Last week of March 2012 in review

I know that I want to use these photo tips, but San Diego sometimes has 'OVERCAST' as the normal condition. I don't have a tripod yet or a light box, so the outside tip is what I wanted to follow, just waiting for a sunny day.
In the meantime, I went to the Knitting group "In the Heights" on Tuesday evening. Try it! Knitting in a group, seeing all the other projects, yarn choices, knitting styles, and Ladies is fun, fun, fun. The second half of the Lace shawl keeps growing nicely. I can't wait to wear it. And, the piece of pie that I took home with me was delicious.
Today, since the weather is not cooperating fully, I am going on a yarn discovey trip.
Someone asked me to find the right yarn and give her an estimate of how much it would cost to make a beach wrap. It's from the Spring/Summer issue of VOGUEknitting, page 81. The lacy leaf-stitch pattern is made of Trendsetter Yarns' "Dolcino". I have been calling all the shops in and near San Diego, but no one has that exact yarn that was used for making the pattern. That's fine with me, I like the challenge of finding the perfect substitude, and I like yarn shop hopping on Saturdays.
Wish me luck in finding a great alternative!

Knitting links

Inspiration comes from anywhere. With the age of the internet came daily 'newsletters'. For my daily dose of idea generation I subscribe to knitting daily.  http://www.knittingdaily.com/

Today's topic (for example) How to take better pictures of your projects. At the end of the 8 Tips from a Pro is a link to another daily 'newsletter' that is delivered to my e-mail inbox.
Creativity knows no bounds.

8 Tips from a Pro

Take the photos with natural lighting, if at all possible. A flash causes shadows and glare. Soft northern light is best. If the light inside isn't optimum, take your subject outside; this works best if it is a slightly overcast day.

Shoot with the light behind you. Whenever possible, take your photo from a vantage point where your back is to the light. Don't shoot "into" the light; your subject will be in shadow.

Use a tripod or other method of stabilizing the camera. Otherwise, use a steady hand. This is especially important with close-ups.

Remove distractions. Take a look in your view finder and look at what's around your subject. Is there a plant behind it? Papers off to the side that you don't want in the picture? Remove any objects that aren't there to enhance the photo.

Neutral doesn't mean boring. It's usually best to photograph your artwork against a neutral background. But that doesn't have to be a white wall. Something with texture, such as textured paper or a nubby linen tablecloth can make the subject pop and give it a context.

Vary your angles. Try taking a faraway shot, a close shot, and a detail shot of each element. Shoot from above and from below.

Give it some scale. If you're shooting your artwork for selling purposes, especially, it can be a good idea to style your piece with another object that shows the scale. This could be a tulip, a button, a hand (with the object in the palm), or a house, depending on the piece.

	Easy homemade light box by Ivy Demos

Use a light box. A light box is a professional photographer's tool that reduces glare and shadows and makes it easier to trace and edit your images digitally. A light box also helps bring out the details in your artwork. Fortunately, you can easily and inexpensively make one at home. In the Summer 2010 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors: Studios, artist and photographer Ivy Demos shows you two methods of making a light box with materials you can find at your local discount or hardware store.

—From ClothPaperScissors.com

I've heard a saying that a project isn't actually finished until you take a picture of it. (So don't forget to take photos of your FOs before you gift them!) I hope these tips help you take better photos of your knitting.

Cloth Paper Scissors magazine is a wonderful resource that will enhance your creativity. I know this because I've been a subscriber for five years, and I get so much out of every issue.

As knitters we appreciate creativity, and we crave inspiration. I get this from a variety of sources, including Cloth, Paper, Scissors. Try it! I think you'll love it.

Rainy Sunday

It rained and rained and ....well you know, rained. Maxy don't seem to mind.

So my Lace shawl kept growing
and growing yesterday.
After dinner I was only
4 inches away from
starting the other half.

How did I know that?








I took a measuring tape and wrapped it around my neck just like a shawl, fairly simple. Then I measued the length of my knitting project and ta-da....I know I am 4 inches away form the center. This is IMPORTANT.

 5" X 5"



















As you can see from the original  Lotus Patern  the end of the shawl has wave look. On the picture above it is clear that the knitting will result in a straight line when cast off.
The goal here is to have this wave look on the shawl the same on both ends! That will make this project really professional und pretty.
Long story short, 4 more inches to the center and I will start another shawl, the other half. When both halves are complete I crochet them together and the finished shawl has the wave look on both ends.
Now all I need are a few more rainy days in row.

Lotus Pattern

I found this free pattern in Knitting Daily.
I guess it looks somewhat like little lotus petals

 The trick with knitting LACE is to find a rythm in the pattern.
 This one was at first really hard. I did not know the stitches and the rythm was hiding
 So first I looked all over (internet) for a knitting dictionary. I am german and learned knitting in Germany. English patterns have english abbreviations which need to be discovered.
http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-glossary

Ah the wonders of the internet! the solution is only a few key strokes away.

 Second I try out the pattern with the yarn I like. It never is the yarn that is recommended. I don't know why, it just is that way.

 While I am knitting it for the first time I make notes on the sheet to mark my rythm.

The lotus pattern, for example looked like this:

Rows 1-5: Knit.
Row 6 (WS): P1, *yo, p3, sl 2, p1, p2sso, p3, yo, p1; rep from *.
Row 7: K2, *yo, k2, sl 2, k1, p2sso, k2, yo, k3; rep from *, end last repeat k2.
Row 8: P3, *yo, p1, sl 2, p1, p2sso, p1, yo, p5; rep from *, end last repeat p3.
Row 9: K4, *yo, sl 2, k1, p2sso, yo, k7; rep from *, end last repeat k4.
Row 10: P2, *k2, p3; rep from *, end last repeat p2.
Row 11: K1, *yo, ssk, p1, yo, sl 2, k1, p2sso, yo, p1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from *.
Row 12: P3, *k1, p3, k1, p5; rep from *, end last repeat p3.
Row 13: K2, *yo, ssk, yo, sl 2, k1, p2sso, yo, k2tog, yo, k3; rep from *, end last repeat k2.
Row 14: P2, *k1, p5, k1, p3; rep from *, end last repeat p2.
Row 15: K2, *p1, k1, yo, sl 2, k1, p2sso, yo, k1, p1, k3; rep from *, end last repeat k2.
Row 16: Work as for Row 14.
Repeat Rows 1-16.

My final version that I am using every day has the rythm marks on it und looks more like this:
Rows 1-5: Knit.
Row 6 (WS): P1, *yo, p3, (sl 2, p1, p2sso) p3, yo, p1; rep from *.
Row 7: K2, *yo, k2, (sl 2, k1, p2sso) k2, yo, k3; rep from *, end last repeat k2.
Row 8: P3, *yo, p1, (sl 2, p1, p2sso) p1, yo, p5; rep from *, end last repeat p3.
Row 9: K4, *yo, (sl 2, k1, p2sso) yo, k7; rep from *, end last repeat k4.
Row 10: P2, *k2, p3; rep from *, end last repeat p2.
Row 11: K1, *yo, ssk, p1, yo, (sl 2, k1, p2sso) yo, p1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from *.
Row 12: P3, *k1, p3, k1, p5; rep from *, end last repeat p3.
Row 13: K2, *yo, ssk, yo, (sl 2, k1, p2sso)) yo, k2tog, yo, k3; rep from *, end last repeat k2.
Row 14: P2, *k1, p5, k1, p3; rep from *, end last repeat p2.
Row 15: K2, *p1, k1, yo, (sl 2, k1, p2sso) yo, k1, p1, k3; rep from *, end last repeat k2.
Row 16: Work as for Row 14.
Repeat Rows 1-16.

Now you can see the pattern.
The stiches in parenthesis are the streight bars inbetween the lotus petals

still knitting, image comming soon!

 

Knit and Give

I am finding out that even wholesale yarn companies have giving on their mind. Frog Tree, for example gives some percentage of the sale of pink or red yarn to cancer or heart research. Interesting and worth exploring.
http://www.frogtreeyarns.com/

well, here I go....all about yarn

Lace knitting is 'IN'. It sure captured me. The first shawl is now on my mother's shoulders.

The Lotus Patern
The next project is 'in process' made out of Drops Lace 70% BabyAlpaca - 30% Mulberry Silk.

Image comming soon