yo-ho-ho (cruise and a FO)

What better place than  the 2nd Non-Annual Thimble Islands Knitting Boat Trip to show my finished Wave on Wave Shawl?

* More about my shawl below.  Let's get right to the the knitting cruise, shall we?  Cap'n Bob can now say that his vessel not only flies the pirate flag (local tradition) but had yarn handspun on it, thanks to wonderful Dayna of MadWool, center column, 2nd from top. Also, in the colorful hair department, you can see Katy knitting a Pop Spots shawl that totally matches her black & fuschia/purple 'do, on the right..

Despite the dock sign, we were on the Volsunga. Not the Sea Mist. Stony Creek dock sharing.

I love my knitting community- and special shout out to Linda- (photo upper left), June  & Julia of Knit New Haven , whose open table policy sets the vibe for this kind of adventure.
It was lovely- cool sea breeze on a warm day, great company, lots of food & drink & spying into the island houses, some knitting. I love putting together things like this. Want a cruise in your neck of the woods? I'll do it . Now there's a niche-- knitting cruise events coordinator.  But, why not, you know my policy: " is it illegal? No? I'll try it!"

* So about that shawlette. The lighter green yarn was from Maine in 2012 when I visited Swan's Island "seconds" bins. I love the color, it's like spring in Maine. The darker green yarn was a putty colored beige when my son brought it to me from Peru. A very botched dying job on my part, at Ellen Mason's  mentored dye tent at Fiber College left it, as she generously put it, "sad", so she took it home and sent it to me in this mossy green shade-also like the Maine woods. I had to knit them into the same piece, right? 
Nice pattern, though not big on details. Still, it's a fun little project, written for a color changing yarn but easy enough to stripe it yourself. 
 The image of me modeling it in the upper right goes against everything I'd teach: don't wear a bright white summer shirt and straw hat to model a wooly neck accessory, don't shoot on a rolling ship.. but  thanks to Linda Young for doing an awesome job despite the challenges.I am not an easy subject.
Photo credit to Janet Hager for the view of the snack table and knitters, 2nd from the top on left.  I was too busy having fun and sipping Prosecco to get that view.

Next up: need to tell you about teaching at Gathering of Stitches in Portland Maine. More to come!

countdown: get some class this weekend at Gathering of Stitches

Gathering of Stitches in Portland Maine--here I come!  Take one class or take 3.

Only 2 seats left for Saturday, but  room in each of the Photo editing and iphone Masterpiece classes on Sunday. Samantha offers a discount if you take any 2 or 3 offerings.

I have a special treat, too: discounts from PhotoJojo and BlogStomp for all participants! Thanks to both companies for their support.

A few words about the iPhone Masterpiece class: There are 2 remarkable things about this image, above. One is...OMG I posted a full body bathing suit view of myself online. If you follow me on Instagram ( I am galezucker there) you may have already seen this. Have I lost my mind??!!! Maybe. But I adore this photo, from Saturday. I was in one of my favorite places in the world, the beach in Delaware, with my most favorite people. I literally tossed my phone to Dave and said- get a photo of us, please.

He got the moment.  (Isn't Dave amazing? He takes maybe 10 photos a year and he nailed it). But as you can see, the shadows are in front of us, which means he was shooting into the sun, and the photo came out of my iPhone (a 4S-not even up to date) looking like this:

Which is typical, right? A few clicks with apps on my phone to convert it to better colors, with shadow details revealed, a color shift, and then cropped just the way I wanted it.  Knowing that Instagram is better squared, I edged it in off white to retain all the image info. Less than 5 minutes, you have to love that!

That's what we'll do in the iPhone masterpiece class. Keeping it all in our trusty little phones. The phonecam quality blows me away, and it's wonderful to have it always on hand, stuck into a pocket and no worries about thousands of dollars of optics getting wet or sandy (in my case). Works just as well if you're shooting knits or yarn or handcrafts, or whatever subjects float your boat. Join me for some phonecam fun. 

We can float our boats together. (iPhone image enroute to Nash Island earlier this month)

ps if you've been visiting my blog for a while, how do you like my new look? . This quick random update looks better than my old Blogger template, I am sure you agree.  More to come.

it's all good

I can't resist posting this unedited image from my first photoshoot with Lori Versaci of Versaci Knits last week. I love her adult designs, and oh my! her kids' sweaters are equally charming.

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In my head I've been doing all kinds of blog writing- but, obviously, not so much in the actual blog. Soon, I'll catch up!  (my persistent mantra). I even have finished projects and new ones underway.

Meanwhile: 
Only 10 days till the photo weekend classes in Portland Maine at Gathering of Stitches! 
Samantha , is  offering a great deal- if you bring a friend to one of myworkshops, they get 50% off. (personally I think this friend should then take you out to lunch or buy you a lovely craft beer..but that is for you to settle). 
The all-day Photography for Knitters & Stitchers & Handcrafters- Saturday June 28th  class is almost full, Photo Editing on Sunday morning is partially full . If you have taken a class with me before and wished we spent more time photo editing--or you simply want to learn what to do to your images to make them  snap online, or look just so --without investing much learning time and money in PhotoShop--then this class is for you. You don't need any advanced graphic/photo skills, I promise!
The iPhone Masterpieces class will, I hope, fill up soon- it is going to be out and out phun .
(yeah, groan, I know).

threaded

Natalie Chanin detail. Love her ideas, designs, and her hair .

Belatedly:  a truly extraordinary evening in NYC not long ago. It was an evening of conversation between Natalie Chanin (Alabama Chanin) and Ashley Christensen, the 2014 James Beard Award winning chef.  I know?!  Stepping outside my admittedly roomy box in this fashionable crowd.  Part of Makeshift 2014, held at The Standard, in the penthouse, on a perfect spring evening.

from the Alabama Chanin website "MAKESHIFT began three years ago as a conversation about the intersection of the disciplines of design, craft, art, fashion, and DIY—and, on a bigger level, using this intersection as an agent of change in the world. Since then, we’ve explored making as individuals, and how making as a group can open conversations and build communities."

Right up my CraftActivism alley. *  There were goody bags with needle, thread, templates, sharpies and fabric, because you know how you can listen better while you are making. And, piemento cheese, from Ashley.  Natalie taught finger knitting with  the strips of her cotton jersey, and then they led a discussion. 

Ashley Christensen on the right. Keep an eye on her. wow.

The crowd was heavily indigo-ed and good looking.

 

You'd have to be a robot not to love NYC on a spring night like this.

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* I had to throw in that little toot for CraftActivism, because it all is of a piece with the conversation. We interviewed Natalie Chanin, and she is quoted in the book, and I thought , at the time, she seemed very cool.  I admit it wasn't till this year that I have fallen, and fallen hard, for her design and whole aesthetic. There will be stitching this summer!

 

heading downeast

 Gone Sheep Rounding & Shearing

catch you next week- here's a couple glimpses from last year

* Were you one of the GIVEAWAY WINNERS from my joint with A Gathering of Stitches? Go here to check. And- there are still a couple of seats left, so join us in Portland Maine, end of June.

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giveaway! A Gathering of Stitches photo workshops & books

Hiya ! Enter between now and May15 May 22nd by leaving a comment on A Gathering of Stitches, saying what image of mine you like from sometime on this blog. Details at that link, and below.

Some people have had trouble leaving comment son the Gathering of Stitches blog. If that happens to you, leave a comment below, and you're entered. (and sorry!).

The backstory:  an out-of-the-blue email from a Samantha Lindgren arrived. She told me about her wonderful making space for stitchers & crafters in Portland, Maine. That sentence right there? has several of my favorite words in it, including the location.  Her space, A Gathering of Stitches,  was on my radar. Some of my favorite chums were teaching there - Mary Jane Mucklestone's Eeeeks! Steeeks! class come to mind- and block printing on fabric, and indigo, and of course it is my fondest dream to have a space like hers in my own community.

Anyhoo, Samantha was wondering if I'd be interested in a photo weekend, and oh by the way, did I remember her, with a different last name, she had been my photo editor, I used to shoot for her, for Forbes and People magazines. whaaaaat? We were both tickled to reconnect in the world of handmade.  

I know you've seen this before. I never tire of it.

So we put together classes that I've never offered before, and lined'em up so that you could take one, two or all three. Whatever floats your boat, so to speak (see that? Portland's a harbor city? I'm so lyrical).  

 Here's what they are, but click thru to get the full description and register from A Gathering of Stitches website.
• Photography for Handcrafters - Saturday June 28 9:30-4:30 (with a lunch break)
A full day to demo camera techniques, do hands-on shooting, explore photo editing and then have a critique of what we all shot .

•Photo Editing for Handcrafters - Sunday June 29   9:30-12:30
A tiny bit of shooting but mostly, you'll do lots of photo editing, using a simple user-friendly online software (not Photoshop) to make your images really stand up and crow. If you've ever wondered why your images lack the ooomph you thought they would have when you shot them, this is where you will learn the tweaks that make a good image look fabulous. Taught in non-jargon language, to boot!

•Make iPhone Masterpieces of Your Handcraft (and everything else, too) Sun June 29 1:30-4:30
Title says it all, right? Any smartphone welcome. This is going to be super fun. Because the best camera is the one you have on you, and we always have our little phones along.

Spread the word, too, OK?  If Portland Maine (easy peasy drive from anywhere n the Northeast, and has an airport right in town. Well worth a visit)) isn't within your June realm, there are giveaway books too. Check the link.

the road ahead! new places & a workshop giveaway

front of a new promo card I made for TNNA, featuring images from a Kirsten Kapur shawl shoot

 Here I sit between flights on my way to TNNA, the big knitting & needlearts tradeshow, in Indianapolis. It's all about business:  seeing industry clients & collaborators, catching up with yarn world friends, making new connections.  I offered  up small photo shoots at the last minute, and am thrilled beyond the beyond at who responded: Laura Nelkin, Angelia Robinson, and Zen Yarn Garden.*  Can't wait to land and scout me some killer locations. I've recruited my friend  and former New Havenite Stacey Trock of Fresh Stitches to reprise her model role for me.  Win-win all the way!

and speaking of winning...(smooooth segue, yes?) you must go over to the website for  AGathering of Stitches, the fabulous Portland Maine makerspace for stitching, knitting, surface design and all sorts of handmade. 

Kirsten's classic shawl, Cladonia

I'm going to devote a post to our plans... but let's cut to the chase: we've cooked up a photo weekend June 28-29th  at Gathering of Stitches:




















There's a full day Photography for Handcrafters (complete with shooting, editing & critiquing), and two fun new half day workshops: Shooting iPhone Masterpieces, and PhotoEditing for Handcrafters.  Take one, take two, take'em all...and best of all enter to win a seat for the weekend. Giveaway goes from now  till May 15 so click on over to there. 
If a trip to  Portland Maine isn't realistic for you, we're also giving away some books, so please do enter and spread the word. *Portland Maine is such an awesome city to visit- great arts, cool shops, great food, waterfront- it's, y'know, the other Portland.

But , more about that later. 
On the left, another image from my photoshoot with Kirsten Kapur Designs, if you are at TNNA you'll see this image and ask her about her shawl book project, OK?

the other side of my new promo card, 11th hour project before trip!

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I'd gladly accept an extra pairs of hands for the Saturday morning photoshoot, if you want to see us in action up close & personal, and possibly hold a reflector-- send me a note ezisusATsnetDOTnet

midweek making: Zoe sweater

 

About time Zoe got a new sweater, isn't it?

 

"Mine? Me!! "  She noticed when I started to sew on the buttons --and stayed right on top of me till they were all attached. These perfect buttons, had to get them at Vogue Knitting Live, even though I surely have a dozen in the old button tin that would work.

The sweater is Playful Stripes by Alana Dakos, I intentionally made it larger than needed, to last a while. But it came out even bigger than that. Yarn is mostly Dale Falk.

Accessories? All Zoe. She insisted on grabbing my red Thorpe* hat & her coordinating sippy cup. Girl's got style.

A test drive at the park. Extra floppy big sleeves? Did not slow her down.

Those picot sleeves and hem are what made me knit this--that and using all the stripey colors. And seeing a couple other versions at knit night....

Tulle and handknits. Can never go wrong.
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* Funny story about my Thorpe, and meeting Kirsten Kapur, the designer (now my friend & crafty collaborator, too) on this old post from December 2007, scroll down to the end.

next saturday in washington dc..and more...

I'll be at  The Knitting Loft in Washington DC teaching a Photography for Knitters class next weekend, April 12th noon-3:30. It feels like a great time to take out the camera and enjoy the world. Come join me, if you're in the VA/MD/DC area. There are a few seats left !

I'm picturing (yes of course that is how I think of things--pictures)  a festive spring day in our nations capital--who isn't ready for that? Also,  it's the 2nd weekend of the Metro DC Yarn Crawl. You could crawl earlier, acquire fun new yarn to shoot, then join us at this shop on Capitol Hill.
It has been a lonnnng winter here--I am really ready to get into some color--on the trees, in the skeins,wherever. What about you?

Fortunately, all my knitting projects right now have some color going on. Like this. It's a cardigan in Berroco Peruvia Pimienta I'm knitting for my friend and neighbor Sarah. She's an amazing artist & sewer, but doesn't knit .  She suggested we swap a sweater for a bespoke dress. Oh yes! I suspect she's going to be sorry, since she chose a pattern and yarn , snip-snap. I'm not nearly so decisive--we were both so ennervated by me choosing a pattern as a starting place for what I want, that we had to put aside choosing fabric for another outing.We chose this one, if you're curious.

 
And my Monster Cowl's  another colorful one   If you follow me on Instagram (I'm @galezucker there, my real non-sheep name) you may have seen this cheery bit of knitting. If you haven't knit any chevrons, I urge you to get something zig zagging underway. It's actually  hard to stop. I'm knitting it with these Shepherd's Wool skeins, lots of yardage, so no need to set limits -I may have to do a hat and mitts too. But maybe different striping sequence, so it's not too matchy matchy. Fashion note: I don't think you can be too chevronny, but you can be too matchy-matchy. 

Geez I am chatty today.  Just a couple more things, sort of random:
•  Look at the beautiful cowl  being raffled on Small Things blog. And enter (or, don't....because then my odds are better at winning...did I say that outloud?)

• I hate to think about the end  of summer, but a heads up that Fiber College, Sept 3-7th this year, has the Gees Bend Quilters coming to teach and talk and demonstrate. It's a mind bending cultural and craftual mix. Fiber College is always a mindbending craftual experience, so this year should really blow the hinges off the joint--if it had hinges I mean.. It is a very special place (my reveiws here and here) and most importantly--the classes listed are starting to sell out already. Consider yourself warned.

• I'm going to TNNA, I just committed.  Indiana!  I'll be  a free agent- not teaching, or booksigning or even with a booth,...just meeting and brainstorming....and I 'm taking appointments if you want to do a small photo shoot there for your patterns or sweaters or yarn or other business.  If you'll be there and want to meet about some other collaboration..I'm all ears. Give me a shout.

welcome to camp kitschy knits video

So thrilled I can finally share this one. Hit it!

From a hoot of a photoshoot for Camp Kitschy Knits, a business that sells handknit, 100% wool brand new sweaters from vintage patterns, mostly Mary Maxims. The sweaters are the handwork of Fair Trade Knitters in South America.

I'd like to go on record as first handknit sweater stop-action video with an original soundtrack of banjouke and concertina.
Where's my Oscar??!!!

When the client shipped me the garments for the photo shoot, I was expecting heavy rustic sweaters, but she sources lofty, super squishy soft wool yarn--they're so wonderful. And so funky. Cowichan! Curling! Archery! Scuba diving! Pheasants! Square dancing!

We decided  the best way to show them off was a glamping trip.  We borrowed an Airstream, gathered some models and friends, laid on the bright red lipstick,  amped up the retro makeup, made a campfire--and froze our butts off! It was a freakishly cold day, but you can see we had fun, anyway.
 Enjoy. And, give a like the Camp Kitschy Knits facebook page, wontcha?

dear heidi k, regarding my shellseeker...

I may owe you an apology. I've messed with your wonderful design. But I adore my Shellseeker.

It took me 3 tries to get it right. 
V1 finished last winter: too tight.   A double whammy of weight gain and gauge swatch fibbing. But you gotta love a top down pattern- I kept the sleeves and upper yoke, which just about fit, and ripped back to mid-bust . I re-knit down on larger needles.
That was V2, done last spring:   bad pooling over my stomach and hips. Like,  if I'd wanted to emphasize my width, I'd have left the kangaroo pocket and knit it in stripes, as the designer intended, right?. Still a little snug on hips. Also, the bottom ribbing kept flipping up.  RRRIIIPP out it came, back up to the bust, again.

One of the charms of the design is the front has side seam decreases with matching increases about 1/3 way across the front from each side, adding a nice line and structure but not actually adding stitches.
 V3 completed in December I skipped every other side decrease,  adding swing to the front. (Thanks to Kirsten Kapur and Mary Lou Egan for talking me down from the ledge of skipping all the decreases, I would have added like 8-9 " of swing instead of half that, and been on to V4.)
More V3 detail: I traded off skeins of the yarn, Malabrigo Rios in Pearl Ten so the pooling is less annoying, changed the hem to seed stitch, and exaggerated the split hem lengths, for added tush coverage. Let's see what else: no pocket in front, and a few rows of reverse stockinette in handspun along the neck and sleeves, which remains my fave detail on this .
Finally , about the loose fit:  by the time I finished the sweater in December, I'd lost weight -so it's got a truly sweateshirty fit (ahem no complaints) . 
As is obvious by my super unmatchy  shirt, pants and scarf,  this is the time of winter when I totally, and I mean totally,  give up on style.  Throwing this sweater on over whatever is Just The Thing.
Ok, leaving you with one more style thought:

My nephew and I have excellent taste in pants. Instagrammed at the zoo in DC, last weekend, in the snow/rain/slush.

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PS There's still room in a Photo for Knitters class I'm teaching on March 22nd at WEBS. Join me. It is a fab day trip, and when we're done shooting photos--umm, we're at Webs. Join me in escaping cabin fever!

and on we go...

I am sparing you a long, gushy, name-droppy* review of VogueKnitting Live in NY.   It was a joy to teach at it -and it was a joy to be an attendee. Amazing teachers, fun marketplace, and my fave: exhibits  in the lobbies of artists who work with yarn & fiber, including my friend Ruth Marshall. 
Meanwhile, me? I'm here & there, knitting.

exhibit a: the week ahead

phonecam shot of Shepherds Wool, click to see colors, ready to go!

Skeins with names that take me to another season. To make a Monster Cowl. Because new neckwear is so welcome in February.  I'm teaching & attending at Inspire, a photogapher's conference this week. My hope is for  a) lots of knitting time while I listen and b) get inspired.  I will likely be the lone knitter (or maybe the lone knitter-in-public).

exhibit b: this weekend

more phonecam : handspun and some yarn I impulse bought at Madison Wool

A new Kremlin. I misplaced my go-to winter hat. Bad timing, as it is a Hat-Required Month.  I recall putting this  fave hat somewhere about a week ago,  thinking "this isn't where I usually keep my hat but I can remember it here".... Um, no.  Although I whipped out my last Kremlin in 2012 with no problem, I am oddly confused by the pattern this time.

exhibit c1: gift knitting sent in January

 Valdai!  Before I sent it off to my sister, my neighbor Peg posed quickly.  Keep in mind it was less then 10 F (thats for Fahrenheit but it may as well be for Freakin') so no dawdling for Fancy Fotos.  As for the shawl, oh this was a fun one, and oh this Cirrus yarn is delicious to work with, 2 strands together. I used every last inch of the 4 skeins, shortening one of the ends. Sylishly assymetrical that way.  (Do not blame the pattern, blame me for not swatching, I am sure my gauge was looser than called for). My sister Marla loves it, I love being appreciated....

exhibit c2: when handknits are appreciated cont'd

 

Another gift, the hat for  bro-in-law LaMar. yes, that Lamar). Yes my sister Marla is married to LaMar, we call them LaMarLa. He endeared himself to me forever-even before this text- by reciting & reviewing every hat I've ever knit him, leading up to this gift.  He asked for something lighterweight, soft, with some slouch, and not too loudly colored because he wants to wear it at work.  I have to admit I struggled letting go of this one. It's Hissu, one of the charming  hats by this Finnish designer.   Road to China Light and stripes in handspun (thanks Archiknist) . More Road to China hats, definitely on the to-do list.

*reserving the right to do a long name droppy post soon....

gravity of color: lulu cowl

Happy 2014! Instead of  waiting for the  "start as you mean to go on" thing , I got a jump on my resolutions- if you insist on calling them that- in December.  Like, finishing projects.  It has been a march down FO Boulevard, a road that keeps on going.  My other intentions are to put things away as I use them, and keep the kitchen table clear. * Oh yeah , and keep moving** . And do more yoga.  .

One of the finished:  my sister Lulu's cowl, gifted to her last month.A a field trip to the New Britain Museum of American Art, to see the Maruice Sendak exhibit  gave us a chance to shoot it.

Also, gave us this perfect backdrop, an installation entitled The Gravity of Color made entirely of paper and plastic cups , by Lisa Hoke. It's breathtaking in person, so unexpected. I wouldn't normally choose an intensely colored and textured background but we both felt it the minute we saw it.

This cowl is my own design--to the extent that I can say that --I mean,  it's basically granny square stripes in the round, with big picot edges. Lulu dropped by the day I was blocking the last Big Ass Granny blanket and  wanted something granny too, but to wear around her neck at work. Further, she wanted it to be very colorful, in her colors,  to make a conservative blue jacket she'd just bought more handcrafty and artsy/funky looking.

Specific enough?  Anyhoo, she loves it.   And I love when someone loves what I make for them, don't you?  It came out about 6 1/2 " wide (including the edging) and about 72" in circumference. Lulu is even shorter than I am--she's a bit over 5 feet-- if that gives you  some perspective for the photo on top.

I used mostly worsted weight yarns, partial skeins: Cascade 220, Cascade Eco wool,  Brown Sheep Lambs Pride,  Berroco Ultra Alpaca , Berroco Peruvia and  some Aruacania that I seem to never ever ever ever run out of. And finally some handspun that Rebecca Hatcher gave me in a yarn swap.  All told it weighs about 600 grams, which is (I think , I'm a little sketchy at this) is about 1000-1100 yards.

It totally does the job of de-preppifying the blue jacket. Goal met.

Next I hope I'll be show you my finished Shellseeker. I have been wearing it so much that it already looks like a legacy sweater,. You would think a  professional photographer would have someone to help her get a decent sweater shot, wouldn't you? 

Meanwhile will I see you at Vogue Knititng live in NYC on the 17th or 18th? My Friday morning class is getting pretty full (if not full up) but the noon lecture, which is a fun one hour romp through  tips & tricks to your photos, is still open ( unlimited in size).
...and now the footnotes>>>>>>>>>
*keeping my kitchen table clear sounds like a metaphor but I mean it literally. It is in the dead center of the first floor of our house, in an open space, and everyone including me drops stuff on it as they pass by. Drives me nuts.
** Fitbit. My little friend/tyrant.  Recommended.

I am going to start replying to comments in the comments--after all these years, a little change for the new year!