I am easily confused; a fact that becomes evident about 7 seconds into the podcast with the quickest MoRH ™ on record. Lots of cool stuff, including Cheap and Cheerful Gadget o’ the Week. (Hint: don’t ask what they’re really used for.) – Chart that cable – New podcasts! The Peaceful Knitter. Pointysticks. And WeaveCast. – France gets the Beeton Love with Beeton 1 and Beeton 2 and Olympic Beeton – Quirky Nomads, my current favorite knit and listen (listen to how they met.)
KniTunes:
- Deirdre Flint – Presidential Succession
- Greg Tannen – It’s You
Special thanks to Jemma Morris and Pete Stacey, Of Coleg Sir Gar (Carmarthen College) for their wonderful version of Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, the Welsh national anthem. Thanks also to Zachary Dunlap for his beautiful guitar instrumental, Accoustic Daydreams.
When you are looking for advertisers why don’t you look for ones that sell products that we are interested in, like yarn companies or related things.
Love your podcast.
If you can’t hear yourself enough in CastBlaster, check under “Configure” and make sure to un-click “Disable Internal Mixer.” See if that helps.
You should definitely set up a Beeton gallery! Grumperina, of Jaywalker sock fame, set up a Jaywalker gallery, and it’s great to go through. I’m the kind of person who loves to thoroughly research projects before she knits them, which includes scouring the internet for photos of how other knitters have interpreted the pattern. It’s such a treat to find a cache of finished object photos all gathered in one place. 🙂
Hi! For some reason your most recent show isn’t coming up in my iTunes. Agg! At least I can listen to it from this site. Haven’t been able to yet, but I look forward to as soon as I have a moment today. =) I always look forward to Fridays.
You have a amazingly talent son!! My oh my!
Alice
Love your podcasts. I tuned into knitting podcasts after seeing them in VK and now I listen in the car. …find myself driving aimlessly and missing my direction but getting creative as to why I am late for work. At least 10 works in progress, so I definately a creator rather than a completer. And good yarn bargains are a gift from God (can I say that?) whether you have a plan or not. 8~)
As always, enjoying the knitting content on your podcast. What I am not enjoying over the past several shows is all the talk about podcasting itself. I don’t know how you define your audience, but I’d hazzard a guess that there are a lot more knitters than knitting podcasters, and that focus is getting lost. Easily 15 or 20 minutes of the show is about the mechanics, details, equipment, advertising, etc. etc. etc. If it were print, I’d skim, but audio has no equivalent.
Awesome!!! If I could give a standing ovation for this pod-cast (especially the song by your son) I would.
Dear Brenda: Your idealism and philosophy about advertizong made me weep for such idealism is so necessary today, and so essential for our kids and the future of the human race. I think you can start a movement and a revolution in thinking and acting. Thank you for reminding me that such things are possible.
I really couldn’t wait until Friday this week to listen to you again, and you get better each time. Thank you again!Be good to yourself; the world needs you….
I’m really enjoying this week’s show so far. Just so you know, your link to Deirdre Flint is broken. (I think you spelled Deirdre wrong.)
Thanks for another enjoyable podcast. You’re rocking my Friday evening.
Brenda,
Loved the latest episode, as always. What a thrill to hear WeaveCast mentioned on your show. Thank you for the great review!
“What if it were different?” what a wonderful concept. I’m going to start using that question on sticky situations, see if I can’t shake a few things loose.
Will definately be here when the Cast-On hiatus is over, pointy sticks at the ready.
Rock/Knit on,
–Syne
“What would it look like if it were different?”
That is a motto worthy of posters, buttons, shirts, bags . . . I feel more creative and empowered just listening to you speak those words.
Thanks for another great program.
Great show, as always. I agree with Carol. Your description of how you work through sticky problems really hit home. And I love the idea of your talented son trying to find a singer for your show. That’s a good kid.
I wrote an article about podcasts for an e-zine, and listed yours as one of my favorites. It’s at:
http://www.pikerpress.com/article.cfm?form.id=1804
The fact is, I was holding out against iPods pretty well until I learned there were knitting podcasts. Then I knew I would have to have one.
Brenda, I have to say that I love your podcast. 🙂 I wait anxiously for the next one, and I know while you are on your hiatus, it’ll be difficult, but I’ll wait patiently for the next one. 🙂 Zach is a very talented musician! I hope you play more of his music on future podcasts. 🙂
I have just one small request. Could you please make a little time during your hiatus to give us a final update on how Team Wales and yourself did on the knitting olympics? I’m on Team First Sweater and your olympic moments have been a nice segment in the show lately.
Brenda, great podcast as per usual. I loved listening to your son play. I love listening to you bitch about glitches in the machinery, it makes the whole podcast seem more alive. I’ve been thinking about advertisers since you mentioned it in the show. Yeah you spent some time talking about it, but it was informative and it also made those who listened to it understand where you are coming from. Have you thought about getting in touch with companies like Fairtrade – http://www.fairtrade.org.uk or http://www.fairtradefederation.org/
Hi Brenda,
I LOVE your PodCast. I’m with the early post…Cast On has disappeared from iTunes. Waz Up?
Your the best.
Wendy
I have enjoyed your podcast for the last 6 weeks, although I knit, I usually listen on my ipod when I am running, the mix of commentary and music is great for this (the boob fairy song a few weeks ago helped me fly up a difficult hill). Your thoughts on what we leave behind when we are gone this week were great. I hope you find some advertisers who fit your qualifications, I would not mind short ads, what about Addi turbos (you are giving them free publicity already)?
I’ve been listening to your podcast for a while and I just had to comment and tell you what a great job you’re doing! (Hello from a fellow Buffy fan.)
And I really enjoyed Zach’s music.
What will I paint to when you take a hiatus! Not that I don’t think you should have a break…If you find a wonderful beneficiary to pay for your podcasting let me know. (Podcasting and painting have their similarities) I wish you all the luck. Thank you as always for the wonderful podcast.
I have to agree with Theresa – the knitting content is good, but there’s far too much non-knitting content. A little is fine, but most of us don’t want to hear about your headphones or where the buttons on your program used to be (or where they are now, for that matter). Plus, waxing poetic about how advertizing can be turned into a grand humanistic tool? Boring, and doesn’t hide the fact that it all boils down to trying to make money from your listeners. It’s kind of insulting, really.
Please stick to knitting or you’ll be losing a lot of listeners like me.
Wow! As always, we loved your podcast, and are sad about your hiatus. But we understand that you need to plan your revolution. Which we back entirely. And that guitar! I just can’t say how beautiful it sounded.
Since you mentioned that you have recieved some negative feedback, my husband wanted me to mention again how we and a good friend of ours gather each week to knit and crochet while listening. We often joke about how this must be how people used to sit by the radio each evening and visit with each other at the end of the day.
We love and support your artistry, Brenda, whether it is knitting or podcasting.
P.S. Our friend, Aimee (SheWhoReads@gmail.com) wanted to know what is tapestry yarn and how is tapestry yarn different from regular knitting yarn. She thinks those gloves sounded gorgeous.
Hi Brenda,
I was awed, amazed and delighted by Zach’s Acoustic Daydream. It actually made me put down the pointy sticks just to listen more closely. I hear a lot of music on podcasts and seldom does this happen. Even more rarely is it that I find myself wanting to purchase an album or find out if the musician is playing in my neck of the woods. Thanks for playing his piece. You are truly a family that has been blessed by the genes of creativity.
Cheers!
Maura in Sendai, Japan
Oh, just listening to this episode right now, and I love the Beeton links! I hadn’t seen or heard this one before I emailed you. A Beeton gallery would be tons of fun!
Hello Brenda,
What about Lakeland? Perhaps they would take some space with you after all the good things you’ve said about them.
What do you think this passage is about? Does anyone know? I just found it in a 1905 story by Violet Jacob a Welsh/Scottish writer. She writes –
“Jessie-Mary presented an expanse of white apron to the world; a bunch of turkey feathers, in which to stick knitting needles, was secured between her person and the band of this garment, the points of the quills uppermost.”
Is it for speed or just somewhere to rest the work while you do something else? Perhaps Lakeland would make one or adapt a device.It sounds a bit uncomfortable or lethal even!
Great podcasting – thanks.
Brenda,
Another fantastic show. Yours is my favorite podcast (followed by FireflyTalk and The Signal…dedicated to Joss Whedon’s canceled tv series, if you’re a buffy fan).
Don’t know if you know about BuyBlue.Org — started after the 2004 election to present consumers with those companies that supported “blue state” ideals. I consult them all the time and patronize those companies that meet BuyBlue criteria.
As an aside, I was at Stitches West conference in Santa Clara this weekend. There was a very attractive yount woman wearing a “Stitch N’ Bitch” tee shirt, but she was carrying the most amazing hand-made felted bag that said “Sew Fast, Sew Easy SUCKS”. Cracked me up.
Zack and the guitar were amazing…great sound.
Rock/Knit on!
I have no plans to podcast – yet enjoy the talk about the mechanics. I think hearing someone chat about the stuff that interests them is usually fun, if they have a well-modulated voice (as you do – ie not monotonous). So I disagree with the posters above who feel you should stick ONLY to the knitting content…
Also – have you checked out http://www.craftsanity.com/ , which has the anticrafters on this time? Perhaps an interesting podcast to mention.
And by all means cover your expenses by getting ads if that works for you – I don’t see it as you making money out of your listeners, but it enabling you to continue giving me a free hour of talk radio on my favourite subject!
A few things on this show – I would love to see gloves! I like your philosophy on advertising and I wouldn’t mind ads for knitting products. Every week I am amazed at the time that you put into making your show and you deserve at least break even, if not make money. What about some of the musicians you feature? I have bought downloads of some of the songs you’ve played.
I googled “elastrator” – and wouldn’t recommend it! I’m not sure that I could get past the intended use of this product, no matter how cheap. Wine corks make good stitch protectors too, and have much nicer connotations.
Finally, on the technical discussions – it’s not really my thing either, but it seems natural that when you take have a knitter, you have a person who is interested in the details of how a product is constructed, be it a sweater or a podcast. I think that you’ll also find lots of knitters who like to cook and talk about food, for the same reasons.
Hi Brenda,
Have you ever heard of http://www.newdream.org/? Check it out; it will probably lead you to some useful links. Vive la revolution!
Brenda,
Great show as always! I do not mind at all about your ramblings….come to think of it, that’s why I actually like your show! Because it’s not sooooooo dry with just knitting this, knitting that…but it also gives me a glimpse into your person…and I just love it. So, keep on like you are! It’s great!
Thank you so much for another wonderful broadcast. I really wanted to thank you, not only for the ‘Green advertising’ and your wonderful selection of music (two aspects of the show that even my husband enjoyed), but also for ‘this week’s sweater’.
A really inspiring show.
Where is Zach Dunlap’s music available besides here? That is some of the best music I have heard ever!!!
Brenda,
Thank you thank you thank you! I sat, entranced, while you eloquently shared your heart regarding this advertising vision. Please post the Green Code on your site, would you? I think every reminder is a good thing. I listen every week because I feel like a better person afterwards. Selfish, huh? Often it’s because I realize I’m not the only take-a-cheap-thing-to-do-a-keen-knitting-job afficionado, or because I am always empowered to be a better knitter after your descriptions on Today’s Sweater. I feel like I can be. But today was different, because I could hear the catch in your voice, and I wanted to start that advertising company, and put the green code in contracts, and make people listen, and make it different. I wanted to cry and I wanted to wake up someone (it’s 11pm right now) and say, “You’ve got to hear this, she says it so well,” and well, I can’t, so I’m writing to you instead.
This podcasting thing is in its infancy, and so was once radio, and television, and at some point someone is going to figure out how to get money out of it and how to put advertising into it and how to harness it (or at least large chunks of it) and if the podcasters and the community that loves them doesn’t set the parameters and own the system, then someone else will gladly come in and ClearChannel the whole darn enterprise, which would be sad and stupid.
If you need someone to proofread your proposals, let me know. 🙂
Hi Brenda,
I was re-listening to your episodes (on shuffle on my i-pod) and heard the one where your sweater of the day was the rogue hoodie…well, there’s another way to to that self turned hem!
you k1, yo, k2tog, to end…it works on both right side and wrong side and creates a cute ripple effect…
thanks for all your wonderful work.
joey
Brenda,
I’m a huge fan of your podcast. It’s pathetic how excited I get when a new one is out- I wait until the exact, perfect time to listen to it. It’s like savoring a delicious chocolate. Yummy!
I have to disagree with some of the commenters who don’t like your “ramblings” about podcasting. I think it’s valuable for us to hear that kind of discussion- especially for those who are considering podcasting themselves.
I appreciate all the time and energy you give to Cast On. Your passion for your craft(s) comes through loud and clear. (And please pass on to Zach how much I enjoyed his music. More, please!)
Hello friend!
Just thought you might want to take a peek at some of the pictures of Mrs. Beetons from the KAL.
Thanks for another great ep!
Whit
(one of those other knitting podcasters)
Brenda, there are so many things I want to say on how much I love your podcast and how often I find myself nodding in agreement to your musings on life and knitting. I think advertising is fine, especially green adverts. I just wondered if Knitty.com thought that advertising had changed the content of their magazine (I doubt it?). Anyway, hope your break is fruitful and inspiring – can’t wait to hear your next episode as it keeps me sane at work and lets me get my knitting fix without anyone knowing!!!
Brenda, Love the ‘cast and hope for many more years of listening. And if I have to listen to “re-runs” for a bit until you get back, well, it will be worth it.
Your son’s music was GREAT!!!! Some of the best I’ve heard in a long time. Hope to hear more and it looks like there will be plenty of people looking to get a CD. 🙂
Thanks so much!
Brenda,
Stash, to me, is like buying your school supplies in September. As a student, and then as a teacher, there was something so hopeful and full of potential in that trip to the stationery store. That new-folder smell, those pencils with complete erasers. That special excitement when a new school supply was requested by your teacher — I remember my first jar or rubber cement, and felt an imcerdible thrill when I first acquired both a protractor and compass.
Those new school supplies, unwrinkled and unused, that held the potential of the best school year ever — no more lost homework now that I have this Trapper Keeper! And now I get to learn geometry like my older brothers — I must really be growing up! Or as a teacher, you know that this is the year you will light the lamp of creativity in your students, since you have purchased wonderful journals for each and every one of them.
These unused school supplies precede all bad grades, lost assignments, and indifferent students. As does your stash. Stash is what you have before you forget to account for selvedges or rip that same three inches out for the third time.
Stash is a knitters potential. It promises to erase all the past disasters or uninspired projects, the bad yarn choices, the gauge errors. In my stash, my Manos says this beautiful yarn will make a beautiful garment, and my Noro says this time, your sweater will fit you perfectly. My unused Koigu is a pair of perfectly fitting, unslouchy pair of socks, my Blue Heron, the stuff of my dreams.
Here’s another site that might have some fodder for your green advert: http://www.worldchanging.com/
Thank you for sharing your son, Zachary’s, music. He is fantastic. I loved it and would love to listen to more. (The rest of the podcast was great, too, as usual.)
Brenda, your podcasts are great! The last two have left me with the distinct impression that you are experiencing some “growing pains.” It probably IS a good idea to step back, take a break, and refocus. As long as you promise to come back. Maybe, while you are gone, you could have a few “roving reporters” ( pun sort of inteneded – I’m a spinner) cover for you so the continuity of your weekly podcast does not get interrupted.
As far as the advertising is concerned, may I share with you MY “what would it look like if…..?” One of the biggest reasons I love my ipod and love many of the podcasts is the very fact that there is NO ADVERTISING. I purposefully avoid anything that does have advertising because it’s important to me to get a break from all of that. We live in a world that is constantly pushing goods and services in our faces, to the point where people even sell space on their bodies for advertising! Your current podcast style is my “What would really fun radio sound like if all the crap was removed?”
Of course, this doesn’t help you with the need to produce income. What about selling the right to play the podcasts in yarn stores? I’d love to walk into a yarn store and hear your cast. Or how about a Cafe Press store? Grants?
If you have to go for the advertising, I am very grateful that you have at least decided to try and “go green.”
Good luck and good wishes from a loyal fan!
I love your podcast. It’s your voice and your essays that do it for me. I like that you talk about whatever is on your mind: birds at your window, software irritations, weather, relatives, whatever. It’s a nice glimpse into someone else’s world. I’d probably continue to listen even if there were no knitting content –although I’d miss the sweater segment ;).
I say take all the breaks you need. I’ll keep listening.
With regard to the advertising thing, it wouldn’t bother me. I guess it would be best if it were in your voice, like you were recommending new products or online stores to us (which you already do anyway). But maybe it would be different if we knew you were getting paid to recommend those products. Hmmmm…
Brenda, Keep doing your podcast, i love to hear about how you knit, what you think, what pushes your buttons and how it all goes together(knits, life, podcasts, the world), those who moan about the technical, well .. just I’m not one of them, and I suspect we are in the majority. Yes, yes, yes, a Mrs Beeton gallery, and i will have made many many pairs by winters end. I am lucky in being able to fund my hobby, by teaching in a fashion design programme, and while the teaching does take some energy from my own work, it is much better than other non hobby related jobs. I get paid to help people learn how to make things, work sends me to textile and fashion events and conferences – yes! And ‘what would it look like if it were different’, keep asking that, again and again for all of us, and that kind of answers the do you include the technical podcast bits, yes, its is a prodcast, and while you struggle to work with podblaster (??) thats part of it. Advertising, ok if it keeps you podcasting, and yes – green, remember to watch who you sleep with, or as they used to say – you made your bed, you lie in it. Just you make sure it is a comfy Green bed.
I’m more than willing to listen to advertising. Especially knowing your dedication to finding green sponsors. I very much enjoy the podcasts and I want to see them continue…and, like the Public Radio Granola Boy that I am, I also think it only fair that I pay for the wonderful product I enjoy. If that payment is giving up 30 seconds of my week to listen to ad content, well, I’ve done more for less. I’d send you a check if I could. I’ll buy overpriced merchandise if you ask me. After all, you’re a married woman now — Tonia needs a new pair of shoes!
I think you are fresh and fabulous, you have a persepctive that has changed the knitting landscape and tapped into the lives of people heretofore uncounted in the knitting communitiy. You didn’t exactly deconstruct knitting culture — you reconstituted it.
Plus, you have a voice that could coax paint from the wall. So please, don’t go too faw away and don’t stay away too long. I, for one, will be waiting.
Hi! I LOVE your podcast!!! I listened to a bunch of back episodes over the long weekend! It’s great!!
I’m totally plugging you on my blog…singing your praises and what not. I used to be a radio DJ for my university’s radio station in the state of Rhode Island – and if I were to do a podcast, it would sound quite similar to yours. If I ever get enough material and a nifty mic, I’d like to take a stab at the whole podcasting thing, but I’m not quite there yet…
Thanks for being AWESOME!!!
I hope the “boring” comment made previously doesn’t take precedence over all these positive, constructive comments that have been made here – you said it yourself – if you don’t like listening you know where to go.
I don’t mind your musings and ramblings – it’s all very stream-of-conscious and its all part of the Cast On appeal.
Just a note though, was there an essay about stash or did I miss it?
Don’t stay away too long.
I hope you will have a good break! Although you will be missed dearly during that time! I’ve been listening to your podcast over the last couple of days and it’s been an awesome alternative to watching tv while I knit.
I understand your needs to finance the show. I just started a yarn company last year. Our advertising buget is close to zero. But as we gorw, I believe we may be able to pay for advertising and we will choose to do that through your show.
Anyways, in case you’re wondering about the yarn company I started, it called Fable Handknit. http://www.fable.hitechemall.com
Looking forward to the next season of Cast on!
Hi Brenda,
I am one of those knitter slash geeky people who love the marriage of knitting and technology so I adore your podcasts. I also believe in giving back a bit and working with integrity-very refreshing in this dog eat dog world. I own a knitting shop-bricks and mortor and have an online merchant site with a blog and online tutorials-love the computer thing!-I choose venders that give back-like Peace Fleece and Manos and I support the ever disappearing agricultural lifestyle so I buy products, fleece, roving and the like-from local farmers. I am also a farmer myself raising Cashmere goats and I edit the Eastern Cashmere Assoc’s newsletter-so I practice what I preach. Living with integrity is busy, hard and hectic-but exhilerating, creative and satisfying. If you choose to have green advertisers-I feel it would be an honor and an opportunity to advertise on your show to keep what you are doing -going strong. Good luck and I look forward to more podcasts-they make pricing yarn a bit more enjoyable!
Here here! You are by far and away the most “professional” podcaster I’ve heard–even to the point of my husband (who becomes comatose when I say “yarn”) loving to listen to you.
Please do what you must to make it possible to continue. I’d actually love to hear YOU do ads–like product placement used to be done in 1950s TV (“When I get dirty in the garden, I turn to ‘Green Sweep’…)
I’d be bummed if you didn’t digress into the podcasting info–but then, I love to learn from masters.
And if you ever start accepting essays in mP3 format, you just let me know. I have a few for you…
Go Team Wales!
(have you read the Lloyd Alexander books?)
Hi Brenda. I have enjoyed your podcast a great deal throughout your run so far. I would like to balance things up here a little, I think, if I can. I have to say I agree with both sides of the content debate that seems to have begun – you should make your podcasts whatever you wish them to be. If people don’t wish to hear about it, they can go elsewhere. That said, I do feel some empathy with Theresa about the amount of time given to the subject of podcasting itself every week. To begin with, I found it interesting and do admire your support and open encouragement of other podcasters. (Listing new podcasts is really effective there and I thank you for that!) Sharing your personal experiences on it is good too. But I am finding now that when you move onto it as a regular topic, my mind is starting to wander onto other things instead of listening. Please understand that I really want to be constructive here. I am aware that this is my experience and certainly wouldn’t lay claim to it being anybody else’s. I have posted before and stated there that I work on the audio and visual side of the entertainment industry. People are always interested in what I do and how I do it, but ultimately I have always found the main interest lies in the creation before them – the final show, the piece itself. I do know from experience that delving into technical matters regularly to one’s audience can put some people off (because I’ve done it myself at work on more than one occasion!) (blushes!)
I hope you’re successful in your advertising venture. It takes a great deal of courage to venture into unknown territory like this and I find your approach, and the way you make your approach so public to be something of value to knitters and all podcasters alike.
Also love the Olympic spots. I’ve been watching us fail miserably at women’s curling and your spots are keeping my spirits up!!
Many thanks for your work.
Karen
Brenda: I miss you already–I love your podcast and the music you play. Thank you for giving us something intelligent, kind, and inspiring to listen to–especially on crowded but lonely airplanes!
Hi Brenda! Every week I tell myself, I need to leave a comment at Cast On to tell her how much I love her podcast. I’m finally getting around to it. Really, it’s a highlight of my week. As if Cast On itself hasn’t done enough to improve my quality of life, you’ve also introduced me to Deirdre Flint, Sage Tyrtle, and that great song by slackstring! Speaking of that song, doesn’t the melody remind you a little of Waltzing Mathilda? In a good way! Anyhoo, thanks!
I have to say I’m baffled by those who’ve told you to ignore the criticism in favor of “positive, constructive comments” – sometimes, the best constructive comments are negative. If all constructive criticism were positive, well, it wouldn’t be constructive.
To clarify, I wasn’t saying that all mention of podcasting should be gone. Just that spending ten minutes talking about podcasting and/or technical difficulties is too much. At that point, it’s not a knitting podcast, but a podcast about knitting and the mechanics of podcasting (and there are already many of those).
Please, please stick to the knitting-related content!
Hi Brenda,
I’m just returning from a week in London and had an interesting, though baffling experience at Gatwick Airport. Although it was permitted for me to bring my knitting needles on the plane from the U.S. to London, I was not permitted to take my knitting needles home from Gatwick to Cincinnati and spent a long time (with angry travelers waiting behind me at security! My own MORH!) pulling the size 5 (US) 24-inch circular needles out of the thank-god-its-only-garter stitch vest I was making before being allowed to proceed to my departure gate. Of course, the flight was horribly boring, since all I now had was an in-lifht magazine and really bad movies to entertain myself with for 14 hours, but I thought my little embarassment might help other US traveling knitters.
Thanks!
Deb
I have been playing catchup on your podcasts since discovering them last week, and I haven’t listened to this episode yet.. I’m saving it for tomorrow morning, so I have something to listen to while I finish working on my costume for my first gig as a professional hooper! Yes, you may have known about the people who paint while listening to your melodious rambles, but did you picture someone painstakingly winding electrical tape, gaffer tape, and sparkly prism tape around a 12-foot adult-sized hula hoop, humming about Boob Fairies, big penises, the road song on the last episode (and I agree, it would be a good one!) while also dreaming of future knitting projects?
I was actually able to sit down and finish a cabled hat pattern I started last month.. and set down two hours later because I was tired of the small needles and many cables.. BUT, five episodes of CastOn later, it is finished! (of course, I’ve now realized that it is UGLY as-is, and will probably reknit it in a nicer fibre, with more space between the cables to make them stand out more and for the nifty decreasing hidden in the cables to.. stay hidden? LOL
My non-knitting roomie has enjoyed listening to you, too… the episodes lead to chats about knitting-related stuff like the first sweater I made (was able to haul it out and show her, as I had been doing room-cleaning while listening to the ‘cast and could actually FIND it!), how the Silk Garden yarn you mentioned was what I used in the touque lying on the chair beside her, and she and her girlfriend were tickled to hear about the ceremony you and your partner recently had – we all say Congrats and wish you both all the best!
Chipping in my opinions:
My stash is not scary.. more comforting, that I can always reach in and find SOMETHING that will suit my need. Today, it was red, slightly-fluffy yarn that would be couched around the tea-strainers being sewn to a felted earflap hat to become part of my spider headdress.. found in a small box on top of my worktable, not in the giant plastic bin under my bed where I first started to look…
Podcasting as CastOn topic: Go for it! I find it interesting, and having started branching out to other podcasts, am getting a feeling for the quality that you provide VS say, the Barenaked Ladies, who are Canadian and I love them for it, but there’s just so much listening-to-men-being-silly-about-in-jokes that I can handle. Haven’t checked out Chub Creek yet, but I will soon!
Advertising: well, I haven’t actually heard this episode yet, so I’m not sure what all the comments are about… but if you’re going to have in-cast ads, I’d rather they be of the “___ brand yarn has sponsored this segment today, please feel free to send them your thanks or give them your business to show your support” type, than be hidden in a “I really LOVE using this xxx brand yarn, which I started using two days ago but I am SURE will turn out to be amazing..” I understand the need for income, having become self-employed in the last three weeks, and support you doing whatever you need to make your life work in its beautiful, creative way, and…
…last comment, on you taking a break: I’ll miss you, but I would rather know that you were happily recharging and taking care of other aspects of your life and leaving the intense juggle for a while… as long as it leaves you able to return to us 🙂
My rambling comments feel like the same sort of conversation you have with us in each ‘cast. Hope it shows my appreciation for your work, and I’ll hear you tomorrow 🙂
X.
Hi Brenda, congratulations on yet another splendid show! I am dreading your impending hiatus… how about opening up the show to contributors while you take a break? People who would like to podcast, but don’t want or can’t put together a whole show could just record a small segment, and you could put together a show made up of a series of small segments. That way you are not having to work (as hard) and you can still have creative control by letting possible contributors know what the topic will be for a particular week.
I LOVED Zak’s song, by the way! He should release it on iTunes or something… I would buy it! (so let me know if he does)
Ooh, just listened to this episode, and I’m all over your ideals for advertising! Go Green!
And Zach’s song was indeed lovely 🙂 Thanks for sharing yet again!
X.
Hi, Brenda,
First of all, you have a beautiful voice! I’ve just started tuning in to knitting podcasts and am catching up on all past episodes/installments.
Re: hiatus: I would love to hear your podiobook while you are ‘resting’. I will miss you gravely but will be eagerly awaiting your return.
And, personally, I love the info on podcasting mechanics. The medium is new to me, and I find everything about it very interesting. I love that it sounds like you are in my living room, hanging out and talking about knitting.
On stash: I love stash. I have a very small ping of guilt, and my stash is not that big. However, I totally do not understand the mainstream idea that one must pick a pattern and then use the yarn indicated — yuck! I am much more of the school that goes out, finds fabulous materials, buys them, and who knows what they might become? The only problem with this is that it is hard to know how much of a given yarn to buy…
Loved Zach’s music on this podcast; please play more. 🙂
Elizabeth
I’ve been trying to come up with some incredibly profound way to tell you just how much I enjoy listening to your podcast. Since immitation is one of the sincerest forms of flattery…I’ll quote you: “I really enjoyed the glaze on these carrots”. patrice
Your son’s playing is beautiful! A lot of times I fast forward through the music, but I really enjoyed Zach’s song.
I’ve really enjoyed catching up on all the episodes of Cast On. I love the knitting content and everything else too. Podcasting is new to me and learning about it in small doses is just right. The knowledge wrapped up in tasty bits of knitting makes it a treat and not too technical. As you said before, if someone doesn’t like how you are doing yours they are free to go out and do it how they think it should be done. I hope you will continue to do it your way, breaks and all.
Your son’s song was wonderful on it’s own but with the sound of that instrument…Man! Bravo
Dear Brenda,
I love your podcast. I listen to it in 2 parts, half on the way to work and the half on the way home. Never fails to lift my spirits and make me laugh out loud on the Metro like a crazy person.
Two suggestions for the advertising:
1) Advertising on the Cast On website and a brief mention in your podcast (thank you to Sundara Yarns for their support, you can see their ad on the website);
2) Editorial content in which you tell us why this company qualified to be an advertiser, what you like about them, what they’re doing right, short interview, etc.
Loved your son’s song, hope there will be more in the future. Really hope you will consider starting a listeners/readers gallery for Mrs. Beaton a la Grumperina.
Have tried to track down Kathryn Alexander’s fingerless gloves…just wanted to see a pic of the wonderful colors. But Interweave Knits doesn’t seem to find a Fall of 2001 with her name in it? Can anyone help?? THXXXX!
I just have to jump on the bandwagon. I signed up for your podcasts on Sunday (3/5) and have made it a point to listen to everyday. Your voice, the ramblings ( which are completely human ) are refreshing. After just listening to your sons music, I too am waiting for the CD.
But that also made me think about putting your podcasts on CD and selling them. I mean, what yarn store, would not want them. I sure would. Your wit, knowledge, humor an humanity shine through.
I look forward to hearing from you often. And when you go on hiatus, please put up the book or a best of…like chocolate or coffee, I dont want to go through withdrawal…it would not be pretty.
Bests,
DC diva
I keep telling myself that I’ll comment when I catch up with the podcasts! But I know how much I love it when people comment at my site, so I figured I’d just jump in. I downloaded your podcasts onto ITunes a couple of weeks ago, and finally got to listen to a few while cleaning and going through my closet. Then I put on the headphones and listened while I knit. Love your voice, love the music you’vve picked out, love your stories!
I can see the pros and cons of pictures. But I personally would love to see some!
And about taking a break…I would say no, no, no! But you’ve now turned me on to so many other podcasts that it would be OK, and a treat when you came back. I’m looking forward to hearing The Age of Innocence – thanks for telling me about Librivox, cool site. Well, I’m off to listen to the next episode….I’ll be back!
I love the show, but shamefully admit that I’m about a month behind! I hope you still read comments on the older shows.
Here are some thoughts:
1) Love the non-knitting content! I don’t need 100% knitting all the time. Your conversational approach is refreshing. I feel like I’m sitting in your living room.
2) Great music, period.
3) If you need a break, take one. I think we’d all rather you take a much needed breather than suffer a total burn-out and quit altogether. The “best of” idea is a good one.
4) I don’t need pictures, half the fun is just imagining it in my head…like reading a good book! How often have you read a book and then seen the movie, only to comment that the book is so much better (not to say that photos of your sweaters wouldn’t be stunningly GORGEOUS, but, well, did I just put my foot in my mouth?)
Anyway…
4) Keep up the good work, listening to you is a joy.
Thanks!
I love your podcast–you have a terrific voice, you talk about important things, you have great music taste. You know this already, but your son is an amazing musician. I just got an iPod and am knitting under deadline, so I’m catching up on back “issues” in a row, and there’s something about them that is gelling and threatening/promising a major sea change in my life–I don’t know yet what it will look like when it’s different, but the question is worth asking.
Brenda… Loved the show! I am so curious about the guitar your son plays at the end. I play acoustic guitar, not professionally, but I was entranced by the sound, richness and resonance of it. I am really wondering how large the body is… I can’t imagine something like that coming from just one, unassisted instrument. Oh, of course I loved the piece as well… so very beautiful. I hope to hear more of your son on your podcast.
hi brenda!
(i’m going through an argh moment…i wrote a comment and then my wireless decided to cut out and i lost it all…sigh…so here goes it…again…)
a co-worker recently shared your most recent podcast with me and got me hooked! i’ve downloaded all of the episodes and am slowly working through them all…usually i skip through the music to get back to listening to you, but at the end of this episode, i listened to all of zach’s song…it was beautiful! thanks for sharing his music!
z
Your son’s music is fantastic! This was truly the best episode yet. The bradbury quote made me cry on my way into work this morning. And I appreciate your environmental ethic. It’s becomming so common for people to declare themselves environmentalists, but it is still rare to see people who are doing it because they really believe in it.
Thank-you. Again. Hope you’re not sick of hearing from me! At this rate I’ll be caught up in a few weeks. Ohno.
Acquired a MP3 player for Christmas 2007 from DD she downloaded a bunch of your podcasts for me. They have been so interesting and entertaining, and have totally spoiled me for quilting podcasts, quilting is my other passion. I have just listened to Episode 12, which was the best yet! Your essay on the ethics of advertising were an inspiration, and you sounded really emotional about the whole subject. Then there was that stunning piece of guitar by Zach.
Am now listening to no 13 and having a quick giggle. And love Mrs Beeton!!!
I found a Flikr picture of what might be the gloves? Maybe?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesizmo/3206113643/
Yes! Terri, that is just what they looked like.
I have just found your podcast. I am enjoying listening to you! I am just now in the middle of episode 12 as I have started from the beginning of your series. I really just felt the need to come over here and say, “Thank you.”
Thanks,
Kim