WYSIWYG or is it!

I recently read an interesting thread in Ravelry about an ad that made me realize just how easily we can be misinterpreted. This is important to me because I have just started running ads for Robin Hunter Designs. The ads on Ravelry screens are very small. Notebook ads are 140 x 200 pixels. That's not a lot of space for detail. Just try squeezing in a photo and some text.

The original poster in the thread thought she was seeing something offensive. She raised the issue to get advice. A couple of posters were convinced she was seeing spam and suggested ad blocking software downloads. A number of others had trouble finding the ad and asked more questions. There were several posts about the advertising guidelines that Ravelry uses and how abuses could occur. Five posters found the ad but were sure they were not seeing something offensive and tried to clarify with descriptions. One poster found the ad and did find it offensive. All of this happened in the space of 24 posts and less than 24 hours before the moderators locked down the thread.

The acronym WYSIWYG stands for what you see is what you get. I think it's important to realize that we don't all see the same things in the same way. There are also specific reasons to do with the way our brains work which explain how two people saw something different from the other posters. 

"Researcher Mark Changizi of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York believes it has to do with the human tendency to visually predict the near future. Because there's a lag between the time that light hits the retina and the time when the brain perceives that light, Changizi thinks the human visual system has evolved to compensate for the neural delay by generating images of what will occur one-tenth of a second into the future." (http://www.livescience.com/33664-amazing-optical-illusions-work.html)

BTW: I did email Susan and make sure she has no problems with me writing about this ad. She told me the photo used was in the running to be used as a ravatar for the 2014 Iknitarod  but came in second in a vote so it was used  for an ad instead.You can find their group here. You can find Susan's site here.

An Interview with...Louise Tilbrook

Once a week I post interviews with interesting knitting professionals about their insights on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve noticed that everyone makes their living in a slightly different manner bringing their own unique presence to the Knitting world.


You can find Louise here and here on Ravelry.

Where do you find inspiration?
Mostly I find inspiration in the natural world - from plants and landscapes around me. As a family we take frequent holidays in the English Lake District and are keen hill walkers. The scenery there is breathtaking, whether you are sitting by a lake (knitting in hand, of course) or clinging to a map on a windswept summit. There is always something to delight and inspire.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/seed-pods

 
What is your favourite knitting technique?
Decisions...decisions... I like to think that I am still learning new techniques but for sheer fun it would have to be cables.
 
Do you look at other designers’ work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?
I'm on Ravelry far too much and love nothing better than seeing what other people are working on. I love to look at other designers work and also to see how other knitters take a pattern and put their own interpretation on it.
 
Could you tell us a little about your design focus on socks?
That's a very polite way of putting it. My husband calls it my sock obsession. They are practical (after all, nearly everyone wears them), they offer a small canvass for trying out new techniques and you get to use gorgeous hand-painted yarn - the perfect package.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters?
This is a tricky one and I'm not sure I am well placed to comment, Just as there are a range of patterns written for all abilities similarly there are knitters who differ greatly in their requirements. What is 'dumbing down' to one person is 'just enough detail' for another.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hoar-frost

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?
Nope - just me.

Did you do a formal business plan?
No, although I wish I had.
 
Do you have a mentor?
No, but there are a number of designers whom I greatly admire.
 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/samhain-2

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?
No, I have just tried to design socks that, as a knitter, I would want to make myself.
 
What impact has the Internet had on your business?
It was the Internet which reignited my passion for knitting (after a lapse of many years). I love the fact that it can bring creative people together from all corners of the globe and across all different backgrounds.
 
Do you use a tech editor?
Yes - absolutely essential.
 
How do you maintain your life/work balance?
I work part-time in a scientific profession where there is little creativity (or fun, for that matter). Knitting and designing brings balance to my life. I would like to develop it further and turn it into a full-time profession but I'm taking it one step at a time.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/green-gable-2

 
 
How do you deal with criticism?
For the most part the only criticism I have had has been of the constructive variety. As long as it is given sympathetically and in a way that helps you to learn then I welcome it. Harsh or negative criticism has no place.


How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?
That is still a work in progress.


What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?
Go for it as you would a rugby tackle - headlong and with commitment.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fuss-free-baby-blanket

The Camera Does Lie! Photo Failures

One of the great things about my knitting career has been the amount I've gotten to learn about so many new things. Have you ever heard the saying "the camera never lies"? I used to believe that but now I know it isn't true.

The camera sees things differently than we do. Light conditions impact colour so much more than I was ever aware of before I needed photos that are true to the colour of a specific yarn. When I worked in my LYS we had a problem  pattern. I was told to let customers know when they tried to buy the yarn that it didn't come in that colour. The photo was incorrect with respect to the true colour, changing a beige yarn to pale green.

Once a friend was showing me wedding photos of what I thought were coloured blocked bridesmaid dresses. She mentioned that the colour difference was only visible in the photos. The dresses were made from velvet and chiffon that reflected light back to the camera differently.

Take a look at the photos below. I heard  Melisa Joan Hart mention on a talk show that the white mark on her forehead was not visible to anyone except the camera.

I've also noticed that designs like the ones below with small textured stitches look great in the real world. The patterns sell more copies when knitters see the garments but get less notice and fewer positive comments when viewed in photos. I have other patterns which I notice the photos sell more copies than the samples do.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-anne-meredith-cardigan

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-emily-brent-cardigan

My hands are not really this big, they are just closer to the lens in the first photo.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-sylvia-dering-infinity-scarf-and-gloves

Humm.. how do I say this, I occasionally have a similar problem with another part of my body that protrudes forward. I discovered this effect when we were taking photos at Christmas. I was wearing a cocktail dress that fits snugly around the torso. The shots where I was at an angle to the camera looked normal but the straight on photo looked very disproportionate.

How to Compare Yarns by Weight and Length for Yarn Substitution

Knitters often want to know why yarn substitutions can produce unexpected results. Take a look at the list below. I pulled this from Ravelry and then I added the weight/length ratio. All the yarns are 100% Alpaca, listed as light fingering. The ratio range is from 2.68 to 19.34. If I toss out the outliers, assuming something is wrong with the information or I goofed and made a calculation error, I still get a range from 3.1  to 8.74. Out of 11 yarns, 4 fall between 4.0 and 4.3.  Which yarns do you think are interchangeable?

Ratio calculation: yards or metres divided by grams e.g. 410 yards divided by 100 grams = 4.1

Baby Alpaca 10/2

by BC Garn

Light Fingering: 100% Alpaca

Ratio 5.47

Alpaka Fein

by Golden Eagle

Light Fingering: 100% Alpaca

Ratio 4,04

Titicaca

by Holst Garn

Light Fingering: 100% Alpaca

Ratio 8.74

Baby Alpaca

by BC Garn

Light Fingering: 100% Alpaca

Ratio 5.47

Baby Alpaca Sport

by Pacific Meadows Alpacas

Light Fingering: 100% Alpaca

Ratio 4.05

Peruba3

by wollerey

Light Fingering: 100% Alpaca

Ratio 19.34

Suri Elite

by Little Gidding Farm

Light Fingering: 100% Alpaca

Ratio N/A no weight listed

Alpaca Sock

by The Mulberry Dyer

Light Fingering: 100% Alpaca

Ratio 3.1

Huacaya Alpaca

by Alpacas d'Auxvasse

Light Fingering: 100% Alpaca

Ratio 2.68

Squint

by Flat Rocks Yarn

Light Fingering: 100% Alpaca

Ratio 4.3

An Interview with...Michele Lee Bernstein

 

Michelle is wearing Sophie's Rose (designed for For Yarn's Sake LYS) and holding Rosaria (Rose City Yarn Crawl Mystery KAL). Photo Credit JJ Foster

Once a week I post interviews with interesting people about their insights on their experience of working in the Knitting industry.  I’ve noticed that every one of these individuals makes their living in a slightly different manner bringing their own unique presence to the Knitting world.

You can find Michele here and here on Ravelry.


Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere, but especially in nature. I've been inspired by rain, flowers, leaves, trees. Inspiration can also come from playing with stitch patterns, and garment shapes. One of my first designs was inspired by sunlight sparkling on the Pacific Ocean. I organize a Crafty Moms retreat on the Oregon Coast each spring, and spend a lot of time watching the waves. My Pacific Shawl grew out of that vision.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pacific-shawl

What is your favourite knitting technique?
My favorite technique is usually the one I'm using right now! I love learning a new technique or stitch pattern and then featuring it in several designs. I've played with cables, lace, entrelac, thrumming, steeking. I design mostly accessories: shawls, scarves, hats, gloves...they are limited canvases that I get to embellish. I especially like making the most of a single skein, or two coordinating skeins of special yarn. No dye lot issues!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/zen-rain-shawlette

Do you look at other designers’ work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs? 
I don't think any of us can design in a vacuum. I love looking through magazines and patterns on Ravelry to see what's new and interesting. We all want to put our own spin on things, to make something uniquely our own.

Could you tell us a little about your philosophy about teaching?
I love teaching. I think it's really important for knitters to know what they're doing, and why. It's not just about making the motions of knitting; it's important to see how stitches are formed so you can reverse the process and undo them! My favorite class to teach is called "Tink, Drop, Frog: How to Fix Mistakes." Students learn to unknit, drop stitches and work them back up again, and better ways to rip and get the work back on the needles without losing the whole project. I tell them that they are the boss of their knitting! I also learn from these classes; when a student uses a different technique than I do, it can be a challenge to figure out what's happening and why. My most interesting student was knitting completely opposite from the way I do; she inserts the left needle into the knitting on the right needle, and stitches move from right needle to left. She had lost her place in a pattern, and it was aha moment for both of us when I could read her knitting!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ruffle-kerfuffle-scarves-and-cowl

How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters?
I don't think I dumb down patterns; I try to be very thorough in my explanations. If I'm too thorough, you can ignore the parts you already understand, but it's better to have too much information than not enough. With Internet publishing, I don't have to limit the number of pages, but I do try to be concise.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself? 
For me, there is a lot of trial and error in designing, so I am always the first knitter. I have three people who frequently test knit for me. It's always good to make sure that the item turns out the way I envisioned when someone else knits it!

Did you do a formal business plan?
No, I don't have a formal business plan. My main goal is to increase my knit-related income each year, and so far it's working. I design, teach, and tech edit.

Do you have a mentor?
I don't have a mentor, but I did confer with Chrissy Gardiner when I needed designer advice. She's smart, local, and very grounded.

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?
No.

What impact has the Internet had on your business?
The Internet has made it possible for me to self-publish patterns and have an audience larger than just my local yarn shops. I sell my patterns mostly through Ravelry. I also love to blog; you can find me at http://pdxknitterati.com. I enjoy the camaraderie and relationships that come from blogging and interacting with readers and other bloggers. I know that blogging isn't as popular as it used to be, but it definitely has a place. I can craft a better story in a blog post than in a tweet or Facebook post. My blog is a home for my patterns and knitting tutorials, and also a way to journal about travel and other hobbies.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/thrumbelina

Do you use a tech editor? 
I do use a tech editor, but not if the design is super simple. I also do some tech editing for other designers.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?
Sometimes that's hard! My husband and I both work from home, so work is always on. I designed Rosaria, the mystery knitalong shawlette for the Rose City Yarn Crawl, a local event here in Portland for 18 yarn shops. We did the KAL over four weeks before the crawl, and I was pretty constantly on Ravelry for it. But was that work, or fun? For me, it was both! 

How do you deal with criticism?
I haven't had a lot of criticism, but I try to learn from it and if it's constructive, I'll adapt later work because of it.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?
I am definitely not self-supporting at this point, but I love what I do. My husband is very supportive of my knitting career; I couldn't do this without him. 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garland-shawl-2

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?
Knit and read lots. Know what a well written pattern looks like. There are industry standards for pattern writing, and if you use enough of those patterns, you will be able to write in that style. 
Relationships are important. Partnerships with dyers, yarn shops, and publishers can be mutually beneficial. And your relationships with your customers are most important of all. 

Test/Sample Knitters vs. Tech Editors

One of the hand dyers I interviewed, Tabi Ferguson and  I have stayed in sporadic contact since we worked on her interview. This happens occasionally and I really enjoy this aspect of the interview series. I've acquired many efriends and occasionally I get to meet them in the real world which is a lot of fun!

Tabi and I have been talking about the role of test knitters, tech editors and sample knitters. 

She wrote "I took a quick look through your archives on tech editors, but didn't find anything on test knitters. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the role of the test knitter and how it seems to differ so much from the tech editor.

Coming from a software background, a tester tested exactly as written. This is very different than test knitters who seem to make comments and mods at will which makes me admire the skill and experience of the tester but makes me question the pattern itself (why did they make so many mods? is there an underlying problem with the pattern itself? if they make mods, then aren't they sample knitters rather than test knitters?). Testers were also paid. It seems most test knitters aren't paid, even in yarn. They get the pattern for free and they essentially provide additional free 'advertising' on Rav in terms of their posting their finished projects.

I completely get the role of the tech editor (and that they should somehow be compensated), but it seems they often don't knit the item at least not in it's entirety which makes me wonder if they've caught enough. Hence my confusion...or maybe it's just me :-)

Then there's sample knitters what role do they play?"

In my case I don't use test knitters. I prefer a sample knitter who works with my yarn to my specifications. I need a version knit for photography and I need it customized to my measurements (if it's a garment) which are non-standard.  I do know a few designers that have experimented with the Ravelry testing group and they have mixed results with the process. The issue about a tester making modifications limits the value of the testing. My understanding is that they are modifying to make the project suit their needs or to use up stash.

There is a lot of confusion about the terms test and sample knitters. If you ask different people you will get different definitions. Testing a pattern usually means the designer is looking for feedback on the instructions and perhaps hoping for multiple sizes to be tested. In some cases I hear test knitter when I would think sample knitter would be more accurate, The lines are very blurry and it really all comes down to a negotiation between designer and knitter based on the needs of each in terms of timing, compensation and feedback.
My sample knitters do ask questions, I do have numerical or stitch pattern goofs more often than I would like and I have made changes based on their input before the pattern was tech edited. I assign the projects based on their skill sets, project preferences and technical expertise. I have had different levels of success with different knitters in terms of their ability to provide constructive criticism. Often they are my hands and eyes identifying problems or even a design concept that just isn't working out. 

Tech editors usually think through the information and how it's being communicated. They will occasionally pick up needles to test out instruction methods they are unfamiliar with. I tend to like a collaborative approach so my current tech editor is great with the back and forth method. Sometimes we rework wording together if I'm really struggling with a specific section. She also reviews all grammatical changes with me so we can discuss and I can make fewer errors (or at least try to). At times the process is more of an art than I initially thought it would be. Often style or layout issues will lead to changes in the pattern after it has been knit. My editor has an amazing ability to think through the knitting and recognize inconsistencies when I make errors in typing out stitch patterns in text. I'm more visual and much more conformable with charts. I like to think our different skill sets are complimentary. Interestingly, I've been asked about doing tech editing and I don't think I be very good at it. I have improved in catching errors in patterns and books but they seem to be more in the area of copy editing.
 
To keep my pattern writing consistent I can't make all of the changes that are suggested by both knitters and editors. Working with the same tech editor at the end of the design and knitting process on multiple patterns means she works to an overall standard set by my pattern style. 

Interweave has very kindly offered my readers a link to coupon codes for discounts in their online store. Go here for discounts.

BTW I'd be very grateful if my readers told other knitters about my blog and patterns. I played around with share this buttons on the blog but they keep fighting with my antivirus software.