18 and counting: Not Over Yet!

 

I am still alive and kicking and having fun and making things and traveling...and working A LOT!

 This was from a Berroco photo shoot on a farm. The horizon is never where I want it so I stand on my trusty step ladder.

 

Here's the Honeycomb Scarf I have been knitting off and on most of winter. It's a gem of a process knit. When I started, I figured I'd whip right through it.........I'm about 75% done now and a couple of weeks ago I took a good hard look and realized it doesn't look exactly like the samples in the pattern. Whatever I am doing wrong, I'm consistent so at this point, that's how it is!

 

I've been traveling a lot! Some  trips for fun and some for work. Above was all FUN: we went to the Pacific Northwest and Vancouver. This was at the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, which is what it sounds like plus walkways in the tree canopy, just on the edge of the city in North Vancouver. 10/10 recommend.   I am normally not a fan of heights and walkways over sheer drops but it was so astoundingly beautiful I couldn't be bothered to freak out. 

Some of that trip became a Knitters Weekend: Olympic Peninsula on Modern Daily Knitting.

This was a photo shoot for Madeline Tosh yarn, I love the styling on this. If you wonder whether I am constantly ohhing and ahhhing and saying "oh oh I want to knit this" while I am working for this client , the answer is YES. 

I am glad to be back for this rare post, let me know if you saw this! This blog celebrated its 18th birthday in February, the least I can do is say hi.

3 things I've found this week

1) More wristrulers.  I've been the wristruler's biggest fan since spying one a few years ago. I may also be the wristruler's biggest loser (heh). They disappear! I go through periods when things, not just bracelets, vanish at an alarming rate. It's usually a sign I'm on overload. Or the planets are askew. But then I go through periods when lost items start reappearing in unexpected places. I accept this as the ebb and flow of my life (and belongings).*

I thought I was down to just one simple brown one. Then, last weekend at Vogue Knitting Live**, I was thrilled to see a denim blue wristruler, handstained by Catherine Clark for her Brooklyn General Store. It looks indigo and improved my wrist jewelry game by 100%.

On Monday while prepping for a photo shoot that required going through a lot of equipment storage bags, my orange wrist ruler reappeared! I was sure this souvenir from Portland OR was gone for good.  The photo above is  from when I bought it at  Twisted ,where I found the full monty of wristrulers on display. Metallics too-just not in this shot. 

2.  The  yarn I'd been seeking  to go with the variegated Once Upon a Corgi ***skein you see uptop.  I had a single yarn goal VKL: find a handdyed, semi solid coordinating skein . The stunning blue is Neighborhood Fiber Company . Magaly of Heart and Spirit in Atlanta was at the booth and led me to the right choice. If she's your LYS in Georgia you are one lucky peach. I plan to make a fun cowl  that has both bobbles in solid and garter stitch fuzzy variegated yarn, something different to amuse me this winter.

3. My feminist outrage . Ok, it was never lost but I rarely need to express it on a job these days. Tuesday, setting up for a corporate photoshoot, my crew and I needed to move a large airplane propeller mounted on wheels.****  I had free rein to set up the space. I also carry excellent business insurance should a mishap occur.  Let's also go with the premise that  I am competent as a location photographer and wouldn't choose to move something that I thought we couldn't handle. 
We realized we needed just one extra set of hands to steer it.  We being myself and my two assistants. They are both strong younger women.  Carla is a former Army sargent who has done things much tougher than rolling a propeller on wheels across a flat cement floor.  We summoned the man in charge of the building, who looked at us and said "well I need help to roll this."  
I replied " Yup! There  are three of us here, let's go". 
He looked back at us and said--"no, I won't move this with you, go get a couple of guys "

WHAT?
 The three of us stared at him in silence for a beat or two. Both assistants needed to take in what they were hearing. I heard it loud and clear. There's absolutely NO WAY I was going to interrupt the film crew dudes setting up in another space to ask for unnecessary help -- and there was also no way I was going to shrug and walk away.  I very very badly wanted to simper " Oh my! Are our vaginas getting in the way of rolling this???" .
 But this is an important gig to me-- I kept my mouth shut. 

Behind the scenes photoshoot  view (not with propeller)-photo by Carla McElroy

I left and explained the problem to the man representing the department I was working for.  He was with the all male film crew.  THEY WERE AS APPALLED AS I WAS!   My client joined us and we ladies all moved the propeller. And cracked jokes on it all day. That is a sea change from when I started working as a photographer so...all good. Allies!
_____________________________________________________________________
* I still use and recommend  knot tying to find a lost item (tie a knot in something you are wearing, is how I was taught)  and I borrow St Anthony from my friends' faith when needed.

** VKL was packed!  Thrilled to report the knitters economy seem to be holding strong. Real wool and farm sourced yarns showed up big--and while lots of gorgeous hand dying was there, in all hues, I saw less super contrasty magenta and citron with black speckles than in the past couple of years. The sweater I saw in droves was Felix, followed by Love Note and then Ranunculus. 

***Once Upon a Corgi is my LHD (local hand dyer) and a lovely person. Check her out if you haven't come across her yarn at a show or shop.

****This wasn't a handknit or yarn photo shoot. You may have already guessed that ;-).

fab interview link+ knitting cruise!

I am so honored to be interviewed on Kym's blog Away from The Edge this week! Go take a read.

Me, working in June, on a shoot for the Hudson Valley Textile Project. Photocredit to Catherine Clark from Brooklyn General.

Kym asked such good questions.  I've been following her blog and occasionally messaging back and forth with her for ..years..so I feel like we know each other in real life . After reading the interview, I have to remind myself we weren't sitting in the same room.  Doing these interviews is a lot of work so I truly appreciate it . And  hope she does mor.e of them   Maybe her other subjects won't be such Blabby McBlabsters :-)

In other news:

2019 Knitting Cruise Thimble Islands

Tuesday July 16th, 6-8 pm

sails from Stony Creek in Branford CT 

 there are a handful of seats left! 

  your ticket $ 30. via Paypal to galezucker@gmail.com

Feel free to bring a non-knitting friend!

board from the Stony Creek Docks at 5:45pm, rain or shine, the boat is covered by a canopy- we sail on the Volsunga with Captain Anna

It's the annual knitting cruise in the Thimbles  = a  night of cool salty breezes, knitastic company, snacking and drinking, peeping at the island homes and knitting as we tootle along the Connecticut shoreline

last year--or maybe the year before?

 • • • • • •

we always sell out -  don't lollygag or you'll be left ashore!

________________________

Can we just glide over the fact that I rarely blog any more? I hope to return but meanwhile, you can find me on Instagram !

join me at TNNA for PhotoShoot workshop

I am teaching at TNNA in June 13-15  in Cleveland: 

from Berroco Medina pattern booklet -- see the BTS photo from this shot further down

Two excellent social media photo and writing workshops along with Beverly Army Williams, and solo, Photo Shoot A-Z: Planning, Producing & Picture Making. *

I put my PhotoShoot workshop together because the comment I hear most often from first time clients goes something like this: “whew! I had no idea what went into a photo shoot! Thanks for holding my hand through it”.  

The truth is, that day you hold a camera is just a tiny part of a photo shoot. The preparation, the planning, the thinking through the elements- that’s what makes a successful and productive photo shoot. 

It’s partially stepping back to see the big picture of what else beside your product needs to be considered- theme, setting, styling, wardrobe, light sources, effective colors, people? Who is arranging those things? What kind of help is needed? And it’s partially knowing the language —what kinds of files do I need? How do photographers charge if I decide to hire one? What do I ask for?  How long is expected  to get the final images and how many do I get? What are rights? Who chooses the model? EEEeeeek!! How do I even find a model who represents my vision for my business?. 

Here's a BTS view from the shot at top. shooting at noon on a sunny beach day in late September on Cape Cod

And, more such thoughts. It was fun for me to break down what I do and make a flow chart. (I am very proud of my flow chart). It’s designed to lead students choice by choice from their very first thought of needing a photo shoot, through to planning it, including choosing whether to do it themselves or seek the skill of a photographer for the project. 

 This class is not necessarily for someone who wants to work as  photographer (though it certainly could be helpful ). It is for anyone who needs to create powerful images of their product, shop or business, to enhance their marketing. Because as we all know, that old saw-  A picture is worth a thousand words—is truer more than ever on social media and online marketing. 

I love this image-- its the Awestruck Shawl from Appletree Knits --in her gorgeous yarn

This is all about you learning to be the confident leader/creator of the photography for your business, no matter who is holding the camera. The class will be small enough to customize information for those who attend.  We will have time for Q&A at the end, so we can take it in any direction.

*

Classes Beverly Army Williams and Gale Zucker** are teaching:

• Leveling Up Your Business on Social Media | Wednesday, June 13 | 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
• Photo Shoot A-Z: Planning, Producing and Picture Making | Thursday, June 14 | 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
• 10 Photo and Hashtag Tricks to Build Community | Friday, June 15 | 7:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

* If you can't attend, we are happy to teach elsewhere, and to tailor the content to your business--just send a message. We love doing in-service and in-house workshops! 

**PhotoShoot class is Gale alone, the other two classes are co-taught.

Will I see you there? Let me know!

-->