Barb Demorest is a wife, mother, grandmother and casual knitter residing in Bellingham, Washington. She recently retired from her 30 year career as a CPA and owner of a tax practice in order to pursue her passion of connecting volunteer knitters and crocheters with breast cancer survivors to provide free knitted knockers to those that can use them. Her purpose and passion is now to inspire and equip the wonderful, caring, fiber arts community to provide these gifts of love to their fellow women in their own communities. She no longer gets paid in dollars for her work but the rewards are priceless.
Episode highlights:
- How we are turning the video version of Unplugged into a podcast episode.
- When it comes to grading (sizing) patterns, is this the designer's or the publisher's job?
- Sizing standards for designers and hobby knitters: www.craftyarncouncil.org
- Does the publisher provide a tech editor for designers patterns?
- When to hire a tech editor to size your patterns. Kara and Tabetha debate this topic!
- Work/life balance is learning to "take turns" as Crochet! editor Ellen Gormley explains in episode 021
- You can do everything you want, but just not at the same time.
- We're looking for a way to put everything in a neat box, but we live in an imperfect.
- If balance is a myth, what can we do what matters most in the moment.
- Learning to say no and practicing acceptance because we can't control the universe.
Episode and video highlights:
- Forget the pattern, focus on the stitches and movement.
- Don't let skill levels defeat you. If you see something you love - then go for it.
- Don't let the comfort of knowing the end take over. Be a stitch adventurer!
- Do you think of frogging as torture or a learning experience?
- I'm often reminded in my life of the wise words of my late grandfather - "Try it you'll like it!" he was always right.
- How we often hold on to wanting our finished project to be a certain way, but what if that doesn't happen?
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Welcome to another Ask Kara & Tabetha Anything episode! In this off-the-cuff convo-style episode, Tabetha and I chat about our recent trip to TNNA, the exciting products we saw there, our thoughts on chunky knitting, and much more!
Episode Highlights:
01:41 Tabetha and Kara discuss Tabetha’s recent move.
04:32 Kara and Tabetha chat about TNNA, sightseeing, and Wonder Woman underwear.
10:18 Kara and Tabetha do a recap of TNNA of what they discovered at the show.
10:46 Kara describes what TNNA is.
11:22 Tabetha shares what products she liked at TNNA.
13:37 Kara talks about the mini-skein sets she saw at TNNA.
15:03 Tabetha mentions her new gradient sets that will be available later in the summer.
15:30 Kara mentions how trends take off and asks why the gradient sets are taking off now.
24:12 Tabetha discusses interchangeable sets.
25:16 Kara describes the Sharp Short Tips set.
27:52 Tabetha and Kara talk about Coco Knits’ snap bracelets (knitter’s keep kit).
30:40 Tabetha shares her thoughts about chunky, jumbo knitting.
34:02 Tabetha mentions the new Business and Creative Services Group that debuted at TNNA.
Resources:
SweetGeorgia Yarns
SweetGeorgia Monthly Newsletter Sign Up
The National Needlearts Association (TNNA)
SweetGeorgia Yarns-Jellybean Colourway Set
Round Mountain Fibers (Wholesale Only)-Drunk Yarn!
Mrs. Moon (UK)-Sustainable Yarn
Manos del Uruguay (Sustainable Yarn)
Freia Fine Handpaints (Sustainable Yarn)
ChiaoGoo-000 Twist Mini Interchangeable Set
Denise Needles-Sharp Short Tips Set
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Episode and video highlights:
- We're never really mindless when we are knitting, but rather fully and completely engaged.
- Looking at knitting as a freeform
- art form.
- Can you let go of "the pattern?" Does the thought of not having a road map for your knitting make your fearful of the unknown?
- "Mindless" knitting is in fact it's the most mindful way to knit. It puts us so viscerally close to the craft.
- How spontaneous knitting allows us to focus on the tactile feeling of the yarn gliding through our fingers, the sound of our needles clicking and marveling at the work that is made after knitting just a few rows.
- The most amazing -- we see something, that just a short time ago was not there.
- The magic of making something with our hands. What could be more amazing than that?
- Becoming a fearless knitter! Paint your world with your needles.