Recorded on September 6, 2023 Book Talk starts at: 26:50 Our Mother Bear KAL has ended!  Prizes will be announced during our next podcast, Episode 224.  Counting the bears that Tracie and Barb completed, there will be about 135 bears heading to Africa to make some children really happy.  THANK YOU to all that participated by knitting or crocheting bears and making donations to the Mother Bear organization.   Our annual Fall Sweater KAL has started!  Knit or crochet a sweater for yourself or another adult.   Here are the rules: Dates - 9/1/2023 - 1/15/24. That’s 4 months…plenty of time to knit or crochet an adult-size sweater…or two! We have bundles for inspiration! Beginner sweaters are here. Adventurous Beginners to Advanced sweaters are here Crocheters! Your sweaters are here ANYONE can add sweaters to the bundles! There will be prizes - just post a picture of your lovely finished sweater in our FOs thread. Do you have some sweaters in progress? WIPs count as long as the sweater is less than 50% done on September 1st. Less than 50% done is your call. We don’t have to “approve” your project. It must be an adult-sized sweater, and it must have sleeves. Short sleeves are fine. You must be a member of our Ravelry group to win a prize.   Virtual Knitting Group via Zoom EVENTS Tracie and Barb will be at: Lambtown - October 7-8, 2023 at the Dixon May Fairgrounds in Dixon, CA The TKGA Retreat 2023 - November 2-5, 2023 at the Hilton Charlotte University Place Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina KNITTING Barb finished Mother Bears 283-285 Ribbed Beanie #3 by Vanessa Ewing, using Western Sky Knits Biggie in the Fishbowl Colorway Vanilla socks using Patons Kroy Socks Stripes in the Meadow Stripes colorway Barley Hat #7, by Tin Can Knits using some of Tracie's handspun    Tracie Finished   Mother Bear #318 Lightweight Raglan Pullover by Purl Soho in Leading Men Fiber Arts Show Stopper in Shantay, You Stay! Morning Ritual Style Marklee by Olga Putano Designs OR Marklee DK by Elizabeth Dorherty with colorwork chart from Women’s Kerbstone by Heather Pfeifer OR Dawning Top by Ainur Berkimbayeva  Barb is working on: Hungry Horse Hat by Aimee Alexander using Polka Dot Sheep Stumptown DK in the Aurora, Depths, Juneberry color ways And has cast on: Vanilla Socks for Will, using Patons Kroy Socks Jacquard Coco Cardigan by Claudia Quintanilla, using some leftover Knit Picks Hawthorne Kettle-Dye in the Springfield colorway. Barley Hat #7 by Tin Can Knits in handspun from Tracie  Barb has frogged: Miles Tee by Ozetta: Hailey Smedley in Universal Yarns Bamboo Pop Sock Tracie has cast on: Pixelated Pullover  by Jennifer Beaumont using Madelinetosh Tosh Merino DK and Madelinetosh Tosh Sport and Duren Dyeworks Love Sport And continues working on: Socks in Tosh Merino Light Glitter in T’Challa colorway   BOOKS Barb read: Shattered by Kathryn Casey - 4 stars Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates - 3 stars The Suspect (Kate Waters #3) - 3 stars Frog and Toad are Doing Their Best (A Parody): Bedtime Stories for Trying Times by Jennie Egerlie - 5 stars Borderline (Anna Pigeon #15)  by Nevada Barr - 4 stars Tracie read: The Politician (DS Cross #4) by Tim Sullivan - 4 stars The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - 3 1/2 stars The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty - 4 1/2 stars The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon - 4 stars