Various Updates

Lately, I'm in one of my ideas-popping-out-of-my head moods, and am very anxious to finish current projects and start working out all those ideas, which for now, I just scribble onto lists.  First, though, I need to finish some things.

Here's what's going on with the Entrelac book:

1.  The patterns are charted and written and sent to knitters for testing.  Lots of errors are popping up, but I can fix those, and I believe I am actually finished changing my mind!  I do think of additional information I ought to add to the book, but that's easily added.  This will be a fat book, about the size of the "Goldilocks Challenge,"  because I'm including all the sizes from little kid to big guy, the main limitation being the number of needles on the machine. I don't know yet whether it'll be one video or two.  Hopefully, just one. 

2.  I filmed and edited a hat video, which teaches the basics of shaped Entrelac, at least the way I do it.  There are always other ways to skin the cat (no animals were harmed in the making of this video), but I have this down to absolutely the simplest, easiest, nothing-to-keep track of strategy possible.  It took me several tries, but I am very happy with this video, which unfortunately is 26 minutes long.  That is much too long for YouTube, and shortening it would not work well at all for the free video I usually do at launch.  My plan is to edit a shorter video, showing some basics but not all the techniques and details for YouTube, and I'll use the longer, detailed video for the DVD that goes with the books.  Such long, detailed video is going to need "chapters" to make it navigable.

3.  I have to prepare for two seminars, so we're restocking product.  John and I are making this our project for today, as it rains steadily, figuring out what we need and gettiing a lot of things ordered in proper quantities.  Poor John has just headed to the garage to empty the printer's "waste toner" container, a truly messy job.

4.  I have a list of favorite demonstrations to do at Charlene's Spring Fling, the more challenging of the two seminars because she has so many people.  I have wanted to go visit her shop for many years, and I get to go as a teacher, the downside of which is I won't be able to attend the other sessions (taught by Susan Guagliami, whom I have also always wanted to see).  This ought to be a fantastic seminar.  Charlene is going to print the handouts for me - what a nice thing to do! - and I need to get them to her.  So here's my list of fave demos for Spring Fling, and please, feel free to disagree and make suggestions:

Day One - Bulky Machine - Flat with ribber off - 5 lesson times

• Favorite knitting shortcuts - Quicker cast on, loop-through-a-loop cast-off, shortcut picot hem
• Garter bar basics - stitch holder, increase evenly, decrease evenly, garter & Quaker stitches
• Garter bar dazzlers -cables, fancy cables, move selected stitches, and speed ripping
• Fave bulky projects, featuring circular swirl baby blanket, SAYG slipper (& sock), and of course, the tam that people like so well
• Entrelac & shaped Entrelac - I tried out the shaped Entrelac demo at our local knit club, and everyone was pleasantly surprised at how simple it was. 

Day 2 - Standard gauge bed, ribber off in morning, on in afternoon

• Lace techniques - scalloped edges and automatic scalloped lace (Enchanted Edgings)
• Mirror image lace for Brother machines
• Socks, knitted circular except for welt, and using regular hand knitters' sock yarn
• Unusual ribber stitches - quilting stitch, fancy tucked ribs, trims if I have time
• If we have time, bubble stitch & condo knitting

Please weigh in with comments - I very much appreciate suggestions and ideas from people who know what they like to get from a seminar or have seen me teach and formed opinions about these demonstrations.

5.  For Raleigh, I plan to do the usual booklet, which can contain more items than I will probably have time to demonstrate.  With a smaller group, we can be a little more flexible.  I'll build it around the Spring Fling demos, though, because they're my best ones.

6.  Last, but not least, in response to a challenge from my pastor, I have been writing my "grace story," and it's almost ready to link to this blog.  Something y'all can read if you want to know me a little better.