Mon, 26 December 2011
Hello Everybody, I wanted to take a little time today (while we’re enjoying new toys, fabulous treats and the company of loved ones) and post this message to the Fiber Beat web page. This past year has seen the Fiber Beat staff (i.e. Anthony and I) produce exactly 12 episodes so far. I was a little disappointed with our output, but considering I work full time and my editor is a full-time student at University, I think we did okay. In a more perfect world, I’d love nothing more than to produce all sorts of fiber-loving content all the live-long day, but real life sometimes intervenes. We wouldn’t have a show, if it weren’t for all of you lovely, supportive and enthusiastic listeners. Thanks for your lively discussions, your funny comments &, always, the generosity of spirit and, oftentimes, pocketbook. Hearing from you really does make all the hard work worthwhile. Of course, we also wouldn’t have exciting content without the amazing artists, dreamers & entrepeneurs who have graced our program. So, we’d like to give them some love at this time, too. MWAH!!! Anthony and I wish you all the most festive, the most loving and the most fiber-filled holidaze for the end of 2011. May your 2012 be even more dazzling than the previous year. I hope Fiber Beat can be a part of the magic. Much Love & Lots of Woolly Hugz, Category:general
-- posted at: 1:18 AM Comments[1]
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Sun, 20 November 2011
Fiber Beat, Episode 24: "Haiku to Habu" featuring Takako Ueki & Darlene Hayes  There's a million crafters in Fiber City and we've all got a yarn to spin.  This episode of Fiber Beat is made possible with the support of Entangled magazine, our brand new sponsor from New Zealand! Entangled is a new digital only, quarterly fibercraft publication. Issue Three featuring Margot Selby, Rachel Lawrence, Jacey Boggs and Donna Druchunas is out now and available through Zinio One of my favorite things about local yarn shops - and a big reason why I think we should all support our local fiber retailers - is the fact that they bring authors, crafts people, knitters, quilters and fiber artists from all over to our communities where we can interact with them. The fiber arts are all about community - whether it's mothers teaching their children to knit or quilting clubs making quilts for ailing friends - these are activities we share with each other. Your local yarn store is the logical place for those interactions. I am lucky inasmuch as my local yarn store - A Verb for Keeping Warm - takes this responsibility very seriously and they go out of their way to bring artisans and manufacturers from far and near to the store to show their wares.  I first came into contact with Habu yarns several years ago. When I saw a compact ball of Habu Yarn with it's butcher block paper label and black san serif type, I was immediately intrigued. Then, when I saw the fiber content of that yarn (pineapple ramie, wool and steel, cotton tape) I had to learn more about the business and the people behind it. At that time, Habu creator and owner Takako Ueki, taught a class here in the Bay Area on how to read and use Japanese knitting patterns which are really architecturally and mathematically concise illustrations. The class was lively and Takako was a fabulous instructor giving us some insight behind the Habu mystique.  One of Takako's friends and colleagues is Darlene Hayes (pictured right), whose name is familiar to you if you were a fan of Hand Jive/Nature's Palette naturally dyed yarns (sniff, sniff). Darlene helps Takako at trade shows and she was also on hand for the Habu trunk show. The following people, places and things were mentioned:
Winner of Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 23 We had a $15 gift certificate courtesy of Anne Hanson for her Knitspot pattern library. The winner is Carol. Congratulations to the winner and thanks to everyone for participating! Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 24 We have two prizes for this episode: (1) courtesy of A Verb for Keeping Warm, we have a sampler of Habu's latest yarns from the yarntasting mentioned in the episode AND (2) we have the Fameuse cardigan pattern from Knit Cook, featuring Habu yarns and a recipe for brandied cherry ice cream All you have to do to enter is answer the following question. What is YOUR favorite Habu yarn? My favorite (or one of them, at least) is the Cotton Gima: soft, delicate, but surprisingly study. An enormous thanks to Takako and Darlene for joining us on the Fiber Beat. Big shout out to Fiber Beat sponsor, Entangled magazine. Finally, the most fashionable hug to all of you, our loyal listeners, for downloading and listening to our first THIRTY ONE episodes (audio/video) of Fiber Beat! If you like what we do, please consider leaving a review on iTunes. We used snippets of all the songs below in this episode. If you like the music, please support the artists (links provided for your convenience):
My name is WonderMike and I'll see you on the Fiber Beat!! Comments[15]
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Mon, 12 September 2011
Fiber Beat, Episode 23: "KnitSpot On" featuring Anne Hanson  There's a million crafters in Fiber City and we've all got a yarn to spin. This episode of Fiber Beat is made possible with the support of Entangled magazine, our brand new sponsor from New Zealand! Entangled is a new digital only, quarterly fibercraft publication. Issue Two featuring Wool & the Gang, Wooly Wormhead, and Donna Druchunas is out now and available through Zinio Anne Hanson. never. stops. Those photographs she just took, will appear later on her blog. That class she just taught? She'll be teaching it again in another city in two weeks. That shawl she's wearing? It will be sold in her shop next week. And that yarn she's fawning over? It's going to be offered in her new yarn club. No rest... for the obsessed. The following people, places and things were mentioned:
Winner of Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 22 We had a rare, out of production tote bag from Ravelry for this episode's contest. It was the Fiber Animal Parade tote and it will not be made again (at least not in this fabric and by these folks)! The winner is Antony. Congratulations to him and thanks to everyone for participating! Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 23 As a prize for this knitspot episode, Anne has offered us a $15 gift certificate to her pattern shop for one lucky listener. All you have to do to enter is answer the following question. What is YOUR favorite Knitspot pattern? As I've said, there are a LOT to peruse, over 200 designs. My favorite is one her men's designs that was also a Men's Fall Knitting Retreat donation: the Longjohn Sock: rugged, manly & stylish. A prodigious remerciement to Anne for taking time from her cocktail party to be on the Fiber Beat. Big shout out to new Fiber Beat sponsor, Entangled magazine. Finally, the most industrious hug to all of you, our loyal listeners, for downloading and listening to our first THIRTY episodes (audio/video) of Fiber Beat! If you like what we do, please consider leaving a review on iTunes. We used snippets of all the songs below in this episode. If you like the music, please support the artists (links provided for your convenience):
My name is WonderMike and I'll see you on the Fiber Beat!! Comments[20]
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Tue, 9 August 2011
Fiber Beat, Episode 22: "Ravel-ution" featuring Jess & Casey Forbes  There's a million crafters in Fiber City and we've all got a yarn to spin. This episode of Fiber Beat is made possible with the support of Entangled magazine, our brand new sponsor from New Zealand! Entangled is a new digital only, quarterly fibercraft publication. Issue Two featuring Wool & the Gang, Wooly Wormhead, and Donna Druchunas is out now and available through Zinio I’d like you to stop for a moment and think about your fiber journey, passion, obsession, call it what you will. If you are a relatively new knitter such as me (I started in 2004), it’s hard to remember life Before Ravelry. How did we organize patterns, find errata support, show our finished projects to others & interact with our fellow fiber junkies? The following people, places and things were mentioned:
Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 22 We've got a rare, out of production tote bag from Ravelry. It's the Fiber Animal Parade tote and it will not be made again (at least not in this fabric and by these folks)! All you have to do to enter the drawing for this prize, is answer the following question: What is the thing you find most indispensable, the thing that you could NOT live without on Ravelry? My favorite tool is the user groups which enables Fiber Beat to interact with our listeners. . You can leave your answer on fiberbeat.com or on the Fiber Beat Ravelry forum. Winners will be randomly selected from all the entries. DEADLINE FOR ENTERING IS August 31, 2011. A massively organized thank you to Jess & Casey for being on the Fiber Beat. Big shout out to new Fiber Beat sponsor, Entangled magazine. Finally, the most sociable media-tastic wave to all of you, our loyal listeners, for downloading and listening to our first TWENTY-NINE episodes (audio/video) of Fiber Beat! If you like what we do, please consider leaving a review on iTunes. We used snippets of all the songs below in this episode. If you like the music, please support the artists (links provided for your convenience):
My name is WonderMike and I'll definitely see you on Ravelry... AND the Fiber Beat!! Comments[10]
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Sun, 24 July 2011
Fiber Beat, Episode 21: "Seduced by Bohus" featuring Susanna Hansson  There's a million crafters in Fiber City and we've all got a yarn to spin. This episode of Fiber Beat is made possible with the support of Entangled magazine, our brand new sponsor from New Zealand! Entangled is a new digital only, quarterly fibercraft publication. Issue One featuring Claudia from Wollmseise, the history of Saori weaving, and all about Angora rabbit fiber is out now and available through Zinio  This episode of Fiber Beat is also underwritten by Bobbin's Nest Studio, from Santa Clara, CA. Bobbin's Nest is a fabric and yarn store specializing in: knitting, sewing, crochet, and hand embroidery. Bobbin's nest is pleased announce the Honorary Bobbin Program, where you will enjoy limited edition patterns, special shopping days, invites to exclusive events, bonus coupons and giveaways. For more info, visit the Bobbin's Nest blog My introduction to Bohus Stickning or Bohus Knitting was through the beautiful book by Wendy Keele entitled Poems of Color from Interweave Press. In it, I learned about the Swedish design house created by Emma Jacobsson and her commitment to this vital cottage industry during World War II and after. But, what really took my breath away, were the extraordinary designs: painterly, impressionistic, architectural and perhaps most of all, stylish to this day. There were hats, gloves, scarves and sweaters that were knitted from custom-milled yarns of fine wools and angora bunny fiber. With names like Blue Shimmer, The Wild Apple, The Mists & The Swan, evoking images of the mystical, the magical and the mythological. The following people, places and things were mentioned:
Winners of Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 20 We had two copies of "Knitting It Old School", each signed by Deb, Caro, Tammy & Stephen. The winners are Knit1Eat1 & Ayla. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone for participating! Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 21 We've got the dvd documentary, "Bohus Knitting: From Relief Work to World Success" by Kjell Andersson All you have to do to enter the drawing for this prize, is answer the following question: What is your favorite Bohus design? My favorite design is the Wild Apple. I love the juxtaposition of the hunter greens, golds, and reds that make up the abstract yoke pattern. Now, it's your turn! You can peruse examples on Solsilke's site or on Ravelry. You can leave your answer on fiberbeat.com or on the Fiber Beat Ravelry forum. Winners will be randomly selected from all the entries. DEADLINE FOR ENTERING IS August 7, 2011. An huge TAK to Susanna Hansson for being on the Fiber Beat. Big hugs to new Fiber Beat sponsor, Entangled magazine and to our continuing sponsor Bobbin's Nest. Finally, the fondest embrace to all of you, our loyal listeners, for downloading and listening to our first TWENTY-EIGHT episodes (audio/video) of Fiber Beat! If you like what we do, please consider leaving a review on iTunes. We used snippets of all the songs below in this episode. If you like the music, please support the artists (links provided for your convenience):
My name is WonderMike and I'll see you on the Fiber Beat!! Comments[11]
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Sat, 18 June 2011
Fiber Beat, Episode 20: "Old Skool Rules!" featuring Caro Sheridan and Deb Brisson  There's a million crafters in Fiber City and we've all got a yarn to spin. This episode of Fiber Beat is made possible with the support of Entangled magazine, our brand new sponsor from New Zealand! Entangled is a new digital only, quarterly fibercraft publication. Issue One featuring Claudia from Wollmseise, the history of Saori weaving, and all about Angora rabbit fiber is out now and available through Zinio This episode of Fiber Beat is also underwritten by Bobbin's Nest Studio, from Santa Clara, CA. Bobbin's Nest is a fabric and yarn store specializing in: knitting, sewing, crochet, and hand embroidery. Episode twenty - that's got a nice ring. It’s sweet to be outta the teens, let me tell you. A nice even twenty. A twenty year old can be a diligent student working hard to get through college or it can be a deadbeat sleeping till noon, eating junk food and watching reruns all day long. Hopefully you kind listeners will think of us as the former: studious, productive, disciplined and ready to go to school! On today’s episode we do just that - as a matter of fact, we go Old Skool. After years of following their exploits on the web, I finally met and interviewed the talented Caro Sheridan (aka Splityarn) and her partner in crime, the hilarious Deb Brisson (aka Stitchy McYarnpants). Knitting It Old School is not your regular pattern book. It’s a stylish, humorous romp through the history of a select group of vintage garments totally retooled for a modern sensibility. While it may not appeal to the less adventurous, it definitely has something to delight the knitting thrill seeker, the fashionista and the retro-hipster who wants a breath of fresh air. The following people, places and things were mentioned:
Winners of Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 19 We had three great prizes to award in conjunction with the previous episode. The prizes/winners are:(1) Set of two tickets to the see the Primary Structures go to CraftyAndy & Elword; (2) Souvenir catalog of the Primary Structures show go to Ditetre; (3) Cause & Cure hat patterns (designed by Kyle Kunnecke) go to TurtleKnit, Suzanne, JudyG & Holli. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone for participating! Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 20 We've got two copies of "Knitting It Old School", each signed by Deb, Caro, Tammy & Stephen! All you have to do to enter the drawing for these prizes, is answer the following question: What vintage garment or pattern would YOU like to redesign for a modern fashionista? It can be a more well-known pattern or classic pattern (like the granny square jacket) it can be more of a silhouette (like empire waist dress). You can leave your answer on fiberbeat.com or on the Fiber Beat Ravelry forum. Winners will be randomly selected from all the entries. DEADLINE FOR ENTERING IS JULY 7, 2011. An old school & Emily-Post-approved note of gratitude to Deb & Caro for being on the Fiber Beat. A super stylish merci beaucoup to glamour pusses, Stephen & Tammy. Big hugs to new Fiber Beat sponsor, Entangled magazine. Finally, the warmest embrace to all of you, our loyal listeners, for downloading and listening to our first TWENTY-SEVEN episodes (audio/video) of Fiber Beat! If you like what we do, please consider leaving a review on iTunes. We used snippets of all the songs below in this episode. If you like the music, please support the artists (links provided for your convenience):
My name is WonderMike and I'll catch you on the FLIP SIDE on the Fiber Beat!! Comments[6]
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Thu, 9 June 2011
Hi Everyone, Category:general
-- posted at: 9:11 PM Comments[0]
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Sat, 4 June 2011
Fiber Beat, Episode 19: "Art is Primary" featuring Deborah Corsini and Kyle Kunnecke  There's a million crafters in Fiber City and we've all got a yarn to spin. This episode of Fiber Beat is made possible with the support of Entangled magazine, our brand new sponsor from New Zealand! Entangled is a new digital only, quarterly fibercraft publication. Issue One featuring Claudia from Wollmeise, the history of Saori weaving, and all about Angora rabbit fiber is out now and available through Zinio This episode of Fiber Beat is also underwritten by Bobbin's Nest Studio, from Santa Clara, CA. Bobbin's Nest is a fabric and yarn store specializing in: knitting, sewing, crochet, and hand embroidery. This summer Bobbin's Nest will release a line of their own patterns AND will redesign the store! Come check out all the excitement in person! When I was first told I should visit the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, I envisioned a meticulously displayed and tastefully curated collection of traditional quilted pieces. But, as this recommendation was coming from my multi-crafty poly-artistic friend, Kyle Kunnecke, I knew that there must be more edge to it than that. And boy was I in for a tasty textile treat!!! The following people, places and things were mentioned:
Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 19 We've three great prizes to award in conjunction with this episode:(1) Set of two tickets to the see the Primary Structures show that will be up through August 7, 2011. This is obviously for local folks; (2) Souvenir catalog of the Primary Structures show. This should be for those people who cannot attend the show in person; (3) Cause & Cure hat patterns designed by Kyle Kunnecke. I have two each of these for a total of 4 pattern prizes. All you have to do to enter the drawing for these prizes, is leave a comment on fiberbeat.com or on the Fiber Beat Ravelry forum. Winners will be randomly selected from all the entries. DEADLINE FOR ENTERING IS JUNE 21, 2011. An intricately woven thank you to Deborah Corsini for showing us her lovely studio and for being on the Fiber Beat. A huge hug to fiber artist and teacher Kyle Kunnecke. And massive thanks to our continuing sponsor, Bobbin Nest, and to our new sponsor,Entangled magazine. Finally, I want to thank you, our patient listeners, for downloading and listening to our first TWENTY-SIX episodes (audio/video) of Fiber Beat! If you like what we do, please consider leaving a review on iTunes. We used snippets of all the songs below in this episode. If you like the music, please support the artists (links provided for your convenience):
My name is WonderMike and I'll see YOU on the Fiber Beat!! Comments[8]
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Thu, 5 May 2011
Category:general
-- posted at: 5:58 PM Comments[0]
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Mon, 25 April 2011
Media Link: Spinna Outta Carolina (44:44)  There's a million crafters in Fiber City and we've all got a yarn to spin. This episode of Fiber Beat is underwritten by Bobbin's Nest Studio, from Santa Clara, CA. Bobbin's Nest is a fabric and yarn store specializing in: knitting, sewing, crochet, and hand embroidery. Now available in the store, be sure to check out the new Po Campo bicycle bags (which also make great knitting bags) as well as new yarns from Sweet Georgia! What do Carolina Homespun, The Unique Sheep Yarns & Magnificent Mittens & Socks all have in common? They all have been influenced by the creative talent of Merike Saarnit. For this episode of Fiber Beat we visit with dyer, spinner, entrepreneur and teacher, Merike Saarnit. We talk about her first fiber business, the iconic Carolina Homespun, her dyed yarn kits for Anna Zilboorg's "Magnificent Mittens" and her work with Liisu Yarns which evolved and merged with the Unique Sheep. Merike also tours the US Stitches events teaching drop spindle spinning as well as leading fiber vacation groups to Estonia. In fact, she is so inspired by her Estonian heritage, she is working on a text for XRX about the history and designs of her native lands. The following people, places and things were mentioned:
YOUR turn to share! How does your heritage or your family influence your crafting choices and designs? For me, it was my grandmother and her love of crochet and her generosity in sharing that passion. It established my love of fiber crafts when I was little boy and planted the seed that would blossom many years later into my current love of knitting and spinning. I'd love to know your stories! You can leave your answer on fiberbeat.com or on the Fiber Beat Ravelry forum. The winner of the Fiber Beat CONTEST for Episode No. 17 is Erin. Her signed copy of Magnificent Mittens is on its way to her home. Thank you to everyone who participated and congratulations to Erin. A very special tänen or thank you in Estonian to Merike Saarniit for her passion for spindle spinning and her patience as a teacher. I'd like to give a shout out to sponsor extraordinaire Bobbin's Nest for their continued support. Finally, I want to thank you, our fantabulous listeners, for downloading and listening to our first TWENTY-FIVE episodes (audio/video) of Fiber Beat! If you like what we do, please consider leaving a review on iTunes. We used snippets of all the songs below in this episode. As examples of the music of Estonia, we selected two different performances of "Lauliku Lapsepõli (The Singer's Childhood)" by Veljo Tormis, one of the most important composers of the 20th century in Estonia. Additionally, we found a gorgeous performance of "Mu Mano Tulge Latse (Come unto Me, Ye Children)" which is a traditional Christmas hymn. If you like the music, please support the artists (links provided for your convenience):
My name is WonderMike and I'll see YOU on the Fiber Beat!! Comments[0]
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