004: Slow Down, Buckaroo Released: March 12, 2019 In this episode, Anne shares what she learned while knitting the first and second swatches of the Master Hand Knitting Program. Thank You for your Pattern Help Anne asked, and listeners responded. A couple of great recommendations came in for Anne's request for a good beginner's sock pattern. Michelle recommended Anne try the Hermione's Everyday Socks pattern, available for free on Ravelry. Nancye from Dragonfly Fibers suggested she pick up a copy of Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. It hadn't arrived by the time this episode was recorded, but Anne has it now. It has both a "recipe" for socks and an actual pattern, so Anne will be drawing from that as well! Thank you! Knitting Techniques The first two swatches involve knitting K2, P2 and K1, P1 ribbing. In the podcast, Anne discusses three techniques that helped her neaten up ribbing. Listen to the episode to learn more about why ribbing can be tricky and how these techniques might help you. Asking the Questions Anne was a little too hasty in knitting the first few swatches for the program and learned her lesson about taking the time to exhibit some humility and accept she does not, in fact, know everything. Honey This week's affiliate is Honey, an app for your desktop that tracks price changes on Amazon, applies coupon codes for the best deals when you shop online, and earns points to apply toward gift cards when you shop at major retailers. Anne has used it for over a year now and Honey has found many ways to save. Join through this link, and Anne will receive a modest finder's fee to apply toward the cost of running the show. Product Review Nostepinnes are specially formed dowels used to wind yarn into center-pull balls for knitters. Knitter's Pride was very kind to send Anne a selection of products to test in exchange for her honest review. The first product she got to play with was a nostepinne. As promised in the episode, here's the YouTube video that she found the most helpful when she was learning: https://youtu.be/toNeWx0FOjA Anne found the nostepinne to be a helpful addition to her knitting tool kit. It saves the hassle of setting up a ball winder and swift for smaller winding jobs. It's also lightweight and wooden, which makes it a handy tool for those who knit while traveling. For people who are new to knitting, it's an economical option compared to buying a ball winder and swift combo. If you end up sticking with the hobby, those can come later, and the nostepinne can become something you use for the joy of it. The Knitter's Pride nostepinnes are available at many local yarn stores, or you can find them on Amazon, available in two varieties. Help for England! Bath, England: A knitter's paradise? Anne and her aspiring-fashion-designer daughter will be traveling to London at the beginning of April. Anne, the knitter, and Abby, the seamstress, are trying to pack their itinerary with appropriately-themed destinations. Aside from the typical tourist destinations, they will be visiting the Victoria and Albert, Fashion and Textile Museum, Camden Market, and the Village Haberdashery while they are in London, and Wool, Country Threads, and the Fashion Museum while they are in Bath. If you have any other recommendations for them within a 2-hour train ride of Paddington Station, please get in touch! Featured Music The first song featured was "Solo Acoustic Guitar" by Jason Shaw and available at the Free Music Archive. The second song was "Ready to Go" by Arthur Nicholson, a folk singer from Shetland. Arthur's work is insightful and mellow. You'll find yourself singing his choruses to yourself through the day. Find his work on Soundcloud or YouTube, or visit his website to buy a CD for yourself. If you are a musician who would like a song featured on the program, or if you have comments or feedback, please contact the show at anne@familypodcasts.com. Social Media You can