The weekend before last, we had our monthly Church of the Blankie meet-up. Our host happened to be fostering a two-week-old kitten just for that weekend, while the kitten’s official foster family was away on vacation. Yeah, we’re as crazy about kittens as we are dogs. Needless to say, we were terribly distracted every time we went into the bathroom. Kitten in the bathtub!

Here we have Connie playing with her.

We have a knitting crisis in FL! So, I taught my friend Kristina to knit. However, my knowledge of knitting is still small and she is asking me how to do a certain cast on for these toe up socks (Fancy Feet Anklets from Knit Picks). We’ve looked up videos but can’t seem to figure it out. Also, she intends to work in magic loop, two at a time and doesn’t have DPNs.

Our Bright Idea! If any of you have a video camera, some spare yarn and some spare time this evening, or tomorrow, you could show us what to do!!!

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

It must be a crisis. Just look at all those explanation points!!! ;)

Dear Connie and Kristina,

We haven’t knit this particular pattern, but a little internet research has led us to believe the pattern uses a Figure-8 cast on. I happen to love a variation of this cast on, Judy’s Magic Cast On, which was featured in Knitty a few years ago.

Although Kristina will be using one needle and magic loop to knit the socks, the cast on is done with two circular needles. So, for just the cast on, go get a second circular needle that’s either the same size as your working needle or close to the same size. They don’t have to be identical since you’re only working the cast on with the second needle.

The directions for the Magic Cast On covers the following points, however they bear repeating here:

1. The metal needle (which starts on the bottom facing the knitter), is the pattern working needle. The wooden needle on the top is only getting used for the cast on.
2. When holding the yarn at the start of the cast on, the working yarn is also held toward the bottom. The tail of the yarn will be toward the top.

[As the pervy knitters we are, we have to comment that although the cast on starts out as a bottom, halfway through it flips to be a top. After all, playing bottom and top can be fun!]

We’ve filmed video of me casting on using this method. Hopefully the video, along with the directions and photos in the link, will help you out of the crisis. If not, please feel free to curse us out on the Social Knitworking hotline.

PART 1: The Initial Cast On

PART 2: Knitting The First Round

**UPDATE**

Go figure, after we filmed the videos, Connie and Kristina got back to us about the cast on in the pattern. It’s not a Figure-8 but rather a picking up stitches sort of thing. I’d use Judy’s Magic Cast On anyway, as it’s my favorite.

Hey! What do you want from me? A regular post with some kind of educational content? Psssh! Whatev! Well, here’s a little something to tide you over until the next time (whenever that may be, heh).

Many drinks and shots have been had since the last B&B post. Some were good, some bad, some down right foul!

New Year’s Eve – I made the world’s most horrid shot. Whoever decided to let an already drunken Connie make shots was out of their god damned minds.. or had one too many Elbows to the Taint. Here is a fun little video of some of us taking the “Pomegranate Choker”.

Down right FOUL!

But I redeemed myself later on in the month by making Andrea and Joanna this delicious little treat. I like to call it the “Sweet Delightful”

1 part Vanilla Vodka
1 part Triple Sec
1 part Kahlua

Shaken with ice and poured into a shot glass.

Yep, that easy. Now go make your self a couple and thank me later. And don’t let 22-year-olds touch gin. We don’t know what we’re getting into.

So. Much. Epic.

However, the epic didn’t end when the music stopped! Outside on the streets of New York City, I cornered Terrycloth Green and demanded an interview for our podcast, the audio of which can be heard on Episode 1: Nerdy Knitting.

But behold! Posted below is the full video version of Andrea’s interview with superstar internet celebrity sock puppet of greatness Terrycloth Green: Social Knitworking hits hard with the tough questions; TCG does not talk about girls’ butts; Andrea makes out with a sock puppet.

In this installment of Social Knitworking Nuggets: Andrea, Jenn, and Joanna welcome Connie back to Philadelphia and introduce her to the podcast viewers.