Millcast Episode 108: Yarn & Chocolate

[@zoyamichel215]

As a teenager I worked at a chocolate store. At that time the USA had chocolate was mostly from south America whereas European chocolate was using chocolate from African regions. I was aware of the difference in the taste. What I realized later that a number of companies merged the various regions which produced a different tasting chocolate.

[@junctionfibermill]

So many different flavors! YUM

[@maryoshea4476]

Hi Peggy and Amanda! Thanks for including my Philia mittens on your millcast! I wanted to share how I got the 2 mittens to look more like identical, rather than fraternal, twins--the why is just how I am! I wound the yarn into 2 cakes based on the color distribution, and just started in on one--as I went along, I looked for places that had similar colors and intensities to set aside for the second mitten. Sometimes I could work from the opposite end of the cake. As needed, I would break the yarn, pick the next section and then spit-splice the 2 ends together. I probably did this 3-4 times per mitten. Kind of picky, but it was actually fun to play around with the colors! I recently did a whole group of accessories (Fogtown set) with your JFM Lite, using the same technique, but swapping out color sections between 2 skeins and 5 accessories--I had a whole basketful of oddments!

[@junctionfibermill]

Wow! That is awesome info - thank you so much!

[@maryt-r4207]

Speaking of your wonderful staff, Liz recently helped me with 'one more skein I needed to finish a project.' She was cheerful and persistent and saved the day. I'm so grateful! I love your millcast.

[@junctionfibermill]

So glad! 😊

[@saramartin3665]

Wreath making looks so fun. What a great idea. Happiest of Holidays to your great team! I hear you Peg - 3rd born girl after two boys here too! 4th was a boy and last 3 were girls. My Mom had 7, first 4 in under 4 years! We still all get along too and feel blessed. Living with so many siblings is great for learning people skills!

[@junctionfibermill]

😊

[@wendysullivan5511]

You guys are the best - thanks for the fun & informative podcast!

[@junctionfibermill]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@elaineenstone6834]

Great episode. Love the Christmas card Amanda. The chocolate sounds amazing. What a wonderful idea to all go wreath making together. 🇬🇧

[@junctionfibermill]

Thanks! It was so fun 😊

[@patriciashetler4736]

OMG! I love your family Christmas card Amanda❤

[@junctionfibermill]

Thank you!

[@deechrisman2219]

Another great video! So enjoyed the chocolate story because I love chocolate of all kinds. And what a great idea for the wool and chocolate bundle. Thanks for all the informative videos. Great Christmas postcard you had made Amanda.

[@junctionfibermill]

😊

[@marshasemple7108]

Loved the interview with Tom and learned a lot I didn’t know about making chocolate. It sounds delicious and believe it or not, my “fancy” grocery store here in Dallas, Texas carries some of Goodnow Farms Chocolate bars! I’m definitely going to try some. They even have one with maple sugar! Peg, sorry about your sweater but like me, frogging it to make it right is the way to go. You’ll be much happier with the end result. Amanda, your family Christmas Card photo is adorable!

[@junctionfibermill]

Thanks so much fo all your kind words!

[@deborahjean3816]

What a wonderful millcast you two! Amanda that holiday family pic is over the top adorable. Your babes are precious and wow are they YOUR kids or what. No Cody in their features 😆 Love that mitten pattern. And your wreaths are all stunning. What a fun thing to do together. While I have a food sensitivity to chocolate ☹️ I loved learning so much. And maple sugar you betcha! Cheers to all!

[@junctionfibermill]

Thanks so much! Cheers to you!

[@ASquareGranny]

Love hearing the stories y’all share with us…it’s beautiful. Thank you. Always enjoy the MillCast! ☺️🧡 xx

[@junctionfibermill]

😊

[@bgbaltuth]

Wow, I want it all. Peggy, all knitting is good knitting . Thank you Ladies( all the ladies of JFM!) ttfn

[@junctionfibermill]

Thanks for watching!😊

[@RuthSwarthout]

Hi, ladies I'm with you Amanda give me good dark chocolate any day I'm picky about my coffee to. 😊 what a great idea with the mittens and hot cocoa and for sharing about the company and process. It's companies like yours that share with us about other lesser known companies. 😊 so glad that you had a nice time with family Peggy and Amanda what a sweet Christmas picture.

[@junctionfibermill]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bethtodd1998]

learned a lot about artisanal chocolate which was great! Always wonderful to spend a bit of time knitting and watching the millcast.

[@junctionfibermill]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@meadowsweetfarmfiberartsdesign]

Hello from hickory pa! Love the yarn and mitten pattern the chocolate is such an added treat Love you guys 🎄

[@junctionfibermill]

😊🎄

[@pbearski2007]

Awesome! Chocolate is a fruit, I’m all in!! Cheers, love your Millcast ❤

[@junctionfibermill]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@constancemcconnell2128]

I just looked up where Goodnow Farms chocolate products are available locally (Portland,OR) and am going there this morning....yum! I love dark chocolate so this is exciting. And, Peg, to quote an old knitter, "good knitters rip"....as painful as it is.

[@junctionfibermill]

Enjoy the chocolate - it is yummy!

[@pathowes32]

The mittens and hot chocolate sounds fantastic

[@junctionfibermill]

It is a good pairing!

[@deniseengel1451]

Thanks for the interesting interview. I love chocolate!❤

[@junctionfibermill]

Us too!

[@judyperodeau4945]

Thanks so much you guys for another wonderful show 😃👏🏼🥰🧶🧶🧶

[@theresamccarthy1684]

What a treat, tune in for knitting and get chocolate too!! I know it stinks to rip back Peggy but it’s always worth it in the end ❤

[@junctionfibermill]

Agreed- the finished product will be worth it! thanks

[@tracyaa1081]

Respect to you Peggy for frogging your knitting. One of the many great things about knitting is that we can reuse the yarn if we decide to frog our work.

[@junctionfibermill]

Sometimes you just have to do it! 👍

[@brendamorison8671]

You guys are such enablers. Now another rabbit hole - arsenal chocolate. I have already placed an order. Only recently I got schooled on chocolate the is not alkanized. So nice to find a source. I am wondering about Peg's sweater if it is handmade or commercial. Either way it is beautiful. Please share the details. I love seeing Amanda wearing her Lindal scarf again. It is inspiring to see how versatile it is. Yesterday started a Grid Gambit cowl with Making Tracks Constellation. It is hard for me to put it down. Great podcast, loved the interview.

[@junctionfibermill]

Peg's sweater is commercial made but a good one! Glad that you enjoyed the Millcast - Happy knitting!

[@ellenhenrie4826]

Peggy - After several disappointments, I now use Wirecutter to find out what NOT to buy. And the last two sweaters I knit are both now on the frogpile. Such is life!

[@junctionfibermill]

I hear you! Sigh...

[@LindaC1957]

Peggy, great story about you & your sibs. I am the oldest of 10, 7 kids before I was 5 (2 sets of twins - in a row!) then 3 more for good measure. We are all over the country and are still close. We’ve never had issues where people don’t talk to each other or things like that. My parents would be so happy about that. Re: your Dustland. I made that for my husband…..it was a fun knit & I tried it on him right along but it’s my least favorite that I’ve ever made him. I love SW but don’t think his designs are for me. Great episode as always!! Merry! Merry!

[@junctionfibermill]

Merry Merry to you too!

[@jenniferdezember299]

Amanda, will you please share what pattern/yarn your beautiful scarf is made of?

[@stephaniek2507]

It’s the Lindal Torkle by ona woldten, in farm fresh and i think forest clearing. Check out episodes from last year around rhinebeck

[@junctionfibermill]

Yes- that is it! The Torkle in In the Clearing

[@jenniferdezember299]

@@stephaniek2507 Thank you so much! 😊(Episode 49, in case anyone else is curious)

[@jenniferdezember299]

@@junctionfibermill Thank you!

[@jetv1471]

Peggy ,, regarding ripping out the sweater ,,, I have TOTALLY BEEN THERE… 😢 embarrassed to say more times than I should admit 😅..

[@junctionfibermill]

Always the right decision but always a tough one to make...

[@CarolHall-m2s]

What is the website for the chocolate?

[@junctionfibermill]

goodnowfarms.com

[@dorotagoebiewska2688]

❤❤❤

[@junctionfibermill]

😊

[@ritalegere1275]

9am Tuesday morning all ready sold out of yarn with hot chocolate 😢

[@junctionfibermill]

No- it is on sale now - didn't go live until 10am! :) :)