January « 2008 « Brian Sawyer

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Brian Sawyer 9:05 am on January 25, 2008 Permalink | Reply

Editor/Author Relationship as Marx Brothers Routine

Sometimes, an editor/author relationship stands out as a model to emulate, while others, as well-intentioned as they may be, just don’t quite work out as well.

I’ve posted before about Merlin Mann’s description of our failed book project, in which he describes me as “a character out of a 30s screwball comedy.” But in the comments thread of a more recent post, he actually provides a spot-on illustration of the routine formed by him, myself, and his coauthor Danny when the whole arrangement started to unravel beyond hope of repair.

In the following uncanny preenactment of our travails, I’m the lemonade vendor and my coauthors are played by Chico and Harpo:

I hope you find this illustration edifying as well as humorous. I always knew that someday we’d be able to look back on our troubled circumstances and laugh, and I’m happy to see that day came earlier than I’d expected for me.

The Vendor's Wife 10:18 am on January 25, 2008 Permalink | Reply

that explains why you’ve been doing that weird thing with your leg ever since the book was canceled.
Nancy 12:27 am on February 10, 2008 Permalink | Reply

Hey Brian – Thanks for running with us again!! It’s great to have you. Should see a full race report at my blog sometime on Monday.

Brian Sawyer 12:24 pm on January 23, 2008 Permalink | Reply

Instructables, Again

It’s been a while since I’ve been over to Instructables site, but I just surfed over there today to find my How to Cast On instructable (also available here) featured in the main banner:

That’s all. I just felt the need to report on the most self-indulgent fun I’ve had at that site since another one of my other instructables won one of their many contests.
Brian Sawyer 9:41 am on January 4, 2008 Permalink | Reply

First Colorwork

Because I tend to have little free time to crank out knitted garments, I choose each new project carefully, largely as a means to learn a completely new technique, as well as the obvious interest in a nice piece that someone close to me will enjoy and actually wear. Last summer, after finishing my first lace project, I quietly began my next knitting challenge: my first attempt at using more than one color.

Rather than choose between intarsia and Fair Isle techniques, I made the ambitious decision to take on a sweater that incorporates both. Here’s the pattern photo (Louisa Harding’s Fish Pullover from A Treasury of Rowan Knits) and the gauge I worked up last July:

Because this is my first attempt at colorwork (beyond a three-hour class I took ages ago), it’s even more slow-going than usual (at least it feels like it, though I know my lace sweater took forever too). Anyway, over the break, I managed to finish the Fair Isle border for the back. Here’s a detail, because I couldn’t get a good photo of the whole thing:

I must say I’m rather pleased with my progress (aside from the time it’s taken me). Since this photo, I’ve actually moved up to the bottoms of the first few fish, beginning the intarsia bit, though not enough to photograph or say much more about it.

I do hope to dip into this project a little more regularly now, so wish me luck. If all goes well, I may just post an update before another couple seasons have passed.

Gone Fishin’ « Brian Sawyer is discussing. Toggle Comments