Podcast Episode 16 Show Notes!

by Isabella


Posted on August 14, 2020


So I’ve decided to add the show notes from my YouTube over here onto the blog to have them be a little more visual and exciting. You can find my crochet (+ a bit of knit) podcast here. Here’s what happened in the Fiber & Fox Podcast Episode 16!

This was my first ever podcast collaboration! I was collaborating with Natalie of Knitty Natty– she’s a knit and crochet designer, a wife and dog mom, and an excellent youtube content creator! She hosts a weekly podcast, as well as featuring bonus content every week. She loves to host Make-Alongs (MALs) and really likes designing functional items that solve a problem, like yarn cozies!

Her followers over on Instagram has submitted some questions, and both of them answered them on our respective podcast episodes. You’ll find my answers to those questions later on in this post! (this post will be a little bit longer than the typical shownotes cause I’m including the collab questions, but stick around, it’s good stuff!)

Finished Objects:

I made a sock in 3 days! I have been participating in Knitty Natty’s #sockweek2020 challenge. We had 8 days to finish a single sock- any size, any pattern, knit or crochet, and I managed to get this scrappy sock finished between Sunday morning and Tuesday Night. I am pretty pleased with myself. However, my wrists are not as pleased with me. Whoops.

I also finished- well, mostly, my crochet pattern test on the Dove Dress for Made By Hailey Bailey. It’s a super customizable pattern that can be made in literally ANY size, with lots of options for changing length and fit to be perfect for you! I don’t have finished object photos of it yet, cause I need to block, sew in ends, and mostly just get up the nerve to take photos in a very heavy winter weight sweater when it 90+ degrees and humid out, but the video includes a clip of me showing it off being worn!

Dove Dress by Made by Hailey Bailey

Works in Progress:

The eternal lockdown blanket is still going strong. I’m at a loss as how to photograph it cause it’s getting so big. Just know that it’s still a thing!

My last WIP is the Topaz Cardigan by The Velvet Acorn. I’m making it holding my avocado dyed fingering weight yarn double and I am loving it! It will be for my daughter in the fall!

1K YouTube Subscribers Giveaway!

I also showed off a couple more things accumulated for the 1k GIVEAWAY, that will be happening in my next episode (so make sure you’re subscribed and have those notifications on so you don’t miss it!). You can find the other goodies (stickers! pins! notions!) that will be included in my previous episode! This weeks additions included yarn from Sassy Black Yarns and Cup of Tea Yarn, and a lovely notion pouch from Within Creative. All the items going in the giveaway are made by local to me Connecticut makers

1k giveaway

***Knitty Natty Collab questions:

1) Which do you prefer: knitting over crochet OR crochet over knitting?

I definitely love both, differently. Crochet is my passion. I love that I have enough of a grip on it now to pretty much make ANYTHING I want from my own imagination. Crochet is both my business and my favorite pastime. I would do it even if I made no money at it. I strongly believe I was created to create and crochet is my medium of choice. It also helps tremendously with my anxiety and general inability to relax. 

Knitting is purely hobby for me. It has so many similarities to crochet, but also differences. I don’t think either one is better than the other. Fun fact: I was actually a knitter before I was a crocheter. I’ve promised myself I won’t try and bring knitting into my business- it’s nice to have that line of distinction of something being just for me and whoever I chose to make for (usually my daughter).

2) What is a new stitch you would like to learn and how do you like to learn new stitches?

I’ve been eyeing herringbone single crochet. I have a pattern -the There and Back Again Cowl– that uses herringbone half double crochet, but I recently learned there is a completely different single crochet version that very closely mimics knit herringbone stitch (which I learned testing the Beachcomb Tee for Tif Neilan Handknits). It’s a bit fiddly from the videos I’ve watched, but I have a design in mind for the fall and need to start swatching.

Learning new stitches varies. Pinterest. Youtube. Sometimes I see something on Instagram and look it up. Or sometimes, likes in my Fandeco stitch motif, I make something up. Stitch dictionaries can be a great starting point. I love Crochet Everyway by Dora Orenstein (affiliate link), especially for designers it’s super helpful cause it shows how to work stitches with increases and decreases and includes charts as well as written instructions.

3) What is something you refuse to make?

As a business, I’ve actually gotten pretty good at turning things down over the years. I’ve learned that just because I CAN make anything doesn’t mean I have to, even if there is money involved. I can say no. That was hard for me. When I started out I made a lot of commissions I didn’t enjoy, cause I wanted to make money (and my pricing was totally wrong and I always underestimated the time, and ended up not making money anyway). Like miniature minion amigurumi cake toppers, complete with custom bride and groom outfits. Uhmmmm….

In general though, I don’t like anything trendy (all those things that go viral on facebook? Pocket shawls, baby yodas, etc). I also won’t sell anything that isn’t my own pattern.

For my business I also refuse to do anything copyrighted/trademarked, like characters. Again, when I started out dabbling in custom crocheting back about 8 years ago, I did tonnnnns of minions and hello kitties and spidermans and the like as amigurumi and hats. But stealing is wrong, and you can’t in any good conscience be making money off a stolen character. That being said, I have made my husband many a custom GOTG amigurumi and they are awesome.

Personally something I refuse or would never make? Bathing suits. I will never crochet me or anyone else a bathing suit or anything like it. Cause that’s just not me.

4) What are your tips for getting drapey projects with crochet?

1. I think gauge is the biggest thing. Crochet can be very heavy and dense, but if you play with more open stitch motifs or larger hook sizes than my be “standard” to use with xyz yarn, you can create great drape. And don’t be afraid of the finer yarns! Crocheters can use fingering and lace weight too! Like my Serenity and Shiloh Shawl is fingering weight, but its works with a quite large hook, resulting in beautiful drape. The same of the Forgotten Lore Shawl that is in testing- lace weight, but a large hook size and open stitches. 

2. Fiber choice. In general a natural fiber will drape better than a 100% acrylic. Doesn’t necessarily need to be fancy or hand dyed, but look for natural fibers or blends over a total synthetic. 

3. Blocking. Don’t be afraid of blocking. My go to is full wet blocking (I have a video tutorial!) but steam blocking I’ve heard does wonders for acrylics. You spend all that time on the project, blocking is extra, but such an important final step in getting the piece perfect, opening it up and getting the best drape!

5) Are you a process knitter/crocheter or do you enjoy the finished object more?

I think both. I adore having finished pieces that I can wear and be proud of, whether they are my own designs or someone else’s. But I also love the learning process of designing something or trying a challenging new pattern or technique. I also end up with a tremendous amount of self inflicted guilt if I am not using an item I’ve made and it is lying unloved in my closet. I do my best to only make things I am going to love owning, as well as love making.

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I hope you guys enjoyed this fun collab and jump over to Natalie’s channel to hear her question answers too! See you in the next episode (make sure you’re there for the GIVEAWAY!)! Happy Making, my friends!

*note: Bella’s Custom Crochets is now FIBER & FOX!

collaboration , crochet channel , crochet podcast , crochet youtube , knit podcast , Podcast Show Notes

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