Tommye McClure Scanlin had a choice. To make the images she wanted to create with weaving, she could either pursue complex forms of weaving that rely on dobby, jacquard, and draw-loom technology—or she could go the other way and place every color and pick by hand using tapestry techniques and a very simple loom. Preferring a drawing pencil to a cal…

Have you ever opened a book or seen a photograph and thought to yourself, “I have to learn to do that”? When Emily Lymm first fell in love with knitting, she wondered casually if she could turn her passion for fiber arts into a profession. Not seeing many successful pathways to a career in knitting, she continued as a graphic designer. She loved th…

Also known as "Cream Cheese Dog Food." Also known as "I Can See My House From Here." Also known as "Is This A Zacchaeus." Also known as... idk, it's a podcast, you can listen to, outside. Join the Bottle Crow Discord to check out our live posted show notes as well as chat with us and other listeners! We’re on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher! You …

Now, I have some sympathy for influencers, and then I also have a lack of sympathy in some areas. Part of the blessing of Scanline not paying my bills is, I'm not beholden to audience numbers and such. Bottle Crow's existence was probably a good clue of that. Point is, I can make whatever I want, and also NOT make whatever I want (broadly). An infl…

Indigo is a unique dyestuff, no less so for being found in so many different plants. Coaxing the blue hue out of green leaves and onto yarn or cloth requires a combination of chemistry and skill that has arisen across the globe. Rowland and Chinami Ricketts each found their own way to indigo in Tokushima, Japan: Rowland was looking for a sustainabl…

God was not willing. That was not quite the end of an era. But we went from four months down to two, and next we'll go from two to one! Mark my words. With episode 2, we conclude the first day of The Devil's Plan, and... hey wait. There is literally a character called The Devil. What do you think the odds are that he has a plan of note? Or is just …

Andrew Wells is the third generation of the iconic American yarn manufacturer Brown Sheep Company. Living near the family business outside Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, he grew up giving tours and sweeping the floors when his parents, Peggy and Robert Wells, ran the business. His grandfather, Harlan Brown, had been a sheep and lamb farmer before deciding…

Well, we always knew this was possible... last week was a disappointing downbeat, with a series of pretty rough episodes. We all knew GT had its reputation as "the worst" for a reason, and with episodes 9 through 12, it... wait. Wait no, this is AWESOME! I mean, you know, ups and downs, but the Para Para Brothers are ALL TIME characters! This RULES…

Working together in a Philadelphia yarn store, Kate Gagnon Osborn and Courtney Kelley learned how to help customers choose the right yarn for a project, welcome in timid new knitters, and create samples to help move yarn out the door. They learned what didn’t work (donut-shaped balls of yarn that hopped off the shelves and tangled, patterns that us…

This was supposed to be a Battle Crow (our monthly bonus Patreon show), but the guidance of Grace deemed it not to be. Press play with your Two Fingers and celebrate with us the start of the Summer of Sour, cracking open a normal one with the boyz, and marveling at the miracle of bagged tea. I hope you brought some Oil Dipping Sticks for snacking. …

Bad drinks for me are a religion, and CoffeeMate is the sh- wait, can I write that? Is Apple gonna get mad if I swear in the description? Hmmm. Listen I'm a "rule breaker" but like only when no one's gonna get mad at me. i dont like disappointing people. im sorry i will not swear in the show notes. anyway if you're scrolling through eps or somethin…

If you knit, spin, sew, weave, or follow any crafty pursuit, you will not be surprised that many of our most common metaphors come from textiles. They are interwoven in our vocabulary, and whether you like to spin a yarn from words or fibers, you will recognize many of them. But then there are the words whose textile roots are less obvious: Rocket.…

It's not all sunshine and rainbows for our viewing. Quite early in, in spite of some refreshing episodes, we have hit our first bump in the road. Pan, Goku, and Trunks fight their way out of Imecka and land in a planet of giants, then deal with marriage obsessed catfishes. We are keeping the faith, but it will be seen if we are rewarded for it.…

When Jen Simonic and Masey Kaplan’s friend lost her mother, she had the challenge of going through her mother’s things while grieving her loss. Among her posessions was something almost every crafter has at least one of: a work in progress. Jen and Masey had each finished projects for bereaved family members before, but neither of them could take o…

Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball franchise is one of the most beloved in the world. Three great shows, a lot of video games of varying quality but with a huge fanbase all the same, and... then a black sheep. Even in a series where the missteps are treasured, there is one thing the community rejects: Dragon Ball GT. Aired immediately after the end of Z,…

Were you having trouble sleeping? Do you need to hear two idiots get confused by numbers for, oh, around two and a half hours? I have such good news for you. It's gonna be great. Join the Bottle Crow Discord to check out our live posted show notes as well as chat with us and other listeners! We’re on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher! You can subsc…

A career professional at Levi Strauss & Company, Eileen Lee learned about dyeing, weaving, and sewing on an international scale: giant factories full of loud looms weaving 2/2 twill, pattern pieces cut out of four-foot-high stacks of cloth, and no possibility of adding a tuck here or a dart there without retooling. During her years in the industry,…

The unknown journey ends, and reveals that there wasn't much mystery there at all, really. Jen, Kyrie, and Six slump in their chairs and marvel at how hard this game has flopped, and to what degree it's poisoned what came before, for them. Is Rufus the hero of this game? Do you ever see a dog and decide it must mean you're in a different dimension?…

For a certain subset of our audience, I should probably apologize for the amount of Dota talk this ep. It's... uncouth. We're supposed to be post-Dota, like post-modern but cooler. Well, I am. Nick is still in denial. I just try denial on sometimes, like a nice dress you can only bust out for special occasions. Join the Bottle Crow Discord to check…

God willing, this episode marks the end of an era. The era of these episodes taking FOREVER. We're planning to get on a more regular schedule- probably monthly, but no promises. Let's solve a mystery, gang. Let's watch a new show. Let's find out it's REALLY GOOD. We're so back. Our artwork is a commission from the amazing Bitmap Prager! Please enjo…

The penultimate episode is here, and things just keep turning for the worse for our hosts. We deal with some very contrived plots, ponder over the nature of meta-narratives and it's failings, and gripe about the side missions. It's almost over, so it can't get much worse... right? A huge thank you to Jackson (@headfallsoff) for helping us with a ch…

Lilly Marsh creates blankets, shawls, and other cloth, almost exclusively from local wool. Working closely with farmers and the nearby Battenkill Fiber Mill, she gets to know not only her neighbors but the fibers they grow: the surprisingly lovely wool from East Friesian sheep raised to produce milk, the springy Dorset crosses that are popular in t…

After a slight upturn in quality at Gongaga, Chapter 10 breaks everyone's spirits as the gang makes their way into Cosmo Canyon. It also happens to be the most racist chapter in the whole game! Fun!! A huge thank you to Jackson (@headfallsoff) for helping us with a chapter breakdown for this series, and giving us clear stopping points!…

We tackle only one chapter in this episode, but boy is it a DOOZY. We travel to Gongaga, encounter too many bosses, and Tifa finds herself in the belly of the whale. Not like metaphorically like in the Hero's Journey, like a big damn whale monster. This chapter is weird. A huge thank you to Jackson (@headfallsoff) for helping us with a chapter brea…

After EIGHT YEARS, the Hatcast returns! I mean honestly, with such a wealth of quality hats, how could we do otherwise. Bizarrely, impossibly, it seems like Dota is back. Leave it to me to say that not because of a good patch or new hero, but because of cosmetics. Listen, you know what I'm like. Don't pretend to be surprised. Join the Bottle Crow D…

The call of complexity draws some weavers to more shafts, more structures, more hand-manipulated techniques. For Annie MacHale, refining the techniques and celebrating the artistry of very simple bands has been a lifelong fascination. Starting when she first picked up a shuttle and inkle loom in her teens, Annie has worked in wool, cotton, and hemp…

Our podcasters finally arrive in chapter 6. Jen and Six call for some time off for some fun in the sun. Kyrie disapproves, but is outvoted. A lot of minigames later, a boss fight happens. Chapter 7 happens. Our podcasters arrive in chapter 8. Jen and Six call for some time fun in the Gold Saucer. Kyrie disapproves, but is outvoted. A lot of minigam…

After defeating a giant snake, the gang finds themselves deep in some mines, spilling out into the Junon area. We face off with some Turks, explore the world, and get into one big confusing parade. This game is certainly making... choices. A huge thank you to Jackson (@headfallsoff) for helping us with a chapter breakdown for this series, and givin…

It's just... I mean, I guess 300 is a lot. It's a big number. But even SO I am surprised Giratina made the top 300. Is just every legendary in there? Probably, huh? Even though a lot of legendaries are just trash? Like, the Weather Trio from Unova: garbage. The stupid Lake Guardians from Diamond and Pearl? St... stupid. I already said that I guess.…

“Rule number one: Never drink the dye bath.” Indigo and cochineal may be the most widely recognized natural dyes for many fiber artists, and there’s little temptation of sampling an indigo vat or pot of ground insects. But a simmering kettle of dye mushrooms or lichens? That might smell delicious, but if you’re in a class with Alissa Allen, it’s no…

Six and Kyrie are back to settle it. One number was never enough, so we have come back to scour the Dragonball Xenoverse 2 cast to try and stump the mighty dragon Shenron. Things get a little silly. Recorded in honor of Akira Toriyama's 69th birthday.By Scanline Media

One of the most eagerly anticipated releases of the year, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth cast a long shadow over the release schedule. Not only that, but our coverage plans, too: with press getting early copies, dropping reviews day-and-date with the launch, what merit was there to us crunching and rushing to release a podcast about it a week later (and…

Six took some time to go to the movies! Attending the LA Premiere, Six was able to see the US release of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom! Kyrie and Six hash it out about what is, all told, a pretty strange and fascinating movie. We talk about cool robots, bad wars, and the experience of attending the premiere. This was supported by our patrons over…

In a period when agriculture moved toward chemicals, genetic engineering, and monoculture, Sally Fox decided to explore what could happen if she collaborated with nature instead of fighting it. With an academic background in entomology, she studied ways to minimize the amount of pesticides needed to grow crops, and the more she saw the effects of t…

Take a breath, y'all! Dragon's Dogma 2 released a few hours ago, so we're good! No more big video game releases for 2024, we can all go home! And hey, while you're at home, chillin, why don't you listen to what we've been up to? Kyrie has been digging Vanillaware's latest, the strategy RPG Unicorn Overlord. Jen has answered the siren call of presti…

When Susan Bateman first opened Yarn Barn of Kansas in 1971, a woman starting a small business couldn’t get a credit card in her own name. Weavers like her had a hard time finding yarns, tools, and other supplies, some of which were only available from overseas, and she thought there must be an opportunity to bring fiber artists more of what they n…

I'll try to get y'all the Riki Mahjong 2 rules for next episode. I doubt there's anyone chomping at the bit to get them, who really cares, but I have my pride to think of. Probably. That's what people say in these situations, isn't it? To be honest, I don't actually have my pride. But you probably knew that by now. Join the Bottle Crow Discord to c…

There may be no other type of textile that is more art and craft at the same time than tapestry weaving. Tapestry allows the weaver to create images with simple tools, but the skills and materials in tapestry are generally hard-wearing. You might find a tapestry on the floor as a rug as often as on a wall as a piece of art. Rebecca Mezoff became a …

If you choose to walk away now, no one will blame you. There will always be more episodes. But if you stay here, and if you listen, you know what you're getting into. It's us listening to and talking over a bizarre Taco Bell press conference/event thing. You were warned. Join the Bottle Crow Discord to check out our live posted show notes as well a…

It all comes down to this: Best Game. Game of the Year. Call it what you like. We play a lot of games, and every year we make ourselves pick an overall winner. And people keep telling me 2023 was an incredible year for games, so surely this is gonna be a really hard list to cut down! The Nominees Are:The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomParanor…

When Scanline Media started, we wanted to focus on games. But over the years, from doing weekly anime podcasts and where our general interests as a site went, anime and manga became so much of our coverage. Here are the anime and manga that stood out to us as some of the best of the year. The Nominees Are:GunbusterTenchi UniverseTrigunRecord of Lod…

In our longest category, we decided to let 2023 sing it's heart out. These tracks, be them anime OP or standalone songs, struck a chord with us. The Nominees Are:Iron Lotus (Library of Ruina)Anger's Remorse (Alan Wake II)Yoton Yo (Alan Wake II)Dark Ocean Summoning (Alan Wake II)This Road (Alan Wake II)Herald of Darkness (Alan Wake II)Togenkyo Alien…

For Hannah Thiessen Howard, slow knitting isn’t about the speed of making stitches or finishing projects. Swift and leisurely knitters alike can embrace the purpose and experience of knitting and how it connects crafter to community. Selecting materials, choosing projects, and approaching your work with an open mind all contribute to a meaningful k…

Instrumental tracks have often gotten the short end of the stick in our Gimmick Awards, and it's high time we changed that. These tracks backed some unforgettable moments or created an unmistakable atmosphere in 2023, and the following stood out to us. The Nominees Are:H.T. (Trigun)It's Pizza Time! (Pizza Tower)Theme of Kai (Gravity Circuit)Mystery…

Every year, we fight over fighting games. We're enthusiastic about the genre (that's an understatement) and it's a delight to see the new ideas and spins on characters that surface as new games and DLC release. Sometimes, it's the little things that make all the difference: a few tweaks to a classic character to reinvent them. Sometimes it's an ent…

Most fictional writing runs on characters, and it is to these characters that fandoms attach themselves. It's these personalities, and often their visual designs as well, that people find so magnetic. Well, we're not looking for the most magnetic person here: some of these folks are not exactly easy to stan! That's fine. We're here for broken peopl…

Honestly the rumored PSP3 is a bad idea because it'll be more like a Vita 2. And hey. The Vita was fine. I liked my Vita decently well. But the Vita's approach was to basically try to be a home to ports, mostly, and that territory is locked down by the Switch and the Steam Deck now. We don't need that! Now, the PSP had a lot of exclusives, which is…

I am open to other perspectives, but a lot of the love of games to me is down to how it feels to hit a button. When the jump feels bad, the game is bad. When the jump feels good, the game is good. That's oversimplifying, intentionally. But so many games ARE just a collection of button presses, and how good they feel to hit. Platformers, action game…

Although she grew up in the freezing winters of New York, Keisha Cameron and her husband decided to move their young family to a peri-urban spot outside Atlanta, Georgia, to set down roots and rebuild their connection to the land. They began with raising what their family needed for food and other daily necessities, but over the past decade, High H…

While we have catagories for entire games and shows, it's important to hightlight the moments too. Sometimes the entire work isn't a winner, but that's what can make a moment more remarkable. These moments from games, shows, and real life stood out in 2023. The Nominees Are:"We Sing" (Alan Wake II)The volume slider/"Always remember me" (Paranormasi…