The Crash - Day 2
I usually have a day of crashing after a teaching trip. This trip was rougher than usual - not so much for the teaching, but there was a lot of mental and emotional energy expended (idiocy at the Sheraton in a small way, house hunting with my real estate guy in a larger and very good way) so that by the time I got to the airport I was in one of my practically paralyzed states.
I get so tired that moving is hard - I just need to sit and not think for a bit. Although I was just sitting in the airport, I could never really relax because every so often an announcement would be made to the effect that the flight was further delayed, but that could change at any time so don't go anywhere. I won't - thanks!
By the time I got home I was more exhausted - both mentally and physically - than I've been in a long, long time.
I spent most of yesterday organizing stuff, answering emails, and knitting some samples for Knitty Gritty. Apparently I may have to change the yarn I'll be using for the project because we just can't seem to get good 'camera colors' from the manufacturer. It's one of those perfect storms of all of the colors that would photograph well on video being discontinued (I had already switched to a different yarn from the same manufacturer because the colors I used in the book in the first yarn were just TOO bright for TV)
So I think I'll be going with a totally different yarn company, but I have to work out the kinks and get all of the yarn I've received back to the original yarn company (I hope they don't mind that it's been rolled into balls ... yikes!) and make sure that everyone understands it's simply a matter of the right colors being available so that, when we do the closeups and demonstrations on TV, the viewer is actually able to SEE the stitches!
Today we're having yet another Broker open house. Seeing the lovely homes in MN made me antsier about moving out there than I'd been in a bit (once I'm back in my own home I get a little complacent...) and if we need to do some oiling of the gears here to get the house sold, it will still be better for us in the long run. I didn't see nearly as many homes as I wanted when I was out there - there are 2 that I'd still like to see before a final decision is made - but I felt so good that I did see 3 homes which, if we ended up in any of them, would be a nice outcome. I am leaning heavily toward the St. Paul house, though...
I should have yarn arriving for 3 projects in the next few days - first on my list is to complete the Knitty Gritty step-outs (which may need to be redone if we're going with new yarn...), then to complete a project for IK Crochet (a shawl - something I don't do very often!) and finally a project that's not due until next June, but one that will be very exciting!
Juggling the needs of the projects, the various yarns, trying to get the right yarn with the right assignment - that's really the hard part. Well, that and the pattern writing... Right now there's a palpable sense in the industry that the strong upswing isn't going to continue indefinitely, and those who had believed that there would be a continuous huge increase in customer base may not be structured to weather a bit of a decline. But like every market, knitting is cyclical - and I have a sneaking suspicion that for the die-hard knitter a little less spotlight attention on knitting as the new trend may be welcomed.
It's hard to knit in front of hot lights.
I get so tired that moving is hard - I just need to sit and not think for a bit. Although I was just sitting in the airport, I could never really relax because every so often an announcement would be made to the effect that the flight was further delayed, but that could change at any time so don't go anywhere. I won't - thanks!
By the time I got home I was more exhausted - both mentally and physically - than I've been in a long, long time.
I spent most of yesterday organizing stuff, answering emails, and knitting some samples for Knitty Gritty. Apparently I may have to change the yarn I'll be using for the project because we just can't seem to get good 'camera colors' from the manufacturer. It's one of those perfect storms of all of the colors that would photograph well on video being discontinued (I had already switched to a different yarn from the same manufacturer because the colors I used in the book in the first yarn were just TOO bright for TV)
So I think I'll be going with a totally different yarn company, but I have to work out the kinks and get all of the yarn I've received back to the original yarn company (I hope they don't mind that it's been rolled into balls ... yikes!) and make sure that everyone understands it's simply a matter of the right colors being available so that, when we do the closeups and demonstrations on TV, the viewer is actually able to SEE the stitches!
Today we're having yet another Broker open house. Seeing the lovely homes in MN made me antsier about moving out there than I'd been in a bit (once I'm back in my own home I get a little complacent...) and if we need to do some oiling of the gears here to get the house sold, it will still be better for us in the long run. I didn't see nearly as many homes as I wanted when I was out there - there are 2 that I'd still like to see before a final decision is made - but I felt so good that I did see 3 homes which, if we ended up in any of them, would be a nice outcome. I am leaning heavily toward the St. Paul house, though...
I should have yarn arriving for 3 projects in the next few days - first on my list is to complete the Knitty Gritty step-outs (which may need to be redone if we're going with new yarn...), then to complete a project for IK Crochet (a shawl - something I don't do very often!) and finally a project that's not due until next June, but one that will be very exciting!
Juggling the needs of the projects, the various yarns, trying to get the right yarn with the right assignment - that's really the hard part. Well, that and the pattern writing... Right now there's a palpable sense in the industry that the strong upswing isn't going to continue indefinitely, and those who had believed that there would be a continuous huge increase in customer base may not be structured to weather a bit of a decline. But like every market, knitting is cyclical - and I have a sneaking suspicion that for the die-hard knitter a little less spotlight attention on knitting as the new trend may be welcomed.
It's hard to knit in front of hot lights.
4 Comments:
thanks Annie; for showing us the other end of the knitting production line.
i work in a big box retailer (not the dreaded W) and i know the effect of what you said about the downswing on "fad" knitting. my department is filled to overflowing with peach baskets full of fizzy fuzzy plastic drek yarns. sort of sadly; i'm told the company will still make profit when all that gets marked down 90% off because it won't sell.
you're right, a little less spotlight will be good ; it will allow a different type of quality to show.
I'm so sad I can't watch you on Knitty Gritty -- my DISH only shows DIY occasionally and DIY's the only channel I'm interested in on the third tier and it's not worth the extra monthly moolah for just one channel. My feeling is that you probably would be happiest in the St. Paul house because of the Hebrew schooling and community being much closer there. Surely the Hebrew schools are better than the public ones -- have you checked out the schools available near each house?
Just checking in on the house hunt. Glad you have found a house that may suit you in St. Paul. If you don't mind a busier street, I've always admired some of the big old Craftsmen houses on Lyndale in the 40xx blocks. Prospect Park is another wonderful neighborhood too, tucked away near the University...close to the Textile Center. I concur with the writers regarding the other houses. If one of you had a job in either of those towns, that's something else, but Minnesotans don't do the extra long commutes that some folks living on the East Coast do. It really comes down to w-e-a-t-h-e-r (back to that) and a lack of good long distance public transportation.
What will your Knitty Gritty segment be about? Hope we can get together when you're in L.A.
I hear ya about the travelling. We had mega-delays yesterday and it took us 14 hours to get home from Rochester. Delays and more delays. Just awful.
We were beyond exhausted all day today.
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