Knitting for hire

One of the reasons that I've been so quiet on here recently is my recent second-career is a knitter for hire. When I started creating my own knit designs, I would knit up the samples for photos myself and try to come up with creative ways of taking pictures of my own feet (although my husband did an excellent job with my last sock pics). It didn't really occur to me until I saw a posting for somebody needing a sample knitter that designers didn't always knit up their own stuff.

In the last few months, I've become involved in a couple of sample knitting projects - one for an independent publication, and also for a larger yarn company. They send me the yarn and the pattern, I knit it up and send it back. While that sounds ridiculously easy, I've discovered that there's a lot more to it. If you happen across an opportunity to knit for hire, here's a few things to keep in mind.

- You are providing the final image. Generally, when you're working from a pattern you have a photo to give you a general idea of what the item is supposed to look like. My first sample knitting project, I kept on looking for that photo to give me guidelines...and then I'd realize that I was knitting the photo. The whole knitting "blind" thing is a total trip and leads to nerves that you will accidentally create a knitwear Quasimodo of sorts.
- You have to pay a lot of attention to what the designer may have missed or miscalculated. They haven't necessarily knit up the piece, or it may not have been tech edited yet. Sometimes the math doesn't add up, or they forgot to put in a step. If you're not sure, ask! I'd rather stop knitting for a couple hours and wait for confirmation than have to rip back something later. The designer is relying on you to help them release the best pattern possible.
- You're on a deadline. I'm a serious offender when it comes to half knit items hanging around the house in a variety of bags. Sometimes I lose interest, sometimes I forget about it completely. Either way, there is no "I'll get to that later" when it comes to sample knitting. If they need it for a photo shoot on whatever date, you have to get it there on time!
- You don't get to keep it. You may have to put aside personal projects for a while (see aforementioned point, I'm good at that anyway) to get the samples done and no matter how much you love whatever it is you just made, you have to send it away never to be seen again. OK, well I should say that it will be seen again when the pattern is released, and then there will be the pride and excitement that accompanies that.
- You may develop callouses on your pinkie finger. That's just a fact that I had to share seeing as my right hand is currently sporting one.

I realize that doesn't all sound super fun but I have had several knitters say to me since I started doing this "that sounds like a blast" and don't get me wrong, I'm really enjoying it. There's always the other side of the coin though and sample knitting is a serious business that does take a good amount of dedication. On the upside, it's a great opportunity to try out and discover new yarns that you may not have come across before! Of the 3 things I've knit up, there's 2 yarns that I would definitely use again (will post more once the patterns are released) and one that I loved in the hank but really didn't enjoy knitting with. If nothing else, I'm getting the aspirations to be a designer that can have others knit up my visions when I grow up!

How to plan a wedding in 10 days...

My soon to be dear hubby and I will be getting married a week from tomorrow. We've been together for almost 10 years and were just wee children when we started dating (freshman year of college). A couple of weeks ago, the stars aligned and we decided to get married! All the important people in our lives were going to be in town at the same time and we figured, why wait? After all, we've been together for so long it's not like anybody is surprised. In fact, "it's about time" has been the most common response received.

Of course, planning a wedding in such a short time frame is a completely different thing from having a standard year or so to figure everything out. Personally, I've been loving the fact that I don't have time to stress over the details that drive many brides nuts in the months leading up to the big day. While my wedding planning is coming to a close, I had to share the things that I've learned.


Here's 10 tips on how to plan a wedding in 10 days!!

1) Decide where you want the ceremony and reception to take place and how big you want the guest list to be. It's probably easier to keep it small and restrict it to close friends and family. This also increases your venue options as you can perhaps have it at someone's house, in a park (check permit restrictions), or a multitude of other places that mean something special to the two of you. If you are deciding to have a reception after the ceremony, check out whether the venue that you are choosing for the ceremony has a reception space or if you would need to move to a different location. Keeping the guest list small also means you won't offend anybody who isn't invited.

2) Make an appointment to go dress shopping straight away. Dresses usually take 6-8 weeks to order in, so keep in mind that you will probably have to buy something off the rack. Places like David's Bridal do alterations and cleaning on site, so that can be very valuable when you're short on time. Also, check for bridal sections at stores - such as Nordstrom, JC Penney, and even Target! Don't forget to bring your girlfriends with you for opinions, and if the store will let you take pics, do so (most bridal boutiques won't, but the bigger chain stores generally don't have a problem with this.

3) Start researching rings. If you're deciding to get married on the spur of the moment, he may not have had time to get you an engagement ring. Firstly, decide what your budget is, then call around friends and family to see if somebody has a jeweler that they trust - they will often be able to give you a bigger and better diamond for the same price or less than mall jewelers. Read up on your 4 Cs of diamonds and you'll need the information in your head when talking to a diamond jeweler!

4) Figure out who you want to have officiate the ceremony. Approach the minister or rabbi as soon as possible to make sure they are available. If you had your eye on a specific church or temple but the date isn't available, check to see if the minister or rabbi would be available to do the ceremony at a different location. If you are planning on having a friend marry you, who was ordained online, call the county clerk's office to make sure that they will consider that person a legal officiant.

5) Once you have figured out the where and when, find a caterer as soon as possible. It's generally easier to find a caterer at short notice when you're getting married "off season" but again, try local restaurants and such to see if they offer a catering service - you don't need to rely on traditional wedding caterers for your event! Also, caterers often offer the option to rent table linens etc., so don't forget to ask if they can make those available to you.

6) Investigate the requirements for a marriage license where you need to go to file for one. For example: in Los Angeles, the application for a marriage license can be submitted online. You then have to go with your partner to the county clerk's office, who will print your marriage license (valid for 90 days) and give you the information you need for marriage certificate filing. I suggest going early morning when the office first opens as you'll be there and out before long lines build up!

7) Think about your ceremony and vows. Web sites, such as http://theknot.com are excellent resources for vows from different religions, including non-denominational or mixed religion ceremonies. Once you've figured out the basic structure of your ceremony, you can then look for readings that are special to you as a couple, as well as finding hundreds of beautiful love quotes and poems online. You may want to ask a couple of guests to do these readings during the ceremony to give it a personal touch. Also, pick a couple of songs that mean a lot to both of you for the aisle processional and recessional. Whether it be religious, classical or contemporary music, it is the perfect way to set the mood.

8) Think about decorations. You will probably want to keep it simple and decide on some basic but effective accents to decorate your ceremony and reception. Flowers and candles make a simple but beautiful statement, and can also be done quite inexpensively. Check out your local farmer's market for flowers that you can put together yourself. Votives and tea lights are also inexpensive at many chain stores. Places like Michaels and other craft stores have tons of wedding items should you decide to do place settings, favors, or get vases/bowls for center pieces.

9) Instead of going for a huge tiered cake, see if a local bakery can do a decorated sheet cake for you. Also, find out what notice they need to make it. I'm lucky that my favorite local bakery can do a decorated cake in the flavors of my choice (white cake and fresh strawberries) for me with 4 days notice for $50. It's quite the steal and I'd never have eaten a frozen top tier of a wedding cake anyway!

10) Invitations are a wonderful keepsake, and even if you end up just calling everybody to give them the news and tell them when to show up, they may want an invitation to put on their fridge anyway! Office Depot carries a whole line of printable wedding invitations, which come in a pack with RSVP cards, pretty seals, and matching envelopes. As you probably don't have the time to get your invitations professionally printed, take some time to design them on your computer - pick the fonts and wording that you like, then make sure you print the test sheet before you start on the real ones!

Moving on up - my 8 tips!!

Last month, my boyfriend and I decided to get a place together and once I got over the initial excitement, the realization that I had to start packing finally hit me. I've been in my studio apartment for almost 4 years to the day so this is a task that has definitely been a little daunting. I think it was also a little crazy that he had to be out of his old apartment by August 1st, so we've been squished into my studio (a large studio, but still a studio) for the last 2 weeks. It's not been so bad except for the bruises caused by falling over things.
You will need:

• Packing tape (lots of it)
• Boxes (I love Office Depot boxes because they have handles and we get lots of them at work)
• Sharpie pens (preferably black),
• Band-aids

My 8 tips to moving efficiently!
(Why 8 you ask? That's all I could come up with...I'm tired).

1) Clear a space for the boxes you pack to be stacked.
Suggestion: Keep an open escape route to the door so that you can exit the room.

2) Check bottoms of boxes are secure and seal accordingly with tape. Seal the packed boxes well at the top too.
Why?: There is nothing worse than packing it and realizing that if you lift it, the bottom will collapse. Use excess tape as necessary. It's cheaper to buy too much tape than it is to have to super glue the china plate your grandmother left you.

3) Pack things you are 100% sure you will not need.
Why this helps: This eliminates the chances that you will run around at midnight looking for your toothbrush and being unable to find it because you packed it in the box with all the stuff from your computer desk.

4) Label each box clearly with what "category" it's contents fall under. Feel free to be more specific.
Tip: Don't let the Sharpie pen you are using to mark the boxes fall in between other boxes. This is not helpful and will in fact impede your progress.

5) Use moving and packing as a good reason to purge things that you no longer need.
Hint: If you are a pack-rat like I am, have someone you trust go through your stuff with you. Tell them to be ruthless. When you find that Styx t-shirt with the holes that you used to wear when you were 13, that you feel like you need because of your intense emotional attachment to it, make them put it straight in a donation bag and out of eye-sight.

6) Hire movers! It's not as cheap as doing it yourself but it's worth it.
Why this is especially important: It saves your sanity, it saves friendships, it prevents injuries being sustained from having furniture dropped on you from a great height, as you attempt to navigate 2 flights of stairs while hoping to catch the queen-sized mattress being suspended from the balcony. Hired movers are professionals. It's what they do.

7) Movers will generally make you pay extra for wrapping furniture and for the actual wrap itself. You can buy a 1500' roll of plastic wrap at Office Depot.
Helpful tip: If your significant other starts to bother you, you can plastic wrap them to something until they learn their lesson.

8) When you arrive at your new place with boxes and furniture in tow, make sure you know exactly which box your liquor cabinet was packed in.
Why this is important: You're going to need it to immediately celebrate your success at having finally done it. The beauty of it being that you don't actually need to unpack glasses to enjoy the tasty refreshment. I would suggest waiting until you've sobered up to unpack though.

Have I been paying attention to my own tips? In most cases, yes. The good news is that we're picking up the keys tonight, which I am thrilled about, and I'll finally be able to get some of the boxes out of my place and figure out what on earth is still left to move!!

Love is in the air!

Not sure if it's in the water right now, or if it's just that time of year (or perhaps even a pleasant mixture of both) but my year seems filled with knuptual planning with two of my closest friends who are taking the plunge and pledging "I DO!" Until the bridal shower and bachelorette party dates draw nearer, I'm pretty much off the hook with my bridesmaid duties and can enjoy the pressure free fun of wedding dress shopping with the blushing brides. I am occasionally overwhelmed by the realization that I might end up like Bridget Jones - referring to my girlfriends as the old marrieds when we're planning to meet up for dinner - but then she got to marry Colin Firth, so things could be worse.

Where I am not off the hook is with the wedding photography, which is really the purpose of this particular rambling. These days, seeing as everybody owns a digital camera, it's quite normal for everybody to be snapping away at weddings. I've been both the hired photographer and these tips will help both you and the photographer the couple hired optimize the photographic opportunities. It's one day and you don't get a do-over!

- Do be respectful of the pro-photographer. The couple is paying them to capture the event and it's a huge task. You want to help the pro get the best shots they possibly can as that's the job they were hired to do.

- Do be mindful of the photography rules in places of worship. If the pro isn't shooting, they have probably be asked not to and you should follow their lead.

- Do take lots of pictures of those at your table or surrounding tables having fun. Often, the pro can't concentrate on these pictures and they'll be a pleasant surprise for the couple later on.

- Do take pictures of decoration accents or location that can be fun and perhaps even "artsy"!

- Do capture "reaction" shots of the guests for certain moments - such as the cake cutting. The pro will be concentrating on the couple and this is an opportunity for you to take a completely different kind of shot.

- Do encourage people to get into groups for photographs. If you're taking pics of a group at your table, have some people move around so they are standing behind others that are seated. That way you eliminate the half-eaten food and someone's head being blocked by the center piece.

- Do take candids. The couple is usually busy during the reception and won't see a lot of what their guests get up to, but they'll definitely enjoy that you captured a good candid moment later on!

- Don't put your arm up above people's heads or stand to take pictures during the ceremony as it's unfair to those around you. (This happens a lot more than you might expect). You'll probably remember the beauty of the ceremony better if you're not concentrating on the photography aspect - leave that to the pro. Instead, choose an aisle seat where you can capture pics of the couple and bridal party as they walk the aisle. [See inset. I was a guest at this wedding.]
- Don't stand right behind the pro-photographer and duplicate their shots. This may mess with their lighting and can also be distracting. The shot that the pro is taking is likely to be the better shot anyway, given they set it up, and is the one the couple will use in the end.

- Don't stand opposite the pro while they are taking their shots. (I took wedding pictures on a beach at sunset. A family member was taking pictures on the other side of the couple and I had to spend a lot of time adjusting my position to not capture them in my shots, all while the light was rapidly fading). Your pictures will also come out better as the pro probably has a way to keep you out of their shot, but they're probably in yours.

- DON'T FORGET TO HAVE FUN!! After all, it's a celebration.

Sharing knowledge helps growth

If you love crafting in general, enjoy learning new techniques, want to expand your hobby, or if you sell your wares online, check out this excellent resource - Craftytips.com!

Whether you are a beginning crafter or a veteran, there is something on Crafty Tips that you will find interesting as it covers a truly extensive list of crafts. While you are looking for free patterns, fun projects and even classes to take, you will find blogs and links to other websites associated with each craft. My favorite thing is the "Crafty Tip" posted with each link!

If, like me, you are trying to turn your hobby into a business, I know it's easy to be so absorbed in the art aspects that you end up being marketing challenged! Since I started considering my photography and other crafts a commodity, I've been trying to figure out how to generate business. The marketing pages on Crafty Tips are a godsend as a quick tutorial for being more marketing savvy.

I see a lot of forum postings on sites such as Etsy.com for people looking for answers on how to write better descriptions. Look no further! Here's a great read, complete with example, on how to do just that. I know that I personally was told by another friendly crafter that I should make sure to use my description "tags" properly. After all, in a marketplace with millions of items, how do you get someone to find yours and convince them it's just what they needed? Crafty Tips shows you how to use your keywords to lure in those buyers to your product. Elsewhere on the website, you will find useful articles, such as these business guides to help get you started.

While I know I could spend hours on Crafty Tips filtering through pages of interesting articles, blogs and other facts, the best part is that this is one of those websites that will just continue to grow and become an amazingly useful resource (plus I just found some new knitting patterns that I want to try!)