New toys and incentives
Did something fairly momentous last Sunday; I decided I simply had to get a decent digital camera. Occasionally I actually finish some knitting, or more often jewelry, and both are things that don't show up too well if you don't have a macro zoom. Even a part-time knitter's blog requires pix, doesn't it? You betcha. Plus further Very Important reason explained way below. I'm sure any right-feeling knitter would agree with me, when they get to the end of this post.
Long story short - stop that giggling! - I bought a used one from Winter, who's a photography nut. (And you should see her photography! Winter, I haven't had a chance to look...you have any pix on lj, or can I link to your webpage? If so, exactly which url?) Big relief, since a new camera with decent zoom would cost more than half my rent, for ghu's sake. I wanted a step up from point-and-shoot, but don't need uber bells-and-whistles. I just need a decent zoom function and clear pix at a good resolution and size, for a reasonable price. Not to mention a newer one could possibly have problems getting along with my three-year-old computer; so a slightly older one would be better. Goddess bless friends who have just the thing you need! At a budget price, too. ;)
Now maybe I'll get things finished more often. ::snerk:: I've got several jewelry items finished, because: A) Stringing beads - not teeny seed beads, but ethnic ones and semi-precious gemstones - goes a lot faster than knitting; B) I just love designing with sparklies, it's wicked addictive; and C) I adore wearing jewelry. When I do manage to get anywhere, I end up looking like a peasant woman wearing her entire dowry while working in the fields. If I wore any more, I'd clank. Fortunately, being a woman of size, LOL, I can carry it off. Although I can do delicate pieces. I make those for friends who can't wear the large stuff. It's nice to have some variety.
Now, if I could just get better at finishing my knitting. ::sigh:: Several problems:
1) You may have noticed hints here and there that I'm a procrastinator. And there's that bouncing between hobbies thing. (Don't ask how long it's been since I spun or wove something. Or done any dyeing; don't forget the dyeing.)
2) The size bit. I ain't the fastest knitter; I hate needles smaller than US #5's; and even on larger needles, it still takes a bloody long time to finish a sweater for me.
3) The expense of enough yarn to make a sweater. Especially when you tend to like tunic-length styles, combined with reason #2, and are on a fixed income. Geez, it took me 20-odd years to build up my stash of beads, and that was done mostly at wholesale prices. Thanks to Fire Mountain Gems. They sell wholesale to the public. Plus some lucky bargains back when I was still working. Surprisingly, many yarns nowadays - especially if you like hand-paints and novelties - are actually more expensive than jewelry supplies. For the price of enough really nice yarn for one sweater, I could make at least two necklaces that would cost me, retail, anywhere from $100 to $200. Each. (Maybe more, being as they're my own original designs.) Even considering they sell jewelry at retail for around a 300% or so markup, still - yikes!
4) Did I mention I procrastinate?
5) Main problem the first: I'm one of those process vs. product types. What I seem to enjoy most is the figuring out part of a project. Deciding on the style, modifications or not, colors, what kind of yarn... By the time I start knitting, I to being bored with whatever I'm making. Yeah, I know, where's that American-style Puritan work ethic? I don't think I have much of that.
6) Main problem the second: Books are my main passion and distraction. When I have some disposable income, if it's a choice between yarn, beads, or books - books usually win. Why else do I love Powell's so much? Plus, they buy and sell used books, and if you're selling, they give you more money in trade than they do cash. This is pretty much irresistible for a manic obsessed an avid reader who can go through 5 or more books in a day, depending on the length. (Yes, I have no life, remember? And don't ask why I don't try to slow down my reading speed. I can't. Not unless it's something boring, or takes longer because I'm learning something new that requires concentration. Have you ever tried to read more slowly, when it's just for enjoyment? I don't see how it can even be possible. I can read faster when necessary, but slow down? Hah.)
It's all my parents' fault. They taught me to read at 4, then Mom started working in the local library when I was only in 2nd grade. She'd bring home stacks of books every week or so, and I'd devour them. Almost anything. Fiction, non-fiction, juvenile, adult - didn't matter, I'd read it. Heck, I'll read milk cartons or ATM receipts if there's nothing else around. They encouraged this mainlining of readables, and kept it up for several years after it became glaringly obvious apparent I'd rather read than do almost anything. Now, even the fact that I'm a confirmed re-reader doesn't help when it comes to book-fever. After you've read all your favorites about six times or so, you definitely need new additions to feed the monster, y'know? And I consider anything less than a collection of 1,000 or so books lying around to be pitifully small. Around 2,000 is better - which is about what Mike's and my combined collections amounted to, when we got married and merged them. I'm not back up there yet, but I'm working on it. (Powell's got most of them when we struck hard times.) Luckily, not every book I read is one I decide to keep permanently, so I can trade back to get more. Plus some wonderful friends have been helping by contributing their overflow after reading, bless 'em. ::sends hugs to Peg and Ellen::
So, back to the camera... One reason I wanted to start a blog was due to the suggestion of my sib Grace. She just took up knitting a few months ago. Started a blog of her own, put up a few pix of FO's, and suggested we egg each other on via blog to finish things. Well, it's kind of hard to help incite someone else if you don't have any pictures whatsoever. And she's slowed down after her first two projects. Nothing else yet. ::worried look:: Must help brainwash addict encourage a fledgling knitter! So yep - gotta getta camera. The stash has grown some, and I've got enough yarn for several projects; with help from said friends, books aren't quite so desperately thin on the ground; got finances arranged for some really important things to get taken care of; ok, next monthly disposable income could go for a camera. This is that next month. My turn to inflict pix - as soon as Winter can ship me the camera.
Now, I just need to decide on a project and get it going so I can post enticing pix. Let the encouraging one-upmanship begin! Yo - Grace?
Long story short - stop that giggling! - I bought a used one from Winter, who's a photography nut. (And you should see her photography! Winter, I haven't had a chance to look...you have any pix on lj, or can I link to your webpage? If so, exactly which url?) Big relief, since a new camera with decent zoom would cost more than half my rent, for ghu's sake. I wanted a step up from point-and-shoot, but don't need uber bells-and-whistles. I just need a decent zoom function and clear pix at a good resolution and size, for a reasonable price. Not to mention a newer one could possibly have problems getting along with my three-year-old computer; so a slightly older one would be better. Goddess bless friends who have just the thing you need! At a budget price, too. ;)
Now maybe I'll get things finished more often. ::snerk:: I've got several jewelry items finished, because: A) Stringing beads - not teeny seed beads, but ethnic ones and semi-precious gemstones - goes a lot faster than knitting; B) I just love designing with sparklies, it's wicked addictive; and C) I adore wearing jewelry. When I do manage to get anywhere, I end up looking like a peasant woman wearing her entire dowry while working in the fields. If I wore any more, I'd clank. Fortunately, being a woman of size, LOL, I can carry it off. Although I can do delicate pieces. I make those for friends who can't wear the large stuff. It's nice to have some variety.
Now, if I could just get better at finishing my knitting. ::sigh:: Several problems:
1) You may have noticed hints here and there that I'm a procrastinator. And there's that bouncing between hobbies thing. (Don't ask how long it's been since I spun or wove something. Or done any dyeing; don't forget the dyeing.)
2) The size bit. I ain't the fastest knitter; I hate needles smaller than US #5's; and even on larger needles, it still takes a bloody long time to finish a sweater for me.
3) The expense of enough yarn to make a sweater. Especially when you tend to like tunic-length styles, combined with reason #2, and are on a fixed income. Geez, it took me 20-odd years to build up my stash of beads, and that was done mostly at wholesale prices. Thanks to Fire Mountain Gems. They sell wholesale to the public. Plus some lucky bargains back when I was still working. Surprisingly, many yarns nowadays - especially if you like hand-paints and novelties - are actually more expensive than jewelry supplies. For the price of enough really nice yarn for one sweater, I could make at least two necklaces that would cost me, retail, anywhere from $100 to $200. Each. (Maybe more, being as they're my own original designs.) Even considering they sell jewelry at retail for around a 300% or so markup, still - yikes!
4) Did I mention I procrastinate?
5) Main problem the first: I'm one of those process vs. product types. What I seem to enjoy most is the figuring out part of a project. Deciding on the style, modifications or not, colors, what kind of yarn... By the time I start knitting, I to being bored with whatever I'm making. Yeah, I know, where's that American-style Puritan work ethic? I don't think I have much of that.
6) Main problem the second: Books are my main passion and distraction. When I have some disposable income, if it's a choice between yarn, beads, or books - books usually win. Why else do I love Powell's so much? Plus, they buy and sell used books, and if you're selling, they give you more money in trade than they do cash. This is pretty much irresistible for a manic obsessed an avid reader who can go through 5 or more books in a day, depending on the length. (Yes, I have no life, remember? And don't ask why I don't try to slow down my reading speed. I can't. Not unless it's something boring, or takes longer because I'm learning something new that requires concentration. Have you ever tried to read more slowly, when it's just for enjoyment? I don't see how it can even be possible. I can read faster when necessary, but slow down? Hah.)
It's all my parents' fault. They taught me to read at 4, then Mom started working in the local library when I was only in 2nd grade. She'd bring home stacks of books every week or so, and I'd devour them. Almost anything. Fiction, non-fiction, juvenile, adult - didn't matter, I'd read it. Heck, I'll read milk cartons or ATM receipts if there's nothing else around. They encouraged this mainlining of readables, and kept it up for several years after it became glaringly obvious apparent I'd rather read than do almost anything. Now, even the fact that I'm a confirmed re-reader doesn't help when it comes to book-fever. After you've read all your favorites about six times or so, you definitely need new additions to feed the monster, y'know? And I consider anything less than a collection of 1,000 or so books lying around to be pitifully small. Around 2,000 is better - which is about what Mike's and my combined collections amounted to, when we got married and merged them. I'm not back up there yet, but I'm working on it. (Powell's got most of them when we struck hard times.) Luckily, not every book I read is one I decide to keep permanently, so I can trade back to get more. Plus some wonderful friends have been helping by contributing their overflow after reading, bless 'em. ::sends hugs to Peg and Ellen::
So, back to the camera... One reason I wanted to start a blog was due to the suggestion of my sib Grace. She just took up knitting a few months ago. Started a blog of her own, put up a few pix of FO's, and suggested we egg each other on via blog to finish things. Well, it's kind of hard to help incite someone else if you don't have any pictures whatsoever. And she's slowed down after her first two projects. Nothing else yet. ::worried look:: Must help brainwash addict encourage a fledgling knitter! So yep - gotta getta camera. The stash has grown some, and I've got enough yarn for several projects; with help from said friends, books aren't quite so desperately thin on the ground; got finances arranged for some really important things to get taken care of; ok, next monthly disposable income could go for a camera. This is that next month. My turn to inflict pix - as soon as Winter can ship me the camera.
Now, I just need to decide on a project and get it going so I can post enticing pix. Let the encouraging one-upmanship begin! Yo - Grace?