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Knitflix for Hiberknitting (And Crochet!)

January 15, 2018 Leave a Comment

Knitflix for Hiberknitting on Hands Occupied

What’s Knitflix?

Knitflix, hiberknitting – we yarn folk do like our made up compound words don’t we? As mentioned in this week’s newsletter (which you can sign up for here if you’re so inclined), Chicago has been a big jerk with weather and temperatures careening all over the place. For folks all over the northern hemisphere, January is when hiberknitting becomes a thing. Hiberknitting is pretty much where we yarnies enjoy some well deserved indoor time with yarn as we hide from cold temps outdoors. In this installment of Knitflix, let’s take a look at the three shows I’ve been bingeing while making headway on January knit & crochet design deadlines.

BTW: Two of these are shows suggested by you, the readers, using the Knitflix suggestion form. Your ideas are super appreciated by everyone here – keep ’em coming!  

Knitflix for Hiberknitting: Miss Meadows

Miss Meadows

Miss Meadows is a well-mannered schoolteacher living in an evolving neighborhood. She sings in a church choir (just because she likes singing in choirs), has a compulsive tap dance habit, and she just so happens to be a vigilante. The town she’s recently moved to is experiencing a crime trend, and Miss Meadows is there to teach schoolchildren to say please and thank you in addition to directly and decisively deal with bad guys. This movie follows Miss Meadows as she navigates the world and attempts to have a life at the same time.

Knitflix for Hiberknitting: Miss Meadows
Worth the watch? A five star movie this is not, but this makes a quick and quirky addition to your Knitflix queue for sure.
Does it feature knitting or crochet? There’s a fairly important scene where “knitting” is happening on screen as Ms. Meadows speaks on the phone to her mother, but they screw it up in the most annoying way possible! Forgive the caps, but here goes: Two characters are knitting into a crochet project, which I get totally happens in movies and such sometimes, but not only are they knitting into crochet, THEIR KNITTING IS SUPER TERRIBLE. See above.
Available to stream? Here you go.

Knitflix for Hiberknitting: Home Fires

Home Fires

Tangent: Can we just pour one out real quick for commercial-free Sunday nights on PBS? Genuinely, go support your local station if you can. The programming is lit, as the kids say, especially for us knitters and crocheters. For instance, Call the Midwife, one of last month’s Knitflix picks, is a show I’d never have come across if it weren’t for PBS.

Home Fires is a two season show that first caught my attention on PBS on Sunday nights. The show is based on a nonfiction book called Jambusters that you’ll probably want to add to your to-read list after watching the show. This show is set in Britain during World War Two. With many of the men off to fight, a rural English town grapples with the reality of war that could make its way to the characters’ doorsteps. The local women’s league-style organization finds all kinds of ways to make do and mend, often lending that spirit to their friendships with each other. One of the projects that brings everyone together as a community is a drive to collect blackberries to make jam, which is endlessly charming.

Knitflix for Hiberknitting: Home Fires   Knitflix for Hiberknitting: Home Fires
Worth the watch? If you’re down with WW2 content and British TV, this is…. (forgive me) the jam. But really, it’s a sweet little show. :)
Does it feature knitting or crochet? As with many binge-worthy shows that feature knitting or crochet, the prevalence of yarn has a lot to do with the trends of the times. Great knitwear can be found throughout the show, and in season 2, there’s on screen knitting in episode 5 that they don’t screw up. Well done, Home Fires!
Available to stream? Available on streaming & digital rental: see where.

Knitflix for Hiberknitting: The Last Post

The Last Post

This show was suggested by a fellow lover of Call the Midwife. Fans of Midwife know that the show’s beloved lead actress, Jessica Raine, from the first few seasons left the show in 2014. If you want to see Raine take on a supporting role as a complicated English military wife in the Middle East in the ’60s (again, the costumes RULE in this one), this is for you.

Plot-wise, The Last Post follows a British Army unit in Aden, Yemen as they deal with insurgents, the harsh climate, and the struggles of daily life. Without delving too deeply into the politics of the situation, the show’s intro has the following voiceover speech from multiple newsreels* that offers a teensy bit of insight into the vibe of the show: “Aden, where East meets West. Vital as an oil refinery, as well as a Gulf trade route. […] The beach here at Aden is lovely. The sand is warm and the sharks are not always hungry. […] The Queen has full confidence in Aden’s future, describing it as the perfect example of Colonial Rule.” **

*I don’t know the provenance of the newsreel audio used in the show intro. **All capital letters are my best guess.

Worth the watch? The hot setting of this one is a great escape from winter cold, but it’s not my favorite show of all time.
Does it feature knitting or crochet? Nope, but there’s some sewing.
Available to stream? Currently available to buy or rent: see where.

Knitflix for Hiberknitting: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

This show has lots of awards buzz around it, but I was lucky enough to get wind of this fun show before all of that colored my opinion. It’s funny, irreverent, stylish, feminist and an easy one to binge. Set in the late 1950s, Miriam Maisel has a picture perfect, privileged Upper West Side New York life. Until her husband, who she’s been almost cartoonishly supportive of, up and leaves. By happy, alcohol-infused accident, she almost literally stumbles upon a talent she didn’t know of – stand up comedy. The rest of the first season of the show (that’s all that’s out so far) is spent following the misadventures of Mrs. Maisel as she continues to raise her two children, develop her career, and juggles her family in a less-than feminist set of worlds. Fans of Gilmore Girls, be advised if you weren’t already, this show was created by the same woman, Amy Sherman-Palladino.

Worth the watch? This would-be R-rated show is tons of fun. Folks dealing with young motherhood, career issues, the end of a relationship, and more can find something to relate and laugh to in this show.
Does it feature knitting or crochet? One of the sets returned to a few times is a garment factory, so there’s some sewing. Speaking of which, the costumes are fantastic. If you love vintage anything, this show is full of eye candy for you!
Available to stream? It’s an Amazon-produced show, so spoiler alert: here’s where it’s available.

Have your own ideas for Knitflix? Help me figure out what to feature by submitting your ideas here.

Filed Under: Knitflix Tagged With: home fires, knitflix, miss meadows, netflix and knit, the last post, the marvelous mrs maisel

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad (she/her) is a craft book author & designer specializing in yarn crafts. Her work combines vintage and modern design elements, prioritizing color and graphic motifs. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), and I’ve been helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010. I got my start here, as a blogger, and since then I’ve shared more than a few tutorials here and on YouTube as I’ve grown as a pattern designer. 🧶 

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Latch Hook by Heidi Gustad

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Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts

handsoccupied

Knitting & yarn crafts designer 🧶
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Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop new patterns ⤵️

POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern fits with no ease vs. 4” of positive ease. There’s a bit more length to the cotton (brighter color) sample, but both are cropped and feature shoulder seams designed to sit an inch back onto the shoulder instead of on top, giving it a little swing. Length is easily adjustable for folks looking for less of a crop. 
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Pattern: Bevelled Tank by @handsoccupied for @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn summer 2024. Available for free from Hobbii at the 🔗 in my profile.
Yarn pictured: @kelbournewoolens Skipper and Camper. 
Dress form is adjusted to a 36” chest and ~5’3”ish in height. 
Human has a 40” chest and is 5’5”.
Both skirts are vintage.
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #handsoccupied #intarsia #handmade #knitting #colorwork
Let’s talk about fit and ease! . During the Beve Let’s talk about fit and ease!
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During the Bevelled Tank design process for @pompommag, I knit 2 samples using 2 different @KelbourneWoolens yarns. One was in Skipper (100% cotton, second photo) and the other was in Camper (100% 2 ply wool). The Skipper sample was knit for a 36” bust, which measures in at 40” with 4” of positive ease. And I knit the Camper Sample for my 40” bust with a 44” finished measurement. (BTW, I’m 5’5” for folks that find that measurement helpful in visualizing fit.)
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Based on the size chart for the Bevelled Tank, that means I knit one size 3 sample and one size 4. As designed, I conveniently fit a size 4 as intended with 4” of positive ease. When I wear the 3, there is no ease at all because the garment and my body are both 40” in size. Comparing the 2 garments, you can see how the fiber content (cotton vs. wool) and fit (no ease vs. 4” of positive ease) makes a difference in the look and feel of the finished garment. 
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These samples are a great way to compare what ease looks like on different bodies. While I can fit both a size 3 and 4, the garment with no ease feels more like pajamas or a bralette when I wear it. On the other hand, when I wear the one with 4” of positive ease, I feel comfortable enough to wear it to work, even as a crop top. Plus, it leaves me with enough room to layer it with a nice button down if I’m not feeling the cropped look one day. 
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I’m curious - how would you style this tank? Would you modify it with a few stockinette rows for added length? I’m so curious now that this pattern is finally out in the world. :) 
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #bevelledtank #handsoccupied #knitting #intarisa #handmade #kelbournewoolens #croppedsweater #summerknits
After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m ba After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m back with a brand new pattern in 9 sizes, and it’s FREE as part of @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn’s summer design collection! (Link is in my bio.)
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In my December newsletter, I announced that I was soliciting test knitters for a pattern that had originally been selected for the summer ’24 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly magazine. However, the magazine ceased publication after its spring ’24 issue, leaving in-progress designs unpublished. (It happens.) As a result, I’d begun the long process of editing, testing, and photographing the pattern for independent release through the Hands Occupied pattern shop and Ravelry.
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Before I was done with that process, Pom Pom Quarterly’s former editors reached out with an exciting proposal for the pattern. Post-magazine, they’ve begun to partner with yarn companies to produce high quality pattern collections. They wanted to include designs from the would-be current issue of Pom Pom Quarterly in a new collection for Hobbii yarn, including my Bevelled Tank. I worked with the same technical editors I would have for the magazine on this one, and as you can see from the photos, Pom Pom’s team did an amazing job of styling the garment to the beautiful standards they’re known for.
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You can learn more about the pattern on my blog and get the free pattern from Hobbii yarn - links to both in my profile. I’ll post sizing info in the comments for quick reference too. 🧶
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #knitting #intarsia #sponsored #colorworkknitting 
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Photos: @dianascarrunz 
Model: @angel.jade_
Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vi Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vintage knitting pattern from 1938 called the Fernlace Pullover. A pattern so nice, I knit it twice.
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Yellow version 💛: knit with Despondent Dyes’ Vintage Vixen Sport after attending a @squidneyknits vintage knitting retreat in 2019 & learning *so much*. Paired with a self-drafted circle skirt pattern. 
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Blue version 💙: knit with @eweeweyarns Ewe So Sporty in Sky Blue. Paired with the 1940s Boardwalk Duet sewing pattern from @decades_of_style 
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Head to my stories for 🔗🔗 to the handmade wardrobe blog posts I wrote about each take on the Fernlace Pullover, working with a vintage pattern, where to find vintage patterns (including the one I used), & some thoughts on sizing. 
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Image descriptions available in alt text. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadewardrobe #fernlacepullover #vintageknitting #vintageknittingpatterns #knitting_inspiration
Frogging is a word in the knitting world that mean Frogging is a word in the knitting world that means to rip out your knitting. It’s called frogging because frogs say “ribbit,” and when you’re tearing out your knitting, you will “rip it” out, and that sounds like ribbit. No really. 🐸 Did you know this fun fact? 
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P.S. I did like this design concept, but to make the pattern more knitter friendly as well as more wearable, I am making some tweaks to the construction. Excited to share when it’s ready! 🥰🧶
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Yarn: @blueskyfibers Woolstok North in Morning Frost & Highland Fleece 
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#handsoccupied #knitting #frogging #blueskyfibers #knittersofinstagram #blueskymakers #knittingvocabulary #bsfmakers #knitdesign
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