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Tinking Turtle Raverly

Things in the Works…

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I’ve been busy with things in the works – most notably: wedding registry making, teaching a bunch of classes, sending out a crazy bunch of proposals, and getting ready for the holidays.
Sweetness the other day “got a hold” of my camera (she thought she was being sneaky, I didn’t mind keeping up that pretense).  She’s got her own kid camera, and has gotten pretty good at using it, but I didn’t realize that it would translate into her knowing how to manipulate the settings of MY camera.  She switched it to macro shooting (or hit the flower button, as Sweetness calls it) to get this first shot:
It’s a sock for myself – I was demoing how to do an afterthought heel.

 Then she switched it back to the other setting to get this second shot:

Not a bad picture of me from a six year old.

I was impressed – no camera shake, shots in focus.  I didn’t realize until later when I uploaded the pictures and saw this:

She’s a sneaky girl, my Sweetness.

Another Helpful Tip for Swatching: Steeking Round Swatches for Photography

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Look closely at the edges of this swatch.  Notice anything interesting?

Yes, the edges are cut.  And the sides are steeked with my sewing machine.  This is a trick I use when I need to make a swatch in the round, because I don’t like running strands of yarn behind the swatch.  Instead, I work the swatch in the round and then cut it in half, block it and then photograph it for my design submission.

Then, when I’m putting the design submission together, I crop the ugly edges out, leaving just the beautiful picture to show the design idea.  You can also do this for when you are measuring a gauge swatch for in the round.

How do you save time when you are working up a design swatch for a submission?

Tools of the Trade

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This morning – before I packed myself off to Weight Watchers, before I even started printing out worksheets for the classes I’m teaching at The Yarn Spot today, I was taking pictures while the light was good for design submissions.

I was using the trusty tools of my trade – knitting needles (no, not for knitting – for blocking!), playing cards (for getting a stitch pattern knit in the round to lie flat and pretty), and a variety of pins and stitch markers.

Since the camera was out, I took a picture, because every once and a while it’s good to notice the small things you use to get to the big things.

Have you went to vote yet?

You should.

Working on Charts

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One of the harder things to do when I’m designing is charts, for both knit or crochet.  Especially for crochet. Because both mediums are so flexible, computers seem to have problems with charting these things out.

It looks okay now, but it took 3 programs to get this the way I wanted it –
And it could still be better.

I’ve been working on updating some of my class worksheets, and have been working on crochet charts to go along with them.  In order to get a chart the way I want it, I often have to hop between several different programs, because none of them do quite what I want them to do.  Such is the way of life I guess.

Has there been a time where you’ve had to kludge something together technologically to get it to do what you want?  What did you have to do?  How did it turn out?

Hurricane Sandy: Part 2 Aftermath

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Before the post: I’ve got two classes running at The Yarn Spot on Saturday: Repairing Knits and Crochet Edgings.  Check out the Upcoming Classes for details.  You can call The Yarn Spot at 301-933-9550 to sign up.

There are many parts of the East Coast that are still reeling after the affects of Hurricane Sandy.  We are not among them.  Michael and I remained unscathed, our food frozen, our power continuous.  It’s one let down I welcome.

I got a lot done with two days of enforced productivity. With Michael keeping me on track, I worked on a BUNCH of design submissions, wrote a series of good posts to have as backup when I can’t post something substantive, conducted an interview in not one but two different places, outlined and planned a bunch of classes, and took a backlog of projects I hadn’t gotten around to writing up and made some substantive notes so that I can start getting them to the written up pattern stage.

We also went for a few different walks, because being cooped up, even during a hurricane, can only last so long.

The biggest thing I noticed?  Two downed tress (neither on powerlines), a lot of leaves down (but also a surprising number still on trees – those are determined little leaves!), and a creek that was a good two feet up.

Things are getting back to normal now, thank goodness.  I’ll leave you with some pictures:

Proper Raingear is a must if you are going for a walk in a hurricane.

Interview with Lee Wittenstein and Walk the Dog

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Today we’ve got an interview for you in two
parts to celebrate Lee Wittenstein’s release of a new pattern – Walk the Dog.  One part is here, the other part is at TheYarn Spot’s blog.  I can claim both on
behalf of myself and The Yarn Spot that we’re so proud of Lee, and are looking
forward to seeing more of her patterns published by herself and others in the
future.
A little bit about Lee:  I first met Lee at The Yarn Spot, where I was
working my normal shift.  I had heard
about the talented Lee, but had never met her as our shifts and schedules
rarely overlapped.  She came into the
store that day to pick up some yarn, and I remember her big smile, her cheerful
personality and her incredible knowledge about knitting.  I told her as she was leaving we would have
to get together more often, as it was already clear that I wanted to get to
know her more.  Lee is really a member of
the “fiber tribe” having been taught knitting by her grandmother and being
raised in a “fiber friendly” household. 
Her mother co-runs the popular Yarns International, and Lee has been
working at or with yarn stores since 1987.
So
Lee, tell me a little bit about the Inspiration you had for “Walk the Dog?”
Lee: My friend the dog walker wanted a hat
for her “big head.” She is outside all winter long and needed to be
warm.  She also wanted it to match her coat and be machine washable. 
One of my go-to-yarns for machine-washable is Spud and Chloe Sweater. 
There was a great match for her coat and so the first version was born. 
Once that was knit I gave it to her, of course, and then set out to make a
second one for my pattern.
What
was the Yarn you used for the second one?
For the second one I wanted something more
luxurious.  Cascade’s Venezia Worsted fit that bill and is available at my
LYS, The Yarn Spot.
What
is your design process like?  Do you
sketch or swatch?
I don’t sketch because I can’t draw.  In
fact, for a long time I thought that I couldn’t be a creative, artistic type if
I couldn’t draw.  Now I know that is so not true but I still can’t
draw.  I always swatch.  To get a feel for the yarn, to decide what
needle size will give the effect I want, to check gauge. That said, I don’t always
fully block the swatch. (Bad designer) I design on the needles so I use my
finished piece to determine final gauge.
What
kind of questions or problems do you try to solve as a designer?
I like that question.  I think my
best designs have come out of trying to fill a need for someone
specific.  Like Walk the Dog.  And a secret design
that will be revealed in a few months. (Did I pique your interest?)
Other design inspirations are visual – a pattern I see on a blanket and want to
try to make work on a hat.  Or a mosaic tile pattern that would
look great on a cowl.  One of the things I love about being a
designer is that everywhere I go there is fodder for my
designing.

I
know I have designers in the industry I look up to – either because of their
business model or because they’re doing something really cool that I wish I had
thought of.  Who are your favorite
designers right now – the people you would like to emulate?
There are a lot of people doing really
interesting things. It is hard to mention only a few.  But I
will.  I admire people who think outside the box–Norah Gaughan springs to
mind.  Ann Weaver‘s use of color and her sources of inspiration are
amazing.  Kate Davies is an inspiring designer who has a modern take on
traditional knitting. 
How
do you envision your business in the next five years?
I hope I am still here, still doing designs
that I love and that lots of other people love too.  I don’t have a formal
five-year plan or anything like that.  The designing business has come out
of my real love for knitting, yarn and the knitting world.  I hope to
still be a productive, creative part of it all in five years (or more!)
What
are some of the projects we can look forward to from you in the future?
I have three projects that are just a wee bit
away from being ready to publish.  One is a cowl with easy lace and fun
colors.  Another is a mitered squares cowl which would be a good first
pattern for this technique.  I’m working up a class with that one. 
Finally, a scarf-ette in lace and garter stitch which would be a great holiday
gift.  Other things I am playing with are a cabled hat, traveling stitches
mitts and a child’s cardigan.
Lee, thank you very much
for taking the time to answer my questions. 
Check out the rest of the interview over at The Yarn Spot, Lee’s website
at http://harperandfigg.com/, and her pattern
at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/walk-the-dog.

Knitting and Crocheting through Hurricane Sandy (Frankenstorm)

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my hair got in the way when I was working,
 hence the hairbrush

We interrupt the normally scheduled program to say that there’s a storm outside.  Those on the East Coast have probably noticed.  Even if you aren’t on the east coast, you’ve probably heard about it.  If you live in the US and haven’t heard about Hurricane Sandy… well, I’m in awe of you.  I thought I was the most disconnected person from the news, and even I heard about it a few days ago.

Anyhoo, Michael and I have holed up in the apartment with the cats.  We have plenty of everything, and are now just hoping the power doesn’t go out long enough that the stuff in our freezer thaws.

 I also stayed home from work, which feels much like a snow day did when I was a child: I get an extra day to catch up before I have to go back to real life.  I’ve been using the time to work on design submissions (mostly for Knitpicks, though also for Sockupied), blog posts, and various other things that normally don’t get done until the last moment.

swatches for propopsals –
tiny so I don’t give away too much.

This hurricane reminds me much of a Nor’Easter we had when I was 8? 7? 6?  Somewhere around there.  We had planted a new tree in the front yard at the end of Summer – not the best time to plant, but trees go on sale then, so cheaper.  The wind and snow was blowing such that the snow was going sideways, and we took bets throughout the two days we were holed up as to when the small tree would give up the ghost and go down.

The tree actually did stay up (and as far as I know it’s still beside the house.  But I feel like Michael and I are making bets as to how long the power is going to stay on.  Will it stay on until this evening so when we are done working we can watch M*A*S*H?  Or will it futz out sometime during the night?

It makes me really happy that my hobbies are not technology based.  Technology makes things easier, but it’s not impossible to get by without them.

What are you doing to while away the storm?  Were you able to work from home?  Are you watching from the West Coast?  Let me know.

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