Learning through repetition.  Repetition of pattern, repetition of techniques.  This podcast's theme was inspired by my own techno-learning-curve.  This is podcast number four, and I am getting the hang of things.  I am feeling a bit more confident with the recording process. 

The music is Rondeau, of Suite in A Major by Johann Gottfried Conradi, recorded by Edward Martin, lutenist.  This selection is from a fine album titled Allemande (2008).   A lutenist is a rare and lovely sort of bird.  Someone who brings music of the late-17th and early-18th centuries to our ears brings a gift, indeed.  Mr. Martin's recordings can be found at Magnatune.  Try this link:  http://www.magnatune.com/artists/edward_martin.   

I think it was Patricia Wells who recommended attempting the same recipe over and over until you feel you have it down.  She has her 2010 cooking class schedule up at http://www.patriciawells.com.  If I did indeed hear her say that thing about repetition, I heard it on The Splendid Table.  If you like to cook or to listen to people who like to cook, you might want to check out Lynne Rosette Kasper's website and her show:  http://splendidtable.publicradio.org. 

Did I mention this book written by this man?  Right, the thing about the 10,000 hours.  Well, if you want his name and the name of the book, you could take a listen to zknits and her knit obsession podcast.  Find it here:  http://zknits.libsyn.com/.  I like this podcast.  You can also find it on iTunes. 

I talked a bit about the Mitered Square Blanket.  It is from the book Mason-Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne.  If you have a Ravelry account, you could look at the blanket here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mitered-square-blanket.  And if you want to buy the whole entire book, it is for sale here:  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Mason-Dixon-Knitting-Outside-the-Lines/Kay-Gardiner/e/9780307381705/?itm=1.  By the time you've knit the blanket, you will certainly know how a mitered square is constructed.

I talked about knitting and knitting from Alison Jeppson Hyde's Wrapped in Comfort.  I do like her shawl construction.  Would you like to purchase her book?  You could do that here:  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Wrapped-in-Comfort/Alison-Jeppson-Hyde/e/9781564777515/?itm=1

Alison is a very talented woman who is experiencing a difficult and painful medical condition.  If her blog is any indication, she holds a perfect balance of grace and grit.  Alison's blog is here:  http://spindyeknit.com/. 

The other book I have been working from is Helen Hamann's Andean Inspired Knits.  This is the source of the Long Asymmetrical Cardigan, Lliclla, and other alpaca-licious patterns.  Want to buy this one?  Try here:  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Andean-Inspired-Knits/Helen-Hamann/e/9781931499934/?itm=1.  Helen does interesting garment construction.  No fitted knits, here.  If you like big, colorful, interesting sweaters you will like this pattern book. 

Do you like dogs and snow and marathons?  Check out the official site of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon:  http://www.beargrease.com/.  The Beargrease begins tomorrow afternoon.  My husband and I will be there to watch all of those dogs Pull.  Here is a link to a book about the man, the legend, Mr. John Beargrease:  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/John-Beargrease/Daniel-Lancaster/e/9780977945887/?itm=1. 

Another book I highly recommend for anyone who loves dogs and/or the outdoors is Gary Paulsen's Winterdance.  Check it out:  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Winterdance/Gary-Paulsen/e/9780156001458/?itm=1.  If you are in any kind of funk, read this book.  You will feel the pull of those dogs, and they will pull you right up into that feeling that there are things in this world that are just Right.  There are moments we receive in which the essence of life stands before us in all its stark beauty.  Winterdance will bring some of them to you. 

 Episode 3:  A Bit of Knitting, which might be subtitled In Defense of the Purl.   Mountain Colors.  Mmmmm-nummy.  Great yarns, beautiful colors.  See them here:  http://www.mountaincolors.com/index.html

 OOOh -- I found a picture of the Doozers here: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Cottage/8264/ 

This just in:  Fraggle Rock, The Movie, coming in 2011:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0481649/

A Bit of Rant:  are you willing to raise your hand and swear to "use your words" -- appropriately?  I am geeky enough to have an actual, 2-volume Oxford English Dictionary in my house.  It came as a boxed set, complete with a magnifier for easier reading of the very fine print.  For differently-geeked people, it's online here:  http://www.oed.com/

A Bit of Chatter:  I put it out there:  I won't be knitting socks.  The universe answered:  oh, yes you will.  The sock knitting primer suggested to my by the sock-knitting gurus in my life is Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks.  If you wanted to, you could purchase it here:  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Sensational-Knitted-Socks/Charlene-Schurch/e/9781564775702/?itm=2