Tanya Keen from Yarn Trader Port Adelaide reveals the radical underbelly of modern knitting culture, from secret cinema crafting sessions to the politics of being “knit-worthy,” while we taste Bickford’s new adult soft drinks and wrap up with Dr. D and Fergus Maximus’s summertime ode to Somerton Beach.
In an episode celebrating South Australian innovation in unexpected places, Bickford’s Group Marketing Director Chris Illman shares how a 150-year-old drinks maker is modernising adult soft drinks while preserving quirky local traditions like our distinctive brown lime cordial. Between sips of their sophisticated new Pineapple Passion Fruit and Cloudy Lemonade soft drinks, we discover why South Australians developed different taste preferences from the rest of the nation.
Port Adelaide’s Tanya Keen then unravels the surprisingly radical world of contemporary knitting from her Yarn Trader sanctuary, where cinema crafters work their magic in the flickering dark and being “knit-worthy” separates the appreciative from the uninitiated.
We wrap up with Dr. D and Fergus Maximus transporting us to balmy Somerton Beach evenings with their perfectly timed summer anthem “Somerton Nights,” previewing their upcoming Fringe show that promises to time-travel through Adelaide’s musical history.
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The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards.
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Running Sheet: Knitting Renaissance Meets Nostalgic Sips: Adelaide’s Love Of Tradition
00:00:00 Intro
Introduction
00:02:39 SA Drink Of The Week
The South Australian Drinks Of The Week this week are Cloudy Lemonade and Pineapple Passionfruit “Adult Style” soft drinks by Bickfords.
Picture this: you’re in a backyard on washing day, sheets flapping in the summer breeze. That’s the exact moment Steve captured while savouring Bickford’s new Cloudy Lemonade, a drink that took an astounding decade to perfect. Chris Illman reveals it’s all about the real lemon concentrate creating that nostalgic weight across the palate.
The Pineapple Passion Fruit follows, floating what Steve dubbed “Willy Wonka aromatics” through the studio. It’s a sophisticated departure from standard soft drinks, though Chris assures us there’s still room for that “permissible indulgence” we occasionally crave.
Between sips, we discover South Australia’s unique relationship with Creaming Soda and learn why cloudy pear juice is cheekily known as “young person’s prune juice” – a revelation that had Steve reconsidering his medicine cabinet.
00:24:04 Tanya Keen, Yarn Trader
Step into Yarn Trader, where Tanya Keen is revolutionising Port Adelaide’s crafting scene one stitch at a time. Who knew knitters were nervous about crafting in public? (“It’s usually because people decide that knitting or crocheting in public is an invitation to open a conversation,” Tanya explains with knowing wisdom.)
Steve’s live attempt at mastering the knit stitch provides both comedy and insight – though his suggestion of passing down a “hand-knitted mankini” as a family heirloom might not make it into Tanya’s customer recommendations.
The real eye-opener? Contemporary knitters are crafting everything from precision-fitted socks (“like Cinderella’s slipper”) to “knitted knockers” for post-mastectomy support. As Tanya notes, “We’re like a confessional – people come in and tell us of their plans and their woes and their traumas.”
01:06:15 Musical Pilgrimage
In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Somerton Nights by Fergus Maximus and Dr D.
Dr. D and Fergus Maximus wrap up our summer vibes with “Somerton Nights,” painting an audio portrait of those perfect Adelaide evenings when the sun dips low over the beach, the shark patrol makes its final announcement, and the choice between gelato or one more swim seems like life’s biggest decision.
“Back in ADL” at Fringe 2025: Dr. D and Fergus Maximus time-travel through Adelaide’s musical history.
Here’s this week’s preview video
There is no featured video this week.
SFX: Throughout the podcast we use free SFX from freesfx.co.uk for the harp, the visa stamp, the silent movie music, the stylus, the radio signal SFX, the wine pouring and cork pulling SFX, and the swooshes around Siri.
An AI generated transcript – there will be errors. Check quotes against the actual audio (if you would like to volunteer as an editor, let Steve know)
407-The Adelaide Show
[00:00:00] Steve Davis: Hello, Steve Davis here. Thanks for joining us in episode 407 of the Adelaide Show podcast. I’ve still just got a nice pineapple note in my throat at the moment from having been sipping our South Australian drinks of the week with Chris Elman from Bickford’s. He’s the group marketing director and they’ve got a couple of adult soft drinks that have been released.
[00:00:24] We’ll taste them in just a moment. In the main interview of the episode, I’ll be having a chat with Tanya Keen. She runs Yarn Trader in Port Adelaide. And if this summer you were thinking, maybe I’ll take my hands to the needles, and I will do some knitting. Crocheting with some of those crochet sticks. I get all the terminology wrong all the way through the interview.
[00:00:48] Don’t worry about that Um, she is fascinating at enthusing people to pick it up Grab some yarn have a try a little bit more nuance and science to it than that But we’ll have a long chat recorded in yarn trader itself Just recently and then we’re going to finish off In the musical pilgrimage, with a perfectly timed song.
[00:01:11] It’s called Summerton Nights by Dr. D and Fergus Maximus. We’ll talk more about that, uh, when we get there. But, first up, let us prepare ourselves for something to cure our thirst. Summerton Nights.
[00:01:59] Caitlin Davis: In the spirit of reconciliation, the Adelaide Show Podcast acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout South Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
[00:02:28] Theme: Adelaide, Adelaide, Adelaide, Ooo Adelaide, Adelaide, Adelaide, Adelaide, Adelaide, Adelaide, Adelaide, wooo I
[00:02:40] Steve Davis: am the first to admit that I am a walking contradiction when it comes to soft drinks. You know, I try and cut back, I can’t quite quit them completely, It’s like a friend who keeps saying, I’m giving up coffee, and never does.
[00:02:52] Well, that’s Today in the Adelaide show, Chris Illman from Bickford’s is joining me to have an honest chat about sugar as we taste a new range of adult soft drinks. And yes, I did just say adult. Uh, this does not mean it’s X rated cordial or anything like that. So you can still keep listening with your kids.
[00:03:12] Chris, welcome to the Adelaide show.
[00:03:14] Chris Illman: Thanks so much for having me.
[00:03:15] Steve Davis: Let’s deal with this first of all, because I do want to have that quick chat about sugar, that sugar conversation. I personally am attempting to moderate my soft drink intake. I fail more than I like, but I’m pretty good at it. In your game, how do you approach this balance at Bickford’s between indulgence and the joy of them and the responsibility and some of the chatter around, uh, this aspect of health?
[00:03:42] Chris Illman: The easy way to answer that question is that, um, when it comes to, uh, sugar dominated drinks, um, it really becomes a decision for the consumer. and that admissible treat that exists with a sugar beverage. Now, from a flavor profile perspective, sugar provides viscosity, sugar provides flavor, sugar provides a different indulgent flavor profile versus, um, what would be potentially no sugar, low sugar.
[00:04:11] But ultimately, um, what we do as a business, and that’s not indifferent to, you know, what other beverage manufacturers out there is that we believe that there is a product that we can produce for most consumers, um, if not every consumer. So within our portfolio, we have full flavoured, um, which is obviously what we’re talking to today, which is our Cloudy Lemon Pine Passion Bigford Sodas.
[00:04:33] Um, we also do low sugar beverages and no sugar beverages or what we, within our cordial business, as an example, sugar free cordials. And again, that allows the consumer to make an informed choice as to what role that product makes within their hydration strategy or their hydration mission. Um, and that ultimately delivers a wide choice for the consumer when they do go to the retail segment because not every consumer is looking for a sugar free or a no sugar.
[00:05:02] Um, there are a lot of consumers out there still willing to, um, indulge, um, in a sugar beverage.
[00:05:08] Steve Davis: Yeah, look, I think you’re right. And it was an interesting psychological journey for me because my initial reaction when, uh, I was told about this was, hang on, I’m getting on my high moral horse, you know, I’m, I’m not promoting sugar.
[00:05:21] And then I reflected on my own actual habits and, you know, yeah. It’s part of the mix and it, in my day job of marketing, I know there’s research that tells you that people say, oh no, I’m buying local and you check their, their shopping cart and they don’t. And I wonder if there’s that same hypocrisy that happens around here.
[00:05:39] You might, you’d probably be privy to more research than I am of things we say to virtue signal and what we actually do to have a treat.
[00:05:49] Chris Illman: Yeah. And, and I mean, we don’t, we don’t capture specific details in, in relation to, um, soft drinks as such because our soft drink business is a little bit smaller than our cordial business.
[00:05:58] But, um, I can give you a fair indication that that over 95% of our volume of our cordials does sit, uh, within our full flavored range, which is obviously full sugar. Yep. We do have a diet range. We do have a sugar free range. Um, cord deals is a slightly different category to, to carbonates in that. You obviously cut that back with water, so you can manage the sugar content as a consequence of that.
[00:06:22] But as I said, a large proportion of sales does go with the full sugar alternative. But as an industry, and if I could flip the conversation for a second, you know, As an industry, we are mindful of offering choice. So the industry, certainly within the soft drink industry, um, there is, there is and has been a consistent push to offer a large proportion of sugar free beverages where the industry, around 25 percent, um, Sorry, there was a commitment recently made around a reduction in sugar across 25 percent of the portfolio, which will be delivered by 2025.
[00:06:56] So as an industry, we’re offering that solution. However, um, yeah, going back to the point, there is still a consumer out there who is looking for that permissible indulgence.
[00:07:07] Steve Davis: Well, talking of which, let’s do that right now, because we’ve got a couple here to try. And I want to start with the Cloudy Lemonade, if you don’t mind.
[00:07:14] Because, there was just something about it when I first tasted this, that just, it just touched the nostalgia in me. It was, I can’t put my finger on it. There’s something else that was triggered by the pie and passion fruit in a moment. But, the Cloudy Lemonade, for some reason I just pictured, you know, homemade lemonade stall kind of things when I was trying it.
[00:07:40] What goes in, where did the idea come from, Cloudy Lemonade? What?
[00:07:44] Chris Illman: Well, primarily it’s come from Our customer base, um, so for context, you know, the Bickford’s group of companies, we operate in both the liquor industry and the non liquor industry. So our liquor portfolio, um, spans 23rd Street, Andrew Garrett Sparkling, Shiraz, uh, Galway Pipe, Tawny, Bale Brewing.
[00:08:05] So we distribute our liquor portfolio into the liquor segment and obviously on the non outside, Bickford’s juices underpins our products. So We have our products available in a wide range of sales channels and especially in the route channel and with our hospitality venues that we have. A lot of people have said to us, listen, we love your traditional, uh, cola.
[00:08:27] We love your lemon, lemon bitters. But I need a lemonade. Lemonade is still a very ubiquitous flavor, um, you know, Coke have a Sprite, um, which is a big proportion of their portfolio. So our customers kept saying, you know, there’s a demand and there’s an opportunity for lemonade. This particular Cloudy Lemonade product took us 10 years to develop.
[00:08:47] So, we initially, yeah, it took us 10 years. Um, reason being combination of, uh, commercializing at the right time, around the right, uh, right. Uh, livery. And having the right sales channels to bring this to life, but more importantly, having a customer, uh, that’s willing to back us. So, we developed these, the Flavor Profile, yes, 10 years ago in 2014.
[00:09:10] We dusted off the formula about 12 months ago, presented Clear Lemonade and the Pine Passion to Um, our customers, and as a consequence of that, um, especially Coles at this particular point in time, and our wonderful friends at Foodlands and Drake’s here in South Australia have chosen to go on the journey with us and arrange, um, you know, this particular portfolio.
[00:09:32] Going back to the point, mate, the reason why you are seeing that historic and nostalgic flavour cut through. What we do is we add concentrate. So there is lemon juice concentrate added to the formula. And so what that does is it gives it a little bit more sugar, but what it does, it gives you the mouthfeel and the flavor and the viscosity again.
[00:09:56] Of lemon, which then gives you a direct link back to our traditional lemon juice drink.
[00:10:03] Steve Davis: Alright, I’ve got to try some right now. I’m going to flip the lid or crack the lid. Here we go. I’ll get this close to the microphone because nothing quite beats this sound.
[00:10:13] Chris Illman: Absolutely.
[00:10:15] Steve Davis: Alright, I’m going to pour it. Now, I was about to pour it into a glass.
[00:10:19] Chris Illman: Yes.
[00:10:19] Steve Davis: What do you think?
[00:10:21] Chris Illman: Uh, you know what? Each to their own. Uh, you know, you, an experience out of the can is cool, over ice in a glass. However, this particular product, as well as the Pine Passion, does mix beautifully with a vodka or a gin.
[00:10:36] Um, you know, again, as a, as a treat, as an adult social occasion.
[00:10:41] Steve Davis: Okay, um, I’ve gone with the glass. I’ll do the pineapple, um, out of the, out of the can. I see what you mean. There’s actually a lovely Do you know what it’s like? There’s a There’s a little weight that just sits across the palate after you’ve, it just reminded me of going out to the backyard and mum’s hung the sheets out.
[00:11:00] There’s an extra bit of body in the backyard.
[00:11:04] Chris Illman: Yep. Yeah. And, and almost like, again, it’s that, um, that side stall, street stall, um, traditional lemonade, squeezing that lemonade over a bit of soda water with a little bit of sugar syrup through it. So. Um, essentially this is a traditional lemon, lemon drink, which again relates really, really strongly to our Bigfoots Cordial range because really the inspiration for both of these flavors, both in 250ml but also in 1L PET, um, has been flavors that have tested well or worked well in our Cordial range.
[00:11:37] Um, so obviously, you know, we are known for the lemon and lemon juice Cordial and, you know, recently we have commercialized the Pine Passion. Um, Cordial, which is tracking fantastically well in trade.
[00:11:49] Steve Davis: Well, actually, just while my palette’s going crazy, I’m going to open the Pine Passion as well, just so I can Go for it.
[00:11:54] currently, um, let’s do this one as well. Does anyone have a trademark on that sound effect of the can opening?
[00:12:03] Chris Illman: Um, that’s a really good, yeah, that’s a really good question. You know, we might have to have a look at that one. There might be something in that.
[00:12:08] Steve Davis: There might be. I kind of feel like the solo man in the 70s might have had something, but did they trademark it?
[00:12:15] Okay, here we go.
[00:12:19] Now, when I first tasted this, Chris, the pineapple passion fruit, this did take me back to my maternal grandparents home, sitting in their backyard, we would drink some of their home delivered soft drinks, but we were right next to a shed wall covered in passion fruit vine, and Grandma would make her own passion fruit cordial, which was magnificent, but most of the time, um, It was the old fashioned home delivered soft drinks we were drinking.
[00:12:48] Chris Illman: Yep, yep. And again, traditionally in those days Those bottlers did use, um, fresh fruit juice, um, or concentrate in their formulas and that’s, and that is, that again, that gives it that flavour profile that you just don’t see in soft drinks today because there are flavours and additives added, um, but that don’t give it the, um, the traditional flavour profile that you find when you add a little bit of juice or concentrate to it.
[00:13:15] Steve Davis: This one seems to have a, a higher, um, sense of perfume that floats, uh, in the mouth, sort of, it’s like the Willy Wonka factory when they eat that, what do they, they have something that makes them float towards the ceiling.
[00:13:30] Chris Illman: Yep,
[00:13:30] Steve Davis: yep. This is, um,
[00:13:32] Chris Illman: It’s been a while since I’ve seen the movie, but I know the, I know the visual.
[00:13:37] Steve Davis: And the interesting thing is, I know I started off all heavy with the sugar, and there is sugar in them, but you’ve got your fruit concentrate. They do not come across as sweet drinks by any stretch of the imagination.
[00:13:50] Chris Illman: No, and, and obviously, you know, as I touched on earlier, sorry, you know, mixing this, uh, say with, uh, with, with vodka as a, you know, permissible alcoholic, uh, post, post mixed drink or over ice that obviously will cut back a little bit of sugar.
[00:14:06] Um, you certainly know you are drinking a beverage with sugar in there. Again, talking to that, um, that viscosity and, and finish as well, too, that, that sweet finish.
[00:14:16] Steve Davis: Yeah, it’s nice. Um, you mentioned your cordial just before. We can’t go having a quick chat without touching base on the lime cord. I mean, that is, tell me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that your Is that your peak cordial, or is there something else?
[00:14:29] Chris Illman: Um, well, it really depends on the customer and the timing. But, um, Lemon Lime and Bitters, uh, is actually now our number one cordial, followed by lime. Um, funny story, uh, and again, depending on your listeners, right? So, we have two different types of lime cordial. We have brown lime, which you only find in South Australia.
[00:14:50] And then we have traditional lime. in every other state. And the reason being is way back when, um, the Bigfoot’s Cordial Range was commercialized here, you know, in South Australia, it was made with brown limes because that the formula called for, um, adding water and sugar to brown limes because when those limes came out, um, from, uh, the UK on, on the ships that came into Australia, the lime was there to actually stop scurvy.
[00:15:20] So William Bickford came up with this idea of taking this lime juice that had browned off, add sugar, add water, and turn it into cordial. So, you know, over the last 150 years, South Australia has only had brown lime, whereas that colour was hard to understand in the eastern states, so hence you see A much lighter, brighter colour of lime juice in these eastern states.
[00:15:44] That
[00:15:45] Steve Davis: is amazing, uh, Keith Conlon often sits in on the Adelaide show, he would have loved that. Um, but, that was the one I was referring to, the brown lime realise.
[00:15:55] Chris Illman: Yeah, yeah, yeah, different colours between states, yeah, so. And what you’ll find is, um, you know, we don’t, we in South Australia don’t retail the traditional lime colour.
[00:16:06] Yeah, because it confuses people. People think, um, we’ve messed with the formula or something has happened because they’re so used to, you know, that darker visual on shelf.
[00:16:16] Steve Davis: Now, just while we’re talking about us versus the rest of Australia and some difference, Here in South Australia, I think it’s farmers unionised coffee bucks the trend and leaves coke in its dust, which doesn’t really So when we think of taste preferences across Australia, especially from where you sit, we’ve got our brown lime here, and that’s fantastic.
[00:16:38] Is there anything else you notice that’s odd or interesting about the South Australian palette in the portfolios you’re responsible for, that Is not exactly representative of the national preference.
[00:16:53] Chris Illman: The best one that I could talk to would be Creaming Soda. So we do a traditional soda.
[00:16:59] Theme: Yep.
[00:17:00] Chris Illman: So that’s obviously a carbonated beverage and yeah, that being a Creaming Soda.
[00:17:04] And we actually commercialized a Creamy Soda Cordial for our 150 year anniversary this year, which went into a host of customers here within Australia. And what you find is Creaming Soda sells very, very well in South Australia versus the other states. Again, that traditional flavour, um, it was pioneered many, many years ago.
[00:17:25] Consumers really connect with that flavour more so than the eastern states. But on the flip side, to be fair, um, when you look at our cordial range and juices range, we tend to play in well known, Um, uh, key flavours. So, you know, within our cordial range, raspberry, pink grapefruit, tropical, cloudy apple. So, easy to understand flavour profiles that, you know, you add to your soda water or your still water.
[00:17:50] And with our juices, our best sellers are the more functional um, flavours like prune, pomegranate. Cherry and apple juice, um, which again, very easy to understand the functional elements of those particular juices, and really centers in the mind what, what, uh, what solution that product is offering,
[00:18:09] Steve Davis: um, as part of
[00:18:10] Chris Illman: an occasion.
[00:18:11] Steve Davis: And what is the function of Prune Juice?
[00:18:13] Chris Illman: Um, that is a turbo charge to head to the, uh, the men’s or ladies room. Um, but they’re keeping it real. Pg I
[00:18:22] Steve Davis: would’ve never have, I, I’ve never would’ve thought of, uh, the prune juice to do I I know prunes, but, oh, well, there’s something I’m missing from my medicine kit.
[00:18:31] Chris Illman: Yeah, absolutely. If you’re looking for, um, you know, a, a quick motion or a quick outcome, prune juice and actual fact our cloudy hair. is what we class as the young person’s prune juice as well too, because our clardy pear does have a reasonably high soil water level. So, and a different flavor profile. So again, if you want to start a movement, drink prune or pear.
[00:18:52] Steve Davis: Wow. We just touched into politics. Cloudy pear, I had no idea. I have to get out more. I’ve got to get out more. Because pear is the juice of juices, as far as I’m concerned.
[00:19:04] Chris Illman: Very easy drink. I
[00:19:06] Steve Davis: can’t let you go without explaining why these are termed adult soft drinks.
[00:19:13] Chris Illman: Um, it’s a really good question, right?
[00:19:16] So, when you consider the major competitor set in soft drinks at the moment, it is underpinned by Coke and Pepsi. Um, and some of these, uh, global colom uh, colom colomerates, okay? These larger organizations, I can’t say the word, conglomerates, that’s the word I’m looking for, um, that appeal to a much wider demographic.
[00:19:36] We have chosen flavour profiles that resonate with an older demographic, um, one that sees a more sophisticated flavour profile, and more importantly, our customers in particular are saying to us, you know, we we’ve got, uh, you know, we’ve got a Coke, we’ve got a Pepsi, we’ve got a Pepsi. We’ve got a Sprite.
[00:19:54] What is the new flavour alternatives that can appeal to consumers looking for a more mature flavour profile that might be for individual hydration, could be for entertaining? Which isn’t necessarily, you know, the cokes of the world and hence the reason, you know, we work with our customers and consumers to build out this this occasion called, you know, adult social and these adult soft drinks filling that particular void.
[00:20:20] Steve Davis: And people being more adventurous with what they mix with their gin,
[00:20:24] Chris Illman: I would think. 100%. Yeah, no, 100%. Yep, and you know, you and yes, you, you know, You’ll take a, you’ll take a Coke and add that, um, to a whiskey, but you can certainly take an elevated flavor profile of clearly lemonade and add that, add that to a gin or a vodka, as I said earlier.
[00:20:39] Steve Davis: Nobody in my friend group is allowed to add Coke to whiskey, just, just
[00:20:43] Chris Illman: quietly. Well, we, we suggest 23rd Street Whiskey over Ice. Um, that is the, the best flavor profile to, uh, to go for, but, um, hey. We don’t dictate to the consumer how they want to drink our beverages.
[00:20:54] Steve Davis: I actually have got some of the high charge 23rd cola whiskey mix sitting there.
[00:20:58] I haven’t been game to try it yet. I need something to push me over the edge.
[00:21:04] Chris Illman: Maybe just a relaxing drink on a Friday night and just look into it.
[00:21:10] Steve Davis: I’ve got to do it. Thank you so much for that little insight. I love that little bit about the, uh, the lime cordial. That was an unexpected bonus, but knowing that the, some of the magic that goes on behind the scenes with the, the concentrate, et cetera, that bit of nostalgia, that, that slightly different, uh, pushing of the boundaries as far as flavor is excellent.
[00:21:30] Very last question. This is an era. where home delivery of products is going through the roof, thanks to Amazon and everyone, can you foresee a resurgence in routine delivery of soft drinks in that same mix or not really? Yeah, let’s throw in a question without notice before we finish the day.
[00:21:52] Chris Illman: Um, well, I mean, when you, when you talk to our customers, right, so, um, a large proportion of our customers volumes are now, um, pick up at store.
[00:22:03] Uh, and or delivery to home and that’s across national accounts, independent supermarkets. We also have an e commerce platform that we sell all of our portfolio on and primarily that e commerce platform, Sipify, um, exists because our consumers were looking for products that they couldn’t necessarily find in retail, hence that particular site was, um, you know, launched in, in 2016.
[00:22:27] Um, will there be a delivery service just for soft drinks? I couldn’t. There wouldn’t be a necessary reason why not, it would just be a matter of what role does that delivery service play within the consumer’s minds. And you probably need a wider subset of flavours that potentially might be hard to find, that might be a little unique, a little bit different, something that would You know, touch on exploration and something a little bit new that they might be looking for.
[00:22:59] I’m not sure whether, you know, you would be getting a regular delivery of an everyday soda, but something a little bit different I think could play a role. There might be something in that for us if we’re quite, um,
[00:23:09] Steve Davis: Well, there might be. My intuition is not, but it was interesting. You’ve come up with a couple of edge cases where maybe there might be something.
[00:23:16] It just depends how strong that nostalgic wave comes, but it’s so easy just to chuck a few things in the trolley these days.
[00:23:24] Chris Illman: It is, and to your earlier point, you know, there are plenty of e commerce platforms out there that can have something to live with in a short space of time. Traditionally in the past, you might have to wait a couple of days for the crate of 12 pack or 12 bottles to arrive.
[00:23:39] By your local butler.
[00:23:40] Steve Davis: That is true. Certainly, you’re early and faster than the early days of waiting for the limes to arrive from England.
[00:23:46] Chris Illman: Exactly.
[00:23:47] Steve Davis: Um, Chris Illman, Group Marketing Director with Bigfoots. Thanks for being part of Adelaide Show. And All that’s left for me to say is the Bickford’s Pineapple Passion Fruit and the Bickford’s Cloudy Lemonade soft drinks are the South Australian drinks of the week.
[00:24:03] Chris Illman: Thanks so much.
[00:24:14] Don Violi: Hi, this is Don Violi from Chrome Hair Studio Prospect. You’re listening to the Adelaide Show.
[00:24:23] Steve Davis: Our featured guest for this episode is Tanya Keene from Yarn Trader here in Port Adelaide, which is where we’re recording. Tanya, welcome to the Adelaide Show
[00:24:33] Tanya Keen: podcast. Well, thank you very much for having me, Steve. Delighted to be here.
[00:24:36] Steve Davis: Yes. Now, apart from having met you during my day job, uh, with marking, et cetera, there was something you said.
[00:24:44] That made me say, I need to get you on The Adelaide Show. And it involves the Odeon Star Cinema at Semaphore. And knitting, which is what you try and coerce the world into doing. What are you doing there? Let’s start with that.
[00:25:00] Tanya Keen: Well, simple as, we’re doing something called Knit at the Flex. Which is, you can come along, bring your project, watch a great movie, and knit and crochet with the lights still up.
[00:25:12] That’s
[00:25:12] Steve Davis: So when it’s not full lights, I will dim
[00:25:14] Tanya Keen: no, no, no, so we have that nice nice and dim ish Still well enough that you can see what you’re doing. But you get the whole movie experience while crafting away as well
[00:25:25] Steve Davis: So do people I like this But if I was say at the cinema and it wasn’t one of your was it knit at the flicks?
[00:25:35] Sessions. Yeah, and someone came along with their bag of knitting Mm hmm What would I hear?
[00:25:42] Tanya Keen: You might hear the odd rustling sound, the odd scraping of Wood on wood. Um, but I think it’s more kind of the fact that knitters are a bit nervous about knitting in public. What? Yes. Really? Yes, they are and it’s usually because people decide that knitting or crocheting in public is an invitation to open a conversation, which for some people is great.
[00:26:09] And they really enjoy that, uh, and for some people, it’s probably maybe not what they really want while they’re engaging in another activity, um, and then usually combined with that is usually a request for something to be made for them.
[00:26:24] Steve Davis: Wow, I’d never thought of that.
[00:26:26] Tanya Keen: So some people are a bit nervous about doing it in public Some people are all out there, you know prepared to knit away in public So yeah, so this is nice finding a happy medium for people that might be a little bit more nervous.
[00:26:41] Steve Davis: Mm hmm. So Tanya
[00:26:44] Tanya Keen: Hmm.
[00:26:44] Steve Davis: Have you done it in public?
[00:26:45] Tanya Keen: I have done it in public many many times in many different locations But
[00:26:53] Steve Davis: always the one sitting position
[00:26:54] Tanya Keen: always the one sitting position I yeah,
[00:26:57] Steve Davis: so why did why did you flaunt your knitting credentials in public
[00:27:02] Tanya Keen: because I’m happy to To put them out there, and I’m happy to field people’s questions about what am I doing?
[00:27:09] Um, why am I doing that? And do people still do that?
[00:27:14] Steve Davis: Well, actually I want to ask that question, but before I do though, that I get. But what goes through your mind, like what sort of day were you having where you said, I’m going to take my project with me, sit down on a park bench and knit?
[00:27:29] Tanya Keen: Yeah, um, I think it’s it’s about making some space for yourself in your day and Having a project that’s easily portable that you can go and do and it’s it’s almost kind of like putting a little bit of meditation into your day Where you’re being mindful about what you’re doing that you’re the majority of your brain is being occupied with a task And it allows kind of the the rest of it to kind of calm
[00:27:58] Steve Davis: So is the equivalent like, um, I’ve brought my lunch to work, I’m going to go out, sit in a park bench and have my lunch, and then instead of pulling out a book and doing a bit of reading, I pull out my project and, and stitch something up?
[00:28:12] Tanya Keen: Do a couple of rows, and yeah, have a lovely pair of socks at the end of it.
[00:28:17] Steve Davis: Not the end of a lunch break?
[00:28:18] Tanya Keen: Sometimes, no.
[00:28:19] Steve Davis: It might
[00:28:20] Tanya Keen: take a little
[00:28:20] Steve Davis: longer. So do they still do it, that question?
[00:28:24] Tanya Keen: Yes, yes, absolutely. Let’s put it in context knitting and crochet is still one of the top ten most popular activities that people do do in their in their leisure time we’re in a bit of a renaissance at the moment with the Proliferation of tutorials on YouTube and the kind of also the movement away from fast fashion to more to more slow fashion and the idea of Undertaking more activities that are mindful, that kind of feed the soul a bit more as well.
[00:29:00] Um, and so certainly we’re seeing, um, the kind of millennials very much beginning to embrace it. Um, and hopefully some gen alphas are starting to, to come along as well. Um, so yeah. What are their
[00:29:13] Steve Davis: tutorial on TikTok? There are
[00:29:15] Tanya Keen: tutorials everywhere. But,
[00:29:18] Steve Davis: you know, are we often hear, um, Like, I do another podcast called This Medical Life, and we do hear that there is medical advice on TikTok that would, if not kill you, make you very unwell.
[00:29:30] Are there bad tutorials out there on social media as well as good?
[00:29:35] Tanya Keen: I, I’d say anything that Tries to show people a way of doing something that’s something new is a good thing um are some of the Explanations perhaps the the broader picture about what people are talking about because they’re good. Maybe not Uh, some people are better just naturally at doing tutorials, but anything I think that shares a craft that had been in decline Um and and takes it to a point where it’s it’s growing again.
[00:30:04] It’s fantastic
[00:30:07] Steve Davis: So, is, okay, here’s the thing, there’s a saying when you get something and you say it’s just like a bought one, alright, meaning it’s finished, it’s proper, it’s quality, and I remember my very first Glenelg scarf, if I’m allowed to mention Glenelg in the heart of Port Adelaide, am I allowed to?
[00:30:31] Absolutely. It’s a saying, I feel, surely. And it was hand knitted, but it had a really thick, um, gappy, wide knit, whereas the ones you buy from the shop are really fine and tight, so you could tell it was handmade. And, look, as a kid, I was, I felt self conscious, because self esteem is brittle and based on external, uh, extrinsic, um, applause.
[00:31:05] Are we in an era now where someone can knit something and it looks like a bought one, or is that defeating the point?
[00:31:16] Tanya Keen: I certainly think people do produce things that are indistinguishable from manufactured. But I think the majority of what people make is obvious that it’s handmade. Um, but I also think people are valuing handmade far more.
[00:31:31] And you have to bear in mind that the complexity of what a knitter and crocheter can do, as opposed to what a machine can do, is far higher. And so that if you value having unique things, then Absolutely receiving something handmade is fabulous. We use an expression in the industry called, well any knitters really do, is someone if they’re knit worthy or not.
[00:32:02] Wow. So those are the people that you present them with something handmade and they embrace that and they choose to wear it and they celebrate it and they get the value and they understand the hours and Versus people who are not it worthy who go. Oh, yeah, I could have bought that or I would have preferred one shop bought And if you’re not knit worthy, then you never get anything else ever again
[00:32:27] Steve Davis: So to my grandma the twelve year old Steve was really not Knit worthy.
[00:32:33] I
[00:32:34] Tanya Keen: imagine you probably didn’t get a lot of things after that.
[00:32:36] Steve Davis: No, and I think there was a win win Because I wasn’t there yet, but the Steve now I Would, I think, 99, unless it was a really dodgy job, Uh, would actually embrace the handmade part of it. I think I just wasn’t mature enough to understand it in context.
[00:32:58] So there’s hope for us.
[00:32:59] Tanya Keen: There is. I think people can move from one, one camp to the other.
[00:33:03] Steve Davis: Mm hmm. Um, so just back to my question about the noise you make. I want you to do really, because these microphones won’t pick up much unless it’s right under them, so.
[00:33:14] Tanya Keen: Let’s have a go. Let’s do that. Okay. Hang on.
[00:33:20] Knitting for the camera. To be honest a good knitter you will really not hit here very much
[00:33:28] Steve Davis: so a good knitter is pretty silent
[00:33:32] Tanya Keen: Yeah,
[00:33:32] Steve Davis: okay. So bring them right up to the mic. I’m gonna
[00:33:35] Tanya Keen: try and make a noise for you Yeah, this is me doing a couple of stitches
[00:33:43] Steve Davis: We’re not really hearing anything Wow So you could come to the cinema and not there are many more annoying things in the cinema People using their phone, people talking. Maybe it’s a good thing to have a knitter sit next to you.
[00:34:00] Tanya Keen: Maybe it is. They’re going to be so concentrating on this, they won’t make any other noise.
[00:34:07] Steve Davis: What were you making there?
[00:34:08] Tanya Keen: I’m doing a little beanie at the moment, so just a fun little knit. Should, over a couple of evenings, be ready and done. And who’s
[00:34:16] Steve Davis: going to wear that beanie?
[00:34:17] Tanya Keen: I have a rather gorgeous 12 year old who is, unlike his father, knit worthy, um, and is more than happy to wear anything that I make for him.
[00:34:27] Steve Davis: So why is that 12 year old knit worthy? Is he being exposed to handmade stuff on TikTok and more, or is he just a rare person?
[00:34:39] Tanya Keen: Yeah, I’d like to say he’s a rare person. Um, In this particular case, I think he sees the time and effort that goes into it and he’s he’s chosen to value that He’s also a bit of a close horse and that he does like things that are unique and made for him.
[00:34:57] Okay Yeah.
[00:34:59] Steve Davis: All right. Now just while you’ve got the do you call them sticks?
[00:35:02] Tanya Keen: Needles
[00:35:03] Steve Davis: needles. Okay. That’s why he looked at me funny every time I said have you got sticks there? Yeah, I should be drumming or something. Yeah, in fact dear listener a time You’re basically Did not react when I said this is it’s like I was just saying blah blah blah blah.
[00:35:17] Um, have you got a set of Needles that I could hold and could you is there something simple for a brand newbie? What would give me a sense of accomplishment? What’s a basic thing? I can do
[00:35:30] Tanya Keen: What’s the basic thing is I thoroughly recommend if you are gonna try anything for the first time pick something?
[00:35:36] Small and easy and I can’t recommend doing face washers enough.
[00:35:41] Song: Oh You
[00:35:42] Tanya Keen: Okay, you know, they’re also great gifts with Christmas looming. There you go Woolen face washer. Yeah, you can you usually do them in cotton and that’s kind of fun to knit with
[00:35:54] Theme: yes
[00:35:55] Tanya Keen: And there you go a couple of evenings and you’ve got a quick Present ready, um, I also think they’re kind of perhaps where when newbies go a bit wrong is they set themself a really big project to begin with And then pretty soon they’re in the world of I will just want this to be over now I want to get on to other things and how you start Knitting is very different to how you will As you progress, okay, so yeah, so face washers fabulous.
[00:36:26] Steve Davis: Okay. So is there a really simple stitch I could do? There are only two stitches what? Generally speaking, there’s only two stitches. Okay, lay them on us.
[00:36:35] Tanya Keen: There is the knit and the purl and everything else we do is a Combination of those two how we do it and when we do it.
[00:36:43] Steve Davis: All right, there you go So what am I going to do first?
[00:36:46] Tanya Keen: I’m gonna give you the most basic Basic stitch, which is the knit stitch. Okay. So what the kind of the foundation so I’ll get you ready here So what we’re very simply gonna do you have your two sticks. So just so you know, dear listener, there’s two
[00:37:02] Steve Davis: you said
[00:37:02] Tanya Keen: stick
[00:37:06] Steve Davis: you’re lowering yourself to my standard there are two needles and at the moment there is a long stretch of about a 10 stitch deep, uh, piece of, uh, knitting and the needle is threaded through and there’s a gap and that’s what we’re trying to stitch together at the moment. So what are you doing?
[00:37:25] Tanya Keen: So very simply, I’m going to take my right hand needle.
[00:37:28] Steve Davis: Yes.
[00:37:29] Tanya Keen: I’m going to put it From the front to the back through the loop.
[00:37:33] Steve Davis: Okay, there’s a loop connecting it to the other needle.
[00:37:36] Tanya Keen: I’m going to wrap my yarn around the one that I’ve just poked through. And then I’m going to pull that out, but pick up the loop as I go.
[00:37:47] Steve Davis: Oh wow, you said it was simple.
[00:37:49] Tanya Keen: That’s it.
[00:37:49] Steve Davis: Hmm, so I just, can I just have one go at that? I’m probably going to get it wrong. Um, but I just want to explain, or be able to talk to,
[00:37:58] Tanya Keen: Nobody
[00:37:58] Steve Davis: does
[00:37:58] Tanya Keen: anything right the first time.
[00:38:01] Steve Davis: Oh, okay. I’ll remember that if I ever need to join Tinder again. Alright, so, um, I’ve got So, for the right
[00:38:07] Tanya Keen: one, you’re going to take it, push it through the loop.
[00:38:09] I’m going to push it through
[00:38:10] Steve Davis: the gap in the loop underneath. Yeah, perfect. And then I’m going to take this lovely bit
[00:38:17] Tanya Keen: here.
[00:38:18] Steve Davis: Oh, that’s right, a new bit of wool. And you’re going
[00:38:20] Tanya Keen: to wrap it round.
[00:38:21] Steve Davis: The new stick, the
[00:38:23] Tanya Keen: other way. Yeah, you’re going
[00:38:24] Steve Davis: to go that way. So I come from behind me, anti clockwise. Pull it.
[00:38:28] And then, with the left hand needle. Slide it off. But you’re going to capture
[00:38:34] Tanya Keen: that little new loop you’ve created. With the new one. I should go just hold that a little tighter.
[00:38:39] Steve Davis: Okay, so this is great radio by the way. It is, learning to knit on
[00:38:42] Tanya Keen: the radio.
[00:38:43] Steve Davis: So, I, with my left hand needle, I’m trying to grab, oh there’s a new hole.
[00:38:50] Yes. So with
[00:38:52] Tanya Keen: this one, the one that you’ve just pushed through, so you’re really only using the right hand needle, you want to, oh, we’ve kind of slid off already. Oh,
[00:39:03] Steve Davis: I’m feeling the pressure.
[00:39:04] Tanya Keen: Very well, so we’ve pulled that through. Yes. All I want to do.
[00:39:08] Steve Davis: Ah, okay.
[00:39:09] Tanya Keen: Is pull that under. So how? Finish that loop
[00:39:12] Steve Davis: off.
[00:39:12] Tanya Keen: Oh, you’re not letting me. You don’t get to give up halfway through.
[00:39:14] Steve Davis: So, uh, this, oh,
[00:39:19] Tanya Keen: then.
[00:39:20] Steve Davis: Does this go through?
[00:39:21] Tanya Keen: You’re there, and now we just slide off. You’ve done your first stitch, Steve.
[00:39:26] Steve Davis: And then I would just repeat that again. I go through. And there you go,
[00:39:30] Tanya Keen: you’re away. You’ve just mastered half of knitting.
[00:39:36] Steve Davis: Wow, okay, so Is this a fair assumption that when you first start it would be good to have someone sitting with you like you Who’s done it before?
[00:39:47] Song: Yeah,
[00:39:48] Steve Davis: just so you find your legs and you feel what’s right
[00:39:51] Song: Yes,
[00:39:52] Steve Davis: but and it will feel terrible to start with you feel crazy But how long before it quickly becomes natural
[00:39:59] Tanya Keen: For some people can be a matter of minutes,
[00:40:02] Steve Davis: right?
[00:40:02] Tanya Keen: Some people can be a little longer. Yeah, because we all have different natural aptitudes Things that will make a difference are using good needles.
[00:40:10] Steve Davis: Mm hmm
[00:40:11] Tanya Keen: using good yarn.
[00:40:12] Steve Davis: Oh, there’s a difference between the needle. Yes Oh, yeah,
[00:40:15] Tanya Keen: very much. Knitting and crochet is very much a case of Workman’s tools are the better the tool the better the outcome.
[00:40:24] Steve Davis: So how do you know if you’ve got the right needle? What sort of things do you ask yourself?
[00:40:31] Tanya Keen: There are a whole bunch of questions you ask yourself about the right needle. Yes, lead me through it. So Welcome to the decision tree of needles. Um, and in fact, this is a really good question because we actually do a yarn tasting, a needle tasting in store to help people identify what needles are better ones for them.
[00:40:51] So needles have different properties. Wooden and bamboo ones are a bit more grippy. So if you’re perhaps a newbie who’s struggling to slide stitches easily or, or they’re sliding too easily, um, um, They’re pretty good for holding the yarn until you’re ready to move it. Uh, the metal needles are obviously slippy.
[00:41:12] Once you’re up to a good speed, you might find metal is better for you. Um, so there’s a whole bunch of decisions in that, even down to the size of your hand. You’ll find more needles, some needles more comfortable than others. Um,
[00:41:27] Steve Davis: so I’ve got big ones, haven’t I? I’d be on the big end of the,
[00:41:30] Tanya Keen: You might find a longer needle slightly more comfortable So there’s lots of quest different.
[00:41:36] Yeah answers and solutions and then it also depends on what you’re planning to make
[00:41:41] Steve Davis: Well, that’s
[00:41:42] Tanya Keen: why I’m using
[00:41:43] Steve Davis: so there are many things you can make Beanies are obvious. You’ve talked about socks face washers. I’d never even thought of jumpers pullovers all sorts of things If someone’s inspired by this, to have a crack at something new, what is one of the, and I think there’s two parts to this, easiest thing to make, but, see if you say tea cozy, no one uses them anymore, um, easy to make, but also cool.
[00:42:13] Well wanted, well used. What’s, what, is there something that foots the bill for both of those? Because it could be something really easy to make that no one really wants or needs. Do you understand the gist of
[00:42:26] Tanya Keen: the question? I do. I kind of, the easier the thing to make is when you’re not going into almost three dimensions.
[00:42:32] So a beanie
[00:42:34] Steve Davis: is not easy. It is.
[00:42:36] Tanya Keen: Still in the easy ish camp, but it’s not the easiest to make unless you’re making it flat and you choose to sew it up So yeah, so If you look at it in terms of knitting flat, face washers, beanies, really great scarfs. Oh. Um, but be prepared. They do take a little bit longer than they think you think they’re going to take.
[00:42:59] Um, some people look at perhaps doing small kerchiefs. Except you know, which is is a pretty much smaller project. You could look to do who
[00:43:07] Steve Davis: uses could see I
[00:43:09] Tanya Keen: know yeah, perhaps if you’ve got a You’re wearing a coat and you just want a little bit of protection around the side. Yes, that works as well
[00:43:17] Steve Davis: Just on your say a scarf.
[00:43:18] How long does a scar? I know it depends
[00:43:21] Tanya Keen: Come
[00:43:22] Steve Davis: on that
[00:43:23] Tanya Keen: is that the infamous question that you ask people in a youngster house. How much will I need for a scarf? Um See, again, scarves will depend on how wide, what yarn you’re going to use, how tall you are.
[00:43:39] Steve Davis: So a scarf that goes down to mid chest, either side.
[00:43:42] Yes. What, what, what are we? Your chest. Yeah, my chest, yep. So, that would be? Going
[00:43:49] Tanya Keen: round at least once or twice. Probably, would that be one and
[00:43:52] Steve Davis: a half
[00:43:52] Tanya Keen: metres long? About one and a half
[00:43:53] Steve Davis: metres long. Okay. Roughly, how much of my year do I need to put aside to knit that? Pick
[00:43:59] Tanya Keen: a chunky yarn. Okay. And, uh, go for it.
[00:44:03] Steve Davis: Is that a trick? The chunkier the yarn Faster it knits. Yes. Yeah,
[00:44:08] Tanya Keen: yeah, yeah. I like that. So that
[00:44:09] Steve Davis: means two
[00:44:11] Tanya Keen: weeks? Really chunky yarn. Could have it done in a weekend.
[00:44:14] Steve Davis: Okay, but if we set ourselves and we said four weeks
[00:44:17] Tanya Keen: A realistic goal, two to four weeks. Yeah.
[00:44:20] Steve Davis: Two to four weeks for a newbie.
[00:44:21] Tanya Keen: For a newbie.
[00:44:23] Steve Davis: Wow, and a scarf is usable.
[00:44:26] Now the thing we said about the face washer that intrigue that that has blindsided me. Yeah, I love it So is there cotton that looks like wool?
[00:44:34] Tanya Keen: Yes.
[00:44:35] Steve Davis: Okay. Well,
[00:44:36] Tanya Keen: they’re all kind of a fiber that’s been uh, You know twisted.
[00:44:40] Theme: Yes,
[00:44:40] Tanya Keen: so you could do things like face washers Really really quick as if you want to give crochet a go is perhaps doing things like makeup removers the little pads You could do a couple of those in an afternoon Right.
[00:44:52] A little stack of those as a little gift. Is crochet, like, as good as knitting? Oh, they each have their charms. They each have their charms. Well, tell me, because,
[00:45:03] Steve Davis: now, I’ll just, what I remember back from primary school, crocheting felt more like a craft and knitting felt more like a skill.
[00:45:12] Tanya Keen: Yeah. So, probably when you were taught crochet, it would have been Quite simplistic what you would have been taught a potholder potholder.
[00:45:19] There you go But contemporary crochet is is quite an exciting area right, you know when you’re looking at people that are doing full garments in crochet and You know and their contemporary garments And you sit there going is that crochet? Is that knitting? Oh, okay Even if you look in the high street at the moment, high street fashion crochet is certainly there as well.
[00:45:46] Um, so yeah, crochet is. They’re making some good stuff now.
[00:45:51] Steve Davis: And crochet, they have a little hook on the end of the stick, don’t
[00:45:53] Tanya Keen: they? They do.
[00:45:54] Steve Davis: On the end of the needle. It’s
[00:45:55] Tanya Keen: just called a
[00:45:55] Steve Davis: hook. It’s just called a hook. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, yeah. I’ve
[00:45:58] Tanya Keen: got some hair, for example. Okay. So, uh.
[00:46:01] Steve Davis: So, you would get some cotton yarn.
[00:46:04] Tanya Keen: Mm
[00:46:04] Steve Davis: hmm. And crochet a face washer. Is that what you’re saying?
[00:46:07] Tanya Keen: Yeah, or maybe little, um, makeup pads. Or makeup pads. Or face washing pads.
[00:46:11] Steve Davis: Yeah. You wouldn’t do it in wool, because it would shrink.
[00:46:14] Tanya Keen: Oh.
[00:46:16] Steve Davis: You wouldn’t make a face washer in wool. Mm hmm.
[00:46:18] Tanya Keen: You could It’s probably just not the best material for washing the face with okay.
[00:46:24] Um, but you can do things like make little Maps for like putting your coffee cups on that kind of thing coasters
[00:46:32] Steve Davis: who really uses them though
[00:46:34] Tanya Keen: I do do you I did make some very naughty ones once Of
[00:46:42] Steve Davis: course you did Um, well that it does like how so that’s interesting I always pictured knitters and crocheters pretty straight laced.
[00:46:51] No, no, they’re quite a radical bunch Give us some examples. How what are some examples of the radicalism within your ranks?
[00:47:01] Tanya Keen: So, you know you get people that are are making quite interesting stuff So for example, you have people that make knitted knockers Knitted
[00:47:09] Steve Davis: knockers knitted
[00:47:11] Tanya Keen: knockers, which is a fantastic thing Fantastic idea.
[00:47:14] So it’s for perhaps women who’ve had mastectomies. And so a really soft, beautifully made knitted knocker that is, you can pop in there so that you look even and it’s comfortable and it’s a breathable material. Fantastic. That kind of thing.
[00:47:32] Steve Davis: Right. So there’s, okay, there’s more to it than meets the eye.
[00:47:35] Tanya Keen: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:47:36] Steve Davis: But we were saying, I have wandered us off track. If someone wants to start something fresh. Face washer, uh, makeup remover, maybe a little scarf, maybe a little beanie. That’s what the sort of thing you’re thinking.
[00:47:50] Tanya Keen: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:47:51] Steve Davis: And if you, I guess you’re expecting or would suggest to people to come into Yarn Trader.
[00:47:57] Absolutely. So that you can hook them up, so to speak.
[00:47:59] Tanya Keen: Absolutely. Well, we do have a, uh, a really active, um, class offering as well. Oh. Um, so. So pretty much every Saturday, you’ll find a class going on. Um, and we kind of operate a kind of modular idea so that when, you know, you start to get some basic skills and you go, you know what, I’d like to give a soccer go, and then you can come and join us for your basic sock class.
[00:48:25] And then you think I want to make a sock using two at a time. Yeah, I know, it’s magic.
[00:48:33] Steve Davis: Hang on, just a minute. When you say two at a time, are you knitting two socks at a time?
[00:48:38] Tanya Keen: At the same time, on the same needle. How on
[00:48:43] Steve Davis: earth is that even possible
[00:48:45] Tanya Keen: it’s magic and you have to come to class to find out Wow Okay, and it’s great because you literally take them straight off the needle straight onto your feet
[00:48:56] Steve Davis: Now are they the socks to intrigue me?
[00:49:00] Mm
[00:49:00] Tanya Keen: hmm
[00:49:00] Steve Davis: I I have trouble buying socks because they’re not always good quality.
[00:49:05] Tanya Keen: Yeah,
[00:49:05] Steve Davis: they stretch they wear out really quickly You Are your socks better?
[00:49:11] Tanya Keen: Yeah, absolutely. So, um, when we do socks, you kind of learn your own sock math, and your preferred recipe for socks. So, I’ve got huge clawed hoppers. And I accept this fact.
[00:49:26] And I I take joy in the fact I don’t fall over very often but it means for me finding socks I like is pretty hard. Yes Um if I want to go out and buy them so being able to make my own that fit me perfectly like Absolutely to my size
[00:49:43] Steve Davis: Socks that fit like a glove.
[00:49:44] Tanya Keen: They literally do fit like a glove. Um, that they’re shaped around how my heel is shaped, because some people are a bit more high in the insteps, some are a bit more flat footed, some have more square toes, some have more, you know, uh,
[00:49:59] Song: tapered?
[00:50:00] Yeah,
[00:50:00] Tanya Keen: absolutely. And some people are wide fitting, some people, uh, you know, have kind of like, very thin, elegant feet. Once you discover your sock recipe, you’ve got a perfect sock for you.
[00:50:10] Steve Davis: So that means Are you having to, with some discipline, count the number of stitches you’re doing so that you end up with the right width, size, dimension, etc?
[00:50:23] Tanya Keen: Yeah, well, you kind of set it up. So, um, take, for example, if you’re gonna make yourself a really nice pair of socks, the first thing you do, put A bit of paper down, draw around your foot, do some measurements, like you’ll know the length of your foot then, the width of your foot at the widest part, um, and then you’ll be able to say, okay, I’m going to need I’m probably a larger size.
[00:50:47] I want to cast on 72 stitches, for example, and then you’ve got your formula and you’ll know how long you have to make it and when you’re going to have to put the heel in and at the end of it you get a foot that fit a sock that fits the foot, like Cinderella.
[00:51:03] Steve Davis: Yes, but you have to count the stitches as you go, don’t you?
[00:51:07] Tanya Keen: Not, not after a while. So for example, I’m doing a sock here and I’ve got my stitches divided into two halves. So, and I’m just making a tube, so I don’t have to count, I’m just going round and round and round.
[00:51:20] Steve Davis: Hmm, okay. It actually looks quite good. It looks like a nice time
[00:51:26] Tanya Keen: so
[00:51:28] Steve Davis: surprised Okay, so socks is a is a thing yes, but not for beginners Uh,
[00:51:37] Tanya Keen: I don’t know
[00:51:37] Steve Davis: you’d warm up first.
[00:51:39] Tanya Keen: I I like I like socks as a good project Once you’ve kind of done that i’ll i’ll try something flat I’ll maybe try a beanie socks is a really great one to try after that because some of the fundamental tool Things that you’ll use for making socks like increasing stitches or decreasing the number of stitches, being able to do a turn in your knitting.
[00:52:04] You’ve just described also making a sweater.
[00:52:07] Steve Davis: Okay, just reflecting on society at the moment, people watching TV, most people have a phone in their hand. If you’re knitting, you can’t do that, can you? So when you, I’m assuming you get some time to To sit and watch TV from time to time? Occasionally, yes. What do you have in your hands when you’re watching the telly?
[00:52:29] Tanya Keen: Uh, I usually have a pair of knitting needles. Maybe a large glass of gin. But that’s a whole other matter. Only one if you’re knitting. That’s what I’m going to say on that one.
[00:52:40] Steve Davis: Uh, yeah. But, to me that strikes as a healthier, Way for your mind to be?
[00:52:47] Tanya Keen: Yes, and I mean there actually have been studies done on knitting and crochet and, um, what it does to a person’s health.
[00:52:57] And in terms of long-term brain health, it, it’s hugely beneficial. You get the aspect of almost meditation. So you’re managing stress, managing anxiety. Um, there’s a piece in there, I think, about when you knit or crochet, that we often have lives where we don’t finish anything, that we’re part of a process, um, and that sometimes it’s missing for our lives too.
[00:53:21] To have a tangible, I have done a thing, I have finished a thing. Um, so that has a huge part. But then if you’re following patterns and you’re doing, as you say, the counting, and even though I jokingly say we only have two stitches, If you’re doing a pattern and you’re doing the well, when do I use them and how do I use them?
[00:53:41] And you’re you’re watching that all the time and you’re you’re effectively doing math a math problem all through your evening And in terms of your cognitive function as you as you perhaps go age It’s certainly shown to be a huge benefit doing that.
[00:53:56] Steve Davis: Hmm
[00:54:00] Tanya Keen: It’s a different form of Sudoku. Yes,
[00:54:02] Steve Davis: but you have something to show for it.
[00:54:04] At the end
[00:54:04] Tanya Keen: of it you have a lovely pair of socks.
[00:54:07] Steve Davis: Is it something people should take up as a fight against the cost of living? Or is that not really the goal here because of the cost of materials and etc?
[00:54:18] Tanya Keen: Um, If you were going to sit there and say, I want a really nice, good quality jumper made with pure wool, um, then you’re not looking at a small initial outlay to do that.
[00:54:34] If you’re thinking about though the value of something and the number of times you’re going to be able to use what you make versus the amount of money you spent on it, it’s probably cheaper per ware, um, to make something that is handmade. And if we look at the fashion and what’s available in our stores, you know, the shocking fact is Australians, we consume more clothing per capita than anywhere else on the planet.
[00:55:05] We also dispose of more clothing. Do we do this it’s a fast fashion piece So, you know that you’re spending that money on something that is often has a very limited lifespan very limited Often doesn’t have a real plan about how it’s going to be disposed of You know that you you think okay, I’ll donate it but most of what we’re donating isn’t suitable for resale And then get sold on to developing world countries Who then don’t have the means to then, you know, once they’ve they’ve they’ve Found what is saleable within it, then don’t have the means to effectively dispose of the majority of the things that they’re receiving from us.
[00:55:51] So we’re pushing our problem out versus you know, and I like to use the phrase that If you make something well, with good quality product, you’ve created an heirloom piece. It is something that you can wear, that perhaps others in your family can enjoy. Um, I use a great example of someone we know, that her granddaughter is in this position.
[00:56:14] It wears these beautiful handmade Knitted items that she didn’t make her mother didn’t make but her grandmother made So these and that knitwear has gone five generations because it was made with really good quality Made well and store. Well, so what is the price per wear on that?
[00:56:35] Steve Davis: Wow, so if I make A hand knitted mankini.
[00:56:39] Tanya Keen: There you go. I could
[00:56:40] Steve Davis: pass that down to my daughters.
[00:56:42] Tanya Keen: I’m sure they would appreciate and treasure that forever.
[00:56:47] Steve Davis: Can you explain that? I’ve been wanting to ask someone about this. This might be left of center. I’m currently wearing some Pierre Cardin black cotton socks.
[00:56:57] Theme: Mm hmm.
[00:56:58] Steve Davis: I bought them at In 1999, and luckily, for some reason, Harris Scarves had a sale, I bought about 12 pairs.
[00:57:07] They weren’t, like, cheap cheap, but they weren’t overly expensive. I’ve maybe thrown three of those socks away. What is, what was going on there? Because I have had parts of my life where they’ve been worn daily, and they’re still kicking on, and they don’t look worse for wear.
[00:57:27] Tanya Keen: So it was probably a combination of several things.
[00:57:30] Um, probably the cotton used was incredibly high quality. It was probably milled very well and spun very well. Um, probably to higher standards than anything else you’d probably find. Um, which probably meant that it was more expensive to manufacture. Um, the cotton probably was of the highest quality in terms of the plants used.
[00:57:56] Um, probably more slower growing, um, to give that. All of these factors all the factors came in Then they probably chose to When the the machine kind of basically knitted the fabric they did it very tightly Which meant that they used far more of the cotton thread Again, one more reason why it’s expensive, but the tighter it was The longer it all lost.
[00:58:23] So all these things combined to give you a much higher quality project product
[00:58:28] Steve Davis: great for the planet
[00:58:29] Tanya Keen: Great for the planet But
[00:58:30] Steve Davis: the budget people, the bean counters, would have been going, hang on mate, why are
[00:58:34] Tanya Keen: you doing that?
[00:58:37] Steve Davis: On the quality things, there’s a few last questions. Um, the variety of materials available.
[00:58:43] I mean, we’ve all been brought up to believe Australian wool is best and Merino wool and all that sort of stuff.
[00:58:48] Tanya Keen: Yeah,
[00:58:49] Steve Davis: I’m imagining there’s more to it than just
[00:58:51] Tanya Keen: that. There is absolutely a lot more to it than that. Um, So not all merino wool is created equal, um, some of it will, the animal will produce a finer, longer, they call it a staple, the length of which the fiber is, um, and all of that begins to affect quality.
[00:59:14] So often when you get things just listed as wool, who knows what it is, where it came from, then you might get a merino wool, But it wasn’t the best quality of the Merino wool that was made. Um, and then in the spinning process as well, it might not have been spun to the same uh, standards as other ones. So.
[00:59:38] So how do we know? Yeah, give it a good feel. Also helps with it. You can often it’s like the old adage. You can feel the quality. Yes And you can feel the quality on things. It’s also understanding that not Every wall is suitable for every purpose
[00:59:55] Steve Davis: So there might be a super high quality wall But it’s not going to be the best wall for this job.
[01:00:01] Tanya Keen: Yeah, absolutely. So, and also not all breeds of sheep produce wall that’s suitable for every project. So, Merino wool is buttery soft, good quality Merino wool is buttery soft. Um, and, um, But it’s not as strong as some other wolves. Um, and then perhaps you might get to a wolf from perhaps the more hardy Shetland sheep or the Falkland sheep or the US Targhee sheep or the Corridale sheep.
[01:00:30] They’re, they’re a bit more, um, I hate to use the phrase, woolly. In the old sense of it, but those are the guys that if you make that, that, that Uh, Fisherman’s Jumper in it, you know, 60 years later it will be still going strong and It’ll be scratchy as anything on the
[01:00:47] Steve Davis: inside
[01:00:48] Tanya Keen: No it won’t, it’ll get softer over time, the more you wear it and use it So, uh, yeah
[01:00:54] Steve Davis: So that’s just wool, I mean sure every material you’ve got has got the same thing But then colours and textures available Yes, yes Can you give us a cook’s tour in an audio way of What sort of rain?
[01:01:04] What sort of things? People, I’m sure we all have a perceived idea that there’s going to be, I’m looking around, there are, what do you call, they, what do they call the bunch of wools? Is that a yarn? What is it? Scane. A scang, where it’s just rolled up in it? Yes, yeah, yeah. So, a scang. So, I’m looking at some scangs here, and that’s pretty much what I expected, but there’s more than that, isn’t there?
[01:01:24] Tanya Keen: Yeah. Um, yeah, there’s, there’s lots of different ways of handling, um, the yarn. Um, scanes, were traditionally the way that they were done, um, because it adds an extra process into manufacturing, if you’re then going to spin it as well. But if you actually think about it, um, In terms of looking after your wool, to have it in a skein means that it’s, it’s quite loose.
[01:01:51] Um, once you start winding something into a ball, you start putting the yarn under tension.
[01:01:57] Steve Davis: And we should define, so a skein, so there’s a ball of wool which you see in the shops. Yeah,
[01:02:01] Tanya Keen: yeah, the commercially wound. The commercial, yeah.
[01:02:03] Steve Davis: And they seem to be smaller, they’ve got their little wrapping around.
[01:02:06] Yeah, yeah, yeah. The skein we’re looking at is a wool ball. Floppier than that it seems Imagine you’d like
[01:02:14] Tanya Keen: you put your arms out in a circle and imagine you had wool that was shaped like that shape You’ve just made in about that size and then you can twist it and make shapes with it That’s that’s the skein which means It usually is coming from a small batch, and often has been dyed in different ways.
[01:02:39] Um, also by having it in skein, it stops the stretching process, it keeps its condition better for longer. Um, if it’s been dyed hand dyed, for example, you can get to see the pattern better, um, when it’s in that as well. So if
[01:02:52] Steve Davis: I’m making my high street, um, Dress, then the skein’s gonna be a way to go. But if I’m making a makeup remover, I can get away with a ball.
[01:03:02] Oh yeah.
[01:03:03] Theme: Yeah,
[01:03:04] Steve Davis: absolutely. And this is, in closing now, this is the value of seeing someone like you. Family run shop, Yarn Trader here in Port Adelaide. Because we could have this conversation when I’m a customer, and you would guide me through in the same way, and Talk me through what I
[01:03:21] Tanya Keen: need. Absolutely.
[01:03:22] We’re like a confessional. People come in and tell us of their, their plans and their woes and their traumas and with that information we can kind of work through, like, what you’re going to need. Um, what would probably be some best decisions for you in terms of how you’re going to make it, what you’re going to need to make it, what materials probably be in the right ones for you and being able to help with all that customization.
[01:03:49] Steve Davis: Forgive me, sister, for I have sinned. Yes.
[01:03:52] Tanya Keen: I have done terrible things to this young. Yes. Now,
[01:03:56] Steve Davis: and this is the very last question. I’m going to get you to just shoot from the hip. You’re looking at me. I’ve walked in.
[01:04:03] Theme: Mm hmm.
[01:04:04] Steve Davis: What do you fit me up with, what do you say, what do you set me up with, what sort of needles, what sort of material, and what sort of project do you think you’d send me away with, with a fairly high degree that I’ll be satisfied?
[01:04:16] Tanya Keen: Um, for you, absolute picking up. I would get you making some Christmas presents. I, I think you’re a face watcher, man. Um, so I’d be looking at a really nice good quality cotton. Um, I’d probably set you up on some nice wooden needles because I think you’re, you would find that easier to work with. Um, and we could probably get you a couple of different patterns.
[01:04:43] And probably free ones, downloadables, and probably some suggestions of some YouTube channels to look at if you feel like you’re getting stuck.
[01:04:53] Steve Davis: And just, ballpark, and we won’t hold you to this, how much money do I need to hand you, roughly, to go away to start that project? Uh, I don’t know, let me just I’d like putting you on the spot.
[01:05:04] Tanya Keen: Probably 15 will get you started and probably make you a couple of face washes.
[01:05:09] Steve Davis: Really? Yeah. And then if I repeat them, I can still keep using the same ones? The same
[01:05:14] Tanya Keen: sticks?
[01:05:16] Steve Davis: And I just buy some different cotton? Yeah, yeah.
[01:05:19] Tanya Keen: Different colours and off you go. That’s lovely. Yeah.
[01:05:22] Steve Davis: All right. And I wash them, just chuck them in the washing machine?
[01:05:25] Tanya Keen: Yeah.
[01:05:26] Steve Davis: Yeah, well there was a bit of a funny look there listener.
[01:05:28] Tanya Keen: Yeah, yeah, on a wall, on a, on a wall cycle, on a wall cycle. Nothing, I’m not going in with anything with zips.
[01:05:35] Steve Davis: Okay, yes. Tanya Kane, yes, from Yarn Trader here in Port Adelaide. Thank you for being part of the Adelaide show. If you had to say one last thing to people, what would you say?
[01:05:46] Tanya Keen: Um, come down. Come and have a look, we’re almost like an art gallery of yarn, so even if you just come to admire, but come and feel inspired, and maybe try your hand at trying something new.
[01:06:00] Steve Davis: I just thought of a slogan for you, that feel inspired, where feel means you can actually feel the material. Yeah, yeah, absolutely,
[01:06:09] Tanya Keen: absolutely.
[01:06:09] There you go, that’s free. She’ll take that, put that one in my pocket.
[01:06:24] Chris Illman: And now it’s time for the Musical Pilgrimage.
[01:06:28] Steve Davis: In the Musical Pilgrimage, we’re getting our summer vibe on. Well, we’ve started with soft drinks, so why not? Round off with a perfect track, it’s called Summerton Nights. It is by Dr. D and Fergus Maximus. Now, they were on our show recently, episode 387, talking about a whole album of sweet home Adelaide songs they’ve written.
[01:06:51] Well, In the Fringe Uh, next year, 2025, uh, towards the end of the, from the 5th of March to the 23rd of March, they’ll be, uh, running their show called Back in ADL, More Sweet Home Songs. They’ll be taking a time machine trip through our history. They write some really good story songs about South Australia and South Australians.
[01:07:12] So, I just noticed on the Fringe website. In the reviews section, uh, there’s a quote from a Steve Davis from the Adelaide Show podcast. Says, a magnificent piece of music. Well, there you go. Uh, I didn’t even ask for permission to put that on there. Uh, but, did I ask for permission to play this? Well, yes, I did, actually.
[01:07:32] I think that should be a lesson to them. Let’s just stop talking and have a listen. I want to paint a picture before we listen to this song. Imagine yourself on a summer night. You’ve wandered down to Somerton, to the beach, here in Adelaide. And, uh, let’s say it’s about 8. 30, the sun’s been tipping down a little bit.
[01:07:50] Kids are playing, there’s the odd dog or two being walked around the place, people in the water, uh, maybe there’s a shark patrol announcement, you know, all the beautiful things. You might have just finished your fish and chips, and you’re thinking, oh, do I have a gelato or not? Either way, you wash whatever you’ve had down with a Bickford’s Pineapple Passion Fruit Soft Drink, and it’s just a beautiful, you’re at time, just coast.
[01:08:14] And with that picture painted, you hear Fergus Maximus and Dr. D, they’re playing on the green and the music is starting to drift across as they play this song. Summerton Knights
[01:08:28] Song: Summerton Nights When The Stars Shine Bright, our
[01:08:38] on a lounge in the yard with a beat up.
[01:09:15] The swimming, the.
[01:09:25] Watching the waves, While the daylight fades, To an orange infinity.
[01:09:36] But oh, those summertime nights, Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. But oh, those summertime nights, They were the days. We
[01:10:02] many songs had been sung, but it felt like everything was.
[01:10:33] But oh, those summer tonights, they were the days. But it’s a big while.
[01:11:12] Now you’re with the girl, jeans with what’s her name? I’m overseas, and it’s hard to believe How everything could be the same But all those summer tonights, oh But all those summer nights, oh But on those summerton nights, they were the days. But on those summerton nights, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. But on those summerton nights, come round again.
[01:12:19] Summerton Nights,
[01:12:32] Steve Davis: that’s Fergus Maximus and Dr. D. You’ll catch them in a show called Back in ADL, more sweet home songs in the Adelaide Fringe 2025. That’s it for this episode. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. I hope it sets you up for a little bit of summer which is ahead of us and I have a sense it’s going to be quite a long one.
[01:12:49] Until next episode, it’s good night from me, Steve Davis. Goodnight, Don.
[01:12:56] AJ Davis: The Adelaide Show Podcast is produced by my dad, Steve Davis. If you want to start a podcast or get some help producing creative content, talk to him. Visit steve davis.com au. Thanks, aj. I’m Caitlin Davis and I agree with everything my sister said, but there’s one more thing to say.
[01:13:18] If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, please leave a rating or a review, cos that will make my dad really happy. Oh, and one more thing. If you really, really liked it, please help a friend put the Adelaide show on their phone. Thanks for listening!
[01:13:41] Buzz, buzz, I’ll be. Adelaide. Adelaide.
[01:13:43] Theme: Adelaide. Yeah, Adelaide, Adelaide. Adelaide. Ooh, Adelaide. Adelaide, Adelaide. Adelaide, Adelaide, Adelaide who?