You Never Know

It is cold in SF. It was 41 degrees when we got to the Farmer's Market Saturday morning and for us, that's cold. So the good thing is that I get to wear my bright green wool jacket and the fabulous Missoni-ish scarf my friend Nancy gave me whenever it gets cold, but really, we just aren't equipped for it.

I practically ran through the market to get my produce out in the back (avocados, lettuce--lots of things available, that was just all I needed) where it is really cold with the wind off the bay. I struggle into the Ferry Building to get Mitch who is in charge of bread and cheese (only needed bread this week) then to the front to get fruit. The folks at the orange stand come from the central valley and they looked sooooooooooo cold. They are always there and I truly appreciate all the vendors who come for hours (I complain about my 30 minutes!). Then off to get apples. Mitch and I had to do a little juggling to split the load, but then we're ready to head back to the car.

Standing waiting to cross the street, huddled into my jacket and giving Mitch one of my regular rants about why can't people stay to the right so it is easier to negotiate passage. I know that someone has come up to my left, but I'm on a roll and don't stop. So when the person leaned in to say something to me I was afraid she was going to tell me I was a lunatic (possible?). She said "I hope (that's when I got nervous) you are an artist or a designer. Those colors are so wonderful together!" I replied, "Thanks! I am!"

I forgot that I was miffed at Mitch for bailing out on the remainder of the errands when I remembered how great I looked. Thanks!

Photo Shoot Outtakes

Since Susan and I don't have a lot of opportunity to be around babies (by choice on my part!) we have recruited Karen at Mountain Meadow Wool to supply good looking babies for photos of the Natural Baby Collection. Yesterday I was reviewing photos to choose what would go on the pattern fronts and every single one of them is precious in its own way--but I thought I would share a couple that didn't make the cut. As I said, each one is special and some of them didn't make the cut simply because there was a better one.

This guy doesn't take a bad photo. I think he will be a star someday. These didn't make the cut because the photo was incomplete, not because they

weren't adorable!

And not to leave out Susan's grandson, this photo was clearly taken on a day he wasn't feeling it!

It all started with wet diapers

Jill and I never thought we'd design a collection of baby clothes.  We've knit blankets, hats, and other things for babies, but just because we can.  Surprisingly, our best selling pattern is the Sampler Afghan.  

Then, a couple of years ago I was visiting my grandson Ian and his parents in Bellingham, WA.  At that time, Ian was just 3 months old and he and his mom were going to a cloth diaper "party".  I had to ask what this was and learned that she would be presented with various styles of diapers and have the opportunity to purchase what she wanted.  She just wanted to meet other moms, but since she was using cloth diapers, she thought she could learn something.

I'd been exposed to wool soakers through shop customers, so I told Kelly to see if they recommended those and if so, I would make Ian some.  I couldn't attend this event as we dropped them off on the way to the airport for my return trip. 

A few days later, the request came through and I started knitting soakers.  Kelly would provide feedback and I'd tweak my design.  After a few pairs, Ian had his favorite and most useful pair, but in getting there, I had knit soakers of three lengths.  Because we design knitwear at Y2Knit, I kept notes and wrote up the pattern for the Rib Soaker. 

Jill saw them and her comment was that you almost wanted to have a baby to put in them they were so cute.  (We also described them as a hat, with legs.)  Her next step was to sketch some other baby fashion,  now the Natural Baby Collection, which we're releasing in March.

New Logo

We love the new logo!  It's crisp and stylish.  We like the emphasis on the 2 since there are two of us and the squiggly yarn ball reinfoces the knit (and it looks a bit like Jill's signature). 

Jill and I spent three days in Las Vegas last weekend doing business planning.  While there's a lot to do, we're both excited about the directions we are heading. 

One of our most immediate projects is reformatting patterns into our NEW PATTERN LAYOUT.  It's awesome and reinforces our new look.  What's different:

• full size pages
• stylish new look with new colors
• lifestyle photo on the front
• layout for easy downloads
• more photos inside

Jill's been busy (and I hope having some fun) working up photos with backgrounds that reflect the collection.  We chose a map of Wyoming for the Occidental Collection, our newer designs using Mountain Meadow Wool.

Posting what I'm doing

I'm working on top-secret stuff and it is hard to get out of that mode to post what I'm doing. I am quite intrigued that anyone cares what I do all day, or that what I do would be remotely interesting. That said, I must admit that I go to City Arts and Lectures, and haveas long as I have lived in cities that have them, because I am curious how creative people get from a creative urge to being successful. I became familiar with the man who has best described what reading fiction is at a panel of young-ish writers (boy were they all awkward), probably in the 90s. David Foster Wallace said he read fiction because it allowed him to crawl over a fence of intimacy that one couldn't ask even the people closest to them to open to another person. That's why I read--to know other perspectives. I am so grateful that people are willing to sit and write and explain to me how other people exist in the world. So maybe that's why people want to read blogs. I'm almost finished with this one.

I listen to books when I am knitting, ironing, drawing, and some

times cooking. It uses a piece of my brain that isn't used during those activities which otherwise gets bored and makes me look for other things to do. I've "read" some great books this way. Because I am always knitting, or trying to keep up with other reading, I don't get to read fiction the way I used to, so I really like this back-up method. While on vacation in December/January, I got to read a couple of books pretty much cover to cover which was a fabulous luxury, but also got to sit at the pool knitting and reading.

Okay, time to find shoes and pack my bag to go to Pilates.

New Y2Knit Logo

When Jill and I formed Y2Knit in 2001, one of our early projects was a logo.  Y2Knit was the project for a design class at FIDM in SF where Jill teaches. Students had to develop a logo based on company information provided by us.  I was able to be present for the presentation of logos.  There was everything from very techno to Hello Kitty style.  One stood out and we worked with the student to refine the original Y2Knit logo, which has served us for 10 years.  We always loved it because it looks like the knit stitch.



However, things change.  Think how the Internet and smart devices alone have changed our lives in the last 10 years!  Working with a marketing consultant recently, we were advised to update our logo.  I came to think of this as our makeover and it felt good, just like a haircut, fresh makeup and a new wardrobe.  The designer gave us some choices and we were both drawn to one.  Some refinements were made and we're now proud to be able to reveal our new logo.

Not so fast though, we decided to do this gradually over a few weeks, so you'll have to be patient.  So far, we've revealed a couple segments.  This also buys us some time to get everything updated.  I just remembered about business cards yesterday!