Miss Communication

This morning I awoke to an email from the Atlanta Knitting Guild - apparently when I agreed to speak there I had somehow switched the dates in my mind and thought they wanted me on Tuesday, not the previous Thursday. I'll be somewhere in Virginia just about the time their meeting is starting, driving straight through so I can teach on Friday morning, so I'm thinking that I won't be able to make it to their guild meeting.

I feel just terrible about this - damn. I feel stupid, and I feel guilty. When I sent the letter of agreement I did have the Tuesday date on it, but that's the kind of thing folks don't always pick up on, so I'm not ready to slap the guilt on them. It's mine (mine, mine, all mine!)

Sister of Miss Communication
Then I received an email from an editor who's asked me to be in a book about fiber folks (that's who I'm doing the bathing suit for...) telling me the date's been set for them to come by my studio (dining room) and photograph me, interview me, and photograph the bathing suit. She asked me to have a model. WHA? This takes me totally by surprise. I'm ready to just slap the thing on the mannequin, or hand it over to a stylist so she can put it on a reasonably modesty-free model with good skin to be photographed in a studio setting, but I don't think having a friend wear it in my dining room will give the same lovely effect. I'm not even sure I KNOW someone who would A) Want to wear this. B) Want to be photographed in it FOR PUBLICATION. C) Do it for free, as a favor. Just so you know, this book is being published by a MAJOR publisher, and that was one of the selling points the editor used when she asked me to be part of it.

I know from working on a budget, believe me - and the editor's been very understanding and great to work with so far - but what's with a major publisher trying to do this on the cheap? I think it strikes me odd because it's a bathing suit - if it were a sweater I'd probably have no problem just slapping it on a friend and photographing them. I think the skin to knit fabric ratio is what gives me pause. Once again, I believe my mannequin will be a featured player in my knit design evolution.

Here's the bottom of the suit so far. I'd intended to hire someone to knit this, but as I worked up the math for the crotch and buttock increases (folks, there is just no other word for it without being precious...) I realized that due to the odd gauge (it changes appreciably when stretched, and that's how it will be worn) I really need to oversee this more personally. Annie Modesitt, not quite ready to give it up...

He's Growing Up
Last night we watched the beginning of the Grammy's and I was astounded that Max knows and seems to love The Gorillaz. He wrote about them in his journal last evening. (Obviously this is the influence of his good buddy next door, whose dad works in the music industry)

A few girls wearing bathing-suits-masquerading-as-evening-wear later, I switched off the TV and returned to my book on CD (Harry Potter V).

I did tune in later for Henry Louis Gate's African American Lives - it was just wonderful. What a magnificent journey he took Chris Tucker on, I got goosebumps watching it. If this is being rebroadcast in your area, watch it!