Friday, July 21, 2006

Finished Objects!

First off, the title contains a link to my forum, where I posted the full convention report. It was HUGE, so I figured I'd just link to it instead of posting it here.

As you can see from the sidebar on the right, I have a couple of new prints since my last update. Please go check them out either by clicking on the thumbnail here or by going to www.divinebird.com under "Merchant Road" and "Non-Series Images".

Now, on to the finished objects!

I started these socks in June at my sister's graduation from Dartmouth. It was cold, rainy, and grey for most of the weekend, so the yarn was a real pick-me-up! I did my new favorite method of casting on both socks at once so I wouldn't be tempted to give up after one sock. I use DPNs instead of circulars, so that meant at least eight DPNS were in use at any one time. :)

Finished sock from the side...



Looks normal, doesn't it? Now look at the sole:




Hee! Tabi-style socks!

I like toe socks in general--the weirder, the better. However, by the time I reached the toes on these, I was just ready to finish. The first one got a normal toe, but it was just a tad bit short. When I started the toe on the second one, I said 'what the heck' and made a big toe and then used the rest of the stitches to make the remaining two-thirds-sized toe section. I made up this part as I went along, but I do have my notes if anyone's interested.

Yarn used was the ArtYarns Ultramerino 4 from my post back on April 26. I used most of the multicolor and about half of the solid green. The pattern was Ann Norling's basic sock pattern (by Deirdre Wallace) with my own adapted toe. I used size 2 dpns throughout. If I were to change anything next time, I'd use smaller needles for the ribbing. That's about it.

Around the same time that I cast on for the socks, I learned how to crochet. You've seen some of my projects here already, but the first real ITEM that I made was this cute purse.



And inside, with the zipper I found in my mom's zipper stash...



Note how the colors match the socks. I think I'm obsessed. :)

Yarn is some brand of kitchen cotton--Sugar N Cream, I think--and the pattern comes from "One Skein" by Leigh Radford. It took me about a total of four hours from start to finish--keep in mind, I'm a learning crocheter. This was one EASY purse. The strap was my own addition, which I think I'm going to take off and rework as a pair of shorter handles.

Still working on the Eleanor stole, and I just began a new pair of socks out of some pretty Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Rainbow. I'm using the same base pattern I always use, but this time I'm putting some cables in around the leg. We'll see if that works. :) I'll keep you posted on that as I go.

And that's what I've been doing lately!

Sunday, July 9, 2006

ConnectiCon - Tired Jenny, HAPPY Jenny

WOW.

I just had the most amazing experience at this convention. I got home only about 20 minutes ago, so please excuse me while I go catch up on the sleep I lost this weekend. 9 hours total over the course of four days and three nights does NOT a healthy sleep schedule make.

Sometime tomorrow I'll post the whole report and tell you guys how much fun I had.

Much love.

Saturday, July 1, 2006

Need Writerly Help!

And you don't have to be a fanfic writer, but it helps.

I'm about to do a half-hour presentation/Q&A about what I termed "Fanfiction Ethics". Basically, I wanted it to be an informative panel that would allow me to reach out to other fanfic authors and demonstrate how I approach the source material, skirting legal issues that arise in the fanfic universe, and why we should respect the original authors'/owners' wishes. I have some points outlined, but I wondered what you all thought.

If you were able to tell a captive audience just one thing about how to approach fanfic, what would it be? I'm not talking about the writing process itself, since that's the panel I teach immediately after this one. For me, the main point is to remember this is a privilege and not a right; the owner of the source material has final say on whether or not they allow fanfic, both legally and ethically. What would you tell your fellow ficcers?

To the non-fic writers, I'd like to hear from you, too. If your book hit the shelves tomorrow and there was a good chance your characters were going to be ficced, what would you hope the ficwriters would do or not do? In this case, what comes to mind is JK Rowling's oft-ignored request that fanfics not portray her characters in sexual situations. In Anne Rice's case, she has demanded that no one write about her characters at ALL, meaning she could conceivably legally shut down any site or archive that allows fic of her work. What do you think? What would you want your ficwriters to think of or do before they put pen to paper?

Other points I plan to make are:


  • consider the repercussions of what you write (will this make my beloved fic community look like a bunch of pedophiles?)

  • not everything you write needs to be posted (basically, prevent badfic, exalt goodfic)

  • accept constructive crit with grace (and learn the difference between cc and flames)

  • rate your fics appropriately (meaning, no rating your fic R when it's really X but you want to sneak in under a lower rating so your fic won't be rejected by an archive)


...and more.

I really mean it, guys. I could honestly use your help if you have five minutes to tell me what would drive you crazy, what would make you love your fans, what you wish your fellow ficcers would do or not do to make the fanfic world a better place. I lead this panel on Friday night, and won't be able to look at responses after Thursday night, so please comment or call me before then.

And if you DON'T have a response, then comment or call me anyway. XD I miss all of you so much, in real life and online.