the day after
There are no photos for this post. Remarkably, it turns out that when I drive to Indianapolis for a photoshoot (4 hours of driving each way in about 28 hours), I don't have time to take a single photo! My conclusions:
1) It was awesome to listen to the inauguration events on the radio during the drive. Better than being out in the cold in DC, and for me, better than watching TV. I like imagining it all, although I did look to see the inaugural outfits online later. (fashion junkie, can't help myself!) Also, I tend to cry over these huge events, so it was good I was driving. I kept myself pulled together...no sniffling and tearing up! It's unsafe! I am so excited by all the potential for change with our historic, intelligent, new president!
2) I got to see two sunrises--one in Kentucky on my way to Indiana, and I saw the tail end of a sunrise while leaving Indiana. The big expanse of the midwestern sky in winter is a beautiful thing.
3) It turns out that the only differences between doing a photoshoot with the professor and with the lovely professionals at my publisher's are small ones...
a) the professionals all have a good style sense, so I am not stuck styling each shot on my own
b) the publisher employs a lot of gorgeous and smart people to use as models
c) it's a social event, with food, hot drinks, and even jokes
d) there wasn't one argument, which I thought came along with the photoshoots?! (only with one's life partner, apparently...)
e)The best part was how reassuring it all was. Complete strangers complimented me on these projects I've been designing in isolation for months. That was a surprise. I didn't expect that, but it was worth the drive to hear. Folks in Indianapolis are just nice. Thanks for saying nice things about the knitting!
While in the car, I realized I hadn't answered several questions that commenters have asked on the blog.
Mary G, my professor bought me the silk birthday yarn as a gift, but after doing a bit of research, I understand that it comes from "rustyseller1" on ebay. His ebay shop is Silk Yarn Collection.
In the darning post I did, I had a lot of comments. Who knew folks felt so strongly about darning? I don't own a darning "egg" or "mushroom". I've never needed one, although I think they're very cool! If you use a darning egg, do you darn with one hand? Please explain?
Deb mentioned that she wears out the heels of her socks. The best solution for this is to rip out the old heel (carefully) and reknit the heel. This is called a peasant or after-thought heel. I learned about this from Anna Zilboorg's fabulous paperback book,Simply Socks, which I think is a reprint of the hard cover Fancy Feet. Since both of these books are out of print, I'd recommend checking out online sources for "peasant heel" or "afterthought heel." It's a bit tricky the first time, but after you've mastered it, you can make yourself brand new heels in no time!
On my drive, I saw a lot of trucks. Our country is so dependent on fossil fuels to supply us with everything in our stores...from caskets (I saw a coffin truck!) to milk. It seems to me that one (very small) step towards sustainability, responsibility, and even, well, sacrifice...might be darning socks instead of buying new? What else is a step in the right direction, in your opinion?
Psst: Jodi, if you're reading this, leave a comment! It turns out I have a lot of secret readers out there. Say hey, ok?
1) It was awesome to listen to the inauguration events on the radio during the drive. Better than being out in the cold in DC, and for me, better than watching TV. I like imagining it all, although I did look to see the inaugural outfits online later. (fashion junkie, can't help myself!) Also, I tend to cry over these huge events, so it was good I was driving. I kept myself pulled together...no sniffling and tearing up! It's unsafe! I am so excited by all the potential for change with our historic, intelligent, new president!
2) I got to see two sunrises--one in Kentucky on my way to Indiana, and I saw the tail end of a sunrise while leaving Indiana. The big expanse of the midwestern sky in winter is a beautiful thing.
3) It turns out that the only differences between doing a photoshoot with the professor and with the lovely professionals at my publisher's are small ones...
a) the professionals all have a good style sense, so I am not stuck styling each shot on my own
b) the publisher employs a lot of gorgeous and smart people to use as models
c) it's a social event, with food, hot drinks, and even jokes
d) there wasn't one argument, which I thought came along with the photoshoots?! (only with one's life partner, apparently...)
e)The best part was how reassuring it all was. Complete strangers complimented me on these projects I've been designing in isolation for months. That was a surprise. I didn't expect that, but it was worth the drive to hear. Folks in Indianapolis are just nice. Thanks for saying nice things about the knitting!
While in the car, I realized I hadn't answered several questions that commenters have asked on the blog.
Mary G, my professor bought me the silk birthday yarn as a gift, but after doing a bit of research, I understand that it comes from "rustyseller1" on ebay. His ebay shop is Silk Yarn Collection.
In the darning post I did, I had a lot of comments. Who knew folks felt so strongly about darning? I don't own a darning "egg" or "mushroom". I've never needed one, although I think they're very cool! If you use a darning egg, do you darn with one hand? Please explain?
Deb mentioned that she wears out the heels of her socks. The best solution for this is to rip out the old heel (carefully) and reknit the heel. This is called a peasant or after-thought heel. I learned about this from Anna Zilboorg's fabulous paperback book,Simply Socks, which I think is a reprint of the hard cover Fancy Feet. Since both of these books are out of print, I'd recommend checking out online sources for "peasant heel" or "afterthought heel." It's a bit tricky the first time, but after you've mastered it, you can make yourself brand new heels in no time!
On my drive, I saw a lot of trucks. Our country is so dependent on fossil fuels to supply us with everything in our stores...from caskets (I saw a coffin truck!) to milk. It seems to me that one (very small) step towards sustainability, responsibility, and even, well, sacrifice...might be darning socks instead of buying new? What else is a step in the right direction, in your opinion?
Psst: Jodi, if you're reading this, leave a comment! It turns out I have a lot of secret readers out there. Say hey, ok?
Labels: darning, inauguration, long drives, photo shoots
posted by Joanne at 12:14 PM
7 Comments:
Hey you! Totally made me giggle and feel very special. So great to meet you yesterday and I can't wait to see the finished book come across my desk! Glad to hear you are home safe and sound. Cheers from Indy!
Thanks for the link to the silk ... off to drool and maybe spend some bucks!
Glad your trip was safe ... and sounds productive too!
Lovely to hear about your trip. I cried during the TV presentation - I'd like to blame it on other factors (seeing the local marching band pass the viewing stage and some of the tribes who attended) but I think just the enormity of the day hit me.
I'm glad you mentioned the "peasant heel" since that's what I ended up doing with a number of the socks I repaired recently.
I bought 2 decorative darning eggs - smaller then real ones but they work just fine for me. My eyesight isn't trustworthy enough to not sew the sock heel to the front. ;-)
From another Deb: I wear out my heels, too. I knit short-row heels (which I discovered when I was editing Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' Simple Socks, Plain and Fancy) and they are a cinch to replace.
Thanks for the info Joanne-
I do know how to do a peasant heel but not sure how to rip out the heel, pick up the stitches on the foot and start over. I'm in the research stage - I'll get the hang of it, I'm just to frugal to throw those socks out!
Congrats on the successful photo shoot :)
Hooray for a photoshoot!
I use a darning egg when I'm sewing up tiny holes in socks (learned from my momma). When I'm darning knitted socks, I would prefer to catch them before the hole actually develops and just reinforce over the extant stitches. Unfortunately, my husbeast and friends don't catch them in time and a darning egg is darn handy to help find the edges of frayed yarn and stitches to pick up.
Just found your article on knitting your own winter coat! Maaaaaarvelous!! I applaud you! We hardly ever need winter coats in my part of the world - well, except for this past winter - but it's a great idea to get exactly what you want. And I loved the coat!!
Post a Comment
<< Home