Episode 0: Reboot

Sunday, October 27, 2013. Episode 0: Reboot

For the past 17 months, my show has been hosted by blip.tv, but sadly they’ve changed their business model and cancelled my show. I am attempting to host the show on my own website now, so instead of a regular episode, on this episode I’m going to introduce myself and the podcast. Any new viewers could start with this episode if they want to find out what it’s all about.

Why did you start a knitting podcast?

In 2001, I guest co-hosted a radio show on public radio while I was living in Florida. I absolutely loved it, and a lot of people complimented me and told me I had a good radio voice. After that, I went to grad school, and I thought a lot about trying to host a show on the public radio station, but I never had enough time.

In 2008, I started listening to podcasts. I listened to 2 board game podcasts and a few knitting podcasts as well. I again thought about hosting a podcast, but I didn’t have time, and also I wasn’t sure what my podcast would be about. After I finished grad school, I got a job as an assistant professor in central PA, and I moved out here on my own. I remembered that at my first Spring Fling, a knitting retreat in St Louis, I had met the Knitgirllls who were starting a video podcast. I decided to look that up again and starting watching it in my office on my lunch break. I was instantly addicted. I needed multiple podcasts to watch since I had a lunch break every day, so I discovered the whole new wonderful world of knitting video podcasts, including the Stockinette Zombies, Dramatic Knits, 90% Knitting, and Round the Twist. Video podcasting just made so much sense for knitting because viewers could see what I was knitting. It was finally starting to click, and I decided to start my own knitting video podcast.

I was inspired by Dramatic Knits to think about a theme for the podcast beyond knitting, and writing just made sense to me. I studied Writing Studies as a graduate student, and as a professor, I teach a variety of academic and professional writing courses. Although the writing process is different than the knitting process, one of the things I like about both are that they are both processes that I find very valuable and enriching in my life.

What are the different segments of your podcast?

Drafting: In this segment I talk about my knitting and spinning in progress. I talk about the yarn or fiber, needles or spindle, and pattern that I’m using to complete the project.

Spice Man by Yarnissima on size 1/2.25mm signature circular in Desert Vista Dyeworks Viso colorway Dia de los Muertos. This project is in my Black Cat bag from a Woolgirl Black Cat kit.

Spinning a single ply of Hobbledehoy BFL/silk fiber colorway Unicorn Lair on the Sock Lady spindle in an Absolute Wonder spindle bag.

Fully Drafted: This segment is for finished knitting and spinning.

Legwarmies by Alana Dakos on size 5/3.75mm Knitter’s Pride needle in Socks that Rock mediumweight colorway Koi Koi.

Five Favorite Things or Top Ten Event Lists: This segment is a way for me to share yarn, restaurants, fiber, board games, books, etc. that I am enjoying in the current week.

Tempted

Trailing Clouds Mind the Gap

Another Crafty Girl

Lit Review: As an English professor and writer, I am also a regular reader, and I love to write short reviews of whatever book I have recently finished and share them with my viewers.

Research: I use this segment to talk in detail about a new technique or pattern I’ve learned for knitting or spinning.

iPad Musings: This segment came about because I taught writing courses with iPads last year, and I was learning all kinds of new apps that I was using.

Mortarboard Moment: As a professor, I’m always thinking about new lesson plans and ideas for my students to discuss in class. Some really are only relevant to my classes, but on occasion my ideas apply mostly to podcasting or social media, so I’ve shared them on the podcast during this segment.

Noteworthy: In the Traveling Sock Knitter podcast board on ravelry, we do knit a longs monthly that anyone can join. I talk about these knit a longs and give out prizes during this segment. I also talk about upcoming events I will be attending, donations to the show, and any relevant news bits that I have to share.