Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Book Update

I'm in the midst of getting test knitters for the patterns we will feature in the book. This can be challenging, requiring skill, timing, and diplomacy on my part. You might be surprised at just how diplomatic I can be--I could be called by the U.N. at any moment, that's how good I'm getting at this. But wait, it gets better. One of my responsibilities is to contact yarn companies and ask them for yarn. I send an email or make a phone call and like magic, they send yarn--FREE YARN--just because I ask for it. Dropping the name of a famous and published knitting author certainly helps. But still, I love this part of the job. I hope I never got over the excitement of when they email me back and say, "Sure! We'll send you yarn. How much and what color?" I'm sure I'll come back to this moment when I'm in the middle of writing my chapters and I get a terminal case of writer's block while ripping my hair out by the roots. Or not. I'm working on developing the cocky side of my personality, the one I never show you. STOP LAUGHING. I GET FREE YARN.

But here's the thing I'm discovering about that free yarn. Designers who have gotten to the point where yarn companies will supply them with yarn for their designs have earned it. By the time they're well known enough to have that privilege, they've put in countless hours swatching, drawing, knitting, frogging, cussing, and worrying about whether the designs will be accepted and liked enough to be knit by anyone. And I'm sure the yarn companies don't mind the publicity. Don't get me wrong--designers don't get all of their yarn for free. But when somebody like The Yarn Harlot or Donna Druchunas or Jared Flood even mention a yarn in their blogs or books, people rush out and buy it. (This only partly explains my enormous stash.)

I don't know if I'll ever get so famous knitting-wise that my name alone will get me free yarn from Plymouth or Brown Sheep or Cascade. But I intend to keep on working hard and having fun at all this. For me, that's the point, but having a dream can't hurt.


You're not famous until my mother has heard of you.
—Jay Leno

11 comments:

  1. So here's what I like. Youre famous, I knew you when and I have that arctic lace book. Do you think you could score me some quiviut? Heh heh.

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  2. Go cocky side! :) I can see how that would be the absolute coolest. I mean we love to add to our stash. To be able to make a phone call and here it comes? yes awesome!

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  3. I'm new enough to this game that I'm startled to see it's even possible to get free yarn (other than as a gift from a friend, I mean).

    I don't think I'd ever get over the awesomeness of that, if I ever even got a single "here's some free yarn." You SHOULD bask in it! ♥

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  4. Good luck with the book! How does one become a test knitter, btw?

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  5. Too funny! Made me laugh this morning and I sure need it today. Can't wait to see what you're cooking up in the way of patterns and such.

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  6. Free yarn is indeed awesome.
    Good luck wrangling those test knitters.

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  7. Free yarn = good!
    I hope you remember us little people when you become famous. I'll be name dropping your name. I new her when...

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  8. You need a test knitter? OOOO, fun! I'm right here! fleegle waves her tentacles!

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  9. It all starts with a dream, right? That combined with working hard to achieve your goals, paired with major skills... recipe for succes, my friend :)

    You go, Susan! I am routing for you. What a great project you are working on...woohooo!

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  10. If you called Canon or a good printer hooked me up with some swag I wouldn’t be heart broken...

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