Episode 2: Now we're cooking!!

**Actually Recorded 31^st January – took a bit to get published**

Australia Day Giveaway – Stitch markers (made by me!!) - ninjaknitter (JoAnne)

Knitting Now

• Secret Knitting!!! Involves Colourwork – for my hubby – you can probably work out what it is from my ravelry page (KraftyMumma)
• Dash Socks – Self striping yarn by OnLine! in a colourway that reminds me of Rainbow Dash – i'll be entering them in a geeky sock comp :D
  
  
  
• Compulsion – mystery KAL by three bags full (Criminal Knits group on ravelry) – semicircle shawl in Cascade 220 (leftovers from Zig & Zag) – each strip
• 'Pythagoras Meets Fibonacci' – my own design – spacing is Fibonacci numbers and it is a right angle triangle
• 'Noro Sunburst Throw' – all one piece!!! Just need to do the edging and sew in all the ends!!! So many ends!!!

Finally Finished

• Stitch Surfers with Fish Lips Kiss Heel – awesome!!! But, made a boo-boo with the foot template length, so it's an inch too long for me – but perfect for someone that I really wanted to knit socks for this year!!!
  
• 'Halo with a Bow' – Bow Cloche by Sharon Coleman – US$4.50 (~AU$5.25) – received the pattern free within the podcaster throwdown group – sent it in for KnottyGirls. Very fun, quick knit, but seemed a bit small for an adult. I will be knitting another for my daughter this winter (in the adult sizing!!!)
• Hexipuffs

**Beekeepers Quilt by Tiny Owl Knits giveaway winner - AnneofJulie**

Fortnightly Favourites

• Manos Del Uruguay Fino – 70% Merino 30% Silk – I will do an official review next episode after I have started knitting 'daybreak' by Stephen West – provided by www.k2tog.com.au – have 1 skein to giveaway in February!! Giveaway over at ravelry group – colourway 'watered silk' – answer question from podcast to enter
• Yarn Bowls – handcrafted with a swirl cut out of the side so the yarn can sit in the groove. Can knit from inside and outside of yarn cake without tangeling occurring!! I bought my yarn bowl at www.tangledyarns.com.au but hubby made me one for Christmas too!! Doesn't have a swirl – it's just a normal bowl with adhesive grip feet so it doesn't move.

• Dr Who!! Especially seasonal finalies – have finished season 4 & 5 recently and they are so awesome!! New Dr Who has been released – Black suit with red lining :D

Yarn Yearnings

• Gauge!!
• Question asked – friend had knitted a newborn beanie that she loved and now wanted to knit a larger size for a toddler – do I just double everything?!??! NOOOOOO!!!!!
• Gauge swatch at the beginning of each pattern – about 15cm square of knitting – measure how many stitches across 10cm and how many rows are in 10cm
• We knit a gauge swatch to determine if the tension between the needles and yarn is correct for the pattern
• Gauge is a function of tension – if you are a tight knitter (more stitches than the number suggested in gauge), you will need to go UP a needle size. If you are a loose knitter (less stitches than the number suggested in gauge), you will need to go DOWN a needle size
• Once you know the number of stitches and rows in 10cm, you can alter a pattern to fit perfectly!!
• NOTE – I have spelt gauge WRONG in the podcast – correct spelling is GAUGE!!!!

Kiddy Krafts

• 'Jumping in Muddy Puddles' Peppa Pig biscuits – Coles $4
• Shortbread kit – make up the biscuit base and cut into circles, then cut a smaller circle out of the middle of half of the biscuits. Bake and allow to cool. Make up the 'mud' (choc ganache) and put the mud between the biscuits and the mud oozes out – then you put george and peppa sugar prints in the middle!!
• Idea – bake the biscuits the night before, then mix the mud together and put them together with the kids

Krafty Kreations

• Marshmallow Fondant - check out one of the many recipes here
• Quick, easy, cheap and tastes amazing!!!
• Can colour the fondant while its liquid, so it's really easy to colour.
• Water + Marshmellows + microwave
• Then add icing sugar and colour until happy with colour and consistancy!!
• I made all of these angry birds for my sons birthday last year – just one colour per night and I made a different section of the birds each night, and gradually put them together.

Last but not least!!

• **Chris W Designs pattern winner – Emma Wearmouth**
• Ravellenics – I will be travelling during the ravellenics so I can't support you all as much as I need to :( INSTEAD – please join Team Sasquach and link back to the Krafty Mumma Podcast forum and I will still be offering prizes to the Australian and New Zealand participants