They will all be personalized at the top with our names. I am going to make six stockings; four for us, one for the cat (the kids insist) and one for my mother in law who is often with us on Christmas morning. So I’m one quarter of the way to being finished, and it’s only March 5th!

The yarn I’m using is Bartlettyarn Maine Wool and it is so woolly and sheepy and farmy. You know I love it.

Guess what else? Today is Maggie’s birthday. She is SEVEN. Here she is on her first birthday (I always post this picture, I can’t even help myself).

And here she is at her little party on Saturday, hugging the beef jerky that her father gave her. She is his daughter, that’s for sure.

Happy Birthday, sweet Maggie!

It was about halfway through my first semester of photography school that I started knitting like crazy. There came a point when I felt like I couldn’t take a picture to save my life, and I found solace in the knowledge that I am, in fact, a very good knitter. I kept at it with the camera, but also churned out knitted FOs like a boss. It saved me.

Shown above is the family of slippers that were made to replace outgrown and holey pairs. The moccasins are from the book Felted Knits by Bev Galeskas and the others are adult and kid sizes of the famous Felt Clog pattern, also by Bev Galeskas.

A Noro Striped Scarf, knit with four different and unknown shades of Noro Silk Garden. This is at least the third one of these I’ve knit. I find it endlessly fun, totally mindless, and highly wearable. Won’t be the last one I make.

This is the Charoite Hat and Mittens from my Crystal Collection eBook. It’s knit with worsted weight yarn, and works up quickly. Instant knitting gratification; I needed that this semester.

Oh! Talk about instant gratification! When Kate released the Snawheid pattern I downloaded it and packed needles and yarn in my backpack within about 5 minutes. It was one of those patterns that I knew I needed to knit the second I saw it. I made two with Nature Spun Sport and they are both still pompomless for now.

Phew! That was a lot of sanity-saving knitting.

The beginning of this semester had a slow start as we got acquainted with the labs, the equipment, and each other. Before we could check out cameras, we had to be taught how to use the cameras. Before using the enlargers, we had to be taught how to use the enlargers. Et cetera. At this point, we are in full swing, shooting our own film using medium format cameras, developing it ourselves, making prints in the darkroom, and mounting prints for presentation. IT IS FUN.

Here’s one of the first projects I did – a photogram. It was a way to get our feet wet using the enlargers.
(NB: We haven’t done any digital work at all, that will come next semester I think. All these pics below are only pictures of the work, not the actual work. Are you picking up what I’m laying down? Moving on…)

We mounted them, then had an in-class critique.

Before really getting to work on our own photos, we started learning how to mount our work. Here’s a picture of my first mounting assignment, using a leftover print from a previous student.

The black edge shows the mat board. We use a dry mount press with tissue to secure the print. For me, this precise measuring and cutting of the mat board reminds me a lot of quilting and cutting fabric.

Our first real photography assignment involved gray cards and various lighting situations using the Sunny 16 rule of exposure.

Because we had not yet learned how to develop the film ourselves, one of our teachers did it for us, in the pro-lab that they have on campus. I only had to re-shoot this assignment once, which I counted as a success! Matching gray cards in the darkroom, though, proved a trying experience. I used a lot of paper.Here’s a pile of 4×5″ prints that I went through trying to get it right.

Just this week my second order from B&H arrived; more film and more paper. I have a feeling it won’t be my last order!

Here’s the film we’re using. It’s 120 film for medium format cameras.

And my camera!

This gal has given me a lot of grief the past few weeks. It’s older than most of the cameras my classmates use, and the main issue I’m having is with the gears. Film spools that were used when this camera was made were just slightly bigger than films spools of today (and film was thicker, too). So the gears are calibrated in such a way that my frames overlap by up to 1/8″, which is not okay when you are required to print your negatives full-frame. Luckily, there’s a very clever camera expert who works on our school’s cameras, and he suggested I tape my spools to make them slightly larger. And by God it worked! No more overlapping frames! Just when I had that problem solved, the shutter in the lens stopped working.  Sporadically. But it’s working now so keep your fingers crossed for me.

Here’s my green light meter, which was required for use on our “motion” assignment. And all future assignments I presume.

And probably the most exciting thing I’ve done so far — develop my own film!

That’s a rather mundane picture of what is an exceedingly exciting (and at turns infuriating!) process. Going into the dark with a roll of exposed film, coming out with negatives! It’s magic (and science). I’ve only ruined one roll of film so far, and that was a result of my own stupidity.

A handful of my classmates have already felt the pressure and have dropped out. I’m not specifically sure what their reasons were, but the lab is nicer without the crowds, as harsh as that sounds. And even though we’ve had a lot of projects to do, I have a feeling that it’s only just the beginning. We are preparing for a career where missed deadlines means lost jobs, and shoddy work is unacceptable. The high standards are there for a reason, and not everyone can keep up.

I feel like I’ve learned so much these past few weeks, but with that comes the feeling that I know nothing about photography. Absolutely nothing. I am grateful for the slow start. I look forward to the challenges. Getting to know all my classmates is fun. I really am having the time of my life.

Birthday Sale

Now through Thursday, October 18th take 33% of any single Zigzagstitch pattern or eBook.
Use the coupon code THIRTYTHREE in your shopping cart to receive the discount.

All of my self-published designs are eligible for the discount. Find them here.
Note: You can use the code once, for one purchase. The discount works on multiple patterns only if you add the eBook to your shopping cart!

May I suggest?

Year after year the End of May eBook remains my number one selling item. Use code thirtythree and get both patterns for just $6.03!

The Crystal Collection was published in June, and now that mitten and hat season is imminent, it’s time to grab this eBook! Six patterns for $18 is a nice deal, but use the code thirtythree to get the collection for just $12.06! WOWZA!

Or have a look at all the pattern on Ravelry! Thank you for helping me celebrate, and thank you for hanging around!

This first pattern is Synchronicity, or 11:11. From the pattern: “The 11:11 scarf if a mind-focusing project that gives you an opportunity to reflect on your spiritual purpose in life.” I knit one. I had revelations. Get your copy for just $3 on Ravelry. The pictures:

You can see it’s a straightforward pattern that gets it life from your yarn choice and the energy you put into it while knitting. I used a hand spun, hand dyed BFL which obviously was amazing. I’ll have to snap a pic.

The next pattern, which we just photographed yesterday, is Vivacity! It’s a sweet open-front sweater, constructed with lacy squares sewn together. This one is $5 and is available on Ravelry right now!

The other option for getting these patterns or any of Cindy’s other designs is to visit her website www.KnitFocused.com.  Cindy also is really getting into the groove with her tweeting. Check it. She needs more followers!

Yeah, it was too early for actual sunlight. Good thing I grabbed my flash at the last second! Considering he is going to a school where he doesn’t know anyone, and will be in a more challenging environment, he was surprisingly calm. I’ve been thinking about him all day and I hope he’s doing well!

Maggie, sweet Maggie, started first grade today. She popped out of bed with a smile on her face and didn’t stop talking for one minute. She is excited about school. Her teacher said they will be having a classroom pet and that is obviously the most exciting news in the entire world. We did not know if Humphrey the Hamster would be there today, but I’m sure I’ll get a full report when she gets home. Her bus was late so we had time for more pictures,  in the daylight this time.

Where does the time go, exactly? Because I’d really like to know. It feels like we just did this.

Happy school days, everyone! I hope it’s a great year!

Here’s my new backpack (in real life it is more in focus). It was a gift from my mother-in-law and I got to pick it out myself. I absolutely needed a new backpack because I start school tomorrow (says the girl with more bags of all kinds than anyone could ever need, but whatevs).

One of the requirements I used to choose this pack was the availability of “open spaces” on which to sew the patches I’ve been collecting for years. I settled on the Quad Backpack from LL Bean. Only after I started sewing the patches did I realize this was a dorky sort of thing to do (says Gerald) but I am old enough now not to care about being dorky. Because I’m not that uncool, mostly.

The most necessary tools for this project were my thimble, which is silver and does not fit on my large man fingers, and those good sharp needles. It is hard to 1) sew through thick backpack material and 2) maneuver such a cumbersome object as a backpack while 3) blanket stitching patches with thick glue backing meant to be ironed. I sewed on one or two patches each day, only poked myself badly once, and now she is completely dorkified.

Confession. So, most of these patches I picked up at the places they depict. But, once I started sewing I realized I needed more patches to fill in more of the spaces and display things that are important to me (gosh that is SO dorky). So I went on ebay and cheated (says Gerald). The Buffalo patch was not purchased in Buffalo, even though I’m from there and take great pride in being a Buffalonian. It came from ebay. And the Bills and Giants patches? Also ebay.

My favorite patch is the Blue Ridge Parkway one because it is the prettiest. It was also the hardest to sew, based on its location and thickness. But I love it.

The Have a Nice Day patch is hidden under a flap, just in case I am not feeling friendly on a given day.

Tomorrow is my first day at school, almost a year after I decided that this was something I wanted to do. Yeah, I went in the Spring for some of my general ed requirements, but tomorrow is the first time I’m taking the photography classes. I feel ready but nervous, not really knowing what to expect. It’s that freshman feeling all over again.

But at least in terms of carrying books and school supplies? I’ve got that covered.

Well, there was another baby this year, and another teddy bear came to live with me for a while and left with a personalized sweater vest. It took me a while to get started on this project but once I got it on the pins all went smoothly. There were no gauge issues this time, and therefore no steek was needed. It’s a simple vest, but cute, I think. My Aunt, who commissioned the vest for her great-grandbaby, says that it’s “displayed” with the other bear. No higher praise for a knitter, right?

This bear vest says “conley” and is knit in the same pattern and yarn so they’re matchy-matchy brothers. I never wrote the pattern down or anything, so when it came time to knit the second vest I referenced the pictures from the first vest. Check him out!

Cute, right? Part of the cuteness is definitely the bears, which I believe were handmade by my Aunt! These guys are family heirlooms and I’m honored to be a part of their story.

What you need to know about the pattern:

The pattern, Suspender Sweater, is from Knit One Knit All (scroll down), the posthumous garter stitch frenzy book by Elizabeth Zimmermann.  I started this sweater over a year ago. Maggie was smaller then, but there were just a few adjustments needed to make it work with her current size without starting from scratch.  The pattern is written as a regular pattern (with regular directions like, “cast on…sts”) but also has all the information necessary to adjust for any gauge and any size. I figured out my gauge using Nature Spun Sport on size US 4 and went from there.

I experienced a lot of trouble with various aspects of this project, none of which were anyone’s fault but my own, I assure you. First I had trouble picking up stitches. Then I misunderstood the meaning of the word “center”. Next I knit the first sleeve too narrow and didn’t admit this until the sleeve was almost fully knit. After that I knit the second sleeve too long, and really there is no excuse for that sort of thing when you have the first sleeve (complete with easy-to-count stripes!) to compare it to. Finally, I had to unsew one of the woven (garter stitch kitchener) side seams and re-do it because apparently the direction in which you do that trick matters.

But from the very beginning of this project I pictured the finished sweater and thank goodness because that is a lot of roadblocks to overcome. I knew this sweater was going to be The Cutest. And finally this morning I saw the results of all that knitting, unknitting, reknitting, ad nauseum. It’s exactly as cute as I hoped it would be.

What you need to know about the pictures:

Maggie likes the sweater much more than she likes modeling the sweater for pictures. I really wish you could have heard the monologue she performed during our 10 minute photo shoot. It was a lot of “Wouldn’t it be good if we went on the tire swing?” and “I’ll be right back, I need to get my bird!” and “Let’s go over here!” and “I’ll put on this bonnet!” until I was exasperated and had to remind her that I was in charge of the pictures and please do what I say!

Maggie did her own styling, including props.

I took a bunch of pictures and a lot of them are posted here. There are even more in the Suspender Sweater set on flickr.

First, a picture of the underarm; the sleeve (top) is a sewn seam and the side (bottom) is the woven garter stitch. Details. They matter.

And now the model, my Maggie.

One last picture. When I was ripping out the first sleeve Maggie drew me a surprisingly accurate schematic in order to help me get it right the next time. I was sort of blown away.

I got it right, Mag! Finally!

Yesterday because it wasn’t too hot (just kidding, it was definitely too hot!) I asked my mother-in-law Noreen to model the shawls, both now finished and blocked. She obliged, even without knowing her payment would be wool. And not just any wool, but wool that had already been knitted into a shawl. And a stunning shawl, at that!

Here’s Noreen in the Thalia Shawl, previously blogged about, but only shown blocking on the bed. Now with live human being! And so pretty.

Thalia Shawl Pattern (or buy all three of the Three Graces) on Ravelry
my project on Ravelry

And now for the Mystery Shawl, the one the model got to keep.

TTL Mystery Shawl 2012
my project page on Ravelry

The yarn in this is Rowan Felted Tweed. It could not be a more perfect yarn for this pattern. It’s my favorite yarn ever (sure, I’ve said this before of other yarns, but this time I really mean it!).

And when I told her she could have it…

I should mention that Noreen is not comfortable AT ALL with having her picture taken. Of course, I understand, but I am so happy she agreed to help me out. Shawls look much prettier on people than on beds or picnic tables. Thank you, Noreen!