Knitting

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Knitting Podcasts

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[tag]Podcasting[/tag] is not an old internet capability, but relatively new. In 2003 regular podcasts started showing up on well-known Web sites and software support for podcasting spread throughout the internet. Wikipedia describes podcast as a media file that is distributed by subscription (paid or unpaid) over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. The term “podcast” is derived from Apple’s portable music player, the iPod. Though podcasters’ web sites may also offer direct download or streaming of their content, a podcast is distinguished from other digital audio formats by its ability to be downloaded automatically, using software capable of reading feed formats such as RSS or Atom.

Now, what does that mean to me as a knitter? Many [tag]knitting podcasts[/tag] are appearing all over the net. Your favorite author or yarn shop may be uploading to the internet a podcast. [tag]Knitty[/tag] has a very good article by [tag]Rhonda Bell[/tag] listing many sites to download your favorite designer’s words about their craft. [tag]Unwound[/tag] offers podcasts on her site and also lists the content and pertinent links to the information so you know before you download what her podcast contains.

What do you need to listen to a podcast? Your PC will do just fine with Windows Media Player downloading and playing the podcast for you. If you have an mp3 player, you can transfer the podcasts to it and listen anywhere. Itunes has knitting podcasts at their site, but I personally have a Zen mp3 player. I use juice to find my podcasts or the website for the company that manufactured my player.

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What’s Next for Joann?

Now that all the Joann stores have closed, a mysterious message has appeared on the company’s website:

For generations, Joann has been honored to be part of your creativity: your quilts, costumes, school projects, and handmade moments of love. It has been our joy to serve markers and dreamers across the country.

We’re stitching up something new behind the scenes and we can’t wait to share what’s next.

Stay tuned for exciting news about the future of Joann.

To quickly recap, Joann filed for bankruptcy in January for the second time in less than a year. In February, in the hope of making the company more attractive to potential buyers, it petitioned the court for permission to close about 500 of its 800 stores. The company was put up for auction, with Gordon Brothers set to buy the company, sell its assets and close all the stores if no other buyer materialized.

In the end the winning bidder was GA Group, but the result was the same: all stores were to be closed by the end of May if not sooner.

Once store closure sales started the company quickly stopped selling on its website, and now all that remains is this jpeg image hinting at new ventures.

I’m sure there will be a tone of speculation in the coming days and weeks (or as long as it takes for them to announce the meaning of the message) as to what sorts of plans Joann could be cooking up.

My theory based on nothing but my gut is that they will transition to an online only storefront, probably with much reduced inventory, sort of like Herrschners (which had previously announced that it will be carrying Big Twist yarn, the beloved private label yarn brand sold at Joann). I also think they will use whatever retail sales they do to support CreativeBug, the digital learning platform that Joann purchased in 2017. That could mean producing kits for projects that already have classes, or developing classes based on products they want to sell, or both.

As of this writing the CreativeBug website seems to still be functional and there’s a full slate of new classes planned for June. I’ve got my eye on both the Joann website and the Joann restructuring website and will let you know as soon as I see changes.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear your speculation as to what the next chapter might be for Joann.