recent work & upcoming TNNA workshops

Not sure I ever shared this adequately: last summer I photographed the book for Berroco Portfolio 3, pretty much a dream shoot for me. I just realized you can page through the complete lookbook online.

https://issuu.com/berrocodesign/docs/berroco_portfolio_vol_3 

(sorry! I can't seem to get this to embed. Please check it out though)
Of course, the version with the patterns is for purchase, these are all cotton and so so good. The Portfolio series are books by talented creative director Amy Christoffers' selecting indie designers to create pieces for a special collection. (We just shot Portfolio 4 last month. It  is wool, and spectacular, too.)

Finding the right location for a full book photo shoot is important. You'd think it'd be a breeze, but I spend hours (and hours)  poring over choices, what settings, backgrounds, facilities, costs, textures, accommodations are present before we choose. You could shoot the same collection on a city street and have a whole different feel, possibly wrong.  Or just blah.a

While we were deciding, I was lucky to be visiting with a sister and her friend in Vermont, who said she wanted me to meet her friends, in the final stages of renovating a notoriously dilapidated and crazily painted Victorian farmhouse in town. She didn't know I needed a location, she just thought I'd be interested.  I fell in love the minute I saw it, and was thrilled that they welcomed us to do our shoot there, and become some of the first guests ever at the stunning Amare Guest House in Chester VT.

The photo shoot took place on a ridiculously steamy hot day- utterly uncharacteristic for a Vermont summer- but it is hard to recall that, when I look at the photos now. The model, Ilima, is amazing.The rest of us were...glistening. And possibly more than a little whiffy.  But smiling!

TNNA is in Columbus Ohio in early June! 
I'm thrilled to be co-teaching three workshops with writer & crafter Beverly Army Williams, aka PoMoGoLightly again this year. Our workshops all fall under the rubric of marketing, communications & social media for yarn shop owners, indie designers and yarn companies, and really, any small business that has only two hands but wears many hats.  The schedule and course descriptions are all here.
Ours are planned  to be fun, useful and participatory, so you can use new skills & ideas for your business immediately.
•Smarten Up Your Facebook Page -Thursday
•Social Media on the Fly - Thursday
•Hands-on Workshop for Mobile Photography and Writing-Friday
and solo, I am offering
•iPhone/Smartphone-ography for Your Business- early Saturday, before the marketplace opens

 from a recent shoot for June Cashmere

If you sign up, feel free to message me in advance with anything in particular you'd like us to include. We love to tailor our workshops to the students.

granny squares with doc mason's edge

Four days and a long round trip drive to Chicago later.  It turns out that I only needed to bring this one project along, it held my attention and was a perfect companion.

Over the first seven hours of the trip, when I wasn't driving, I made the last five squares, to bring my total to 42. ThenI ripped out the first three squares and made them more interesting. Followed by having a stern talk with myself to prevent ripping out and re-doing any more.  Somewhere around Ohio, with just one painfully expensive speeding ticket in the glove compartment, and just as we finished the last chapter of S-Town *(recommend!), I grabbed the Doc Mason's yarn and started crocheting the outer edges, through to Indiana and then Illinois.

I seriously love this yarn. It's totally working to bring the squares together tonally. Some are relatively muted, like these two, some have, let's say, more punch than I really would like.

Yarn with that farm-y sheepy glow. Don't you want to huff the lanolin fumes? I'm dreaming a whole sweater of it now. I was lucky to get the last of the 2016 Doc Mason's but keep an eye out, Ellen is poised for  another trip to the mill, you can see the clip ready to roll from the link. 

My favorite sight from the trip was these three together again, if only for a few hours. Two of us drove out to Chicago, two flew. The four of us not in the Navy drove back together. Quality togetherness.

* We were completely absorbed by the S-Town podcast, to the point that Dave doesn't even remember seeing most of Pennsylvania, which  let me tell you, is a long long section of the trip. I found it the best kind of reporting and storytelling, and so brilliantly edited. We failed to latch on to any other podcast after it---but did discover that there's a Pandora station called Road Trippin' that was good for three hours of punchy-tired  singalong to mostly early 70's hits and got us home by 2am on Sunday.

long drive project options

Tomorrow morning we are hopping in the car and pointing it at Illinois, a lonnnng drive, to witness our younger son graduate from Navy boot camp.*  

But that's not what I'm here to blab about,(mostly). I'm here to consider my options. As we all know, the great joy of a 900 mile drive each way is car knitting time.

Do I take all of these? Some? One? And...what podcasts would you be listening to?**

option a) The granny squares!  Seen above, I have 37 of 42 done in a kaleidoscope of  Noro Silk Garden scrap and leftover mixed colors. Five more won't take long to complete.

 I decided on the wonderful farm-y natural Doc Mason's yarn to edge them all, and bring them  back to earth. Above, two test squares-. I tried iton squares with especially bright rounds,  to see if I like the punch + earthy combo. I do! I can edge and weave in ends for miles and miles....

option b) that 2nd brioche cowl. It's hypnotic and rewarding (fast growth and cool looking stitch) ..but if I fuff it up by distraction, could be trouble.

option c) Dave's Zacapa. I love this knit. Pro: I've got most of one sleeve and half the body done. Con:  He will not wear it till next October at best.... Unless my fantasy trip to  Norway happens this summer...which would be...make-believe amazing .

option d) My Half-Hansel just needs to have the edging knit on. Such a dreamy knit. It's a series of triangles with simple lace that repeat, attached to the body of the shawl as they are added. I put it aside when things got chaotic and busy last Fall-- this might be a good stretch of uninterrupted time to get the repetition going.

option e) wait, did I mention my beautiful big bump of  Jill Draper Makes Stuff Empire?  It's for a Farmhouse Cardigan by Amy Christoffers.  Pro:  It would be a perfect long trip knit.  Con:  I  feel guilty jumping into a new knit with these  others unfinished plus.. I haven't wound off any of the yarn yet!!

So what would you bring?

*That's right. These hippy vegetarians have two sons. One a butcher. The other in the military, a new sailor planning to become a Navy medic. I am totally proud of them both and love them to pieces. They are good people.
That's parenthood for ya!

 ** We've got S Town queued up so that's a good chunk of time. I already listend to Missing Richard Simmons (loved it), and I have lots of Fresh Air, WTF and The Moth on tap but I'd love another long form podcast if you know of any great ones.

two color brioche knitting

Soo...we last left me granny square in hand, a distraction/obsession that continued right up to my teaching gig at Mohonk Mountain House.  The trance was broken when Kirsten mentioned she had a very large brioche class the next morning, and I offered to be her guinea pig, for a 2 color brioche lesson.
My last brioche project was one color, flat, a few years back, and did not leave me with a love for the stitch. You can see it  here.  In truth, brioche is  a beautifully rhythmic stitch. But its structure is different enough from stockinette that it requires some brain stretching. And this time I had a private lesson from an excellent teacher....

But, maybe a brioche lesson at midnight with a glass of sherry isn't the smartest way to learn ? I went to bed after totally messing it up, then  woke up the next morning determined to cast on and prove I'm not an idiot.  Conveniently, Jill Draper was vending yarn. She picked out this  duo of Windham  for me. I adore her color sense. I mean, that light mushroomy color that I love looks bad on me, except when entwined with her rosier pink hue.

Once under control, this brioche  two color in the round gallops along pretty quickly, looks amazing and has a fabulous squooshiness and depth. Now I get the popularity.  I wouldn't categorize two color brioche as Drop Dead Easy but it is addictive.  Two weeks later, I was cruising along, adding switched MC/CC sections. I was planning to make it extravagantly tall, when my mom saw it and fell for it hard. She said she owns no cowls and has never knit brioche herself. Despite living  in Maryland, where she will not need a cowl till next December, this is going to be her Mothers Day present. I cast off at a height  that'll still be tons of volume on a petite older lady.  I'm thrilled, it's an honor to have a knitting request from an expert knitter. It's now the best part of the project!

And second best part...? I have enough Windham left to make one for myself, as well.

I'll tell you more about the granny square situation, another day.

granny square revival + Mohonk Mountain House

It started innocently enough: I was invited to teach at the Mohonk Mountain House Knitting Weekend March 17-19th with Jill Draper, Kirsten Kapur, Cal Patch, Clara Parkes and Paula Kucera of White Barn Farm. Yes please!  I've always wanted to go to that grand old lodge in the Hudson Valley of NY, and this is a group of knitters I adore.  They'll teach knitting and I'll teach Iphone-ography and Learn to Make Granny Squares. Kirsten and I will also give our slide show/multi media Drop Dead Easy Knits talk, with trunk show and booksigning. Lovely!

Didja catch that? I'm teaching granny squares! Oh, the humble granny square. So strangely satisfying. So old fashioned but bold. So fun to play around with color and contrast.  So much not what I usually teach. 

Which explains why I thought I'd play with leftover Noro Silk Garden to make samples, showing how crocheting yarn with long color changes makes easy squares, with beautiful color but no need to stop and think about changing colors or make any decisions. 
Three squares in, I had to be honest. They looked mushy. The geometry of the granny square wasn't shining through.  I ripped out all but that one on the left, above.   I switched it, as shown on the right: Changing colors every round, mixing the leftover bits and skeins I have on hand. So much better. I figured I'd make 4 squares. 
But I can't stop. I was away last weekend, took a sweater project that went untouched. But granny squares? Oh yes.

I've moved fully into can't stop/won't stop.  How serious is it? I am starting to stalk Ravelry for small destashes because my bag o'Noro bits is almost empty. (Do you have any to get rid of? No!just kidding!  But..not really..... I mean, I'll use small amounts.....)  I'm having a blast with it.

FYI: I thought I'd be super clever and use only my iPhone to shoot these granny squares. Get it? Because those are my two classes at  Mohonk Mountain House Knitters Weekend.I really can't wait.

There are just a few spots left . Its fabulously timed to treat yo'self. See you there?

spontaneity & the snazzy cowl photo shoot

Knitwear designer Laura Nelkin asked me to shoot  for her while we were both in NYC for Vogue Knitting Live a couple of weeks ago. But of course! Look what happened :
Are you singing Its Raining Men yet? Go to that link.  Dare you to sit still- and not smile.
It's the Snazzy Cowl.  Pretty fabulous, right?

We'd decided on Times Square for the photo shoot, using out of focus bright lights big city as the background, and Laura's adorable daughter Bella modeling.

There are only so many ways to pose with a light weight cowl: let it hang around your neck, hold it up covering your smile to show off the full stitch work, lay it out flat, look down and gaze into  it wistfully holding an empty coffee mug...(JUST KIDDING, WE DON'T DO THAT POSE HERE)...or hold it up towards the camera. Done, done and done.Then we saw a group of young guys do handstands in unison on the steps.

As the handstand dudes were walking away, I scurried over to ask what the deal was. College gymnasts from Arizona, just competed at West Point, tourists for the morning.  Q: Would they mind doing handstands around a knitwear model?  A: Enthusiastic yes!

They choreographed doing flips on the steps all around Bella before we knew what was happening. Laura's heart may have stopped for a few minutes seeing feet flying near Bella's head...but they nailed it.

Next up...can I get the Rockettes to do a kickline in handknit socks? Why not?

sidekick hat + drop dead easy knits at vklive nyc

Join me and Kirsten Kapur with Drop Dead Easy Knits at Vogue Knitting Live  NYC this Sunday January 15, 2017 at the Dragonfly Fibers booth, NOON-3 PM  

If you already have our book,  come say hi and show us what you've been knitting from it.

 We will squeal with delight. I promise. 

I should be showing off my Sidekick Hat that I'm so so so close to finishing, knit in two colors of Dragonfly Fibers Djinni Sock . This design by Mary Lou Egan might be the most addictive colorwork pattern ever. It just flies. There's something very gratifying about seeing the squares build up, I keep wanting to knit just another couple of rounds.....
This all over pattern makes it look harder than it is, or you could say, makes me look more skilled than I am!  I (understatement alert) do not have the best memory. Yet, I haven't had to look at the chart since the eighth row. That means truly it is simple-- something you can knit while chatting, or watching, say, multiple episodes of Lilyhammer late at night.
 It is easy to track as you go, two colors, no float longer than four stitches(meaning the color not being used that is carried along the back), so you don't get all twisted up in catching long strands.  It's a good beginner colorwork project.  BTW? Colorwork with big graphics seems like it should be easy, but often isn't. Reference my stalled Passerine, to be continued at a calmer time when I can concentrate on the chart and long floats.

As far as choosing the yarn ....tough decisions!  Looking over the colors had me spinning. Kate's dyeing and colors are varied and beautiful. Contrast between the two yarns is important, and I worried about the variegated yarn detracting from the graphics. 
I settled on one almost solid neutral (Silver Fox, top), and a super bright (Oriental Poppy, bottom).  Although the pattern is written for sport weight, this fingering weight yarn works perfectly.  The range of contrast and color withing the Oriental Poppy is no  problem.  I absolutely LOVE how it looks knit in the repeats.

Lastly:
How thrilling is it to see PussyHats taking off? How're yours coming along? I've scavenged up the last couple of pink skeins here and am awaiting acquisition to knit more bulky last minute hats. Hot tip: Dragonfly Fiber  is offering their pinks at 15% off. through Sunday 1/15. I think I know what I may bring home from the weekend.

the pussyhat project

 1:30 am on January 1st,  I cast on a PussyHat, in support of the Pussy Hat Project .  I wanted to start 2017 right.

Even though I had to rip it and start over at 9 am (thanks bourbon drinks by the bonfire at midnight! love ya too!), it felt good. I can't attend the Womens March on Washington  January 21st  but I am thrilled that my sister Marla will be wearing it there. 

Also thrilled that this act of Craft Activism is spreading across the country. HuffPo coverage here, and lots more links and info roundup over on the MDK website today.  

Through knitting a hat, we can support the bodies and cold heads, and the efforts of those marching in Washington. It's a way to connect physically and concretely.

The original free pattern by Kat Coyle is simple and knit flat. An evening's easy effort if you knit it in a chunky* alpaca, as I did.  It doesn't take much googling around to find versions knit in the round, crocheted, ribbed all over, roll brim etc. Kat is a fabulous artist and designer, profiled in CraftActivism, a connection I loved making when I photographed her for the book. (I know! I get to meet the best people, I am very lucky).

On Facebook, source of false info daily (seriously, can that be their motto?) I read some  knitters whining that "they had to buy a kit" to make the Pussy Hat- FALSE. Free patterns plus whatever yarn you want to MacGyver together.  Don't have pink? use another color. Or get some pink Kiwi Koolaid and make it pink. 

Lastly, I read a popular knitpodcaster asking if it trivializes the Womens March. NO. It does not.  If you click on over to the original project pattern PDF there's some info about why the color pink and the pussycat ears.  Aside from the symbolism, The Pussy Hat Project offers knitters a way to contribute in the way we love best. By the work of our hands.  A feeling of unity and a visible symbol that will be quite media friendly are not trivial. That is what large assemblies in Washington are all about. A sea of pink pussy hats on the national mall ? yes.

My sister Marla sent this selfie when she received hers in the mail, last night.  If you see her, say hi. (she's @marlaatelierista on Instagram, if you like Reggio-inspired art education, public activist art, lots of color and joyful photos)

Are you knitting one? If so , which pattern and any mods how did it turn out? While typing this I agreed to make a fuschia one for a stylish friend. I need to do it right!

* for my chunky alpaca pussyhat, I cast on 38 stitches, on size US9 needles, more details here

mostly hats: the gift knitting roundup report

For a son's girfriend, I asked if she'd like a hat, and if she had any preferences.  She requested silvery grey and black. She likes it a lot! It even got an "oh wow" from the fairly knit-jaded son himself.
Pattern: Eau Claire Hat by Melissa Schaschwary
Pompom: un-naturally black rabbit fur. All the  LYS sold out, as did online sources, what with furry pompoms all the rage. Luckily furry pompom key chains are a thing, too. After ordering one online and de-chaining, it worked out quite nicely. 
Notes: I love this pattern. Want one for myself. This was knit in Cascade 128, chosen for its color, softness and twist, and of course, weight. It was such a speedy knit, I swear it took me longer to secure the pompom than to knit it. I could have done one more repeat for a slightly slouchy hat but I was worried I'd run out of yarn. It fits great as is.

Two custom colorwork hats. These are a blast to knit. 
Pattern: Headford Hat from Drop Dead Easy Knits is a perfect blank template. Add stripes, or fair isle style graphics, or whatever stitches you want.   Well, yeah, of course I am biased, by being co-author of the book,  but I swear, it really is an ideal launchpad of a hat. And cute as a simple solid too.  I am predicting more of these in my knitting future.  Colorwork makes a knit fly for me. I guess I like the immediate gratification of seeing the picture form?
 Notes: the owly one is for my bro-in-law who likes a tight fitting beanie style, and requested something quirky or fun this year, when queried for his annual hat. It's in the mail now, crossing my fingers that he'll be happy. 

the snowflake one is for Yliana, my unofficial foster daughter who is 21 now and in her own apartment, an all around good egg, that one. She commented that snowflake motifs were appealing to her this winter, so I went with it, and I know she likes these colors.  It's actually  dark red and a light grey, but it reads as white. Color is so fascinating, isn't it?  This hat is slouchier in length from cuff to crown and knit at a slightly looser gauge than the owly hat. (and, yes, I did only shoot it with the jog showing? why??? I do not know!)
All of the motifs are from 150 Scandinavian Motifs by Mary Jane Mucklestone.  I page through this book all the time obsessively plotting more hats and yoked sweaters.  One of a few brilliant purchases I made toward the end of 2016.  (my electric teakettle is another, if you are wondering) (and my dozen remote control votive candles, hyggely as they are)

Azel Pullover and Big Wool Little Hat for Zoe-- adorable factor off the charts, right? Also - intense pink fluffiness off the charts. It's knit in Rowan Brushed Fleece, which is so light and fluffy,  to the point it barely holds its shape. The light fluffiness has made it a huge hit with Zoe, so no complaints from me. The design is  a rectangle folded over, a tube of mistake rib for the turtleneck and some buttons holding the sides closed below the arm, it actually doesn't have much shape, anyway.

Buttons from Pins and Needles in Princeton NJ. I don't think I could have found a better button for this one! They're mix and match flowers on the hearts. The design is for buttonholes along the edges but given that they aren't functionally necessary, and heart shaped buttons can slip out of bulky button holes easily, I skipped making buttonholes and just sewed them on through both edges.  
 
The whole shebang is a hit. Suits her, doesn't it?

There's one more hat, but it's in the mail and I'll wait to show it. Let's just say you'll be seeing a lot just like it between now and January 21st! My CraftActivism friend, the wonderful  Kat Coyle and the Little Knittery are making it happen!

POP UP ! wood print sale

I'm trying something new! A POP-UP sale of some of my photographs on wood.

I've been selling these as limited edition prints on wood by special order for a couple of years but I thought it'd be fun to share them online for one day for a few days.  Why not?

All the INFO and DETAILS are on the order page here. Except it is unlikely that you will receive them before Dec 24th.

At first I worried that printing photographs on maple would be gimmicky or look tacky--but with some careful choice of which images I use, I love them.  The wood is lovely and heavy, and there's a keyhole so they are ready for hanging. The grain shows through the lighter parts of the imagery--which is why the choice of photo is so important. The finish is a matte laminate so it goes with the modern natural vibe.
These are 6x6" square, and are 1/2" deep.  

And I'm going to make all this disappear soon! Kind of fun. Let me know what you think!
Order from link here, or you can email me with questions gale@gzucker.com .

Back tomorrow with the usual content :-)

it's time for Trip Mitts' return

Trip Mitts-- a pattern you can knit (in multiples) before the holidays.For yourself. or not.
Do you listen to the Twinset Designs podcast? I'll confess I am a slacker  in the knitting podcast department--I am picky picky about who I listen to. And I just plain forget to seek and listen.  Which is a shame because there are some brilliant podcasters out there, making a great mix of friendly chat, smart ideas and knitting information that inspires and illuminates. 

 I was lucky to be part of an interview with Ellen and Jan of the Twinset, when they caught me and my co-authors at Rhinebeck, (photo swiped from Twinset Jan's IG feed , thanks Jan!), this is Team Drop Dead, in which two of us are wearing matching sweaters, the Keynote Pullover. To be upfront, Twinset Ellen, 2nd from left,  is our tech editor (she is amazing!) and we have been friends for s few years. However, I still think their review of Drop Dead Easy Knits, in Episode 85 with our interview,  is well worth a listen.

I was thrilled that Ellen mentioned my Trip Mitts at the end of the segment--she'd tech edited them when they were going to appear in our book.  They got cut. We had more than enough content, and an editor thought they were too rustic.

It was understandable-- I know my design sensibility is on the brux side. I released the pattern alone,  last year. And since the season is nigh for quick knits that make great gifts--and quick knits to wear on your poor cold hands--I'm bringing it back for your attention.

The pink ones are knit in Anzula Oasis. And the blue ones are some handspun wool and a teeny bit of a marigold yarn for the closure.DK weight for both, but you can sub almost anything. See the project page to get what I mean! Stashbusters, for sure.

top 10 reasons to attend Big Apple Knitters Guild 12/10/16

10. Kirsten Kapur and I have a brand new slide talk we're debuting, and narrating. Come see how many times we both start to talk at the same time and then say"oh no, YOU  o ahead""No, YOU!", then laugh, in unison

9. The trunk show will be there! Don't you want to wrap up in the Glama , as Josephine does here, and see how delicious it feels ? (super easy chunky drop stitches make it drapey and delish).

8. Also check out the Keynote Pullover, which (so far) looks excellent on everyone.

7. If you aren't already a member, this is your chance to check out the Big Apple Knitters Guild for free ( if it is your first time dropping in), or  for a modest $5. guest fee. Either way, worth it. They have great programming.

6.  We are bringing a mountain of our book and would love to sign them for you (or to give as gifts).  Seriosly, don't you love receiving a knitting book with 30 patterns plus a knitting accessory like stitch markers, or a LYS gift certificate, as a present?  (please forward to my family members, or yours,  as needed).

5.  The coasters! As far as we can tell, we are the only knitting book that has a natural cork drink coaster that is your attendance lagniappe. Because our patterns go well with sipping.

4. Tips and tricks. We're givers like that! Kirsten is sharing her favorite tools and how she wields them. Knitting muscle explained !

3. More tips and tricks! Kirsten is also sharing her top lace tricks. I've known her well for years now and just learned one of them last night. For reals.

2. Oh, even more tips and tricks! I'll be sharing my best secrets for photographing knits without too much fuss, to make killer images of all things yarny.

And the # 1 reason: Knitters gonna knit. Whether you need a break and just treat yourself to a couple of hours basting in the juicy knit talk --or you are heelbent on holiday knitting, and teh collective knit energy will move you faster, it'll be an afternoon worth joining in.

Hope to see you there! Leaving you with a taste of our drop Dead Easy Knitting wisdom...

december post 1- more bulky

Not to be adding on to your generalized anxiety but there aren't that many knitting days before you need to present gifts.  Let us put aside the dream of fine gauge socks* or mitts unless they are something like Trip Mitts which I, ahem, heartily recommend as a last minute gift.

Let us cast on something bulky and stylish. Like the Wilderness scarf. Super fast.
When I shot this for Tahki I totally fell for it.  You know I am a sucker for fringe, but it is more than that--it has a modern western/bohemian vibe to love.  The yarn is a  wool tape, like soft thin strips of wool felt.   It makes me wonder if I could knit this by cutting very thin strips of  wool yard goods or recycled coats....(warning, warning, do not go there, will not be a simple fast project.....buy the yarn....)

 Karin Strom,  creative director and stylist for the shoot (on the right--and that is the wonderful Stacy Charles himself in the center. Yes! He's a real person --- I love working with him), paired it with a vintage coat and multiples of the scarf.

One scarf makes a fabulous gift--and the yarn, Tahki Spencer,  comes in some bright colors in case your giftees aren't into earth tones.

A little BTS; the Fashion Director for the collection, Conley Averett, wondered if we could spread the scarf out and shoot it as a shallow shawl. There's always a bunch of scootching and sshhjushjing of the knits on the model, to try different looks at a shoot. Sometimes one of us interprets the piece totally differently (as in--ohhhh I though those were shorts--not an oversized slouch hat with ears...ohhhh) and eventually we settle on the look that works best.

So Wilderness is knit on size 15 needles The yarn isn't super hefty, yet it holds up perfectly to the open design. And the fringe lays flat so nicely. You could substitute other yarns, it'd look great but differnt vibe  in something with a teeny bit of a halo, or in a nice rustic yarn, or a yarn with long color changes, too.  

* as for me? I'm speeding through that bulky fuschia Azel (scroll to end) when Zoe isn't looking, and just cast on for another gift hat...on size us3 needles. Living dangerously on that one. 

How's your gift knitting going? Have you checked  into the MDK Lounge for moral support? When are Kay and Ann going to crack out the eggnog and high quality chocolates for us, is my question?????