Albanach Knitter: EPISODE 12 - SLOW PROGRESS!

[@rjbrewer09]

another awesome video and I would travel a thousand miles to hear the singing very uplifting . I am watching from Arkansas, USA😊

[@kimstinson3499]

Thanks for all the life updates and info on the singing you enjoy. Happy vacation.

[@joy1400]

Great to see you Andrew! Thanks for sharing with us! Greetings and blessings from Virginia!

[@miriammcdade3077]

Great to see you.. a busy time at your end….you’ll be needing a holiday lol..have a lovely time 😊

[@chrisb1682]

Thank you Andrew. Just watched today and my sis is on Aran at mo birding. I live in England but know all that part of Scotland as my folks used to work and live in Culzean Castle. A beautiful part of the world for sure. Lots of good luck with the move! Re the knitting, I love the way you go one stitch at a time and produce beautiful items. For the knitalong, in the past I did a load of hats and sent them to the sailors society. Once I’ve finished my numerous projects ( I really must 🤭) I’ll gladly knit some more. Always love your clips. Thank you for sharing 💕🌿

[@RMoss-kz2vg]

So good to see you again! The little sweater is adorable. Thank you for another wonderful video, and the shaped note singing was very beautiful and peaceful. Prayers for you and your family on your move. Enjoy your holiday!

[@marciaz5346]

Best wishes on the move. I too have recently relocated after living in my past home for 38 years. It is several weeks of chaos and then things get better. Always good to see you Andrew ❤

[@patkohler7848]

Good morning from Maryland on the east coast of the U.S. So good to see you again. My husband and I went to Mull and Iona in 2019 on a glorious day in September and Iona was so beautiful and such a sacred place. I know it will fill your soul. Thank you for sharing your life and knitting with us🥰

[@shirleyknits123-7]

I've been praying for your next home since you mentioned the strong possibility of having to move. I'll stop praying once you sleep in your new home and Dougal had marked the property. Enjoy your vacation and I loved the singing.

[@barbarastorey206]

Lovely to see again all the best with the move.

[@valeriebishop561]

Love the language lesson! I heard you and will remember to come in May or September.

[@michellesetzer9366]

Nice to hear from you Andrew. Lots of life’s transitions occurring. Exciting but stressful times. Lesson learned- purge as many belongings as you can and just take your experiences with you. Currently finishing up some color work socks using @pinkpineappleknits yarn, from our stitches retreat last September, and working on Stephen West’s Fragmentation shawl. Take good care and happy packing.

[@albanachknitter]

Oh we live fairly lightly anyway! Happy socks! :)

[@donnajohnson9834]

Good luck with the move (again!). I’m married to a Methodist pastor (retired now) but we moved frequently and it is soooo good to have settled here in Maine. Wish that for you too. Love the little sweater!

[@donnacarmean2024]

Good to hear you!God Bless!

[@deborahcopeland384]

Great to hear and see you again. I particularly enjoyed the shape note singing. I am originally from Tennessee and now North Carolina in the US. Shape note singing was well known in the Appalachian mountains and foothills. I have heard it a few times when visiting those areas. The group is very accomplished.

[@sandramcmanus5817]

Thank you for giving us the gift of another episode! Love the singing. I find the words to the older hymns so rich and powerful! As far as your sleeves go, you could try increasing by picking up a leg of a stitch from the row or two below. This method never leaves holes. I learned it by watching an Arne and Carlos tutorial. It’s called picking up in the grandmother stitch. You could also just knit in the front and back of the stitch to increase. Love the history lessons and perspective about our Christian heritage. I will be praying for your move. As a military family we know the challenges of relocating. Grace to you and your family! Time to start knitting beanies!

[@lorikoury120]

Thank you for another sweet video. Good luck finding a new home. Thank you especially for sharing the singing with the Sacred Harp. Your harmonies are beautiful! Enjoy your knitting 🧶. Blessings! 💕

[@geansaidh76]

Tapadh leat for the Sacred Harp clip. I loved the wonderful resonance that I could feel as we sang, it echoed and vibrated through all of us. I hope you have a good move and lovely trip.

[@Emma223Mom]

It is always a mini-retreat to sit with you a while. I’m fascinated by the rib results of the Anker raglan. We’ve moved many times over the years. I’m from the USA. We developed a habit it seemed of moving cross country to a different climate. I also spoke frequently of cleaning the house every 5 years as if one was doing precisely that. I am a pack rat. Although, currently I’m collecting items/treasures from my parents home. To be reckoned with later. My dad is 94 and diligently cleaning house to make it easier on us later.😅 I have heard this style of music, I wasn’t aware of a name. Like many of your listeners it resonates and calls to deep places from the past with timeless tones. Thank you for each tidbit of information. I love to hear your voice. Perhaps you will sing again for us as you did in the chapel? Or using this style, the shape note singing.

[@albanachknitter]

You never know!

[@tuttsclumpcottage7911]

A big hello from beautiful rural Ontario. I look forward to the video about your trip to Iona. Also the shape note singing introduction was great. I will be investigating further. God bless.

[@EvieO1950]

The shaped note singing was interesting. I remember my Papaw and Mamaw having small hymn books with the shaped notes but I don’t remember them singing anything other than the words. I have precious memories of my Papaw sitting in his rocker and singing a cappella. Good luck with the Beanie Along!

[@Jenjursnap]

Spice and vitality!! What a gentle description. 🙂 Thanks for sharing the lovely shape note singing! The 'music scholar' in me was utterly delighted to see and hear it - wish I had been there singing alongside you all!

[@albanachknitter]

Oh yeah, you'd love it. Raw and primitive, but invigorating and penetrating the soul! I'm sure there's probably a group near you!

[@helensmith8350]

Oh Andrew I’m very jealous of your wee trip to Mull and Iona, on one of my visits home, we visited Iona, the wind was howling as we sailed across, which I loved and sitting in the Abbey in the little candle lit area, I’ve never felt and atmosphere like it, I could have sat there all day. Enjoy ❤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇦🇺

[@bethsaylor5325]

Nice to see you again, Andrew. As for your raglan increases, I will assume it is the M1R that is giving you holes. This is usually because the bar with which you are making the new stitch is being pulled up too tight and thus leaving a hole. You could use a different type of increase like knit front & back or a right lifted increase. These cause less distortion of the stitches. You can also try being very loose with your M1R. Make sure you are doing it correctly also. Lift the bar from back to front and knit in the front of the stitch which causes the yarn to twist and avoids the hole. Good luck!

[@albanachknitter]

Thanks for that! Will take note next time!

[@albanachknitter]

...will probably do a little mending just to tighten it up invisibly.

[@esmekaffen4961]

I have this issue sometimes too so thank you for the explanation and suggestions for alternatives ❤

[@robinmccamont]

@@albanachknitter - I recommend you get a copy of Patty Lyon’s book “The Knitting Bag of Tricks.” She explains precisely what is causing this phenomenon, and how to fix it. In addition to a host of other tips and tricks that she helps you with in this book. It’s a very useful book, and fits nicely in a project bag so that you can have it with you wherever you go, or you can get it for your kindle! You may be able to find it at your local library, too!

[@sandrasmith3258]

Thank you for sharing the Shapenote siniging, it was beautiful. I have already been knitting "beanies" or hats.I love the pattern.

[@AW-gy8ph]

Your Anker sweater is lovely. You've inspired me to knit a child-sized sweater or two for donations. Thanks for taking the time to share with us.

[@merrimcelderry519]

Loved the video .. came at a perfect time for relaxation and love of LIFE!!!! Blessings on the new changes for you which you do so well. Come on again soon. love the doggie and love the singing!!!!! Going to look that singing up to study it.. Thank you for the PEACE and Love here. love to your family xx Merri in Minnesota USA.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@joanspiller1553]

That was a wonderful video, Andrew. So nice to sit and knit with you. Hope your move goes smoothly. We are moving too, boxes everywhere. The singing was beautiful. I find it very uplifting. Your vacation sounds great. Your knitting is very inspirational. It was great to see you again.

[@hoermanita]

Thank you for sharing your knitting projects and your life with us. Shapenotes sounds interesting. I think that would be a challenge for me as I learnt to read notes at the age of 6. With that, I'm an exception in folk circles anyway. 😁 Greetings from Germany.

[@sondragingery5949]

How interesting to hear the Do-Re-Me part of shape note singing. I grew up in the USA in a fairly old-fashioned church hearing that old Sister or Brother so and so still could read shape note music. But I didn't know exactly how the music worked, but that would have been a good way for people to hear how the harmony was supposed to sound. I have a few old hymnals with it written this way. But basically otherwise, our church hymns were musically the same style. This year I added a great book to my "reference library." It's Patty Lyons' Knitting Bag of Tricks. and really explains why the stitches either side of the raglan may not be even. She has the best, most understandable explanations and drawings for all kinds of things. I am learning so much.

[@Treasacello]

Sometimes, you just have to accept it takes as long as it takes. I started a cute little project jumper for myself in September. It took me 3 weeks to make. Except after my sister saw it, she wanted one, which took me another 6 weeks because she wanted me to add polar bears to hers. No problem, except then, my nephew saw hers and wanted one with stags. Well, I thought, I still had most of December, so it might be a week or two late, but I could do it. Except the first time I knit it, it came out lumpy and my floats were way too tight, so I frogged back and started again and the second time, they were still too tight, but not as tight as before...so I frogged back and decided to try a different float technique, and it's now June and I'm still working the third try, but now it's coming out 6 inches looser than it was before. So, the sweater is going to be just a wee bit bigger than he imagined because at this point, it will be what it will be.

[@albanachknitter]

I've probably got some frogging to do in the body length of the Dustland too - such fun! lol

[@skhoyt6024]

We attended a shaped note sing near here (in Pennsylvania) a few years ago. It was great fun! It was joyful, vigorous, if not beautiful, singing. I, as a musician, had to turn off my knowledge of reading music and the full solfège scale - it felt like I was constantly translating in my head instead of just focusing on the note shapes.

[@susannevb3451]

The shape note singing🥰

[@ColleenGoldsmith-n7m]

Hi ! Andrew so good to see you again. Regards Colleen South Africa 🇿🇦

[@midgeporter7495]

Lovely just to sit and relax and listen. I've been very hectic too with my craft business and not had much time for my own knitty projects. I'm knitting a toe-up sock for a nice change, in some of my hand dyed yarn. They are just for me :) Best of luck with all of your moving shenanigans. The Anker looks great. Best wishes for your weekend in this glorious Scottish summer we are having!

[@margaretbeale6134]

A lovely episode Andrew I'm always pleased to sit and watch your videos. You didn't mention the Sanquhar patterns so i guess you haven't had time to look into them, perhaps a knit along after the beanies later in the year Enjoy your holiday. ❤

[@albanachknitter]

The Sanquhar Knitalong is planned for the autumn/winter :)

[@sarahgalarza7420]

I have my grandmother’s Sacred Harp songbook. The singing brought back memories of when I went to a sing with her in a small country church here in Florida. Thank you for sharing!

[@esmekaffen4961]

Hello again! I feel ya the stalling projects, I have one now that I had to put away and start on something less daunting. Hope you are able to get some photos of Iona to share with us and hope you and your family have a nice time there. Lovely to sit and knit with you, thanks for sharing photos of your beautiful dog and good luck with the move.❤

[@tinawalker4237]

I was in Scotland last August, Sept. Saw the Tattoo we managed to get tickets for the very last show, loved it. We went to Skye and, Lewis and Harris. And many other places. Such a beautiful country, definitely need to return for another vusit. I love sitting and knitting with you.

[@genier7829]

I enjoyed hearing the singing, I have heard of this style before but never knew anything about it.

[@Monique-TheYarnCurator]

Hello from South Africa 🇿🇦 ♥️ so nice to see you - thank you for popping in and sharing • your dog is beautiful

[@CaravelKiwi]

Chilly and damp midwinter here in New Zealand, perfect for knitting. I just finished another beanie yesterday, in around 8 hours, with more planned. My favourite online wool shop keeps having special offers, I really need to keep up!

[@elizabethamis9376]

Good to see you again and have a bit of a catch-up. Good luck with the conveyancing! ❤👍from Somerset

[@albanachknitter]

That the fancy word for it? lol

[@johnoleary5293]

I’d certainly cross the road to hear that shape-note singing, Andrew. Good to see you back. We’re in winter here, with the temp going down to about 10C at night, which hardly counts as winter where you live.

[@albanachknitter]

No, in the last two weeks of 'summer', our day temperatures have barely risen to 10c lol. Getting a bit warmer now though...17 today and it's only 9.20am lol

[@sharongrist4200]

Loved to hear the shape note singing! I was supposed to have taken a workshop a couple of days from now but not enough people signed up for it and it was canceled. I hope they will try again.

[@leslieambailey]

Some central Virginians still practice shape note singing. In fact a local sister Presbyterian congregation does it regularly. I love the name “sacred harp” for our voices. I think the most popular shape note hymn around here is, “How Firm a Foundation.” I’m a musician, [but] I still find it quite affecting.

[@janecheesehead3178]

I visited Scotland last Autumn (from the States) and went to Mull and Iona. The abbey is beautiful, and you probably already know there's a yarn shop-Iona Wool. Definitely not the softest yarn but nice anyway. They told me it's a blend of a few varieties of local sheep. Have a good trip!

[@albanachknitter]

Yes, and a nice company who produce it.

[@joanbayan8943]

My father was a great shape note singer. Our ancestor came to America from Scotland( Ireland. Then moved to West Virginia. He was born in 1896. So still steeped in the older culture

[@cathyschulman8949]

I would definitely cross the street to listen to your singing.🎶

[@margie6534]

I'm currently on a cruise ship headed north from Inverness to Belfast. I wish I could spend more time in Scotland. I will be back!

[@albanachknitter]

Do wave on the way by!

[@patgentry7268]

Lovely singing! Best of luck with your move, and do try to take us to Iona… All best from San Francisco Bay, but up in the hills with sheep & wool!

[@dorym8045]

I love that you are going to Iona. My friend got married there and she and her husband return for a trip every year for their anniversary (pandemic year excepting). They once had a share in the hotel on the island many years ago when it needed investors for a time. I’ve never been but she has always said it is magical.

[@suebrown436]

Great to see you again Andrew! I have my first beanie already made - I must have anticipated you doing the same thing this year as last!! I absolutely love the Oban area and know you will have a great holiday there.

[@nlturcott5168]

Enjoyed you update AND the singing. How fun to do as a group. I am sending your music to my brother (also a musician) for his church activities. Do enjoy your holiday especially if it comes afte a move to new home.

[@bg7491]

Fast or slow, it's still progress! 😊 Another interesting and fun video. You have a beautiful singing voice! 😇

[@carotrike]

Lovely to see you Andrew. We hope your house move goes smoothly along with your changes at work. Have a lovely holiday.

[@hazeldonner1855]

Nice seeing you again Andrew. Took me a few moments to realise you are back to front. I thought I was going mad. Ha ha. ❤❤

[@albanachknitter]

No idea how it happened!

[@scampbell9375]

I have been following you from the start,,,,and I just noticed that you are a left handed knitter...awesome!!! love your videos...looking forward to more of your videos out and about your island...

[@albanachknitter]

I'm actually right handed, for some reason, the camera angle was flipped!

[@MelBassett-yb9xg]

Good to see you back again Andrew. Xx

[@katherinegannett]

Blessings upon you, Andrew! I'm excited for your family vacation to Oban and scooting over to Mull and Iona on the ferries. I stayed in Oban for a weekend in early October 2016. It was fantastic! I took an eight-hour day tour of Mull, Staffa, and Iona. The weather was perfect for the boat ride to Staffa and making the walk over basalt columns around the base of the cliff to enter Fingal's Cave - an experience I'll never forget with the sea being so close. A lot of trepidation was conquered to do it, and I have the photos to prove I made it all the way into the cave and back out again. Being in the cave itself was magical and musical, the way the waves' sound bounces and echoes inside. I recommend a visit to Staffa as well as Iona, although I expect in late June and early July both places will be hoaching with tourist folk from around the world. Anyway, I hope the weather is fine while you're away on your holiday when the time to arrives. While catching up with you on Episode 12, I knit another 12-row repeat on my current wip, a Bluebird scarf - a free pattern on Ravelry by Breean Eylse Miller. Now, I'm away to mow the front lawns. I reckon the dew must have dried off the grass. Cheers, my friend.

[@scrapbagstudios]

Good to see you again. I am intrigued by the dustland sweater and have considered making one although I have many projecs in the queue before I could do that one. Thanks for sharing.

[@susanneallan5310]

Life changes are never ending, would be too boring otherwise. Enjoy your trip to Oban. I live in Alberta Canada and when I was touring Scotland in the 90’s I loved Oban and my day trip to Iona was magical. Enjoy your trip.

[@marywilson6760]

Hello Andrew. Good to have another video from you. Love the children's jumper you are knitting. Can't pronounce the singing that you did with the group, but I loved the singing. If you look for Stuart Race at the Woolpatch he has a knitting technique video on Threads off Life You Tube, all about various decreases that prevents loose raglan stitches. It is very good. Take care Andrew 🙂

[@thizizliz]

Good to see you again! :D 10C us 50F so chilly but not cold. Congrats on your youngest going off to Uni = may she have a great experience! Our eldest grand teen begins College in Sept I believe. They'll do 2 years there before transferring to the State University locally. For kids who go directly to Community College (2 year) after high school with no "gap year", tuition is free! Then there is automatic acceptance at California Universities, and that's for all California residents. I'm very excited for them to have this opportunity. I hope they explore new subjects and learn about things they've previously not heard of! Oh, I'll see if I can make hats again this year for the charity shops that support good causes - the Domestic Violence shelter and animal rescues are my 2 favorites.

[@lindanagle5081]

Was just thinking about you today when I was in Saltcoats and the island was clearly visible.

[@albanachknitter]

Hope you waved!

[@lindanagle5081]

@@albanachknitter of course.

[@BecJ68]

Good to see you! Thank you for the lovely post. Have a Blessed Weekend!

[@jilliankonig2759]

Perhaps the difference in the holes at the raglan line is due to magic loop leaving more of a hole at either the end or the beginning of the work on increases. Lovely sweater anyway, and would probably not be noticed over a shirt on a gamboling wee lad.

[@albanachknitter]

Not sure - the beginning of the 'round' isn't anywhere near the raglans. It's prob just my inexperience - I get the same thing with straight needles. :)

[@albanachknitter]

...I've managed to 'fix' the gaps anyway :)

[@jackieleipert1950]

I liked it! Pretty singing.

[@dinahdeuel525]

🥰🥰🥰

[@katheard262]

Nice to see your new Podcast😊

[@LindaNixon-ws4ge]

My family is from West Virginia and Virginia USA. They sang with shaped notes. Enjoyed the singing . Thank you. Are you familiar with hymnal lining? It’s sung by Primitive Baptist congregations. I think you would enjoy it.

[@albanachknitter]

Lining is from the Scottish Gaelic Psalm singing tradition, except it's called precenting here :)

[@lynnmcentire4014]

Wonderful video. I would like it if you sang in each video. I love to sing

[@LenaGa]

❤

[@margie6534]

Will do!!

[@patp2573]

I also subscribe to Norman at' Nimble Needles' on youtube. He is an expert knitter and covers many problems for knitters at all skill levels. I know he had an episode on preventing holes in your knitting and how to touch them up when you are blocking or almost ANYTHING you want a demo of. When you have time 😉 😁

[@scampbell9375]

k also known as "Old Harp Singing" in the States

[@beckyp9700]

10C is 50F Wonderful to see you my friend. I have a question about Gaelic. Why are so many letters used that have nothing to do with the pronunciation or spelling of the actual word? Hope you have a wonderful vacation. See you in the next one.

[@albanachknitter]

Why have 5 letters when you can have 10? Seriously, the letters have more to do with pronunciation than you might think. English has many 'uneccesary' silent letter patterns too.

[@beckyp9700]

Thank you for responding. I never thought about it like that. I agree there are many things in the English language I will never understand. Example: in the UK it is spelled Tonne here in USA it is spelled Ton. Anyway, thank you again for responding. Enjoy your vacation my friend . You deserve it. See you in the next one.

[@tinawalker4237]

In Australia ton is imperial measurement and tonne is metric.

[@robinmyers8939]

Hi Andrew, love your videos. I don’t remember seeing the completed Dustland sweater. Would you show it again please. I have a knit hat I made before Christmas. It is not your pattern, but I would love to donate it to your cause. I will be staying at the Sannox center beginning of September. Can I leave it there for you? Your email was not in the comments, or I would have emailed you this last part.

[@albanachknitter]

Dustland isn't finished yet! Will add the email, I forgot!

[@lindajesuadian3638]

Does the beanie pattern use circular needles? If so, is there one to knit flat on two needles?

[@albanachknitter]

This one uses either circulars or dpns, but I'm sure there are lots of free beanie patterns out there for flat on two of you Google :)

[@Meredith36]

💚🧶💚

[@jillfoster6369]

Lovely to have you back and fully understand how life takes over sometimes. Iona is magical and I am sure you will all enjoy your stay. You should also visit Inveraray as that is a super place. Good luck with the conveyancing. That is what I used to do before I retired and know it can be drawn out. Wonderful to have the security for all the family. 🧶🧶