Cast On

Replenishing the sock drawer with Priory Socks (project page). My Secret Circles, below. Porthos (project page), below. I moved my decreases to the back of the heel, and the result is similar to Basic Biarritz and the Kite Heel, yet is uniquely mine and oh, is it ever sexy. The joy of a well-fitting heel cannot be overstated. The short row method used in Zabava Shorties is still, hands down, the best method I have found for toes. You'll find the method for Jeny's Square Peg Heel here. Cat Bordhi's gusset lessons may be found in her book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters. You can read my notes on Kiba Light on my project page. Knit to The Dress Diary of Miss Ann Sykes, by Kate Strasdin (Bsky) Music in this podcast: * Merrigan's Reel, Jim Fidler * Coming Home, Dalton Day This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brendadayne.substack.com

In which an American Thanksgiving is celebrated in the UK, albeit a day late and a pumpkin pie short. One of the first pieces of writing I recorded for Cast On in 2005, this has become one of my most popular podcasts. This particular version was rerecorded in 2011 for A Knitter's Manifesto, and features sound design by artist, Felicity Ford. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brendadayne.substack.com

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

In this episode: Off the needles and on; Tour de Fleece wrap up; notes from the production line; a new bag; a new spindle; good materials; and Bennet's Boiled Potatoes.

Knitting the slowest sock in the history of sock knitting. Tour de Fleece. The merits of taking small steps vaguely in the direction a goal. I'm thinking about style again, and looking for systems.

House projects have broken me; the summer of socks continues; the red that bled; Tour de Fleece; and a return to Clifford Byway. 

The weather. Men in shorts. The run down. Ta Da moments. And the moments just before a plan comes together.

In this episode: The party dress; picking up threads; a project round up; and the big idea, spoken aloud.

IN THIS EPISODE: Stash enhancement; hat boxes of joy; the rug of sorrow; knitting memory lane, letting it go. Repeat after me: It is okay to rest.

Undone by Cosmo/Cosmo undone; colour blocking that didn't; a summer romance; a bounty of beautiful sock yarn; packing projects for a journey with no end date; and the view from Stone Cottage.

I have more projects on the needles at one time than EVER BEFORE. Plus, we're buying a cottage!

The Great Airing of the Stash 2023; hibernating projects emerge, blinking, into the light, revisiting Paint Pan, Against all Odds, and the Red Edge, plus a veritable torrent of knitting projects. 

The production line; tiny arms; fussy cutting; the trouble with Esther; another one of thoseprojects; beautifully visible mending; and a chat with Kim Werker, about finding creativity.

In this episode: The style goddess; I Can Make Shoes; the button makes the knitwear (I have always said this); a return to form; Esther; and The Talisman.

In this episode: Bias binding; finished objects; crafting chaos; plum blossoms; works in progress; and palette decisions. Lilly's retro-vibe pinnies are finished! Several knitsibs have expressed an interest in an adult-sized version. I'm still looking, but if you know of something similar, drop a comment at the website, please. The pattern is Bias Trimmed Apron from Little Things to Sew, by Oliver & S, in lightweight linen fabric with bias binding in designer fabrics purchased from this UK eBay seller. The Sock is not at a very interesting place, but there has been a bit of a progress in this WIP. The yarn I'm using is Coop Knits, Socks, Yeah! in the colour Labrodorite. Lastly, Gene Marshall is a rabbit hole. You have been warned.

Flat socks, knit purl patterns, iteration, procrastination, and Kvetching.

Bra sewing. Yes, again. You say bojagi, I say pojagi. The work of a lifetime. A return of the light.  

Falling down, playing in the knitting adjacent zone, beginnings, One Block Wonders, over under over under over under, and a new series!

The art of getting very, very close to knitting, whilst remaining emotionally aloof and at arm's length; I bought yarn; the latest amazing design from the mind of Jeny Stainman; and someone saved my life tonight.

Science! Tiny sweaters. Little stockings. Charming wee hats. Stars. Rockin rolags. Colours! Floors that go squelch. Wait, that isn't supposed to happen.  FYI: There's nothing wrong with your ears. There was a mic incident during the recording, and I could not face do-overs. Pretend we're on the phone, and I'm doing all the talking.

Cosy-testing, for science; taking bivalents for the team; and rail journeys from the not-too-distant past.

Welcoming the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness by putting things in jars for later, admiring dramatic skies, planting for the future, knitting waistcoats and new hats, and the Discipline of Do Easy.

In this episode, summer rain, and the last of the summer socks; the return of things from our life; baking chocolate cookies; and more glorious stranded colourwork from Knitsonik and Friends, (aka my friend, Felix.)

Socks of the month; over-sized shirts; stepping off the merry-go-round; and stuff. 

Needles afire with summer socks; baking at midnight, running the numbers for Against All Odds; and standing atop of pile of new-made things.

A sock heel for gradient dyed yarn; re-making a home; memories of dump runs past; buttons, and the Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge. 

The knitting equivalent of eating dessert first; the knitting pivot; emergency socks; and the return of la mer.

In this episode, the Against All Odds sweater gets a pop of colour to break up the unremitting boredom of knitting stockinette in grey yarn. It only lasted for four rounds, but was glorious. The folly of working with charcoal yarn at dusk is discussed, along with its antidote, the Syncopation sock pattern. Also, Delia Smith and touch typing. And Dracula. 

The first and best news, Tonia is home. Teaching herself to mend in order to stave off boredom, and providing a lap for grateful pets who are as relieved that she is home as I am. For the first time ever, I'm using Susie Myer's contiguous top down method for set-in sleeves to knit Against All Odds in Shibui linen yarn. It's easier than the row by row directions make it seem.  Plus, some general musings on sweaters. 

Fiddly false starts. Ambushed by linen. The sound of knitting freedom. The answer is in the question. And why is everything I need already packed away in a box?

Simple tools. Sweaters for the Littles. Jeny Staiman's amazing heel construction. And my spring sweater shortlist. Links to everything I talk about are at brendadayne.co.uk.

The eye of the storm has moved. Possibly. And there are many things about which to celebrate. But not knitting. Worst knitting month ever, at the end of which I learn valuable lessons from Jeny Staimen. And The Tech Bros are already yesterday's news.

The return of a Skyscrapa. Flowers in pots. Books in stacks. Enormous sleeves. Hand sewing. Time, and what to do while it's passing. Our house is officially for sale, and it's time to cast on.

Knitting for little people. I can knit a rainbow, but should I? A honkin' huge ass box o'yarn. More about that amazing heel. Paint Pan Socks, again? Yes. (Shut up.) A foxy little knitting mash up. If it sounds like this one is all about knitting, that's because it is. I really needed to talk about my knitting. What a relief.

Holiday on the good ship Covid. Rest, and being stingy with it. Painting all the things. Wintering.

A big reveal. Projects, projects, projects. Planning for my trip to The Big Smoke, and the new year. Plus a visit from an old friend.

Continental drift. A rhetorical question. One million ends. Milkshake on the sidewalk. And Sixty Six Coupons.

A baby sweater gone wrong. I mean, they're so small. How do you even have time to screw it up? I don't know, but I managed it this week. Oh, and I fell in love. And had my heart broken. So. A big week for me. 

This week, I called time out, and used my time out to remove seven projects from time out and complete them all. Worth it, but kinda not worth it, if you know what I mean.

Today I am all about the milestones; those points on the path that tell you you've finally arrived somewhere. Plus, I share some lessons learned on how to unlock the information contained in those fractional numbers in yarn descriptions. There is some math involved, but it's totally worth it. I deconstruct the Graerup Pullover and make plans to find out why the Red Edge has been in time-out for so many months. 

Grateful thanks. Ripping and reknitting and ripping and reknitting. Grime. The black silk.

An unsettling week. Life plans derailed and knitting plans upset. Graerup ripped back. Podcasting from the liminal zone with inspiration from Abu Musa Jabir, Isaac Newton, Kierkegaard, and Chris in the Morning. There is quite a bit about socks.

Smelling wool. Sewing bras. Remembering clothes from the 70's. Autumn is here. It's finally here. Come. Join me. I'm the one in the sweater.

Unmade makes are calling; does it really matter if you're off by a couple of stitches; trousers again, of course; and the start of a new series. Huge thanks this week to guest reader, professional storyteller, and longtime friend of Cast On, Sage Tyrtle.

In this episode: sock of the damned; pattern blocks; ass poodles; effluvia; and chintz. Plus, mood music and some very sad tales. Hey, I don't need to swallow in order to podcast.

Socks, socks, socks; the Red Edge all my makes since last September a last word on bricolage; climate change; social justice; another Venn; plus working your ass off on the things that matter most, like knitting a sweater. Or saving the world.

In this episode, colour gives my capsule wardrobe design process a much needed shot in the arm. This one is all about lush, gorgeous, juicy, delicious colour that makes you want to bite it. And I feel another design brief coming on.

Passing a kidney stone: the Attenborough version; sewing patterns and their history; resting comfortably; and a linen shirt. If I ever meet Geoffery Rush in person, you can be sure I'll ask him how long it took him to learn to draft a suit jacket for the title scene in The Tailor of Panama.

A week where nothing much happens, and a new ironing board cover is cause for celebration. The beach figures prominently. And a suitcase. And bras, again. Trousers are on hold while I pursue the swimsuit of my dreams. Same old same old. Pretty much. A listener let me know this week that the episode permalinks created by my hosting company, Libsyn, link to the old Cast On website, and not to the show notes at my current website (brendadayne.co.uk). I'm working with Libsyn to find a solution. Thanks for your patience.

Why do 500 bows from China cost £2.00, but 20 bows from Lancaster cost £4.30? Asking, and answering the hard questions.  In this episode: Bows. Bras. Very slow fashion. Glamour is more than a feeling.

Rats, Riverview, and the Red Edge. Plus, we are all hipsters now. Sorry.