she shoots sheep shots

with many thanks to tthe internets

2013-06-10T08:53:00.001-05:00

Thank you ALL who joined my Photographing Your Knits webinar for the live webcast from Interweave last Wednesday. * I applaud you! (Sorry about the overuse of um for the first three minutes, then I got rolling. At least I'm not one of those artificially perky speakers, right?)

I was so jazzed up after the virtual live presentationended, I had to go to the beach to get my ya-yas out with Zoe for an hour of hooky-playing. I love knitting but it doesn't offer the level of ya-ya reduction required at the time.


humungous, 3 foot tall lilac bouquet courtesy of the internets

Friday morning, I ~~set down to work~~ started blog-reading, and there was Carole's peony. It reminded me that my peony might be flowering, and the weird 24 hour tropical storm rain falling was going to knock off any blooms. I figured I'd better get out there and investigate.
Last fall Hurricane Sandy radically landscaped our backyard. We kind of ignored it, dealing with replacing our roof. Good times! I recalled a section of downed tree pinning the peony. I thought maybe it was dead. Not so! Friday morning I discovered it as healthy as it had ever been (which is not all that healthy, to be honest). It is a late bloomer, so still budding.
But had I not been out there in the rain seeking an internet-inspired peony, I'd never have noticed a lushly bloomed old lilac tree in the back corner of the yard. Thanks to Sandy and her ugly older sister Irene the year before, this antique was torn mostly out of the ground, meeting a small apple tree in a combination bramble/deciduous tree canopy. For the past few years this tree had been my least productive lilac, with its best blooms tantalizingly out of reach, high up over the neighbor's yard. Not anymore! Crazily blooming and so perfumed. Pruning my way through downed branches like a gardening Indiana Jones in the rain, I collected me three big bouquets. Thanks Carole!

This here is on my front porch. We have a new thrift in town and I'm buying up teapots and other housewares for porch planting. Buck at a time. I got my idea when visiting the charter school my sister teaches at in downtown Washington DC last fall. Check out their entry walkway:
Keep in mind it was October, so the plants were on the way out for the season. When I called her confessing I had openly ripped her off, she said, no worries. She'd gotten the idea online, from Guerilla Gardening.

I mean, seriously, where would we be without our internets??!!

In knitting news, if you are still reading this-my Caliz shawl is 5 rows away from being done, and I need a wooly not-too-big-to-carry and not-too-attention requiring project to take with me to an adventure in Maine this weekend. Suggestions?
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*If you want to experience learning with me, sans the hands-on part, there'll be a link to purchase the webinar, recorded in all its 1 hr 45 minute glory, in about 10 days. If you already purchased and/or joined it, you should have a link to it already, in your email.

in which we wander about webinars...

2013-06-01T00:29:00.001-05:00

So you know how you agree to do something, like say, teach a webinar for Interweave on Basic Photography for Knitters, and you figure that your presentation is 90% all there so no need to get fussed about it...

a slide from the webinar revealing behind-the-scenes glamour

and then when you go put a few last touches on it, you end up spending the better part of 3 days re-doing it? Yes, you do? Oh good, then we understand each other. I am pretty psyched cough understatement cough for this. Sign up any time , we are live webcasting on Wednesday June 5th at noon eastern time--but you can watch it later, all recorded.

the real photo we were making Fussy Cuts blanket fr Craft Activism , designed by Mason Dixon Knitting

Anyhoo, I've been gettting lots of questions about webinars and what they are, and who they aren't so I figured I'd , as Ricky Ricardo would say, do a little 'splaining.

My webinar is a one session online slide presentation--just like watching a normal slide talk without being in the same room as the presenter. Unlike an online class, you will not see me, the instructor. And me, the instructor, is very thankful, because this way I don't have to worry about what to wear* or that you will see the shmear of poison ivy on my cheek this week.

You will receive an email from GoToWebinar with log-on info, and a reminder of what time the webinar begins. When you log on, your browser window will have my opening slide on it, and off we'll go, I'll change images as we talk about them (I have alot of images and a lot to say). I'll be sitting here narrating the talk by phone, you'll hear it coming out of your computer. You don't have to download or acquire any software, but you need to be online.

Photography is a subject perhaps uniquely suited to the webinar format. You see a photo, I talk about it. I have to confess that I love taking webinars, but that is probably because all the ones I take are about the photo business. I have friends in the corporate world who cringe at the word webinar. It means they have to watch stultifyingly dull powerpoints in which the narrator reads bulleted sentence fragments, all about insurance regulations.

I promise we will not discuss insurance.
Here's a link again.** Best of all--the webinar is initially webcast live, but it is recorded, so if you do not have the free time to join me mid day Wednesday June 5th, you will receive an email within 48 hours of the live webcast telling you to go ahead and log on at your leisure. Those who watched live will receive the same email, in case you'd like to watch it again . All, or part and return later. Those who are watching live can type in questions. The Q&A will also be recorded, so you miss nothing.

Those who purchase by Wednesday 6/5 noon eastern can either join live, or soon after ( you'll be notified with 48 hrs). Those who don't sign on on by noon Wednesday will be able to access the webinar, but not till it goes in the Interweave shop, in about 2 weeks.

If you have questions about this all, feel free to send them to me ezisusATsnetDOTnet.

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*OK, I am going to be honest. Even though no one will see, I am still going to think about what to wear. And keep my fingers crossed that Bobo doesn't run into the room barking.

** just noticed they reduced the price . Costs less than a skein of Silk Garden!

with sadness: honoring kathreen ricketson

2013-05-26T11:33:00.000-05:00

There are turns of event so awful, I can't even.
One of my all time favorite books, James and the Giant Peach starts with James orphaned, when an escaped rhino eats his parents while in London, on holiday from their happy seaside cottage home.
These things don't happen in real life.

But it did.
Kathreen Ricketson, the artist/blogger and creative spirit of whipup.net and her husband left behind their two children. They were on a yearlong family trip/adventure. The kind of thing I dreamed of doing, but only managed to pull off in bits and bites. Kathreen did it, for real. I think this says who Kathreen Ricketson was: she walked the talk.
More details of this tragedy here and here.

A fund for their children has been established, info here. Ann & Kay at Mason Dixon Knitting have asked folks to mention their favorite whipup post, and please do go over to their site to see the links.

As for me, I started reading whipup early on, and for a long while, I didn't realize it was Australian based. I was hoping to meet Kathreen for coffee, till she pointed out the geographical challenge. It also meant we couldn't profile her in Craft Activism, my book in which she surely belonged, for her belief in the power of a handmade lifestyle.

I was moved to action by many of her posts: to make things, to read books and essays, to look into a new idea. Whipup isn't one of those " ooh look at me, I am so special" lifestyle websites. It is generous and thoughtful and helpful. Of course I adored the review she posted of Shear Spirit early on and the one that reviewed WearwithAll this year. And I loved when she did link roundups, like this one for crocheted afghans. Those take time, and are so generous, and not flashy and support the community.

I hope we who enjoyed her work can pay it forward. And, give our kids an extra hug.

warm welcome webinar wayfarers!

2013-05-21T15:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Interweave announced my upcoming June 5th webinar : Photographing Your Knits. poof ! walla ! and ta-da!, I have never had so many visitors here.

Not even that time I was giving away 4 pounds of Starbucks coffee! (Though that was pretty cool, right?)

Not even right after Shear Spirit came out, and all the sheepy/goat/alpaca folk I'd met in my farm visits and travels came to call.


crias at Victory Ranch in Mora New Mexico

Not even the times my work with the Red Scarf Project /Foster Care to Success got all linked (you know about the Red Scarf project? If not please take a peek )
The blog's been here for eight years, so browse around and welcome to my world.

a rare appearance by Dave, who appreciates the handknits but models reluctantl

I hope you sign up for the webinar. I got hip to webinars last year. A webinar is essentially watching a live (or, recorded live) slide talk presentation, with me chatting but your monitor filled with images (photos!). You can type in questions that the moderator , the Knitting Daily Empress Kathleen Cubley, will ask me, and I'll answer, either during the slide talk or immediately after. I won't rush off, and the scheduling is flexible. The cool thing is you can watch as little or as much as you wish, and then come back and watch the rest--or watch it again. I cram in a lot of helpful tips, so the ability to re-visit is awesome.

an image from Craft Activism, a good example of a simple way to shoot handmade..and a favorite of mine, shot at granny square goddess Ellen Bloom's house in LA. I heart granny squares, and Ellen is to blame.
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My commercial website is Gale Zucker Photography. Plenty of sheep shots there, too.

(almost)all shawl

2013-05-20T17:39:00.000-05:00

		Were I a *squeee*-er, that'd be my opener right here. Because! It is official! I am teaching an Interweave webinar, Photographing Your Knits! Sign up now, action starts June 5th.
		the Catalina shawl, from Green Mountain Spinnery. Crocheted. I know, right?

If you've never tried a webinar, this is a good one to give a whirl, I promise it'll be a fun hour and you will learn. Plus: pictures! many many!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I pounced on the Mothers Day shawl request project. I was struck with inspiration to knit Caliz, by Romi Hill. *

It's been in my queue ever since it was a club pattern** from A Verb for Keeping Warm in 2011. And, I've been admiring the Anzula Oasis yarn at my LYS for a while. When I realized it may be the same base yarn Verb dyed for the club version of Caliz - 70 silk/30camel blend with a slightly loose ply that gives it a natural look-- I knew I had my match.

I am loving knitting this. Garter stitch in purl, lace that is just my level of enjoyment: engaging, easy to read, no tricky bits. M1purl, a new move for me but easily mastered.

I shot the above optimistically, Saturday morning , thinking I'd show you how I spent my weekend. (also? I adore the colors of this early 70's paperback book cover) . Not so much reading happened, but I did take in 5 episodes of Breaking Bad season 4. So that is something, right?

I also thought I'd get in some gardening , also put on hold. Not for the lack of the best helper around.

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* thanks to all for shawl suggestions in the comments from the last post. Really good ones! I may get into a shawl knitting jag as a result.Maybe a round up in another post of all the fab options.

**so, I was not actually a member of the Pro-verbial club but I watched someone who was, knit this shawl. It's kind of modern and slightly rustic, lacey but not fussy, I think my mom will love it. If for any reason she doesn't , I will gladly keep it and knit her another option--which is to say good thing I am publicly declaring it for her so I don't get too attached.

little treats

2013-05-14T07:11:00.000-05:00

There's been no big splashy stuff here lately, and I can't seem to finish anything. But I'm finding great delight in the small. Like this cuff on my sleeve, tipped in handspun. I could stare it at all day.

My Shell Seeker sweater has been almost done for ages. I can't get the bottom hem right. First, it was too short, and I did the split hem ribbing too loosely and it was flipping up. Second try, too tight and still not quite right. Soon as that second cuff is done, I re-do the bottom again. But the sleeve cuff ? Did I mention I like it?

The shapings on the front, also happy-making. You decrease on the sides and increase along two front lines. No kangaroo pocket in my version though. Pearl Ten Malbrigo, how I love your not-purple-not grey-not-black ways.

On Mothers day I got two unusual knitting gifts. First, my mom, who is a)an amazing knitter and b) famous for not liking anything by her neck, admitted she is starting to feel drafts and wants a a little shawlette to sit on her shoulders. She asked me to knit her something! I am overjoyed. Her request: lightweight, not overly lacey but some open-ness is good, not too large--and neutral. Not black or white --maybe pink or orange. Which, in my family, is considered neutral. (This is where I should tell you I grew up in a house with a bright yellow front door, and an orange ceiling in the kitchen and dining room). I got a crazy amount of pleasure from poking around Ravelry on her behalf- I'm thinking Simmer Dim or Henslowe (considered and rejected Citron for fear of never finishing) -- I can't wait to get some yarn for it this evening. If you have any pattern suggestions, I'm all ears.

Second, Yliana, last seen here modeling knits, mentioned wanting to learn to knit a few times. Anyone dating a son of mine figures out that saying nice things about knitting makes me happy to see them, so I was all "'Oh, OK, whenever" . But Yliana meant it. We found ourselves with some spare time Sunday and next thing you know, she's cranking out the garter stitch. Happiness all around.

a classy weekend (with gratuitous name dropping)

2013-05-07T15:01:00.001-05:00

Very classy! Last Sunday I debuted a new Photo for Knitters workshop: Photographing for Your Ravelry Projects Page, held at Knit New Haven. My classes are always hands-on but this one was especially focused. As a group, we worked on one project from each student at a time.

I'd say Julia Bogardus (Sorrento on Ravelry) nailed her Taygete shawl by Romi Hill, doncha think?

Everyone there made beautiful images, too, here's one from Michelle, aka MMDube23 Yliana was our fabulous model this time. I've found bringing an assistant who poses with the knits helps the class really flow. Bonus: no one taking the class gets stuck in front of the camera-- unless they want to.

I am attempting Ann & Kay's burst'o'blogwords writing initiative, but my 15 minutes do not yield anything read-worthy. Plus, I always have more to say. Like, I can't leave out Saturday, at the Fairfield Woods Library DIY Crafts Salon. What a lovely group--I talked about Craft Activism, then I lead a project, inspired by Virgina Fleck. I was only slightly (cough,understatement, cough) intimidated that the previous presenter had been Denyse Schmidt.

And, considering the date, I MUST mention what a fabulous gift a copy of Craft Activism * makes for Mothers Day. Or, a gift certificate for a class. Just saying!

*absolutely true story I swear: Barbara Walker's son got her a signed copy of Craft Activism as a gift a few months ago. NO SH*T !! I didn't know who he was but he asked me to inscribe it to his mom, Barbara. I asked " Does she knit?" To which he replied, "uhhh, you could say so..." and then revealed her full name. I was left with my mouth hanging open saying something like "ohmuhgawwwwww".

another from Julia Bogardus/ sorrento, her Inspira cowl

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A few more classes soon--May 18th, a Photo Safari with The Village Knitter in Babylon NY, and starting May 16th in the evening, a 3 session class at Webs. This will be a rare chance to do a class where you get to shoot, return, review & discuss later --which is wonderful for letting new ideas seep into your photo habits. The class is in Northampton MA at Webs on Thursdays May 18, May 30 and June 6th, from 5:30-8, signups here .

And not coming up that soon, but I hear these fill up fast: I just got an email that the registration for the Rhinebeck workshops (NY Sheep & Wool Festival in October, if you want to be all formal about it) are open as of now.

let's talk project page...

2013-04-26T10:48:00.000-05:00

I say not to judge a book by its cover, or wine by its label, but do I live it? Ummm..NO. First glance is what catches me. Content next. No mildly snazzy impression? I'm gone. Buhbye. Especially on your Ravelry projects page.

Above is mine. Please ignore that I haven't finished what was to be my all-purpose-winter-sweater. {cough, moving on, cough}

Here's a friend's. Not naming names...unless you recognize her gorgeous knitting. Thar be some empty squares! And she truly is an awesome knitter. If only you could see. Familiar?

Unlike photo shoots for clients, or book projects or pattern releases, my Ravelry Projects photos are not big productions at all. A couple of minutes of effort plus a teeny bit of planning, a good crop. Ta-da. That's it.
Which is why my friends at Knit New Haven invited me to teach a workshop on this very topic:

Photography for Your Ravelry Projects

Sunday May 5th 10-1:30

Knit New Haven (New Haven* CT)

call tor stop in to register in advance (limited space) 203-777-KNIT

This will be fun--well, I try to make all my classes fun, and usually succeed- but with our goal all being the same, we can play with color, composition, backgrounds and I will have a wonderful model there just to pose with your FO's--so everyone can leave with a few of their squares filled in.

We will spend a bit of time, too, on easy photo editing using online (no cost) software, so you can goose those images and make them fly.
You can work with a Point & Shoot, a DSLR or even, shutthefrontdoor, your Iphone.

See you there?

* New Haven has a handy train station, if you want to make this a day trip to join us, jump on the MetroNorth. I'll get you a ride over to the shop and back to the station later, close by.

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See my other classes coming up, a Photo Safari at The Village Knitter on May 18th, and a 3 session class at Webs starting May 16th...and then Fiber College and Rhinebeck in the fall. Check the listings here.

posing, posting, passing by

2013-04-08T23:58:00.001-05:00

I have a nice blabby post in my head about posing people in knits for photos. Do you think of flabby & blabby together? I do. My head is full of flabby blab. But so little time! Instead, tonight, I have another quick peek from the big fat Green Mountain Spinnery shoot to post.

This is Gillette , a crescent shawl in fingering weight. Want.

and a brand-new-just-posted list of classes and workshops* I'm teaching in the coming months. Go take a look. I've got a little bit of everything going on. Classes, plans, projects, maybe even some destashing...I feel like spring has sprung! How about you?

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If you see a class or workshop you'd like me to teach at your venue, drop me a note.

anatomy of a knitwear photoshoot

2013-03-27T18:53:00.000-05:00

I was blabbing with a friend about my activities leading up to a photo shoot for Green Mountain Spinnery last week, and she was surprised at all the stuff going into it. I thought maybe you'd like to know, too? We haven't done the final editing, so consider these a peek.

Looks like a simple photo, right? Here're all the parts:
• The design itself: the Gulfoss sweater, by Cap Sease. (The sweater link is to their existing image, on Ravelry. I am updating their look.)
• The rest of her wardrobe. I shopped for the shirt (borrowed & returned after the shoot). I was a teeny bit obsessed with finding plum & white gingham. The jeans & boots belong to the model, who brought 4 pair of each that day, at my request.
• Karen, my model, is a real person. Yes, she looks like this. I know, it is unfair. She's an acquaintance I've been keeping in mind in case the right sweater came along for her. I recruited her and her hubby for the shoot. (It took a bit of persuasion).
• Her hair & makeup, by Jill, my super talented makeup/hair/groomer wizard. She knows what she is doing. Everyone looks like a best version of themselves- fabulously natural.
• Her hairstyle--in the weeks leading up to the shoot, I collected images on a Pinterest board with the feel, or detail, or textural combination, or pose, that related to this shoot in my imagination. A styling moodboard. I sent a link to the board to Jill, who figured out how to do the fishtail braid just right for sweater modeling (stylish, outdoorsy , and doesn't block the sweater yoke!).
• The location: I spent a day (plus some) driving and stomping around sites that were close to each other, had good colors or textures for the background, fit the theme I was imagining, checking where the light was falling, and not too far from our homebase where changes and makeup (and warming up) were happening. Scouting is more time consuming than you'd think.
• Posing- well, you need to direct the scene. Otherwise the most important details of a sweater might get lost. I was trying to get the yoke to appear against the upper color of the boat, to sort of frame it.

Pretty sure this won't be the select for the scarves, but it's good for my post. Love these two!

The shopping and wardrobe can be the hardest for me . What you put together, and the little details, can totally change the look of the knitwear. Which is why it is called styling. I like coming up with the ideas or the themes, but I just don't like shopping that much. If there is budget, a photo stylist does this important task. I love photo stylists. Like, here, both models are wearing pairs of my boots. I shopped for the shirts, and the bracelets and earrings were a combo of borrowed & shopped for. Giuliana (on the left) is wearing a pair of vanilla jeans that belong to Yliana, on the right. Both are freeeeeeezzzzzzing.

You can tell the temperature by how the client, Margaret from Green Mountain, is dressed. And she is a Vermonter! It.was.so.cold. The shawl went to my queue, stat.

So, when I scouted, there was a beautiful sleek horse next to one location, who just wanted to be petted and nuzzle me. When we were shooting, instead of my loveydovey, there was a grizzled older horse in the pasture--and I'm not so sure he's into knitwear fashion.

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Two comments about links and a (literal) footnote:

If you click on the Green Mountain Spinnery link in the first 'graph, you'll find some really excellent stretching /PT advice for sore wrists and handstress on their front page.

Cap Sease, who designed that Icelandic influenced cardi, is the author of the best selling Cast On, Bind Off, which is linked to her name, You ought to own this book!

and finally, the boots on the left that Giuliana are wearing, are mine courtesy of Ann of Purling Swine and The Village Knitter. Ask her for the story behind them, it's a good one.

green on the brain

2013-03-17T20:31:00.000-05:00

If it's possible to be less than 0% Irish, that's me. St Patrick's Day doesn't have any heritage resonance but OHMYGOD it's the right time of year to be seeing green. So sick of dull winter skies and leafless trees.

Any glimpse of green is a joy.

Smooth segue warning...Two of my favorite knitter friends, the talented designers Mary Lou Egan and Theresa Gaffey , are leading a knitter's trip to Ireland later this year. Plenty of green glimpses guaranteed. Check out the itinerary. To die for. They are part of the team that brought you the book Wear With All. This is going to be an amazing experience for the small group touring with them. Don't wait too long to sign up.This adorable sweater and tunic is one of Mary Lou's patterns from the book. Theresa is responsible for the breathtaking stole that's been flying off of needles at my LYS.

Lately the FB posts from my friends in California and Arkansas just slay me. They're sitting outside having drinks ! And gardening! I, on the other hand, am doing an outdoor photo shoot tomorrow, on a day with a high of 37 degrees--and grateful the snow/freezing rain predicted should hold off till nightfall. Glad we're shooting sweaters.

the circle game

2013-03-12T15:39:00.000-05:00

I left that bleak last post up a long time, didn't I? How about some color?
I've had potholder envy, ever since photos like this one, and this one from Potholder Swaps Adrian/Hello Yarn and Maryse masterminded. I declared I'd jump in this year (you should! Still time!). I figured it'd use up some blue cotton yarn leftovers, from Craft Activism projects. I hate to let leftover skeins hang around unloved. But as soon as I started crocheting, I felt I needed more colors to make it work...and crochet gobbles yarn like nobody's business, surely I would run out before completing 3 double-sided potholders? Two skeins of Seedling later, I was good to go. Except you know what? I forgot what I don't like: crocheting cotton. crafting deadlines. making things you can't wear. I don't know why but that is the truth. Another truth? I need to enjoy the process, no matter how much I want that product. So you might say, I wasn't a happy hooker.
I was forcing myself to stay on task when (dingdingding) I was alerted to a knitting urgency: Zoe needs a new sweater! She's traveling to Peru to meet her other side of the family for the first time. It'll be Fall there and..ohmygod how will anyone know we love her if she doesn't have a brand new handknit sweater on her back???

the blanket and Zoe a few months back

I'd been saving the leftover yarn from the Zoe baby blanket. Have I mentioned that I hate to let leftover skeins bits go unloved? My plan was to make a striped hoodie to go with the blanket. A plan that would have been perfect had I followed it when she wore a size 12 mos sweater...but now? Now I quickly realized I am running out of leftovers, just a few stripes in. You guessed it, I bought 2 more skeins to round out the stripes. I started with the leftover & discontinued Cleckheaton and needed more superwash-. My LYS came to the rescue with Dalegarn Falk that matches up and is also 100%wool and washing machine friendly. End score: 1 potholder almost done, most likely staying here.Striped sweater underway, likely to fly way south next week, on this cutie.. Some leftovers used up. 4 new skeins here, destined to have leftovers. Circle of life.

the reason why you should plan your posts

2013-02-26T17:33:00.001-05:00

So, I don't have much to show you after that last post. I mean a few more rows on a grey sweater, even if it is the lovely Pearl Ten, is not so riveting.

Bleak outside doesn't do much to inspire. My view from the dogwalk this morning.

Here's what I'm doing to counter attack the bleak. Planning classes for spring and summer. (Links soon, but I can tell you they include a 3 session class at Webs, yay!) . Pinning outfits to Pinterest to brainstorm clothes for a photo shoot in March for a yarn company I adore. (Overalls, I hear are making a comeback. I adore overalls. Neon...not so much. Trying to be open minded).

All with liberally sprinkled breaks of blogreading to take me away. Want to share a transcendant one? Go read lori times five today. aaaaaaaaah. Much better.

(Actually, go read her any day. I am so lucky she took my class in Santa Barbara last March, or I might not have come across her blog, and got to know her a little. I promise you will be inspired by her knitting and her photography and her world).

1 FO, 2 wip, 13MO

2013-02-22T00:37:00.001-05:00

Some kind of weird alphabet soup.

The FO, a birthday present for sister Lulu, who collects pincushions. Improvised from scrap yarns-- they may all be Cascade 220. She loved it, though I decided it was exactly halfway between hackysack and decorative toiletpaper cover. Not sure I want to slip down that slope.

wip #1: another Bigass Granny square blankie underway, (Marla, you better look away if reading this) . I like to think working on this is the intersection where deep winter meets cabin fever. So many colors! Such a fine way to use up started skeins and play around with how colors interact. Plus, once it starts to grow? Warm lap.
wip #2: I cast on for this Shellseeker sweater for myself in..October? Not sure why it is not done yet. In Malabrigo Rios Pearl Ten, that queen of all the Malabrigo colors. Is it gray, is it eggplant, is it brownish blackish purple? No stripes for me, though. I tipped the neck with mostly red handspun, because you can do that when you knit your own sweaters. I'd like to stick with this sweater and get 'er done soon. March is the month of our sweater discontent around here, as the winter seems like it will never end.

13 MO. Can't resist.

my vintage valentine

2013-02-20T18:01:00.006-05:00

Look! I came across this old photo of us while searching for something else entirely.

We were moving into our first apartment together, Valentines week, in college. "Coupla hippies", groused a son when I showed it to him. (That's his main complaint about us now, too). I guess we haven't changed that much? Suddenly I want to own a flannel shirt again. Dave still does...

For Valentines 2013, we played hooky part of the day, which somehow feels more special than rushing out to dinner. We swung by the newly renovated Yale University Art Gallery. It's one of the real perqs of living around here. It's free, with a fabulous collection--and wow, the reno is spectacular. After viewing a few favorites in the collection (some Albers, f'rinstance) we went to the Indo Pacific Art gallery.

It's amazingly fiber-rriifc. (yeah I do think that is an art term). Like this? it is an ancient Indonesian high priest's staff. Love that ball of yarn topping it. There was a lot about spinning, spindles , cotton yarn , looms , tools and a swift too, in display cases.

I don't know much about weaving but it doesn't take a scholar to be awed by this.

Chickens, also valued by the high priests.

The Valentine activity I didn't quite pull off: I was going to knit bulky reverse stockinette hats for everyone with a big heart on each, in dusky colors so it wouldn't be too cutesy-poo. Maybe with a large pompom and even edge crochet for the girls.

I'd figured out the pattern: knit flat and seamed, intarsia heart. And the yarn: Berroco Peruvia Quick . Time wasn't on my side, but I did make up this nice chart. I'll share it with you.

I love this knitting graph paper, how it shows the stitches instead of misleading squares. It's from Laylock.org If you don't follow her site, go check her out. Great stuff!

we're so chill we wear mitts

2013-02-12T18:49:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, no not the one that dumped 36" of snow on me, the one before, I had the honor of teaching a Photography for Knitters workshop for The Village Knitter .
This is what it looked like when we strung up a temporary clothesline on Main Street in Babylon NY.
And here is Stephanie, aka Crooked Knits, shooting. Let's play a game. How many handknits can you spy her wearing? The funnest, if I can mangle English here, part of the workshop is usually the part where we bust out of the room and go all hands-on, giving everyone a chance to try some of the ~~hints~~ ~~tricks~~ ~~direction~~ photobullying I have been laying on them during the slide talk part. This group didn't let a few degrees fahrenheit stop them.
A class so cool they had to cover themselves in wool. It was a blazing good time, in direct contrast to the icy wind blowing off the Atlantic a block away. Afterward, I ended the day knitting and yucking it up at Ann and Katy's yarnshop , my sponsor, The Village Knitter. This is the kind of yarn shop you hunker down in. Big open table to sit at. Great selection of yarn. Super friendly owners and workers. Talented knitters and raucous conversation. We are already planning a spring/summer Photo for Knitters adventure, to take advantage of the lovely photo opps for knitwear in the town, while not suffering frostbite at the same time.

On a not unrelated note--you can't ignore the snow here this week, mostly because we have run out of places to put it.

This is not a special pile or even the tallest on the street, it's just your basic corner. Good weather for knitters though. Suddenly everyone loves a wool mitten.

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I'm brewing up a few more workshops between now and the summer- in New Haven CT, Maryland and Massachusetts. Want one at your guild, shop or group? Give me a shout.

alternative

2013-02-11T11:10:00.001-05:00

Instead of speaking of the weather, let's go straight down to speed post. (If you haven't been following, Kay and Ann over at Mason-Dixon Knitting have blazed the form).
First up, a lighter, and even quicker Decibella:

Modified from the original pattern, it's knit on size 11 needles, using 1 skein each of Berroco Peruvia Quick in Gris Marengo and Rosa. Cast on 60 inches, and off you go. It's a one day knit, if, say, it is raining on top of the weekend's 38" snowfall and you don't feel like going out. The stitch never fails to entertain, it is so much easier than brioche, and the stripes reverse themselves on the wrong side. Not that there is a wrong side... Anyhoo, this is still voluminous cowl, if you want something even more everyday, I'd say cast on 42 stitches and take it from there. Half-day knit! Times saved for shoveling!

Over on Ravelry there are some nice lighter weight versions too, take a peek. Although in my experience lately, being able to hide in your cowl has some advantages.
original version, for comparison sake.

an agenda

2013-02-01T01:11:00.002-05:00

Blasting through with a quick post of TwoThings I Need to Tell You Before It is Too Late.
1- This Saturday Feb 2nd : Photography for Knitters workshop with yours truly, for The Village Knitter in Babylon NY on The Island. The class was moved out of the shop and down the block to the library, giving me room for a couple of extra seats. It's close to sold out but you can still join us. Do it! It's going to be an excellent way to spend the afternoon 12:30-4:30. Your Ravelry Projects page will thank you.

2- I just know you want to be reminded that Saturday is also Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Usually I have a party but since I'll be driving to LI, and the rules require eating ice cream before noon...I will have to celebrate in Babylon. I think I've persuaded Ann to join me. Hee-hee. You should too. I hope there is excellent coffee ice cream in Babylon. With sprinkles. That's all I'm saying.
Both photos © mine, of course.
Top photo: the Cabled Cowl, a fab bulky project from Wear With All. Every time I look at this photo I wonder why I haven't knit one or six, yet.
Bottom photo: An embellished tree stump at Fiber College in Searsport Maine. I don't know what the doily is made from, fiber-wise- but it had been there a while I think, and was getting silvery from the elements. This kind of beauty is just all over the place there.

mo' mittens

2013-01-29T17:53:00.000-05:00

It's that time of winter when you want something woolly on your hands. When Dave put in a rare knitting request, I was all over it. I showed him a couple of skeins of Noro that seemed black-ish and teal-ish. I love me some Noro knitting. I coulda shoulda woulda cast on for your basic mittens and whipped'em right out.But nooooooo. I had to make them more special. Fletcher Mittens. You know how sometimes you make things more complicated than they need to be?Admittedly, some of it was my own doing. I started out on dpns. I do not enjoy knitting mittens on dpns. And, working from both ends of the Noro Kureyon at the same time, to get the striping action, made it a fiddly undertaking.Mr. Noro, it turns out, had impishly hidden a ton of fuschia in the colorway. Dave's pretty open minded about his mittwear but fuschia? Not going to cut it. So I cut it, instead. (Ok, tore it out, but you know, give me some poetic license). Adding smaller bits and ends just increased the fiddly factor. Again, that's on me.
I switched to magic loop for mitt # 2, making me much happier. Overall, the mitered mitt is kind of a fun construction, it has generous thumbs, and the pattern makes a nice dense handcover, perfect for shoveling snow. Which in the end, is what it is all about. Right?
Let us move on to something that is as close to perfection as you'll find at mi casa.Zoe turned one!

this, that, the other thing...

2013-01-18T01:11:00.003-05:00

January's been a month of catching up, weaving in the the loose ends from 2012 and making lists of all the new projects and ideas I want to get going on. It seems like all I do is notice opportunities to make, to try new crafts, or learn new skills. Like this workshop Saturday:

detail for this workshop and one on Monday making recycled scarves, on her website

with Crispina Ffrench, in Pittsfield/Shire City, Massachusetts. Crispina is one of our Craft Activism subjects. You really should check her out- she does all kinds of cool things in her studio with recycled sweaters and Tshirts. An old felted sweater is just raw material to her. Being at her studio was one of those photo shoots where I spent the whole time jerking my head around in circles, trying to take in all the details, textures, colors and handcrafted beauty. Like her GIGUNDO potholder-style looms, above.

I myself have a Photography for Knitters class coming up at The Village Knitter in Babylon NY, you may know one of the proprietors, Ann of Purling Swine. The workshop is Saturday Feb 2nd 12:30 to 4:30. . There are only 3-4 seats left, so if you're near "the Island", join us! I know, it is also Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, but that has to happen before noon--see? no conflict.

Lastly, the finished (refinished) version of Cadence that I've been wearing all the time. Don't you always have one sweater that becomes the sweatshirt sweater? The default one to wear if you don't need to look especially spiffed? I last mentioned my Cadence problems in late 2011. I reknit in time for Rhinebeck this year, and threw it on to get a shot on my backdrop - posed dorkily and unflatteringly.

Though I wear it a lot and adore the earthy (and softened with wear) Cascade Eco Wool , I'm going to say that a big wide neckline and bracelet length sleeves (when, um, the shoulders are on my shoulders) are not ideal in our damp drafty New Englandy winter, it's drafty. It does leave room for me to layer on a scarf . Which I guess, for a knitter, that's a good thing.
(and to be fair to the designer, she showed it in heavy cotton. Even more sweatshirty. Loved the pattern though, regardless of drafty neck. Quick and fun knit.)

right on time

2013-01-16T15:51:00.003-05:00

Not being a perfectionist has its advantages. I don't get fussed if some holiday gifts are delivered late, as long as the promises of the gift arrive on time, and the recipients are OK with it.
Here's the last hat from the to-finish list. I cast on thinking it'd be a plain beanie for bro-in-law. But he likes a little something extra. Like a point. In the past, my knits for him included (circa 2006) one-of-a-kind hats like this one, and in 2008, the LaMar scarf. The design has a life of its own: it gets downloaded literally every day, still. There seems to be a lively german following for it. (Love! this!)This new hat's warm and bulky, with a vintage button. I think its an upholstery button, yanked off a sofa way back when, in my button tin via a tag sale button jar find. The hat itself has a ribbed cuff in some leftover Alfa Maskin Vaskbar, a Norwegian wool/mohair bulky yarn last seen here and the red is Mission Falls wool, held double.

I prefer to show hats on a human head, and I even got Dave to plop this on his as he shoveled out the night's snowfall, but it seemed wrong to push my luck and ask him to stop and pose, just days after the last post. I may not be a perfectionist, but at least I'm nice. Sometimes.

in which

2013-01-09T01:31:00.003-05:00

My most reluctant model shows you the most whack gift to leave my hands in a while. My nephew requested "one of those hats with earflaps long enough for hand pockets".

So I made one. Dave truly hates to model, especially something as unsubtle as this.

Except it actually turned out kind of cool. Plus, I said Bobo could be in the photos. Because, you know, nothing enhances an improvised crocheted earflap hat with recycled sweater pockets more than an American Bulldog.

I am particularly pleased with the pockets. They're the cuffs of an old felted sweater, cut open and upside down. The whole shebang is crocheted around with some Cascade Eco. It pulled it all together.*
I started with the Vida Chullo pattern, sorta, kinda, and then winged it from there.** The yarns are Cascade Eco Wool in a few colors (the light turquoise main color, and the dark red, and the brown outline. There's also some nice gray and some purple alpaca , brown Valley Yarn Berkshire, and other odds & ends.It gives Dave a kind of old surfer hippy look. Which is pretty much his style anyway, minus the surfing, minus the old (don't let the white beard fool you). It's really comfy. The pockets will fit my tall nephew just right. The usual 18-22 year olds who can be found here weekends actually approved. Huh. Who woulda thought? Had to show those pockets again. I'm dying to use more of that felted sweater and make myself some mittens with the same edging.

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* Yes, that is a The Big Lebowski reference. Tell me the Dude wouldn't wear this hat thingy?
** I crocheted because it goes super fast, and I figured I'd be doing lots of ripping back. Which is so much easier in crochet than in knitting. My crochet skills, though, are kind of naive.

PS. I tried to do this as a 15 minute blog burst. Ha! Not even close. It takes me that long to decide which photos to use, and another 15 to clean up my spelling & grammar mistakes.

new mitts two mitts

2013-01-03T15:50:00.002-05:00

All along I've been knitting, like a little rattly tune always playing in the background. Every once in a while it's nice to notice the score.These were supposed to be a Christmas present but that last inch somehow took an extra week. How does such a thing happen?They're custom knit. Don't you love a pair of mitts that fit you like a glove?
Pattern: Berroco Woodhaven - a good basic pattern, I like tops that are squared off, not pointy. Just a couple of decrease rounds and then kitchener ending.
Yarn: Artyarns Supermerino with a touch of Cascade 220 at the cuffs, to match the Honey Cowl from the last post.
Needles: size us 6

The yarn was chosen for its superwash qualities. We've been having rampant accidental feltings . Since ~~the laundry police~~ I can't be vigilant ~~at all~~ all the time, the solution is to minimize the number of shrinkable handknits before they are all...minimized. I have to admit I don't love this yarn. First of all, it's pricey, yet it had a couple of frayed/knotted bits, you can see one in the second photo from top, poking out the right cuff. The yarn feels nice but I'm not loving the pooling/flashing. The giftee, though, is quite happy with them, and that's the most important thing. We're scheming what to do with the rest of the skein.

Leading choice is a hat, paired with the rest of that Cascade 220 skein. Upside: coordinated accessories, breaking away from the handknit bag lady look so often seen 'round these parts. Downside: it'd be at least partially feltable.

focus on the sweetness

2012-12-30T19:02:00.001-05:00

2012. What year of highs and lows; of complex problems and simple happiness, of triumphs, and of losses.

there's the Honey Cowl in action, dogsitting this am

What can we do but move ahead, trying to make the world a better place in whatever way we can ? That's all I got, in the way of words. But in the way of visual: plenty on the sweetest simple pattern, the Honey Cowl .

I am so late to the party! I watched Kay Gardiner, aka canary in the coal mine for good knitting patterns, declare allegiance to the Honey over a year ago. I even photographed her in a gorgeous grey one. And it went through my LYS like the flu. I wondered why it had, like, gazillion (seriously, over 9000) versions on Ravelry.

Looking good even after an accidental partial felting in the washer/dryer, And btw? Isn't Zoe looking old?

Giuliana saw it online when I offered to make her a scarf. She chose a green Cascade 220, despite my steering her toward fancier yarns. Eh, nice color, I thought, but it's not going to be anything special. Fool on me! The stitch is somehow zenlike. It transforms the piece. After a soak and pat out to shape, it was soft and elegant. The cowl looks good from any angle. It's been in constant use by her since, making me ridiculously happy.

quick phone shot, you'd think we'd use some real cameras more often, right?

There it is, above, before the partial felting incident. With the Thanksgiving flan*

I immediately cast on for another, for me, with a skein of Enchanted Knoll woo/silk in a bulky weight. A quick gauge swatch , I changed up the numbers and knit it with size 10.5 us needles. While in process, I fretted the handyed color shifts. I wished I was using a solid for me, too. For a while it looked a like a 2 day old bruise, hue-wise. (One of my beloved smartasses at knit night named the colorway Domestic Violence. No disrespect to the social problem. We have a dark undertone to our humor).

crappy phone self-portrait. shoemaker's kids, and all that.

Anyway, I love how it turned out. It won't be my last from this pattern.

Wishing you all a year of sweetness and light and satisfying outcomes of all kinds. I'm making my usual resolutions: finish projects underway (knit and other), act on my ideas, do more yoga, be kinder to those poor people who work phone customer service jobs for annoying corporations....y'know the usual stuff. What about you?

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* One of my happy accomplishments in 2012 was perfecting my Peruvian flan. The one shown, the Thanksgiving one, was double sized and not as pretty as usual, I'll need to remember to get a shot of it done right. Next I want to try curing my own salmon.

gift ideas + book reviews + footnotes

2012-12-20T15:14:00.000-05:00

Annotated. Because who doesn't have a few more words on the subject....
My fellow knitters & crafters! Unless you're casting on a chunky quick project*, or demonically speedy, it is time to put down the needles and step away. Shift the focus. A promise of the handmade, perhaps?
These three from PotterCraft. They do good books. **
So you're short a finished project? A bookmarked page with a promise of the item in January is a loving gift. Infinitely preferable to snarling at your dear ones "Don't even TALK to me, dinner, uh NO, I NEED to get this done...."***
To help you along , here are reviews from my opinionated self:
Bruce Weinstein**** totally nails it in his new book, Boyfriend Sweaters. He delivers on his premise: rock solid designs for guys that anyone would want to wear. Including straight non-metrosexual guys. And you. And, um, me. All sized for, and modeled by, both genders. This is the rare knitting book that keeps disappearing in my house. I've had "wouldja make me" requests from it, across 2 generations and two genders and their friends, ages 17-55. That's a pretty good road test right there. The sweater above was 1st choice from 3 people.***** I'm all over this one. Maybe I'll make it for Dave and then steal it sometimes.Here's another one. Win-win-win. Props to Jared Flood's photos, too, for the commerical yet natural catalog-ish appeal.
I hate knitting fitted sleeves for myself but I really really want a Z sweater. The whole alphabet is charted. Love it

Warm Knits, Cool Gifts from Sally Melville and her daughter Caddy Melville Ledbetter also gets my thumbs up. It has a broad range: baby knits, accessories, sweaters, xmas type things, cute kid knits, anafghan. A keeper, but I have to admit, it's been here most of the year, and I haven't knit anything from it.

Then I offered Giuliana , who appreciates my knits in the most endearing way, a sweater of her choosing****** I pointed her at my shelf of knititng magazines and stack of books.

She chose this Center-Paneled Vest / Sweater , which I'd totally overlooked. Oversized, interesting front hem shape with shirt tail in back, nice drapey neck, and knit in worsted weight but with a center panel of fingering weight yarn. What a fun way to incorporate a skein of something too special for socks, right? I'm looking forward to casting on for it.
I kind of love it as a vest, too. Extra snaps to the book for the Flatter & Fit comment boxes along the way.

Next category: handknit dolls & toys. Love 'em. Almost never make'em. When my fabulous niece Ariana joined me at Rhinebeck this year, the one thing she wanted most was to cast on for stuffed animals, her fave kind of knit. So, I have the perfect gift for her:

A Kuku Doll kit. (This is Bella). When Lisa , of The Creative Warehouse had me teach last month, she brought a bunch of her dolls as subjects. They are adorable, and come in every ethnic mix imaginable. If you have a multiracial family like mine, you perhaps have spent some fruitless hours looking for sweet non-caucasian dollies? Lisa and a partner have a very cool social initiative business, with the knitted/felted dolls available for purchase, or as kits & patterns to make them yourself. Read more about the Dolly-Mamas here.
Then, there is this new book

Knitted Farm Animals by Sarah Keen
There's a lot to like inside. The animals are not twee, in fact some are downright soulful.

If I were a good granny, I'd be knitting this for Zoe. She loves her some sheep. (Me? Responsible? M-a-a-a-ay be). Instead, the book'll go to Ariana as well, and she can be a good cousin.******* In case you're wondering if I've slacked off the gift knitting, compared to other years, the answer is, sort of. Details when all done and delivered. I'll show you what I'm knitting today though. It'll be done later, I'm sure.I't's that reversible variation of Fishermans Rib stitch again, related to the Decibella pattern. This is a smaller, dialed down, more subdued cowl. I'm thinking of it as Sottobella. Pattern soon.
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* A few chunky cowl projects you can whip out between now and 12/25: Decibella, WhamBam, PuffDaddy, Bulky Mobius Cowl...those are just a few, add yr faves in the comments, please! (yes I am on a cowl bender, thankyouverymuch)

** My last book with PotterCraft, Craft Activism still makes an awesome gift for anyone who appreciates handmade. (Just saying). They sent me the books above, for review.

***Not that I've done that myself...in the last 2 weeks.

****Bruce Weinstein has also published several cookbooks, and shares his homemade nosh at his book signings. Whatta guy.

*****Unfortunately, I had to trot out the "nuh-uh. not knitting sweaters for anyone on size 4US needles" clause..

******As long as the pattern called for size 7US or larger needles. See above.

*******Is this offloading guilt? Maybe. Works for me. What's your strategy?