A Few of My Favorite Things: Knitting Podcasts!

I thought it would be fun to make a list of the knitting podcasts I listen to, because I really enjoy listening to podcasts while....you know, knitting.  I found a few through blogs, and I even found a few more through just Googling "knitting podcasts."  And just yesterday I found a Ravelry group for fans of a knitting podcast!  Everything has a podcast, and I obviously really like the ones about knitting.  I haven't found any crocheting podcasts to listen to regularly, but I'm hopeful.  Most knitters crochet at least a little, and so sometimes I'm treated to a nice discussion about granny squares.  If you have a crochet podcast you like listening to, let me know in the comments because I'd love to hear from you!  Especially if granny squares are involved.

Okay!  Time for the list!

Just One More Row, by Dana and Brittney.  This is one of the first podcasts I found through just searching around online.  I stuck around because I liked hearing two friends talking (with Tennessee accents! Lovely) about their projects and yarn purchases.  It's fun to hear how much these ladies enjoy talking to each other.  I've learned a lot about indie dyers and spinners since I started listening, and their lengthy discussions about their spinning wheels makes me feel like it wouldn't be such a terrible idea for me to get one.  So dangerous.  Their podcasts usually last around an hour, and come out every couple of weeks.  They don't say inappropriate things often, but they always throw out a warning before they do in case you need to turn down the volume or chase little ears out of the room.  JOMR is probably one of my very favorite shows ever.  I probably shouldn't have started the list with this one.  Oops!  Moving on!

Cast On, by Brenda Dayne.  I found this podcast through a link on the blog Yarnstorm.  I'm sure every British knitter, and maybe every British enthusiast knitter, is rolling his/her eyes at how I didn't know about one of the longest-running knitting podcasts ever.  Brenda Dayne is an American living way out in Wales as a pattern designer and podcaster and general awesome person.  Just a heads-up, though: sometimes the language can get a bit strong and there will not be a warning.  She's not on the strictest of posting schedules, which just means that I'm always pleasantly surprised when a new show appears in my reader.  If you're a bit discontented, there's always her archives.  That go back to 2005. So much yarn talk.  It is fantastic.

Never Not Knitting, by Alana Dakos.  No language here! None!  Alana Dakos seems to write out her shows completely before she reads them off like a script for each podcast.  This happens about twice a month, and it took me a while to get used to her style.  But I tend to find it really soothing now.  One of my favorite features is that she features an essay from a follower.  The people have talked about how they learned to knit, how they started seeing themselves as knitters, or even how they had a horrifying misadventure with their knitting.  Even though she's a designer, she's pretty upfront about her own misadventures and I really enjoy hearing about that for some reason.  In spite of how carefully you can tell she puts together her show, she still has a confessional style that makes me feel like she's just sharing her stories.

Math 4 Knitters, Crafty Living, with Lara Neel.  This podcast comes from the Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and each episode features Lara interviewing a knitting designer or author (and some people are both).  The post publishes every week, and features Lara Neel calling up the person and asking the same set of questions.  Because the interviews almost always take place over the phone or on Skype, the sound quality is not always the best.  But the conversations she has with people more than make up for it.  Sometimes she goes off on a tangent, and sometimes her interviewee does.  The odd personal asides have become one of my favorite thing about the show.  I've found a lot of blogs to follow through this show, and I've learned a lot about things like wool, dyeing, and the creative process.

Yarncraft, with Zontee and Michelle.  This podcast comes from Lion Brand, which means these ladies could just say the names of Lion Brand yarns in alphabetical order and I'd listen every week with rapt attention.  I love Lion Brand a lot, as I'm sure most people do.  (If you don't, we don't have to talk about it.  Or anything else ever again.)  But they actually talk about real things, like what they're knitting and crocheting, what yarn they're using, what techniques they're trying out, and what new things Lion Brand has coming up.  They also interview people working with Lion Brand on various projects, and also have really practical and applicable tips for yarncrafters of all experience levels.  I usually have 2 or 3 things I want to try out after listening to each episode. 

This (obviously) isn't an exhaustive list, and I hope to make another one soon with even more podcasts on there.  If I've missed your favorite, let me know. I'm always looking for more things to listen to while I craft.

Have a great weekend!