treasures as someone else. They're great inspiration though. Here are a few links to tutorials I like - they are even made from things you might be able to find!

Get the links after the jump!

Links: I know what you'll be doing for the next hour.

Normally on Wednesdays I like to post a bunch of links to cool tutorials, but today is a little different. I'm posting one thing. And you wouldn't have time for other links because you'll be busy with this one. Make sure your speakers are on, this toy makes noises. And if you have kids, this is a great thing for them to play with - teach them a little bit about rhythm and pitch

GO HERE.

Do this:

Thank me later.

Links - Felt Toys

credit

Felt is the ideal material for making toys. It doesn't fray, it's predictable, and if you don't mind it being made out of plastic instead of wool, it's beyond cheap. The possibilities are endless and all you need is felt, needle, thread, and polyfill.

Here are a few of my favourite tutorials and patterns!

Get the links after the jump...

Links: Veggie Recipes to Fall in Love With

credit

In honour of the vegetable garden that I spent my weekend building and planting, I thought today I'd link some delicious vegetarian recipes that I love, or would love to try. All but one are easily made vegan.

Get the links after the jump (or stay here and drool, it's up to you).

Links: My Favourite Crafty Resources

credit

This Wednesday I though it might be nice to share some of my most visited craft resources. There are loads of fantastic sites that help me get ideas about what to make, but these are the ones that help with how to make it (and they do it for free). Obviously my list is a little knitting-centric, but so am I.

Get the links after the jump! (or if you're clever, suss them out from the pictures...)

Tutorial: DIY Yarn Swift for under $15, and some helpful links!

I decided (in lieu of my normal Wednesday links) I'd share a tutorial for my awesome DIY yarn swift, as well as the links to the projects that helped me arrive at my final product. This swift combines all the best attributes of the other DIY swifts I liked, without as many setbacks. It's sturdy as heck, spins on ball bearings, adjusts to hold a skein as small as one yard or bigger than three yards (this was a requirement specific to my large skein niddy noddy - enormous skeins are great for dyeing), can be disassembled for storage, and cost me about $12.

Get the tutorial and links after the jump!

Links: Circular Reasoning

credit

I like circles. Need an awesome abstract painting? Grab some acrylics and slap a few circles on a canvas. Circles have all sorts of meanings in art: completion, balance, deity, the cosmos, journeys, and, you know, the lady bits. What's not to like? I recently realized that a large number of the tutorial links I've collected feature some sort of circle-y theme. This either suggests that I'm in the midst of a feminine spiritual awakening, or that I am a lazy abstract painter. Your choice.

Get the links, post jump...

Links: Knit up a Storm

credit - knit a Link outfit for your babe!!!

In honour of my Stella Cowl becoming available for purchase I thought I'd share the links to some of my favourite knitting patterns this Wednesday - these ones are all free (even the cute Link one! awww). If you like these free patterns, many designers have amazing patterns available for purchase as well - check them out on Ravelry.

Get these links, and a few more, after the jump!

Links: Bob and Weave

credit

Isn't it amazing what you can do with a bit of string? Knitting and crocheting are, of course, very cool. But weaving takes the cake as far as simplicity of concept and complexity of product. It's genius, and woven textiles are an enormous part of daily life. I thought I'd share a few weaving links with you this Wednesday, because I'm nice like that.

Apparently there is no such thing as a picture of Link weaving or tying a knot, so you get a snake rope. Good enough, yes?

Get the links after the jump...

Links: Picture This.

 

  
Photos, pictures, slides, prints, kids' art - we've all got some sort of display-worthy memorabilia lying around. But how do you creatively display it if you aren't into scrapbooking? I have to admit, I hate scrapbooking.* The final project is nice, but the process is so not me. Most of my family photos are in a closet. I want to get my family's memories out into the light of day where they can be enjoyed, so I went looking for some inspiration.




*Dear scrapbookers, I have great respect for what you do. It's a labour of love, if ever there was one. Just not my thing. Can we still be friends?

These crafty projects offer creative solutions for those non-scrapbookers among us who have photos to share.

Get the links after the break...

Links - Pixel Power

Ah 8 bit gaming. Geeks who remember the 80's are waxing nostalgic all over the internet about the good old days. The days when your favourite game characters consisted of about 20 pixels, could be piloted with 5 buttons or less, and went boop... boop... boop when they walked. Geek craft is thriving. Conveniently, the square pixel lends itself well to crafting: cross stitch, quilting, crochet, perler beads, knitting and so many other crafts are built on square(ish) blocks.





Here are my favourite pixelated craft tutorial treasures.

Get the links after the jump...

Links - Matryoshka Madness

I've been reunited with my precious computer in time to share some Wednesday links!!

Russian nesting dolls - Matryoshka - have become a superduper huge design trend. They're popping up everywhere! Apparently you can throw Matryoshka dolls instead of grenades in Call of Duty: Black Ops. I'm not a big FPS fan, but... well... a trend is a trend.

Stacking - super cute right?

I am particularly intrigued by Stacking, a delightfully fun XBox Arcade puzzle game that features some of the coolest art I've seen in a video game.

In honour of this wonderfully creative merger of arts, crafts, and gaming. I thought I'd share my collection of  Matryoshka related crafty linkery!

Get the links after the jump!

Link Wednesday - Soft toys!

It's Link! As a soft toy! I'm so clever...

I've been hoarding links to amazing crafty projects for years (seriously), with the sweet, albeit naive, intention of making them all one day.  I've decided it's time to regularly share my favourite crafty projects, patterns, and inspirations from the vasty deep of the internet. Some are older, some are newer, all are awesome.

Get the links after the jump!