The Mom Look
This evening one of Max's spelling words was "Stern"
Max - What does Stern mean?
Dad - Severe.
Max - Like Mom?
(I was giving him a very stern look - he giggled...)
THE CHART THING
When you use a chart, remember to place your post-it note (you have one, right?) so that it hides the rows that are yet to be worked, leaving the row you're on and all previous rows exposed. This way you can check your knitting against the chart and see if you're in the right place. I think this is probably the #1 easy change that most non-chart readers can do to make working a chart a little more intuitive. The Backyard Leaves chart looks very scary - I know it. At least once a week someone writes to tell me, "I just can't do this."
And I respond - "Have you tried it yet? Just try it - really - just try it!" Then I give my computer a stern look and hope that it goes with the email back to the writer. Usually I get a second email a few days later - "Hey, I did the chart! It wasn't impossible!" Sometimes there's a little additional hand holding required, but eventually success is realized.
The first step to doing something we think is difficult is to try to remove the judgements we make against ourselves (I CAN'T DO CHARTS!) and move ahead as if we knew we couldn't fail.
I found myself giving a stern "mom look" in an email last night - and I was so tired that it totally slipped past me until the recipient of the email wrote to thank me for being firm.
PACKING AND FIXING
Today was supposed to be pack for San Diego day, but this morning the package I've been waiting a year for arrived. I ripped it open, stunned by the beauty of the contents.
And I'm ready to announce my - perhaps - brilliant idea. I consider it the greatest act of self restraint not to blog about this for such a long, long period.
So - what'cha think?
Now, bear in mind that there were production problems with the covers of some of the proofs that arrived today from China.
So I crafted "ADVANCE COPY" plain paper covers and that's what I'll be taking with me to TNNA.
However, the actual books, which will be ready to ship in April, will be stellar with heavy, glossy covers and excellent production values.
Max - What does Stern mean?
Dad - Severe.
Max - Like Mom?
(I was giving him a very stern look - he giggled...)
THE CHART THING
When you use a chart, remember to place your post-it note (you have one, right?) so that it hides the rows that are yet to be worked, leaving the row you're on and all previous rows exposed. This way you can check your knitting against the chart and see if you're in the right place. I think this is probably the #1 easy change that most non-chart readers can do to make working a chart a little more intuitive. The Backyard Leaves chart looks very scary - I know it. At least once a week someone writes to tell me, "I just can't do this."
And I respond - "Have you tried it yet? Just try it - really - just try it!" Then I give my computer a stern look and hope that it goes with the email back to the writer. Usually I get a second email a few days later - "Hey, I did the chart! It wasn't impossible!" Sometimes there's a little additional hand holding required, but eventually success is realized.
The first step to doing something we think is difficult is to try to remove the judgements we make against ourselves (I CAN'T DO CHARTS!) and move ahead as if we knew we couldn't fail.
I found myself giving a stern "mom look" in an email last night - and I was so tired that it totally slipped past me until the recipient of the email wrote to thank me for being firm.
"I'm a 21 year old woman who is reduced to tears when made to look at a map. I've found that a knitting chart has the same effect on me. While looking through Scarf Style, I found the chart for Backyard leaves. It FREAKS ME OUT!!! I just don't understand it. The main reason I'm writing, is to find out if you have the pattern all written out. No charts, just words and numbers. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you so much for your time."I was just closing up my laptop for the night and considered answering in the morning, but I ended up sending her this email:
"You're just going to have to suck it up, wipe away the tears, and mistress the chart. You can do it - but not if you start off by saying that you can't. Take some waste yarn, look at the symbol key, get the post it notes out and put them on the chart so that they're blocking the rows ABOVE the row you're working on (so you can see the rows below your current row) and fight through to row 6. Once you get that far, you'll be amazed that it all makes sense. Really. But you have to make the effort to try the chart. Trust me, the chart is the absolute best way to do this scarf. Without the chart, there would be no scarf, so you'll have to fight through it. The only thing stopping you is the part of your brain that won't let you try. Shut that part of the brain up, and you can do anything!"So from the very nice email I got back from her it seems she didn't take my stern tone in a bad way (YAY!) and she's going to try it. I'm hopeful it will be a sucess. Or, as I wrote to her later today,
"I got your email just as I was closing up my computer to head to bed, half asleep, and reading back over my response I'm a little shocked that I spoke to you the same way I had just spoken to my daughter (10) who insisted that she just couldn't get long division. Sorry for the mom tone - but, honestly, you really CAN do this. And once you mistress the chart, seriously, you'll be able to do ANYTHING. Not just knititng, but ANYTHING! Parallel park better, swear off coffee for a week, run for office (I personally feel that anyone who runs for office must be able to knit lace...)"
PACKING AND FIXING
Today was supposed to be pack for San Diego day, but this morning the package I've been waiting a year for arrived. I ripped it open, stunned by the beauty of the contents.
And I'm ready to announce my - perhaps - brilliant idea. I consider it the greatest act of self restraint not to blog about this for such a long, long period.So - what'cha think?
Now, bear in mind that there were production problems with the covers of some of the proofs that arrived today from China.So I crafted "ADVANCE COPY" plain paper covers and that's what I'll be taking with me to TNNA.
However, the actual books, which will be ready to ship in April, will be stellar with heavy, glossy covers and excellent production values.
29 Comments:
Annie, there have been times when I've just wanted to shake you, but this one is pure genius. Can't wait to see them. Depending on price (which I don't see...), I'd buy all but the basic knit and purl ones.
You're absolutely right that sitting down and just working through it is the best way to do Backyard Leaves. That's the first charted project I ever attempted. I had NO CLUE how to read a chart when I decided to make the scarf. Now I look at other projects with charts and think "That's a big project, but it's no Backyard Leaves."
Flip knit. Genius. I want.
So how does a person who is not attending the show in San iego (my home town) get a peek inside your brilliant idea?
Terri
Annie, you are a genius! What an excellent idea!
Dear regards,
fastest knitter
I caught you yesterday on knitty gritty and learned at least 10 new things! I could kick myself for not coming to see you in Wooster, OH last year. I'll see you in cleveland in march! So happy to "meet" you.
Oh what a great idea! I can't wait for the one on Kitchener which still totally freaks me out. It's weird, sometimes it goes beautifully and then..poof it turns into disaster and I would swear I keep doing the same thing. Obviously it's good that I haven't been called to swear on that in court *G*
Cool! It is a brilliant idea. I'm impressed.
Flip books to illustrate techniques? It's brilliant! I LOVE this idea! It's portable, you can slow it down if you need and look at each individual position, there is a picture of every bit of the technique (every once in a while there's a key illustration missing in some tutorials where I can't figure out how the hell they went from 1b to 1c), _and_ you can see it actually done in front of you, almost like having someone there to demonstrate. FANTASTIC!
OMG! Annie, what a great idea! Thanks to you talking us thru combination knitting at Knitty City, I've been using this method more and more--but I find that I often I need a visual refresher. These books would be small enough to tuck into my knitting bag.
this is such a brilliant idea - and i'm WAAY impressed by your ability ti keep a secret!
i cannot wait to get one of each for my knitting mom who collects flipbooks! perfect!
come back to ny!
~marni
That is a really cool idea! I think it would revolutionize learning how to knit, as people always want to see it in action. Perfect substitute if your knitting teacher weren't available. :-)
Very cool idea! Excellent for folks without a computer addiction (luckily no mirrors here) and a good size to throw in the knitting bag. Clever, clever.
How timely! I usually am not confused by charts, but somehow the last two nights I've been working on the charts for the Pea Pod sweater (free from Interweave Knits, I think Summer 2006). I figured out I was getting confused because some of the stitches didn't line up with the stitches just below them in the chart, because of the insertion of YOs. I never had a problem with this before, but somehow this chart confused me on the 5th time through. What got me was the vertical columns of purl stitches which on the chart do not line up because of YOs. This is the one place where charts have misled me - I like looking at the current row and making sure the stitches line up with the right stitches in the previous row.
I think maybe it's because this is the first chart I've done where the WS row had patterning.
Do you have any suggestions for this situation, where the YOs throw off the alignment of stitches that come after it in the row?
What an awesome idea! I always forget which way the yarn should go when I purl and end up with a couple of rows that are harder than they should be. I'm still trying to find a way into TNNA - I may just have to dress up like a giant knitting needle or something! I'm going to try to take your class at Lori's in Alpine on the 22nd, so maybe I'll see you then!
I find the Flip Knit book idea absolutely hilarious (and if I were a beginning knitter, I would jump on it). It is such an amusing way to learn, and should be pretty cool for people who don't have a knitting neighbor or coworker to get answers from.
Okay, You get ALL the points for brilliance! What an AWESOME idea! Good luck with it at TNNA!
Ooh, great idea! I think you should have a contest for a set of those cool, no cover, sets! Hint, hint.... Ooh, you could also sell them in a special price if you buy all of them....
Congratulations, cant wait to see them in person!
Debra
Annie, I love this idea, such an effective way of illustrating a physical process - and it takes me right back to my childhood, when we used to have those flick-through action story books !
I wish more people would talk like that, quite frankly I'm annoyed by the way so many adult women think it's cute to act helpless and stupid when they don't understand something. They are NOT helpless or stupid, they just talk like it. I'm convinced this is a learned behavior and isn't even done consciously -- they just know the helpless "hands waving in the air" act gets the hand-holding help they think they need.
Are you kidding me? Flip books? That is so cool, I can't even stand it! Sometimes you just have to see a stitch done in order to make it happen.
Plus, I just love flip books. When I was in school, all my notebooks had little stick-people walking and doing cartwheels across the tops of the pages.
Damn. Color me impressed and eager!
I know how the 21 yo feels about charts - I am doing the same thing. But you are right - you have mistress the chart (and I don't even want to run for office!) I can make a scarf...I can make a scarf using a chart....I can do it I can do it I can do it....
Of course now you've got me rethinking trying charted designs after all. *shakes head and looks at you sternly*. =)
Love your flipknit books! The look like fun. Look at you go.
Way to go. double way to go for thinking outside the box on the production problems. goes to show you, "You CAN do it. Just mistress it!" (couldn't resist.)
Celebrating Delurking Week which is turning into Delurking Month & may extend to Delurking Quarter. You're one of my regular reads even tho I rarely comment. I've shied away from charts, too for a long time. But looking a them now, coupled the post-it notes they're not so scary.
The FlipKnit books are a fabulous idea!
Annie- I remember when you taught charting skills to a roomful of knitters at the Knitter's Review retreat. I think you were trying to be stern then, too. But just like your son, all we could do was giggle. Thanks for your infectious spirit and willingness to help others. Good luck with your new book
I am currently knitting up your backyard leaves, this is my second go. Last time I was too impatient to see the progress, so I ripped it and did other things. But this time, having already learned to read the chart, familiar with your symbols, and with the aid of one of those magnet boards, I'm flying through (a relative expression based on my own knitting speed). It's really a lovely, and easy pattern. I love the pattern, and charts rock!
you, my friend, are a flipknits genius!
put the posted note above the row i'm working on....yeah that will work, how simple!
my only glitch on graphs are graphs were the symbol means one knit on one row and purl on the other, but your tip will help with that too.
however, swear off coffee for a week? have you gone mad?
Brilliant! I loved Flip books when I was a kid - what a great idea. So much more reasonable than purchasing a dvd. These are going to sell like hotcakes! Stern - too funny.
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