Triple somersaulting into a cross stitch obsession as the weather makes it too hot to knit.

A review of Unravel's hybrid yarn festival with Aimee of Knit.Spin.Cake.

This week we're exploring the evolution of yarn festivals through the past year or so. Many of the festivals were forced to cancel their in person offer and have looked to alternative methods of putting on their event. After discussing the idea of online events this week, Unravel Festival's hybrid approach piqued my interest.

Knitting, gin, books and a lucky scarf. This week's show is dedicated to Liz Marley aka @greensideknits, dear friend and listener of the podcast. An epic knitter and all round awesome, kind and witty person who will be very sadly missed. There's a general update to get us started, with the tale of Liz's Lucky scarf and how it continues to bring me good luck years later.

If you have a knitter in your life, you'll appreciate this roundup of knitting gift ideas, that isn't more yarn. In this episode, we'll cover some suggestions for six alternative ideas for gifts for knitters. 1) Adidas Samba Fox trainers 2) A wool blanket 3) Project bags 4) Sheepy themed toiletries 5) Stuff to protect the yarn 6) Sheepskin producers, slippers or moccasins. Shownotes and all links at www.shinybees.com/174 Music as always with kind permission of Adam and the Walter Boys - 'I...

Following Ep 171 about great patterns for baby knits and Ep 172 about good yarns for kids and baby knits, this week is a roundup of all the community feedback on both these subjects. I’m also asking for some suggestion on behalf of Kat, a lovely listener, who is undertaking a fairly arduous physical challenge.

Following on from ep 171, today we are covering some of my go-to baby and kid knitting yarns. Split into 3 sections, we'll cover 4ply, DK and patterned yarns, at a variety of price points. There are also different fibres covered, so if you don't like animal fibre, or you don't want to use synthetics, there is a suggestion for you.

Got some babies you need to knit for? Just starting out with your knitting and need some easy patterns to get you going? In this episode I share some of my go-to patterns for knitting for new babies. Both free and paid, as well as garments and accessories are covered, along with some suggestions on suitable yarns to try.

What will be the knitting trends for hand knitters in 2021? Not that I am in any way an authority on the finer points of craft fashion and popularity, but these are my predictions for what will be a knitting trend in 2021.

It's a new year so naturally, there's a lot of chat around about challenges, projects and planning. Today's episode is about knitting challenges. Are you taking part in any for 2021? Don't worry if you aren't; hopefully this episode will still be useful for you, and there is no lack-of-challenge shaming!

This episode is fairly light on the knitting chat as my creative exploits this week are mostly focused around creating a vision board for 2021.

This week we take a trip down memory lane to 2014, and a pattern pick I originally recorded for A Playful Day podcast. It's a Christmas themed one, and it - of course - contains some great comedy knitting patterns.

This week is a quick chat on Scotch Eggs and a surprising fact about Scotch Egg knitting and crochet patterns.

Moth infestation in knitwear is every knitter's worst nightmare. In this episode I cover some of the background of which kinds of moths chew knitwear in the UK and how to get rid of them.

With all the joy sucked out of life at the moment, it's time to turn festive up to 11! As a massive Christmas fan, I'm always one to have the real tree picked out, chopped down and in the house by the last week in November. This year, I'm planning to go a little bigger on the decoration front and add quite a bit more to interiors to get in the spirit. A So this week I have a pattern selection to share with you for knitted Christmas wreaths.

Delicious little joys is the theme and the idea is to embrace the idea of looking for delicious little joys in the every day. Indeed, it’s about actively building in joy to your day. It’s gonna be miserable in the Northern hemisphere soon, so finding ways to bring joy will be a positive thing. Yarn is any that brings you joy. Pattern is any joyful pattern. We start on 15th November and will continue until we don’t need any more joy (which might be around 1st February 2021.

You may or may not have heard before about the infamous folklore that is the Boyfriend Sweater Curse, This occurs when a knitter undertakes to knit a jumper for a significant other, and this leads to the breakdown of the relationship - sometimes before the recipient has even received the gift! In a 2005 survey, 15% of knitters reported having experienced this very curse. 41% believed that it might be true. SO it's worth knowing about, even if you don't believe in it.

Ten pattern suggestions to power up your colourwork socks. Knitted colourwork sock pattern inspiration

Tania Ashton Jones of TJ Frog joins us to talk all about Dorset Buttons, their history, the Isle of Skye, where she currently lives, as well as her very special range of high provenance yarns and beautiful project bags. If you've ever been curious about the Isle of Skye, you should give Tania's podcast a try.

Socktober lends its inspiration this week, where I have a rundown of ten previous banging' Shinybees episodes that cover some great sock themed content. There are a couple of interviews, as well as some expert advice from Clare Devine on the Sock Surgery, all handily signposted from this episode.

There are some great knitting sites available and I often forget that not everyone has discovered them yet. T So, this week I have shared some of my favourite knitting sites that I come back to often, specifically to help those new knitters that have started listening tot the podcast during lockdown, or that have started listening after returning to the needles.

The RAF Comforts Committee was formed by the Air Council in October 1939 to determine the type and quantities of 'knitted comforts' required for the RAF as well as arrange for their collection, storage and distribution through their depots. Inspired by a random eBay purchase of an RAF Comforts Committee pin badge some years ago, and recently rediscovering said badge, this episode delves into a little of the history of the RAF Comforts Committee.

This week is sponsored by Back to School, specifically the absolute abomination that is school shoe shopping. Despite indeed having no school for the kids, I decided to brave Clarks and get the pre-requisite footwear on a special early morning appointment.

Following an existential corona crisis a few episodes back, I've added more blonde streaks, I'm working on the Mini and I have been looking for some vintage inspired pieces to add to my wardrobe. This week I've gone through A Stitch in Time Volume 2 by Susan Crawford and Jane Waller to select my top five must-knit patterns.