the blue blog archives: always late to the party

A major Lego crisis kept me from posting earlier. Apparently tardiness is my lot. For example, this Christmas, my husband and I finally moved into the 21st century and got an iPod.

I don't have much music ripped (remember?), but now that I feel like I'm legit with an actual iPod, I thought I might check out all those hip knitting podcasts I've been hearing about. (You don't need an iPod to listen to them by the way. I was just feeling too inadequate about always behing behind the curve of cool and not worthy enough to listen.)

But not anymore! I spent New Year's day listening to some great interviews on Knit Cast while the boys were building Lego contraptions (and losing all the pieces they needed this morning). It's so interesting to hear the voices and personalities of knitters you've so often read or read about. (Did you hear the interview with Lily Chin? I really get a kick out of her. I loved watching her on Knitty Gritty too.) I've still got a dozen or so podcasts from the archives to listen to - I'm trying to listen to them just a little at a time to save them - and am particularly looking forward to some of the upcoming interviews like with Kerrie from MagKnits and Annie Modesitt. It is so fun!

But the podcast that I really love is Cast On! While Knitcast is more like a brief newsy Q & A with a knitting celeb, Cast On is usually about an hour long and feels like a real knitting show. There are great stories, well written and well told, and awesome music. And the host is just a pleasure to listen to. Knitting to it is a delight, like having a little private knitting group in your living room. There are only a handful of episodes so far but the host says she'd like to start doing a show every week. Fingers crossed!! (Check out all the episodes here. I especially enjoyed the Holiday on Ice episode!)

But I'm sure you knew all this already. Forgive me, if this is all old news. I'm slow to catch on to these things, you know. So talk to me about podcasts. What else have I been missing out there??

posted by alison at 11:30 am | in blogging about reading about knitting

Comments

well, I must say this is all news to me, and as for "always behing behind the curve of cool "...imagine how I feel, that even when we get the same technology, we just can't afford it. danm Shekel...pardon. I wonder could I just download it to my computer?

Posted by: Orli at January 2, 2006 12:06 PM

I got an ipod too and I LOVE it. I love those two podcasts, and I also figured out how to put movies on it. We were at the grocery store yesterday and the kiddos were getting antsy, out came the Veggie Tales on the pod one bud for each kid and the next thing you know we were out of there in one piece and nobody whined for gum!!!

Posted by: MommyknitsJen at January 2, 2006 12:14 PM

Well, take heart, you're still way ahead of us on the technology curve. Heck I still haven't figured out how to listen to those podcasts directly from the computer.
As coiincidence would have it, we're having a lego crisis this morning, too. Directions have been lost for building a fire truck and trailer combo and I've been searching online all morning. I found directions for a similar truck, but for a 5 year old boy who takes things very literally and is a "reader of directions" by nature, that did not suffice. Looks like we're going to have to jump in and give him a hand and then take pictures along the way to make our own direction manual.

Posted by: Siri at January 2, 2006 12:17 PM

Darn, now I REALLY feel like the last dinosaur roaming the Earth. I think I need an iPod for my birthday (and then someone to show me how to use it.) the allure of the knit casts is sucking me in (I think it's got the same powers as the sale yarn bin at my LYS)

Posted by: Theresa at January 2, 2006 12:32 PM

I got one too! A black one. I'm in the process of knitting it a cozy to keep it all scratch free :-). I think you have found the best two pod casts so far though I keep looking arond for others.

Posted by: janine at January 2, 2006 12:38 PM

I have heard of iPods, and podcasts, but I had no idea that there were knitting podcasts out there! I'm going to have get DH help me get them - thanks for sharing the info!

Posted by: Carla at January 2, 2006 12:48 PM

I love my ipod and have listend to all of the Lost podcasts and some from NPR. So now when I get home I'll get to download some knitcasts and be happy in my own knitting head.

Posted by: Phoebe at January 2, 2006 12:54 PM

Hey congrats! I just got the same iPod myself. I've been posting some tips for it as I discover them when I don't have knitting progress to report. These are Mac oriented but there is probably equivalent software for Windows for everything I'm doing. Have fun!

Posted by: Cathy Zura at January 2, 2006 1:01 PM

Thanks for the info on Cast On, I had heard of Knitcast but had missed Cast On for some reason!

Posted by: sarah b. at January 2, 2006 1:07 PM

Ohhh you have the new and improved model with the color screen -- cool.... Do you like the speakers and does it charge the pod also -- I am looking into getting them for my old iPod mini.

You will be surprised how quickly your tune list grows.

Posted by: rho at January 2, 2006 1:11 PM

Cast On is also my favorite. Especially Franklin's segments.

You should try out the Crafty Chica. Not specifically knitting, but I find her shows a lot more interesting than I thought I would, as someone who doesn't really do non-knitting crafty things. She's a professional journalist, so she brings a great professional touch to the podcasts, as well as her wonderfully bubbly personality.

Posted by: Rebekkah at January 2, 2006 1:24 PM

Cast On is my favorite too. Very soothing for the mind.

Posted by: Carrie at January 2, 2006 1:25 PM

Thanks for the Podcast tip - I had downloaded the KnitCast and Cast On podcasts but hadn't gotten around to listening to them yet! I'll have to check them out today. :)

Posted by: Irie at January 2, 2006 1:28 PM

Don't you wonder what you did without it?!
We love ours.
Enjoy

Posted by: Chelee at January 2, 2006 1:34 PM

Congrats on your iPod! I just got one too. I haven't tried the podcasts yet...but I did download some TV shows. :) One tip...the iPod scratches really easily...so try to find a nice case to put it in. I found one that I love at iskin.com. It completely covers the machine but still lets you watch everything and use the click wheel. Have fun with your new toy!

Posted by: Suzanne at January 2, 2006 1:36 PM

I love KnitCast, and have all the Cast On ones loaded on my IPod, too. I also like the NPR Story of the Day articles. For those interested in political issues, Swarthmore College is producing a podcast called War News Radio. They call/email and interview English speaking Iraqis, as well as American soldiers and journalists in Iraq. It presents a unique view of the war with NPR-style reporting.

Posted by: Jane at January 2, 2006 1:54 PM

I still don't have an iPod...not sure when/if that will happen. Thanks for the links, though...I'm listening to the newest Cast-On podcast right now!

Posted by: Leslie at January 2, 2006 2:17 PM

I'm most definitely getting an iPod when I get my scholarship money. Can't wait to have my own portable knit group :)

Posted by: Vicki at January 2, 2006 2:17 PM

You really don't need an i-pod or even an mp3 player to listen to a podcast, all you need is a computer and a set of speakers or a headphone set for the jack.

Open Source Radio: From Christopher Lydon. Not knitting specifically, but there is a knitting edition in the archives somewhere. Boston people may remember Lydon as the host of "The Connection" on WBUR.

Posted by: Amy at January 2, 2006 2:19 PM

Late to the party? I won't be there for a few more.... :)

Posted by: Christie at January 2, 2006 2:20 PM

I got an iPod for Christmas as well and I LOVE it. I had heard about KnitCast, which is tons of fun, but I think I may have to start the Brenda Dayne Fan Club. I LOVE Cast On. She has a wonderfully soothing voice, and she's very funny, and I love her point of view. Did you know she's going weekly in 2006? Yay!

Posted by: Laura at January 2, 2006 2:22 PM

Congrats on the ipod! I too looove listening to knit cast and cast-on. There is also a podcast about Harry Hotter, called muggle cast. Just search in itunes! It is fun, hearing people talk about what they think will happen next.

Posted by: Karen at January 2, 2006 2:39 PM

Thanks for the link to Cast On! BTW, they've got a nice list of other fiber and knit-related casts on their site, including KnitCast, CraftPod, and Secret Knitting.

Posted by: Karen B. at January 2, 2006 3:03 PM

No ipod here, but I just downloaded some of the knitting podcasts and put them onto my Palm Pilot. yee haw!

Posted by: Katy at January 2, 2006 3:03 PM

Great gift! Have fun!!

Posted by: Shara at January 2, 2006 3:04 PM

Happy New Year!! Thanks for posting this! While I've had an iPod for a while and I knew about knitcast I didn't know about CastOn. :) Looking forward to listing to it now.

Posted by: Jessica at January 2, 2006 3:42 PM

I also got an IPOD for Christmas and never thought to use it for knitting stuff! Brilliant!!! I have been a fan of your blog forever and just started my own. I love what you knit.

Posted by: Kathy at January 2, 2006 5:25 PM

Tee hee! My DH got me an IPOD for my birthday and I am just learning about iTunes and podcasts. Am presently subscribing to all these podcasts so, thanks for the heads up!

Posted by: knittingnurse at January 2, 2006 5:36 PM

You DO know about the Mugglenet podcast, don't you??

Posted by: --Deb at January 2, 2006 6:25 PM

Getting Mugglenet podcasts NOW!!!

thanks :)

Posted by: alison at January 2, 2006 6:26 PM

Well, you are far from out of it. I'd never even heard of a podcast until right this very minute, never mind a knitting podcast. Enjoy your new technology!

Posted by: aldona at January 2, 2006 6:41 PM

I just got an ipod too, finally. The first thing I thought of was how I could listen to knitting podcasts.

Posted by: Jennifer at January 2, 2006 7:29 PM

i'm without an iPod as well. i just don't know how i could fit any more 'stuff' into my day!

Posted by: rebecca at January 2, 2006 7:40 PM

Huh. I prefer KnitCast to Cast On, but apparently I'm in the minority! Anyway, the iPod is a fantastic way to read and do the chores and TONS of knitting at the same time.

Posted by: Daphne at January 2, 2006 9:24 PM

No iPod here (and none in the near future either), but I have been listening to Cast-on while attempting to declutter the sewing/craft/computer room. Thanks for the heads up, I'm loving it.

Posted by: jsc at January 2, 2006 11:17 PM

man.. I got to get some kind of player.. my husband uses a pocket pc.. mabye I need one too!
Gotta sell some more patterns now I have a goal!

Posted by: Denise at January 3, 2006 12:15 AM

Heck, I'm 21 and I have an ipod - but I didn't know there were knitting podcasts, either! I thought only geeks bothered or CNN... thanks for informing us!!! (I'm currently downloading every ep I can get my hands on...)

Posted by: Asher at January 3, 2006 12:47 AM

My husband has an iPod. I wanted one for Christmas but instead I got an iBook. No complaints :) I didn't know they had knitting podcasts. Maybe for Heart day I will get an iPod.

Posted by: Michelle at January 3, 2006 7:34 AM

Secret Knitting is short, but adorable. She is Czech and says things like "now, continue knitting until your yarn is over, or you are fed up!". I'm giving a lecture at Webs this summer about the interplay between knitting and the Internet and podcasts have their own little unit.

Posted by: Cirilia at January 3, 2006 7:56 AM

Thanks for the tip Alison! I've been listening to Knit Cast on the IPod for a little while but did not know about Cast On. So yay me! Something new for the new year :O)

Posted by: amanda at January 3, 2006 9:30 AM

Too Funny! I spent Xmas (and the flight back to LA!!) doing the same thing, and was planning to post about it (I still might!). So, you aren't the latest to the party - you have company!

Posted by: Julia at January 3, 2006 11:48 AM

Thank you for filling me in on knitting podcasts! First I'd heard of them! I'm also behind the times and just got an ipod, so I can listen on the go. Yay!! Keep those handy tips coming...there are lots of us slowpokes out here!!!

Posted by: Becky at January 3, 2006 4:28 PM

Oooooh! thank you soooo much! I've never realised that there are podcasts on knitting out there! Now, I've about 10 more new podcast episodes to listen through! BTW, is that the video iPod? I got one for Christmas, too, but in black.

Posted by: Elemmaciltur at January 3, 2006 6:56 PM

how great is this !
Knitting podcasts ! Wow. who knew ! (and that officially means you weren't the last to know)
thanks for tuning me in! going to update my ipod right now !!! THANK Y O U ! ! ! !

Posted by: nadine at January 4, 2006 11:59 AM

In addition to Mugglecast, try Pottercast, also available on ITunes. The Pottercast and Mugglecast folks do joint podcasts together sometimes and they reference each other quite a bit, so if you listen to one you'll want to listen to the other as well!

Posted by: Catherine at January 7, 2006 2:18 PM