I have to make a cover for a book of sock patterns I am putting together for the National Convention of the Circular Sock Machine Society of America and so I posted a few pictures of socks and other things made on a CSM anf created a "set". Using "Mosaic Maker I was able to make this picture for the cover. This is definitely one of the things I shall use again.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Flickr
I have loaded some pictures onto Flickr and tried to post one to my blog straight from Flickr instead of using my blog directly. Seems strange, but maybe it will work better
Monday, June 11, 2007
June Eleventh
I have been thinking about the use of technology by craftspersons. We have all noticed that the technological world is full of contrasts like seeing people handspin yarn on an antique spinning wheel and knit it up using a pattern found on the Internet, but I think craftspersons and possibly all people with hobbies are different.
Usually when people at a party, for example, ask to see a picture of my grandson or my dog, and I pull out my PDA to show them there is an amazed flurry of comments like, "George look at that thing she has for her pictures!" or ," How did you get pictures on there? Is that your dog?" as if I might carry around a device preloaded with someone else’s pictures. If however I am at a knitting conference or other craft event and pull out my PDA, I am immediately confronted with a similar collection of devices displaying the family pets of all present.
It seems to me that the crafts people I encounter have embraced new technology with an enthusiasm that exceeds that of the rest of the population. Is it the craving for new information that all hobbyists have that drives them to use all the technologies available? Is it the need to share that inspires them to learn to share information and pictures with the world. I sometimes think that fiber artists have blogs because there is a limit to how many times one can share with one’s spouse that one has knit ten more rows on one’s knitting project, or the nifty color one got dyeing with cherry KoolAid. Presumably the anonymous people who read one’s blog are interested.
It may be true of all hobbies, but the fiber people have a whole language of abbreviations beyond the usual ROTFL… type, including things like "NTINAMY", (Not That I Need Anymore Yarn) and "SEX", (Stash Enhancing eXpedition). Women seem to call their husbands "DH" which I take to mean that the H is "Dear" or "Darling", but it could just a well mean the poor fellow is dreadful, desperate or dead. I suppose to fly in the face of tradition and just refer to him a one’s "H" would make him sound unloved. People selling fleece like to say it is free of "VM" which, for a while, tickled my imagination… Vicious mercenaries? Virtuous maidens? Or as a friend suggested voice mail? Then I realized as you, no doubt, already have, they meant only vegetable matter and that the sheep, llama, alpaca lived in the kitchen or wore a coat or something.
Are craftspersons different or is it all hobbists or is the rest of my acquaintance just exceptionally untechnological?
Usually when people at a party, for example, ask to see a picture of my grandson or my dog, and I pull out my PDA to show them there is an amazed flurry of comments like, "George look at that thing she has for her pictures!" or ," How did you get pictures on there? Is that your dog?" as if I might carry around a device preloaded with someone else’s pictures. If however I am at a knitting conference or other craft event and pull out my PDA, I am immediately confronted with a similar collection of devices displaying the family pets of all present.
It seems to me that the crafts people I encounter have embraced new technology with an enthusiasm that exceeds that of the rest of the population. Is it the craving for new information that all hobbyists have that drives them to use all the technologies available? Is it the need to share that inspires them to learn to share information and pictures with the world. I sometimes think that fiber artists have blogs because there is a limit to how many times one can share with one’s spouse that one has knit ten more rows on one’s knitting project, or the nifty color one got dyeing with cherry KoolAid. Presumably the anonymous people who read one’s blog are interested.
It may be true of all hobbies, but the fiber people have a whole language of abbreviations beyond the usual ROTFL… type, including things like "NTINAMY", (Not That I Need Anymore Yarn) and "SEX", (Stash Enhancing eXpedition). Women seem to call their husbands "DH" which I take to mean that the H is "Dear" or "Darling", but it could just a well mean the poor fellow is dreadful, desperate or dead. I suppose to fly in the face of tradition and just refer to him a one’s "H" would make him sound unloved. People selling fleece like to say it is free of "VM" which, for a while, tickled my imagination… Vicious mercenaries? Virtuous maidens? Or as a friend suggested voice mail? Then I realized as you, no doubt, already have, they meant only vegetable matter and that the sheep, llama, alpaca lived in the kitchen or wore a coat or something.
Are craftspersons different or is it all hobbists or is the rest of my acquaintance just exceptionally untechnological?
Friday, June 8, 2007
June Eighth
Well, I have alway enjoyed play, and do I ever have a toolbox! I would just love to have an excuse to add to it if only I could think of something else I might need.
I am trying to decide how specific I want to be in my contract... Just complete the twenty-three things? That's measurable, but is it enough? I want to become good at these things and that's harder to measure. Maybe I should try to find a certain number of skills in the twenty-three things that I really enjoy and will use.
I have already subscribed to a feed of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" and RSS feeds would be one I could count. I can take "All Things Considered" to the fitness Center and won't have to watch the drug company ads that make me so angry. This is such a wonderful addition to my world. So if you see me laughing at nothing in particular I am probably listening to the latest "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" and I haven't lost my marbles, (Well maybe I have, but that isn't proof).
I am trying to decide how specific I want to be in my contract... Just complete the twenty-three things? That's measurable, but is it enough? I want to become good at these things and that's harder to measure. Maybe I should try to find a certain number of skills in the twenty-three things that I really enjoy and will use.
I have already subscribed to a feed of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" and RSS feeds would be one I could count. I can take "All Things Considered" to the fitness Center and won't have to watch the drug company ads that make me so angry. This is such a wonderful addition to my world. So if you see me laughing at nothing in particular I am probably listening to the latest "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" and I haven't lost my marbles, (Well maybe I have, but that isn't proof).
Thursday, June 7, 2007
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