Oh, hell – I swear I don’t know from day to day what’s up with the email.
If you’ve written to me, and I haven’t written back, please don’t despair. I probably haven’t received it. We use Verizon, which has been insanely slow lately (or perhaps it’s our router…) so I’m in limbo. How low can I go? Frustrating.
I’m in the process of arranging travel for Winter and Spring gigs – I always feel that it’s such a crap shoot, when to purchase tickets! I did have the happy experience of buying some tickets on Continental earlier this year, then having the price go down and getting a refund (in the form of a credit to be used on a future flight) from them. That was unexpected – and I was fortunate that I happened to be scheduling another flight so I could use the credit right away instead of letting it sit until I’d forgotten it. Which I usually do. Which most folks do –
Today I’m meeting with Jennifer Panepinto, the technical illustrator for the wire knit book. We’re getting together at a Starbucks halfway between both our locations so she can see my hands knit a bit – and also just to touch base. I’m very glad – and so happy that she contacted me to get together! The art director sent me some of her artwork and it’s really lovely. Sophisticated, clear and easy to follow – very nice!
And – once again – I’m ordering more books! Who knew! I’m pretty much out of both Confessions and Cheaper, just a few of each left, so back to the printer I go! I hadn’t really budgeted on this until later in the Spring, but I’ll take it now (thank you very much!)
I received a dog bed knit by Julie and it’s absolutely stellar. Amazing. The cat won’t get off of it (I stuffed it and finished it – I had asked her to send it with just a few rounds yet to do so that I could stuff it myself…) and I’m stunned by how beautifully it’s knit – THANK You Julie!
I’ve also recently received a sort of faux lopi/fair isle and cable which was ABSOLUTELY amazing by Judy – truly gorgeous! I had to do some alteration, but that was entirely my own miscommunication and the item was knit so well!
Brian sent me a scarf and hat, then became afraid that there was some stitch discrepancy, but when it arrived it was so lovely – thanks Brian!
A nearby knitter, Kathleen, turned in a lovely silk & wool drop shoulder sweater which I put together (I love finishing, and I can do it rather quickly so why make the knitters do it – if they choose not to – when I can do it so simply!) It looks as though it’s machine knit, it’s so well done!
I’ve already mentioned the doggie blanket by Lawrence and the doggie bed by Kathy – both of them so well done- so amazing – and I like to think that in both cases the knitters learned a new trick while working up the pieces! That’s the best of all worlds!
Carol from Oregon sent in perhaps the most time consuming sweater in the book – it’s worked on small needles (size 4) and it’s colorwork. A challenging sweater, but she did an AMAZING job (and she’ll be keeping the sweater after the book is published!)
One of my favorite sweaters has been from Scott – a simple striped sleeve alpaca sweater worked in Blue Sky Alpacas. It’s so soft and lovely – and very, very well knit.
Two items which were the best lessons were knit by Daniel and Cheryl. Both were lovely – well done – but because of miscommunications on my part I reworked them. To be honest, I was afraid that this would happen more often. I’m so used to working up a skeleton pattern and ‘perfecting’ it as I work up the sample. In the case of this book it’s been a very fast education on how to present information so that it can be followed, and how to make a decision (visualize the next step) if I don’t have the piece right in my hands. These are probably the pieces I learned the most from – and it’s comforting to know that I have so much more to learn!
I’ve received “boy toys” from Adina, Cathi, Martha & Martha, with more to come! My dream is to have a boy toy for each combination of yarn used in the book. I’m still waiting for more sweaters – actually I’m off to the PO right now to check on arrival of new stuff – and can’t wait to see what may be there for me!