5KCBWDAY3 - Experimental Photography And Image Handling For Bloggers

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Day Three (Wednesday 14th May): Experimental Photography And Image Handling For Bloggers.

I've been meaning to explore ways to better show the emotional/environmental context for my knits. It's present when we knitters look at our work I think, we see a pair of socks we made and it brings us back to a moment we spent making it--maybe around good company at a knitting circle, maybe sitting down on a perfect morning, maybe in the middle of the most stressful day yet--it's always there.

The last big one I had were those Ribbed socks completed earlier this month. That day could not have been better; I took hundreds of photos! A foot would be blurry in one shot ("this would be terrible for ravelry, I wouldn't measure up!"), or a stick would be in the way("this is garbage compositionally").

I'm glad I had the chance to experiment with two of the types of photos that don't see the light of day usually. :D Among other things that I tried today:

  • Messing with filters/levels (well, I always did, but they're veeery apparent this time!

  • Moving the watermark outside of the photo itself and working with transparent PNGs (although flickr might have flattened them and made them opaque)

  • Adding writing. I've been wanting to fit my cruddy handwriting into photos! It feels more personal than using someone's typeface.

Anywho, this was fun! I'll definitely make a habit of this in the future. I tried some things that didn't work out too well, but that's half of the joy of experimentation! The other half would be finding stuff that does work. :]

This (somewhat late!) post is part of Eskimimi Makes' 5th Annual Knitting & Crochet Blog Week. To find posts by other participating bloggers, simply google 5KCBWDAY3 and explore away!

Have you tried anything new with your blogging or knitting? What worked/didn't work? What's surprised you?

5KCBWDAY2 - Dating Profile

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Fun loving vegan, looking for a special someone to keep warm.

I'm fun loving, bright, and flexible(WINK~). Looking for a good friend or more to leave the house with once in a while, though I'm no stranger to staying in and chilling in front of a movie. Cool with a fling, but open to a longterm meaningful relationship. I can take it.

Likes: Long walks in chilly weather, good tea and scones, campfire songs, ghouls(little green ones)

Dislikes: Clothes dryers on "High" If you're down to meet, drop a line! Let's be good friends. :)

This (somewhat late!) post is part of Eskimimi Makes' 5th Annual Knitting & Crochet Blog Week. To find posts by other participating bloggers, simply google KCBW5DAY2 and explore away!

5KCBWDAY1 - A Day in the Life

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Day One (Monday 12th May): A Day In The Life.

Describe a day in the life of a project that you have made, or are in the process of making.

My WIP's don't use words, but they do get a lot across! Here are some highlights from various days in my knits' lives. :D

"???????????"

"(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧"

"( ﾟヮﾟ)"

"(ง'̀-'́)ง"

"(ಠ⌣ಠ)"

This post is part of Eskimimi Makes' 5th Annual Knitting & Crochet Blog Week. To find posts by other participating bloggers, simply google KCBW5DAY1 and explore away!

fo: entwined bed socks

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This project didn't last long at all! After I finished the last pair and a shop knit, I went digging in my suitcase for yarn I brought from home (Yep, a strict 50lb suitcase limit to travel overseas, and some of it was yarn..). A lone skein of Patons Wool was lying their waiting to be attended to, so I casted on and knit away.

entwined-bed-socks_14139355646_o.jpg

pattern : Entwined House Socks for Ladies by Margaret MacInnis

yarn : Patons North America Classic Wool Worsted in Grey Mix

needle : US 6[4 mm]

size : 9.5

Entwined was the calming cabled sock pattern I was looking for after I completed my Angler's Loop Socks

late last year. I'm happy to have come across it (and it's free too!). It's basically a vanilla ankle sock pattern but with a little more involvement at the very beginning--so these just flew right off the needles while I was watching Stargate SG-1 this weekend, with a little bit of yarn to spare for reinforcing the heel using the tutorial

Severien suggested. Thanks, pretty sure it'll help the heels! Personally I found the reinforcement process to be suuper fiddly and tedious, but if you spent ages working on your socks and want them to last that much more, it's worth the time investment. This pair in particular won't cause a tragedy if they get mixed in with the wrong washing load, but they're still all the better for it.

entwined-bed-socks_13975855019_o.jpg

My favorite detail next to the gorgeous cabled cuff would be the way she designed the wide ribbing to balance nicely on the top of the foot. It takes a little extra work when you're setting up the heel in the beginning, but worth the satisfaction when you wear it completed. :] I'm also in love with the plain toe over carrying the ribbing all the way through, like in my last project. There's something about a plain toe that balances whatever drama you have along the rest of the sock. It's the resting point this pattern needed, and Margaret made a good call on making it this way. :]

With one less skein in the suitcase, I felt the weight of guilt lift from my shoulders and made a yarn purchase yesterday. The yarns are a nice 75% wool, 25% nylon blend that I'll use for...you guessed it, more socks. I'm hoping to be able to make just a few more socks for Jason before I head back home mid-June(and have to deal with the horrors of international shipping), so the race is on.

P.S. : I will be participating in this, starting tomorrow!