Tune in to hear about our holiday stocking-along progress. Plus, Rumpel shares what she discovered about the tradition of hanging stockings.   We also do a fun  "show & tell" to celebrate another Handmade Monday of recording together. Plus, have you ever been on a strict yarn diet or cheated on one?  We certainly have! Listen in to hear all about yarn-dieting attempts and recent cheating.  We just had to buy more yarn for blanket projects and commissioned knits. We just can't resist yarn!  Why diet when you can dye it?

Find the Show Notes for this episode here!

In this episode, Rumpel and the Frog debrief their experiences knitting outdoors in the company of a local flock of Shetland sheep.  Listen in to hear our fleecy friends chomping and wrestling down some pumpkin snacks in the hay! Rumpel and Frog also discuss in detail their works in progress, their plans for wintry knitting, and the patterns & yarns that will shine creative light on those dark winter nights! Plus, ever wonder why the black sheep of the flock is both revered and rejected in certain cultures? Rumpel tells us why and more!

Find the Show Notes for this episode HERE!

Join us for the final part of our three-part mini-series on real-life giants! After debriefing our online New York Sheep and Wool 2020 experiences (aka Rhinebeck), we leave the virtual for the vampiric! We'll discuss the real Dracula's historical roots, Bram Stoker's source material for Dracula, and the surprisingly adorable habits and behaviors of the modern vampire bat.  The Frog is super eager to share some wonderful literary tidbits with you about the themes, forms, and inspiration for Stoker's Gothic horror novel, as well as a few more modern reads to keep your October nights spooktacular!  Rumpel is swooning over the cuteness of bats (believe it!) at the same time that she has foraged for some neat-o ceramic tools and embroidery projects to make your crafty heart sing. And we may not have had an interview with a vampire, but we most certainly did interview a librarian for a convo about her all-time favorite vampire novel.  So tune in and check it all out!

In today’s mini-cast episode we explore all kinds of opportunities for fall knitting in communities across CT and beyond! Knit with some sheep this November, partake in the Fall Crawl in person or virtually, discover new-to-you yarn shops and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the New York Sheep and Wool Festival! Plus, we’ll remind you all about the upcoming Stocking-Along, share some special coupon codes and highlight happenings at yarn shops across CT!

What’s worse than a soggy stocking left hanging at the fireplace? NO STOCKING AT ALL! That’s why we decided to host a Stocking-along! Both of us coincidentally planned to make stockings this year for our girls and thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to invite you all to join us! Listen for details about our very first “craft-along”  in this introductory mini-cast episode where we explain it all: how to find us, where to listen, what to make, when to make it, and--most importantly--how to share with the community. Plus, we have more news...  we created a Ravelry Group (whoa!) for the Rumpel & the Frog community and will have a Stocking-along discussion thread in this group! Not sure where to begin? No worries as we've foraged up an amazing list of fiber-tastic, stocking-esque projects in nearly every fiber art form you can imagine - wet felting, embroidery, punch needle, cross-stitch, sewing, weaving, rug hooking, Tunisian crochet, and more! So get ready to visit your LYS to grab your hooks, needles,  tools, and supplies!  We're so eager for you to join us and get those stockings hung in plenty of time for other holiday crafting too.  Listen for all the details and inspiration you need to cast on with us in mid-October. 

The first in a three-part mini-series about real-life giants, in this episode we take a deep dive to explore the Kraken.  Is this sea monster of myth and lore real, imagined, or somewhere in between?  Tune in to hear about Greco-Roman versions of this gargantuan creature, some Norse mythology, and of course, some recent scientific discoveries that turn make-believe into make-you-believe.  We also have some finished objects to celebrate (three! go us!) as well as some squid, crab, and octopus-inspired projects to share. Plus, Frog provides you with her top three Kraken-clips and an undersea documentary that will stir your soul, while Rumpel swoons over stitch-markers and more! We hope you enjoy our under sea sound effects, too!  Release the Kraken!

Join Frog for a leap into her book pile (book pond?). In this mini cast, Frog shares five amazing books that seem to be living on her studio desk lately.  Interested in references for knitwear design strategies, cast on and bind off techniques, or modern stitch patterns?  Want a recommendation for a wonderful encyclopedia of fabric types, fibers, and their uses for all your sewing projects?  How about a peek at a favorite Knit Picks collection for some holiday knitting fun?  Come hear what is on Frog's desk and why she is obsessing lately about modular knits, colorwork motifs, small projects for gifting, and more. 

Pencil toppers and knit chain maille, anyone? Yes please! It's back to school time and we're re-living our grade-school history lessons in this episode!  Join us for a fun conversation about valorous knights and their magnificent steadfast steeds.  When pitting virtues against vices, who do you think will win? In this episode, we explore a beautiful medieval manuscript illustration, which is dripping with Christian allegory and plentiful, wonderful Latin.  Plus, ever wonder about a knight's horse (or horses?) and why they're so important?  Tune in to hear all about these aspects of medieval times.  Plus, as usual, we discuss our works in progress, the delights of sturdy cotton yarn, and some knight-inspired projects you will absolutely love to check out.