Blocking Your Knits and a New Blanket Block - Ep. 142 Fleece & Harmony Knitting and Crochet Podcast

Рет қаралды 9,725

Күн бұрын

In Episode 142 we follow some animal tracks in the farm update, Simone launches a new pattern - Midnight Fox Cowl, there is a slide show for the new Laine Issue 19, and we give you all of the Knitty Gritty on blocking your knits. Oh yes - a new blanket block has been released!
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One link to see all of the products we talk about in Episode 142:
fleeceandharmo...
Project Pattern Links:
Link to the Fleece and Harmony Blanket 2024:
www.ravelry.co...
Link to Midnight Fox Pattern:
www.ravelry.co...
Discount code until March 20th, 2024: barkingfox
Link to Treit by Kate Davies:
www.ravelry.co...
Link to the JasmineTea Shawl:
www.ravelry.co...
Check out the PEI Fibre Festival Website here:
peifibrefestiv...
Sign Up for the PEI Fibre Festival Newsletter:
peifibrefestiv...
Music in the Harmony Part: To Begin Again - Sean Williams
Music in the Laine Slide Show: I Owe It to You - Gidon Schocken
CHAPTERS
Introduction 0:00
Farm Update 2:59
Marie Wallin Make Along 8:35
Fibre Festival Pattern - Midnight Fox Cowl 10:26
Fleece and Harmony Blanket 2024 16:22
Projects 24:30
What we are Wearing 25:00
Treit by Kate Davies 37:37
Jasmine Tea Shawl 38:31
Hand Spinning 43:13
English Paper Piecing 45:05
Sweater Restoration 46:39
The Knitty Gritty - Blocking your Knits 51:13
Shop Update 1:10:05
Laine Issue 19 Slide Show 1:11:29
PEI Fibre Festival News 1:14:12
The Harmony Part 1:20:27
Link to Sheldon the Sheep Pattern (a crochet project):
www.ravelry.co...
Thank you for watching our podcast and listening to our farm stories and ramblings about knitting and crochet! If you haven't yet subscribed, please do so and hit the notification bell!! We also love your comments and answer every single one! Keep them coming!
This podcast is recorded on our sheep farm in Prince Edward Island. We spin our own Fleece & Harmony brand of yarn and knit A LOT. We use Belfast Mini Mills equipment. We are also a Rowan Flagship Retailer.

Пікірлер: 89

@devoted2knit177 5 ай бұрын

Simone your hair style is just perfect for you. It really allows. Your beautiful face to shine through. Love it!!!

@debbiegodfrey572 5 ай бұрын

Awesome episode. Excellent blocking tips. Fantastic banter between the three of you. Your cat is adorable. And the sheep too

@marywalton6900 5 ай бұрын

Betsey’s sweater is totally fabulous.

@lynnyamamoto33 5 ай бұрын

Your sheep are so beautiful! And Em is adorable!

@jalexander5801 5 ай бұрын

I have never seen a cat play fetch...so fun! Love the podcast, thanks for doing it.

@valeriebishop561 5 ай бұрын

Fantastic blanket coming along!!! Great job on the sweaters and love all the STUFF!!!

@anneclarkson8779 5 ай бұрын

Love your hair style Simone, and yes, the repair shop is amazing, it's worth looking into Jay Blades story, he's an interesting and inspirational man.

@paigemckelvey8781 5 ай бұрын

Love your new look, Simone. That style, on you, is very becoming. I really enjoy the three of you together, such dynamincs! It is fun to hear the weather report each time, in addition to making.

@elaineenstone6834 5 ай бұрын

A wonderful episode full of goodies from Betsy's sweater to Em playing with the ring and all the yarny goodness in between. The Repair Shop is filmed at the Weald and Downland Museum, in Sussex, in the south of England near the city of Chichester. Well worth a visit if you are ever in the area. 🇬🇧

@rubybird4380 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the slide show! You three and the exec producer are awesome!

@diannefitzmaurice9813 5 ай бұрын

Great episode. Beautiful sweaaters . I love them all and love the blanket blocks of the snowshoe hare . BTW the technical term when washing or preparing to block natural fibers is "wet down" rather than soak . The term indicates what has to be done for natural fibers to open up so that the characteristics and benefits of the fibers, as well as the appearance will be enhanced . Soaking is not great because it can weaken the fibers if done too long. Wetting down the garment means that it is just long enough to open up the fibers and it is totally wet . The reason for this is because natural fibers wick moisture so it takes a bit of time to reach its full capacity . Usually it is about 15- 20 minutes . Cold water will take it longer for fibers to open up and wet down completely. (I like hot ! Especially for fibers that bloom like angora !) It is tricky because if is being washed you don't want the water to cool down completely so that it doesn't take long to increase the temp with rinsing . If it cools down completely and then the temp is changed from cold to hot without increments of course this makes it vulnerable to felting . Finding a perfect bowl works great to block hats or plate for tams !

@dawntorpe5100 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for putting together another great episode. I’m enjoying the blanket block reveals. Can’t wait to see how it will come together!

@Lamara5292 5 ай бұрын

Pool noodles in the sleeves. If working with a thick yarn, I prefer the steam block as the yarn if not drying fast enough gets a bit of an odour. Great tips. Simone’s crochet shawl is gorgeous. Becky, your rustic wool sweater is beautiful. The sheep certainly are getting some good coats on. Em is a cutie. Yes, I got that feeling of how on earth did the Fiona bunny go so fast.

@osmia 5 ай бұрын

Trackers tracking trackers . . . Such fun

@kimmargittai5287 5 ай бұрын

Great haircuts! Great advice! Great podcast!

@debbielavers9836 5 ай бұрын

Love the bunny!

@corteofs 5 ай бұрын

I love your podcast and look forward to visit Fleece and Harmony in July , I was there in 2021 and loved it ,

@bags-by-carol 5 ай бұрын

So enjoy new episode weekend!! Love that it’s each Friday now. All of your sweaters today - wow - Becky ❤️ the sheep design. You are all so much fun together ~ you’ve found the secret sauce for the perfect podcast!! The inspiration and patterns this episode - wowzer - all the crafts too - knit, crochet AND EPP that I can do - which make my crafty spirit sing.

@mrsclaunch 5 ай бұрын

I have a kitty who loves fetch with ponytail holders. Loved the video today

@cynthiabroadbent3836 5 ай бұрын

I've been anxiously (excitedly) watching to see how the squares develop! So far so good in regard to the chosen motifs being pertinent to MT as well :). Thanks for the tip on blocking each piece of the sweater before assembling! I'm very close to starting to attach the sleeves to the Arne & Carlos Setesdal sweater. Fun footage of your kitten! Looking forward to the Harmony Reads podcast next week. Thanks for another episode!

@angiemontanaro6598 5 ай бұрын

Loved the “ up close and personal” shots of the sheep. How about some video of the bunnies next time?

@pennylittle8435 5 ай бұрын

Great information on blocking! I’ve been knitting for 60 years and I’ve always blocked in my washer. Like you, I let it soak then spin out the water. I’ve always wondered why other knitters don’t take advantage of the spin cycle. It certainly does not harm the garment. Thanks for sharing your process. Once again, great episode! All three of you look gorgeous in your sweaters. What an inspiration!🧶☺️

@louiselegacy9985 5 ай бұрын

Nice haircut Simone.

@CeeCeeCrafts 5 ай бұрын

I love spending time with you ladies every 2 weeks, and I am excited to see new episodes. The sweaters are beautiful & the crocheted shawl will be fabulous. I finally gave in and purchased the blue yarn used in the Trait (I probably butchered the spelling). I think the majority of my stash is made up of shades of blue so adding more blue is harmonious. 😂😊

@catherinewithall8344 5 ай бұрын

My cat is obsessed with my shawl made with Noro Akari, a little spoiled she is 😊

@jeaninegunn4118 5 ай бұрын

Kudos to Betsy on finishing the Norwegian sweater! It turned out great and will last a long time. I bought the Coco Knits blocking mats from you folks and have to say they are worth the money. The textured finish really helps and overall quality far superior to the yoga mat and towel system I used or the play mats. Next on my list are the wires so I hope they come in soon.

@cyndylee544 5 ай бұрын

In regard to fixing store bought sweaters, etc. I had purchase two long cardigan sweaters from Bass Pro that had some wool in them. However, the sleeves were WAY, WAY too long. So I figured out where I wanted the ribbing to end, took out the yarn of each sleeve to the point where I would start the ribbing for me and did the ribbing and bound it off and repeated on each sleeve. It worked out great and I wear them all the time in cooler weather. It's nice to have these skills and to be able to use them on projects like this.

@TrickyNight24 5 ай бұрын

I’ve never had 7+ designs I wanted to knit out of one issue of laine before. I’m really excited about some of those tops! Love the bunny and bunny in a forest blanket squares this month!

@sueking6543 5 ай бұрын

As soon as I just heard Simone mention the jasmine wool wash , I went right away to check your website and it was there! So excited. I bought it years ago in Halifax but never ever found it again. I ordered 2 😂❤ Thanks for mentioning that Simone.

@MsMegil 5 ай бұрын

I first wanted to visit the fibre festival in 2020 and we all know what happened. Then family concerns became front and centre. Well I’m going to make it this year. Hotel is booked. Looking so forward to meeting everyone.

@kathykeller3430 5 ай бұрын

Another wonderful podcast! Thank you ladies. I have always wet blocked, it really does finish off your knits. I never seem to not get a crease in the outer side of the sleeve. I bought a couple of those swim noodles and have used them. I stick them inside each sleeve as it’s drying, works pretty good. Em is adorable!

@patriciar.2017 5 ай бұрын

Kim, will you please share with us the type of sheep you have. I think their faces are so beautiful. Thanks for sharing them with us and Emm 😮is a precious kitty.

@FleeceHarmonyPodcast 5 ай бұрын

Most of our sheep are Corriedale Border Leicester crosses. They are a cute cross!

@bernicemcgowan6657 5 ай бұрын

The initial blocking of a garment does wonders for evening out stitches and to me is essential for any finished garment. The washing and laying out of garments before putting them away doesn’t require quite as much effort as the magic really is in the first blocking. When I block hats I rearrange them part way through and then turn them inside out later in order to minimize fold lines and speed up drying, but those fold lines actually go away just fine when you wear it.

@kellypulham8925 5 ай бұрын

Oh my goodness! I just found your podcast and realized that I have been to your farm and shop! 😊 I loved my visit there, and I am so excited to follow your channel.

@this_skipper_knits959 5 ай бұрын

Great episode, thank you as always! PS- I prefer the old style washers, I am a huge lover of the Fiber Trends felted clogs and it works best in the old agitating washers. Bring them back 🤭

@mongrain8934 5 ай бұрын

Love the chemistry between you. It creates a wonderful atmosphere to listen to all of your interesting topics. ❤❤❤

@catnapper3923 5 ай бұрын

I love all of your sweaters so much! I’m with Betsy: that is exactly the kind of sweater I like - big, to wear outside over leggings. Betsy - what a good job you did with that Norwegian pattern. I bought Simone’s cowl. I adore foxes. Thank you Simone. Blocking is everything. Everything. Knitting is only half of the making. Blocking makes it a real garment. I like to leave the piece blocking, pinned, for as long as possible, days after it’s completely dry, so that it really relaxes into shape. Thanks for a very wonderful episode. Xx

@danielleboots7032 5 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@brendamorison8671 5 ай бұрын

In regards to steam blocking, I often use it when I am getting out a sweater to wear and find that it has a wrinkle or crease in it from being folded, etc. I hang my sweater on a hanger and use a steamer (they are inexpensive on Amazon) and give it a quick steam before wearing to freshen it up and get rid of the wrinkles, etc.

@peggyisme 5 ай бұрын

you can use k2tog and k2tog through back loop to get the leans Betsy your sweater fulled out nicely

@yearningforyarn9412 5 ай бұрын

I agree wanting a wider wing span on my crochet shawls. I have found though that I can bend the top under so the point doesn't come down as far in the front when I wrap it around my neck. The long point ends up being nice when I crisscross the shawl in the front and tie it at my back for warmth when working. Pros and cons I guess!

@vindeljay 5 ай бұрын

All animals living their best lives are harmonious. Love the faces of the sheep.

@jennej.4995 5 ай бұрын

In Shetland you can buy jumper board for blocking your garments. And These are adjustable

@peggyisme 5 ай бұрын

Alasdair Post-Quinn has great books and tutorials on Double Knitting, he teaches too!

@Kim_Karr 5 ай бұрын

I believe I got THE last Iona bunny skein! I had 2 of the last color available in my cart and by the time I went to pay, there was only 1 left! Yea me! 👏👏👏

@FleeceHarmonyPodcast 5 ай бұрын

Yup! You got the last one.

@barbaraamping5659 5 ай бұрын

I use a1liter Pyrex measuring cup turned upside down. I place the hat on top and it works for me . If it’s a baby hat use a smaller Pyrex measuring cup upside down

@sharonbunker2340 5 ай бұрын

Wow look at those sweaters!

@jo-annefalconer6280 5 ай бұрын

M IS ADORABLE AND so are the sheep, love all your projects too.

@barbarabona2762 5 ай бұрын

Coming from Northport Michigan. It’s such a treat to watch your podcasts. Continually being inspired and learning so many things.

@veldalacoste8186 5 ай бұрын

Loved your newsletter this week! And once again the Harmony Part doesn’t disappoint. Em is just plain adorable and so fun to see the sheep up close and personal😊

@alicehoyle4198 5 ай бұрын

I LOVE the Repair Shop show - what a bunch of amazing resotration experts. I love seeing what people bring in to the shop to be repaired. Some very interesting items.

@rubybird4380 5 ай бұрын

And happy animals are always relaxing. You do such a good job on choosing musi-- on both the slide show and the harmony part!

@tamarafairbank2639 5 ай бұрын

Loving the blanket knit along! Mastering reverse knitting to avoid working pattern on the wrong side. It is a great technique!

@carolerath1129 5 ай бұрын

You ladies are the best. Simone I love your hair. How many inches did you cut off 6 inches? Well it’s beautiful. Yes Kim and Betsy your hair is pretty too. Kim I love that Ken has trained the cat to fetch. We have a dog that won’t fetch she’s like you threw it now go get it. 😊

@Rita-Y 5 ай бұрын

Another great episode esp the harmony part . Watching your family makes me smile. ❤

@deborahhawkins1197 5 ай бұрын

Love your new hair cuts and all the wildlife stories news. How large is your flock of sheep?😘

@lsdev4229 5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for this episode, love all your sweaters. Great Harmony part.🥰🇨🇦Sharon.

@alicehoyle4198 5 ай бұрын

The sheep are awesome, but I have to say: the cat portion was adorable. We had a cat that would bat around toys to us: if we scooted the toy back to her, she would catch it in her paw, and then swoop it back to us. A soccer playing cat. Pets are the best!

@stacycharles9234 5 ай бұрын

I live in the UP of Michigan and we help them through the winter and treat them for mange when needed

@anneb.8633 5 ай бұрын

Beautiful sweaters, ladies. ❤ the cat and sheep too xxx

@deniseengel1451 5 ай бұрын

Thanks ladies. Love your haircut Simone. Betsy your sweater turned out great. Good information on blocking. Maybe Emm liked her sweater so much because it was like a thunder shirt for dogs? We had a cat that would fetch.

@ApplesandPeanutButter 5 ай бұрын

Simone, I love the shorter hair 😍 A locking sstitch marker on your working crochet stitch prevent pulling out stitches.

@nicolelafontaine1720 5 ай бұрын

Simone 's spinning is so wonderful !!! I block my hats on ballons blown 10% less of the circumference I want to end up with. In order to avoir crease on the sleeves, I add small long round baloons in the sleeves. It also dries quicker. 😉 Thanks for this lovely episode full of friendship and laughters. I never thought a cat would play fetch, yours is really interacting with you to play, I am so so surprised ... The sheep look so well fed and happy !!! You are not lambing anymore, are you ?

@tammihackley4349 5 ай бұрын

Love the block designs for blanket. I’m knitting it but I’m slow knitter and only through half way through the first block. But I enjoy knitting the colorwork and it is very relaxing. Love to see the block progressing. Love the designs!!!

@user-vs8xc6gd2n 5 ай бұрын

Simone😊I love your new hair style! You have always been beautiful!

@hildaandrews8150 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for another interesting episode. I’m definitely going to research the foxes of PEI. Beautiful sweater, all of you!

@pennylittle8435 5 ай бұрын

I adore Betsy’s sheep sweater! And it turns out it is not the same pattern as mine. Similar but I bet hers is original. Great job?

@caroltrice5563 3 ай бұрын

Curses to both Kim and Betsy for ever mentioning the Wallflowers crochet blanket and especially Kim for resurfacing it now a year later! I resisted the temptation a year ago. Heck, I am barely a crocheter but I am a hard core knitter. But darn it, this year I couldn’t resist and now I am up to my eyeballs just crocheting popcorn units!!!!!!

@FleeceHarmonyPodcast 3 ай бұрын

Sorry - not sorry! LOL Just counted up my popcorn centres this morning. 21/50 that I have to do for this segment.

@catardif4158 5 ай бұрын

I love my Panda spin dryer - my front load washer won’t let me spin without also adding water. 😢

@constanzehancock8667 5 ай бұрын

Watch the Fruity Knitting episode. She rolls the object on a towel and then walks all over it to squeeze out the water.

@Mach.R 5 ай бұрын

❤❤❤❤❤😊

@catherinebaybutt8787 5 ай бұрын

My Fridays are always so enjoyable when I get to sit and visit with you. I live in NH and I think you get my weather a couple days later.. we’ve had lots of wind.. not my favorite thing. Your patterns are lovely. Thank you for the slide show of the laine magazine.. that always inspires me. I’m hoping to make it to PEI fiber festival so thanks for the heads up about the classes… and emmm… is adorable. Btw. When will you lambs arrive? And when do you shear the sheep? I’m reading Clara Parkes book and learning so much about the journey of wool. 🧶❤

@tamarafairbank2639 5 ай бұрын

Hey fellow granite stater! Merry mud season regards from the Upper Valley!

@balkenbrack 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the really useful info on blocking. Question: I am working on my first sweater with lace. Is there any substitute for (expensive) lace wires? And your Harmony part was perfect today. I always love seeing the sheep up close, but to combine that with the adorable Ms M was sublime.

@FleeceHarmonyPodcast 5 ай бұрын

You can just use pins on their own but you will need quite a few. The wires just let you do it with fewer pins.

@catherinewithall8344 5 ай бұрын

Loved the episode, what beautiful sweaters! Betsy’s sweater is adorable, what is the name of the pattern?

@betsycampbell7370 5 ай бұрын

Hello Catherine. My sweater is not a published pattern. I bought it as a kit from a beautiful yarn store in a little village called Flam, in Norway.

@judithtaylor6916 5 ай бұрын

Received yr email here in Australia at 5.34am which is to our disadvantage. Iona Bunny was all sold out. Can we not place a pre-order and pay up front??

@constanzehancock8667 5 ай бұрын

Is there a possibility that I or we could preorder the Angora yarn?

@chris112233ish 5 ай бұрын

Can anyone recommend a hotel in PEI walkable to the Wool festival this October? Hosting hotel seems booked.

@FleeceHarmonyPodcast 5 ай бұрын

Check the PEI Fibre Festival website they have a listing of all available hotels....

@chris112233ish 5 ай бұрын

@@FleeceHarmonyPodcast thanks, I’ll check again.

@tammihackley4349 5 ай бұрын

What is meant by “going down to the grandmother”?

@FleeceHarmonyPodcast 5 ай бұрын

You do that when you do a left-leaning lifted increase. You pick up a leg of the stitch in the second row down on the right handed needle. It's an expression that Arne from Arne and Carlos used to try to describe which stitch you pick up.