More On Contracts

It is interesting, just as I have been involved in contract discussion recently (my first in a very long time), there have been several discussions about contracts occurring on several blogs of note!

The first one is more of a educational piece on things to think about and be aware of. It is on the Girl from Auntie blog. I always find her information very useful because although she specifically disclaims this is not legal advice, she is, in fact, an intellectual property attorney. So even though she is not offering legal advice, it comes from a much more reliable source than most.

The second post is on a more personal blog that many folks are familiar with, Annie Modesite's blog Modeknit / Knitting Heretic. Annie has taken the hand knit designer world by storm. She and I met just as we were both getting serious about our businesses. Her post is passionate and raises questions that all professional designers need to be considering.

If you have any interest in the designing side of the hand knit industry, I encourage you to take the time to read both posts and any comments. The information is good and should be shared by all!

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A Big Commitment

Well, it is done! I signed two copies of the contract today and sent them off to the publisher. Now, I just have to wait to get my copy back with their signature and the initial advance. This is one of the scariest things I have done in a long time. The commitment to writing and publicizing a book is longer than my first marriage.

At this point, our goal is to have the book released early in 2010. Doesn't that seem like forever? But the fact is, it is an achievable, yet aggressive schedule. And then there is a minimum 1 year commitment to publicize the book at various knitting events. Not that I won't be at most of them anyway, but it will be one more activity during what are already very busy weekends.

I guess what scares me as much as anything is that I have now committed to be in this industry, at least to some degree, for the next three years. Although I am starting my 7th year, each year I have evaluated the decision to continue on. But now, that decision has been made. Even if I want to do something else, I must maintain some level of activity in the world of knitting.

This may not seem that scary to most of you, but for me it is terrifying. I have always lived under the delusion that I could give up Knitability at any moment and go back to my "big income" career. But that now probably won't be possible, at least not for the next few years. And then there is the fear of falling flat on my face!!! What if I put in all this time and the book is a dud!

Well, for good or for bad, I am committed. So here is to a new year, a new opportunity, a new chapter in my life and a new reason to be committed!!

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Teaching is Teaching -- Right?!

As much as it might shock and amaze many of you, being a professional knitting instructor does not bring in the big bucks! There are a few out there actually making a living doing this, but as of yet, I am not one of them. If I did not have the world's greatest husband, I could not afford to do this. Yet, teaching is what I LOVE, it truly makes me happy and most of my students think I am a very good teacher.

So I have been thinking about some supplementary income to add to the family coffers. Not too long ago my mom suggested that I look into being a part-time instructor at the local junior college, ah but what subject? The fact is I am probably qualified to teach a variety of subjects but I am nervous about how well I will do.

When I left for college my goal was to become a math teacher. In fact, I became a computer geek, but I still have a "minor equivalent" in mathematics. Several of the knitting classes I teach are about the mathematics of knitting. And teaching is teaching -- right?!?!

So tomorrow I will make the call. See if the head of the department is still looking for a part-time instructor of mathematics. If so, apply for the position. And then hope beyond all hope that good teaching skills will cross subject boundaries. At least when the students ask when they will use this stuff -- I can tell them that they will need it for their knitting!!!

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New Buttons

So I decided to add some new buttons there on the right hand side of the blog. These are various knitting teacher friends of mine (and my "other" blog of course). I will see about adding some more of these as I find them. But all of these gals are teachers I know and/or hang out with during the various knitting conventions.

Karen Alfke has geek week currently underway (organizing your knitting stuff), so I highly recommend you stop by and see what she is talking about!!!

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What's In a Name

Recently, and I truly can not remember where it was, I was reading about the importance of a title of a book. And although I had not thought about it much before, now that a book is most likely looming on the horizon, titles are becoming much more important to me.

A few days ago I logged on to the Unicorn Books website to see about ordering some books for myself and a few of my customers. As is often the case, I got totally drawn in to the site, checking a variety of categories and browsing titles. The first thing I noticed is that although there are well over a thousand (yes -- you read that right) knitting books listed, almost none of them appear to have any valuable or unique content. Next, way too many books have the same or similar titles. And even worse, an unimaginable number have the word "easy" or "knit" (or some variation) in the title.

So this inspired me to begin thinking about a title, a fabulous title, for the upcoming book on entrelac. Now I am the first to admit, and if you have read many of my posts you know, I am not the greatest when it comes to words. I talk a lot, and I really do love words, but I am not that creative in my usage. This may turn out to be an issue with writing a book, but we will worry about that later! However, I have often found inspiration (or just plain great ideas) from those around me.

So I am starting a contest to come up with a title for my book. You can enter as many times as you wish and if more than one person comes up with the same fabulous title, I will randomly draw a winner. And the prize you ask? You will receive a signed copy of the published book.

So here are the guidelines as they stand at this point:

1. Each entry should be sent as a separate e-mail to me at gwen @ knitability.com (remove the spaces) with a subject of "Entrelac Book Title Contest" and the suggested title as the message.
2. Individuals can enter as many times as they wish.
3. The Author (that's me) and the Publisher (still working on that) will make the final decision, as such, it is possible that no one will win if a suitably outstanding entry is not submitted.
4. Entries will be accepted through June 30, 2008 or until the publisher requires a title (which ever comes first).

Obviously the book is about the entrelac technique. At this point the plan is to start at the beginning and work through to a point of explaining fairly complicated techniques. There will be a variety of projects included from very small and basic to large and complicated with everything in between.

So let's see what you all can come up with! So what's in a name -- everything is in the name. And if you have the right name (or at least title) a free book is it for you too!!

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Can Both Sides Really Win?

As always, I am once again missing my own deadlines, but at least I am consistent! Along with being sick, wrecking my truck, and preparing to have friends in for Thanksgiving, I have been working through contract negotiations for the entrelac book. I have always believed in contracts because in most cases it helps maintain friendships and keeps things amenable between others. But this process has been causing me to think about the phrase -- Win Win.

Contract negotiations are about give and take. For me, the process began with my publisher providing me a boilerplate book contract. I did a quick review with them and then passed it on to my attorney. Not surprisingly, the publisher's contract was weighted extremely heavily in their favor. But why wouldn't it?? After all, it is THEIR contract. So next my attorney and I went over key point that he thought were a bit too much and we developed a "counter proposal". That now has been sent on to my publisher and they are forwarding it on to their lawyer. Honestly, I only expect one or two more rounds of negotiation until we come to an agreement, but is this a WIN-WIN?

The whole concept of negotiation, of give and take, is that neither of us end up with everything that we want, just "enough" of the stuff that we want. So is that really a win? Now I am not saying that we both won't be happy, because we probably will. I just am not sure that I can call it a win. Honestly, this is probably my overly competitive side showing, but a win is a win and a tie is a tie and they are NOT the same.

So it comes back to my original question can both side really win, or is that not what we are actually trying to achieve? SATISFIED-SATISFIED or HAPPY-HAPPY, that I can see being the result of a successful negotiation, but I guess it does sound a bit goofy. Well, even so, here's to HAPPY-HAPPY contract signing in the next few weeks!

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I Want To Be Bill Bryson

This post may not have much to do with knitting, but it does have to do with writing and since it appears that the book is going to happen, I think it is appropriate. If you are not familiar with Bill Bryson -- he is a writer, a very funny writer, who can make almost any topic interesting. He is the first author that my husband and I listened to as a book on CD. It was "A Walk In the Woods" in case you are interested. Bill is particularly unique in that he reads his books himself and from time to time, you can hear a chuckle in his voice as he remembers the particular event that he is reading about. It is quite endearing.

Since our first introduction to Bill Bryson, Arlis and I have been HUGE fans. He has a way of story telling that is engaging, humorous and factual all at the same time. Currently I am listening to "I Am a Stranger Here Myself" which is a compilation of columns he wrote for a publication in Britain. And I realize that I want to write like that too! Once a week, I want to write about some observation I had the previous week (and be funny if at all possible) and later take these somewhat random observations and create a book someone might want to read!

Now I have been told that I can tell a good story. Just ask me sometime about getting to our first trip on a Windjammer Cruise and you will see what I mean. And make sure you have plenty of time. It really cannot be told adequately in less than 30 - 45 minutes and an hour is much better. I was trained by one of the best story tellers ever -- my father. He can tell a 15 minute story to a complete stranger and they will ACTUALLY be happy that he stopped them from their appointed activities to share his tale. But telling a story well and writing a story well, seem like two completely different things!

But you really don't know until you try! So I am going to start writing, once a week about my observation of the process of writing a book on knitting. I think it will be good for me to do -- even if I don't turn out to be very witty -- as it will help keep me focused on the process as well as the product. And the fact is, since this is my first book, I don't really know what to expect. Becoming a wonderful writer like Bill Bryson may be beyond my grasp, but I won't know unless I try. And who knows, maybe secretly Bill Bryson really wants to be a fabulous knitting instructor like Gwen Bortner -- now wouldn't that be a hoot!!!

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Thanks to POOCH

Several folks have been hitting this blog in the last day or two thanks to a kind note from POOCH on the Modular Knitting List. She was a part of my entrelac class at Camp Stitches West a few months ago.

You will see that I am strongly considering writing a book on entrelac and now I am in early negotiations. This will be the place, at least for now, to keep abreast of my progress. Hopefully I will have some "real" news in the next couple of months. In the mean time, I have some new entrelac ideas brewing which I will post about soon!

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New entries of late have been non-existent due to the fact that I have been actually working on an entrelac book proposal to be given to a publisher! Although nothing has been finalized yet, it appears that we will most likely be able to come to an agreement in the near future. Obviously I will let folks know when I actually have news that I can share.

In the mean time, I am beginning to look for sample knitters, particularly those well-versed in entrelac. If you think that you might be interested in this endeavor, please drop me an e-mail at gwen @ knitability.com (remove the spaces)and place Entrelac Knitter in the subject line to help me identify you as "legitimate" e-mail.

So with all this activity I have been thinking about schematics and sketches. I am very uncomfortable with my drawing skills (or lack there of). Entrelac can be particularly challenging due to the need to include a reasonable representation of the the diamonds the fabric produces. What I discovered is that if I start with a diamond graph paper, I can get more accurate shapes. This paper also works great for creating directional schematics (using arrows to represent the "lean"). And then sometimes I will cut these up to create a 3-D model to verify that all the joins will work.

By the way -- it also is great for sketching up modular designs as well!!!

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Bloody Toes

Where does the time go?!? Well, May went to preparing for TNNA. But April and June are both months with Camp Stitches and my entrelac class. One of the questions that came up last April was how to deal with "bloody toes". Now this may sound a bit gruesome, but it is a term used to describe the bleeding through of the color of the previous tier at the point of the join.

Bloody toes are a "natural" occurance when working with entrelac. It is the result of joining two pieces of knitting perpendicular to one another. When it is most noticeable is when the underlying color is significantly "stronger" than the top color. Although the color "bleed" can be minimized with practice of specific knitting techniques, that along will not completely solve the problem.

I wish I could take credit for the solution, but alas, it was Joan Schouder who I believe is credited with the idea. At the point you are going to begin a new tier, work one round of knitting all the way around the tier in the new color by knitting the "live" stitches and picking up the appropriate stitches along the selvedge edges. By doing this you will need to keep closer track of your knitting, because the color of the yarn will not provide any clues. However, when you go to join the "live" stitches to the current tier, they will be the same color. No "bloody toes"!

Thanks Joan!

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Knitability's Got a Brand New Bag

In my previous post I was talking about a new project. Well it is done and it turned out even better than I expected. I will be adding it to my line of Skill Builder patterns for the TNNA show in June.

During Camp Stitches this past week I was teaching an intensive class on Entrelac and thought it would be fun for the students to see what happens between knitting and felting. So I finished up the project and during our afternoon off, went down to the local Laundromat / Tattoo parlor!! We would have gotten tattoos while we were waiting, but they are closed on Mondays.

Although once you get going the knitting is mindless -- the planning and starting of the project is not for an entrelac novice. The yarn is left over from another project I will also be unveiling at TNNA in a few weeks. It is from Ellen's Half Pint Farm and is her Wool / Mohair blend. It felts up with a boucle' type texture which just adds even more interest.

Watch for the pattern coming soon!

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Mindless Entrelac

I have always loved entrelac as my mindless knitting. I think the reason is that you REALLY can be somewhat mindless about the whole thing once you get started. You work on one rectangle until all the stitches from the joining unit have been incorporated. You pick up one stitch for every two rows (unless you are doing something a bit unique). The knitting is just stockinette.

So I am about to leave for Camp Stitches East teaching an entrelac class. I have had an idea for a project for some time and figured this would be great plane knitting. Well these past thre days, I have been attending a meeting prior to my departure. The "mindless entrelac" has gone so well I am practically done with the project. There definitely isn't enough to take me clear across the country!

So while here in Sacramento I ran over to Rumplestiltskins to find some yarn for an additional project. I finally decided on a sock yarn. I brought my sock needles and socks have a lot of knitting.

But the point is, the entrelac went SO FAST I just wasn't prepared. I will try and post a picture after I return and get the project felted (which is planned in this case). Who knows, after checking out the vendor market, I may get another project done before I return home. Yea! for speedy knitting!

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Picking Up Stitches - Part 2

We started with picking up stitches on the public side, but how about picking up stitches from the private side or wrong side of the fabric? It can be done and turns out to be very useful in a variety of situations.

Picking up stitches from the private side, working right to left is also called purling up stitches. Purling up stitches is to purling as knitting up stitches is to knitting. Remember to utilize your free hand to manipulate the fabric over the tip of the needle on step 3.

To pick up stitches on the private side as if to purl, the steps are as follows:
1. The right hand needle is inserted into the selvedge edge, as if to purl.
2. The yarn wrapped as if to purl.
3. Then the stitch is pull up (away from the knitter), back to the public side on the right hand needle.

Just as you can knit in the opposite direction (see Knitting Backwards), you can also pick up stitches on the public side, but work from left to right.

As with knitting in the opposite direction, I personally find picking up in the opposite direction much more efficient than picking up stitches on the private side. The primary reason being that the public side of the work is facing me and I can watch to make sure that I am picking up the stitches along a consistent line. Also, since knitting in the opposite direction is faster than purling for me, picking up in the opposite direction is faster too. You will need to see what works best for you, but keep in mind there is almost always more than one way to accomplish the same goal.

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Picking Up Stitches - Part 1

Picking up stitches is a key skill utilized in entrelac. Although this is often a practice avoided by many knitters, it is a valuable skill every knitter should have.

The advantage of practicing picking up stitches on entrelac is two fold. First, the number of stitches picked up for any given rectangle is a relatively small number. This means you can practice a little and then knit a little, repeating the process many times over the course of an entire piece of entrelac. Second, for the most part, you get to practice picking up from the public side and the private side an equal number of times. Being able to pick up from the private side is a skill that comes in handy quite often, once it is in your personal skill set.

Let's start with picking up stitches from the public side or right side. Picking up stitches from the public side, working right to left is also called knitting up stitches. This technique eliminates the need for a crochet hook in most instances. And although, a crochet hook my still be required occasionally, the knitting needles used for the project should suffice.

To pick up stitches on the public side as if to knit, the steps are as follows:
1. The right hand needle is inserted into the selvedge edge, as if to knit.
2. The yarn wrapped as if to knit.
3. Then the stitch is pull up, back to the public side on the right hand needle.

The third step usually a combination of pulling the loop through and using the left hand to manipulate the fabric over the tip of the needle. Your speed will improve with practice.

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All About Entrelac

All About Entrelac...it is just a working title, but at least it is a start. I have
had people ask me to write a book on entrelac for years. And it is one of the few books that I am actually interested in trying to put together. Recently I came across a pair of gals called the Blog Squad. How I found them is a bit convoluted, but needless to say, I have started following them. Their primary service is geared toward business professionals wanting to take their blog to the next level. One of the ways to do this is to write your "next" book via a blog.

So for the next few weeks, and most likely months, the Knitting Professor is going to be focusing on entrelac. At least until I move it to a different site or give up on the idea. Now even if you are not particularly interested in entrelac, many of the skills can be applied to other areas of your knitting.

So let's start with knitting backwards. So the question is, how do I learn to knit in the opposite direction? The key, which I have shared in countless classes and demonstrations, is to teach yourself based on how you knit. My particular motions will only work for you if you knit the exact same way that I do.

Before you embark on teaching yourself this very fun skill, remember this is just like learning to knit for the first time. Your tension will probably be all off and it will start out being much slower than just turning the work and purling. However, with practice and a little persistence, you will work out the awkwardness, even up the tension and pick up speed. The final effort is worth the investment.

1. Begin by turning your work to the private side and inserting your needle as if to purl.
2. Without changing your needles, turn your work to the public side and note the position of the inserted needle.
3. Turn your work back to the private side and wrap your yarn around the needle without pulling up a loop.
4. Without changing the position of the yarn, turn your work to the public side and note the position of the yarn and which direction it is wrapped around the needle.
5. With the public side of the work facing you, pull up the loop that is wrapped around your left needle.
6. Repeat these steps until you are familiar with the correct positioning of the needle and wrap direction of the yarn.

So now off you go to practice!

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The Importance of Seams

Seams -- a word that generates fear in some knitters, even to the point of trying to avoid them at all costs. Having recently completed the Sample Stitch Kimono, I had the opportunity to spend a great deal of time not only thinking about, but in fact creating seams.

Now it would be a lie to say that enjoy seaming, but I do get a great deal of satisfaction having completed a seam that is done particularly well. And although there are many classes on finishing, it is a topic that I believe the more options you are aware of, the better chance of having a finished product you are happy with!

And of course, there is no substitute for experience! Seaming stitches to stitches has always been easier for me than seaming rows to rows. However, seaming stitches to rows never bothered me as much because the "fudge factor" was never quite as obvious.

Almost all the seams in the Sample Stitch Kimono are rows to rows, so I had an opportunity to gain a lot of experience. Below are my observations (for what they are worth):

• If both pieces have a slipped stitch edge they are easy to seam, but not a "sturdy". If only one does, it compounds the difficulty of seaming rows.


• A stockinette selvedge edge was easier for me to work with, especially if I was trying to only catch half a stitch in the seam.


• In most cases, catching a whole stitch does not add significant bulk to the seam, but great improves the look of the finished product.

What are your experiences in creating seams?

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