Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Doin' Wheelies

Best Quote I Heard All Day

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round.
I really love to watch them roll.
No longer riding on the merry-go-round.
I just had to let it go.
John Lennon 

Well, I got it done, the migration. Too bad that Blogger wouldn't continue its FTP support and I really didn't want to mess around with a subdomain.  For those non-techies, this means I took the easy way out, keeping everything intact. Of course, I was sweating the minutes as the migration happened. I know how easily migrations can get fucked up.

So, it's been a bit since I've done a blog post. Yeah, I'm busy knitting away.


Fiberality Designs
In an odd sort of way, I'm handling unemployment by designing. After years of working, I had to create a new job for myself, since I'm not getting much in the way of interviews.  My first design, Twisty Road socks, has just been published on Patternfish.com. Many thanks to the Punk Princess for modeling the socks on her teeny footsies. (By the way, she's been accepted into the BFA program at Montclair State College in Montclair, NJ. I'm sooo proud of her--she inherited her gram's creative juices, although I can't draw well.)

Selling patterns is actually the least of my concerns.  The important thing is continuing to focus on some kind of work. What's better than designing knitted shit? I have another pair of socks that will go up next week, plus a lace scarf that's in progress and almost done.

Writing patterns keeps me in tech writing mode.

Whirligig
Got back to spinning, my entertainment in the late evening, prior to bed.
This is some lovely cormo/kid mohair that I bought at Rhinebeck last year. Rather than spinning fine, I'm attempting to spin thicker. Got some drafting issues but it's smoothing out.

Da Mags
I have to say, VK's spring issue was excellent. This magazine has improved tremendously. Even Knitter's spring issue was decent, for a change. IK sucked. Big time. Bad photography, uninspiring designs done in dismal colors, nothing springy at all. This magazine has completely lost its appeal. Sadly, the new management got rid of older, experienced editors because apparently they wanted to hit the younger market. Big mistake.

I don't intend to submit anything to IK. Ever again. There are plenty of other places and ways to get my patterns out there.


Through a Glass Darkly
I've been pondering turning 60 in less than three weeks. Confronted with my own mortality, as it were. Shit, I don't feel like I'm going to be 60 and I don't think I look much older than 50, unless I'm totally delusional.

Rereading some of my blog posts to Jerry (remember the Purling Puppies brouhaha?), I realized that much of what I needled, the KnitList in particular, no longer has any influence. I believe the KListers have all moved to Ravelry, as I predicted. And that's fine. The KnitDweebs are contained and don't annoy the rest of us. I dunno if the KnitList even exists anymore. And don't care. Loopy still reads the KnitFlame list and tells me that it has a much larger KnitDweeb population than when it first started.

I don't think I've read any list in at least two years. Good riddance, sez I. Ravelry has been our salvation. I hadn't had the time to spend on it while working the past year but now, between that and FaceBook, I'm in the social networking loop. Oh yeah, and LinkedIn, too, although I find it fairly useless.

Your Thoughts
So, I redesigned the page. Whaddya think? Does it suck? I can manipulate the code to change the layout but I'm so done with IT shit. I have a feeling that I won't be going back to corporate America, which is the least rare and handy environment I know.

Later, skanks.

12 comments:

StephCat said...

I'm with you on the unemployment & designing issue. I'm enough type A that I have to be doing something (and trying to do it as well as I can).

My father in law does (did) IC work with computer programming, database mgmt etc -- he just finished his last contract last week & is ecstatic.

anne marie in philly said...

nice layout, easy to read, lots of white space, clear font.

congrats to the punk princess!

nothing wrong with turning 60...you look 50 and think 40...that's all that matters. you'll make 100 easy!

I have missed your snark...come back soon!

Jennifer said...

Nice layout, easy to read, love the new layout!

I have to agree on IK. I am not renewing my sub. Every once in a while, I seek out younger/funkier/ hip looks, but other mags are doing that much better (e.g., Interweave's own Knitscene and Vogue's Knit-1). It seems to me that IK's management change has both alienated it's former audience and isn't doing a good job attracting a new one. Sad.

Sharon said...

I agree with the other folks about the new page design-- it looks great. Don't think anything needs to be changed.

And I agree with you about Interweave Knits-- it's become dull, dull, dull. Haven't been inspired by anything in that magazine for at least two years. There's such a wealth of designs available online now that I won't be renewing my IK subscription either.

Anne said...

I find other magazines MUCH more inspiring than IK. I won't be renewing my subscription when it runs out in the fall, either.

A. Warped, knitter said...

I agree with you about IK- in fact I have given up buying new knitting magazines altogether. A couple of years ago I realized that there are so many really great patterns in my collection of knitting mags (dating back to the 50's) that I could happily knit for the rest of my life without ever buying another magazine. But then, having passed 60 some years ago, I am well into the old fuddy-duddy stage of knitting.

Gerri said...

I like the new design. Nothing new to add to the IK discussion, really. I was so sad to see the old IK die...

Mo said...

I like your new layout.

I agree with the IK comments. I have not purchased or subscribed to IK since Pam Allen left because I have seen nothing interesting enough to make me WANT to buy it. Very, very sad.

The patterns/esp. some of the colors choices used to display their knitted projects just don't interest me at all.

Another blogger's webpage, displayed three recent and consecutive IK covers and ALL three of them had a model wearing a similar beige knitted item.

April said...

Oh I love reading your blog and agree with all on IK! BTW...reading your blog I thought you were in your 30's!!! Color me surprised!

Anonymous said...

Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't feel almost 60 (birthday in August). Just spent the day hauling and spreading mulch in our community today and ran rings around the 20 something's. And then went home and knit. Superwoman rocks!

Anonymous said...

Nice new design - agree with others that it's clean and easy on the eyes. Always interested in your take on the mags, although like some other commenters I can probably knit for the rest of my days from the magazines on my shelf, my Rowan books, etc. Happy birthday, happy 60!
- Beth in Toronto

PURLPOWER said...

Haven't commented here for ages even though I continue to read and enjoy your blog each week. The new page design looks great KC. I agree with you about IK, such a shame. And those socks are the nuts. Nice one.