This is what I’m contemplating today:
1. What’s the appeal of Twitter? Do people really enjoy knowing what other people are doing all day long? I don’t get it. I have an account set up there just in case, but I have never used it because I’m waiting to be enlightened on the whole thing. And when you Twitter – do people then “answer” your Tweet (did I use that word right?) and then you have to answer their answer? It sounds time consuming. But bottom line, do we really need to know that much about everyone’s life? Or do I just not get it because I’m not on it?
2. Why isn’t there a National Knitting Month? All knitters could be exempt from household duties that month, in order to knit and “promote knitting worldwide”. Oh, and yarn budgets triple during National Knitting Month. Sounds reasonable. Crocheters get their own month, too.
3. Why does the same cute rabbit keep bounding back and forth in my backyard? (I’m home, making Snickerdoodles and blogging on the back porch. Oh, hey! I could’ve Twittered/Tweeted that, right? But unless you’re a block over and can stop by for warm Snickerdoodles, why would you want to know?)
4. Who has knitted the most items in their lifetime? And who has the biggest stash? (Doris sent me this link and thinks that Bonney might win in this category. I agree!) And who has taught the most people to knit? Shouldn’t there be a “Knitter’s Hall of Fame” somewhere?
5. How am I going to get a booth’s worth of fixtures and yarn from St. Louis to Portland for the Sock Summit in August? Having a booth? Not stressful. Meeting all of you there? Downright fun! Coordinating the booth contents, getting them all out there, figuring out where to store it all before I get there, or thinking about taking 3 long days to drive it out, or coordinating a delivery by freight? Giving me nightmares. Absolutely stressing me out.
Got any answers? Or any things you’re wondering about yourself?
Sheri backyardneighborisweedwhipping,nolongerpeacefulontheporch.(Hey,Icould’veTwitter/Tweetedthat….)
It is so funny that you posted this because I was quite literally just sitting at my spinning wheel wondering about the whole Twitter thing, and thinking that I was the only person in the world who just doesn’t quite get it yet. But now there’s you 😉 I do want one of those snickerdoodles, though! And I fully second the knitter’s month idea. I’m there.
I’m wondering a) how I’m going to wait the months between now and sock summit and b) whether, once I get there, I’ll find that I’m too shy to walk up to people I “know” online to say hi. Gosh I’m a dork. 😉
I wonder how days or months get assigned certain things – like national chocolate day!! Can anyone just start something!!?!!
I am with you on the Twitter thing. I am just really mastering (and I use the term very loosely) Ravelry…and that’s not a constant immediate thing. I really don’t want to be that in touch with everyone…and I’d like a few minutes to myself which even my cell phone seems to infringe upon.
I have seen a picture online of a stash that is amazing, I will see if I can find it and sent the link to you….amazing actually didn’t begin to cover it.
Road Trip!!!! See the mountains (again)!! Rent an RV….stuffed to the gills with a booth and supplies – ?!?
I’m with Marcia- National Fiber Arts Day.
I just emailed you the link for the giant stash!
I am with you on Twitter. I just can’t get into it at all. I never understood the instant messaging thing either.
I would liketo see an National Knitting Week at least. Milk gets a whole month, why can’t we knitters have just a week.
I envy you your trip to Sock Summit. It was just not in the plan for me this summer. I would be tempted to drive out and send the left overs back. Then, on the way back, take a side trip to the mountains for some revival.
Twitter seems silly to me, especially if u blog.
And BOY DO I WISH I was a block away and could pop over for snickerdoodles!
🙂 WE. SO. NEED. NAT’L. KNITTING. MONTH!
yeah I know what you mean about the twitter thing. It’s just like my daughters texting on their cell phones to me. Don’t get it.
Love the idea of the National Knitters Month. We should get special discounts everywhere too (not just knitting related either. I’m thinking 10% off at the grocery store, the car wash, dry cleaners – ESPECIALLY the dry cleaners…) we supply an endless supply of hand knit gifts – shouldn’t this qualify us for special treatment? Would be mutually beneficial as that would give us more $$ to supply our stashes and produce more gifts…
You need to get a small (or not so small) trailer you can haul behind your vehicle on the way to the sock summit. Just my 2 cents…at least you would know where your stuff is at all times.
I have asked several people to explain twitter to me. I think I get it, it is just stupid.
Ditto on Twitter. Like you I have an account but I don’t get it. If I was a rock star that had FANS maybe…..more than likely NOT….don’t people need some privacy? lol I finally caved and got a facebook account. That is not user friendly and I’m still trying to figure out some things. And I really don’t think I’m an idiot when it comes to stuff like that….maybe I’m fooling myself? 🙂 I managed to get 3 classes at Sock Summit!!! I will see you there!
One of the Oklahoma gals who visited LE in February…..
Kay
I like the goat. “Whaa-a-a-a-a-a-a-t?” Yeah, Twitter and other activities that keep people touching their minds endlessly touching and talking and talking about not much at all. See what I mean? Okay, I don’t get it either. What is it with this apparent need to know what someone is doing every single moment? Is it commerce creating the “need” and people just falling for it? It’d be nice if more folks would turn that awareness inside and contemplate the meaning of their own existence, become aware of what’s going in in their own lives, and then exercise some awareness of what’s outside….ok, I’ll stop.
How about National Knitting Week? One month could hold Knitting Week, Crocheting Week, Quilting Week, Needle-Arts-That-Haven’t-Otherwise-Been-Covered Week. Neat!
The solution of getting your booth’s worth of fixtures and goods to the Sock Summit in August really depends on how relaxed you want to make it and how much time, effort and $$ you want to spend. I kind of like the shipping the stuff and traveling leisurely to the event approach, myself. Don’t know about costs, though.
Hey, pass a Snickerdoodle over to the West, please! Sounds yummy. 😀
Cheers!
I’m on Plurk with a whole bunch of knitters thanks to Wendy and we pretty much “plurk” with each other all day long. When I create a Plurk, I can have it automatically Tweet to Twitter or my Facebook status. I do this most times, but at times, I do block it and leave it only on one.
Snickerdoodles sound yummy.
If I fly to St. Louis, I’ll drive your stuff to Sock Summit if you’d like 🙂
1. The twitter thing simply shows me how the routines in my life lead to peace and contemplation. My friends know that I enjoy fine yarns, Shakespeare plays, and reading. Whether or not I tell them just which I am enjoying at the moment is just tmi. And who wants to know that I am cleaning my bathroom? or working? or gardening? Really, shouldn’t it be twit and who wants to be one of those anyway. Not me.
2. The national knitter’s month could be any time you choose. Let’s choose February. It’s cold out so that snuggling down to knitting is always preferred. It’s short so the complainers won’t have toooo many days to gripe. It’s the lover’s month so knitting could promote lovin’ and that’s always a good thing.
3. If you continue to return to your home, why shouldn’t the rabbit? Seems you share a need for something that your home provides. What is more complimentary than a bunny that loves your yard?
4. I am currently on a knit two skeins before you buy one. The stash thing truly can take over. It’s just that there is so much neat yarn out there and what if it isn’t there tomorrow? Besides, sometimes the yarn has to snuggle in before it tells your what it wants to be. Does your yarn tell you what it wants to be?
5. What is this rock ’em sock ’em thing? I think the RV idea is best so far. How do you feel about steering great big cumbersome vehicles?
For your wonderful trip to Seattle – can you rent the stuff for your set-up? Have the yarn delivered directly to a post office box out there to wait your arrival and just fly out there and have a little visiting time.
I’m on Plurk with Karen, Wendy and a whole bunch of knitters. After meeting so many wonderful ladies at the Fling in April, Plurking is a fun way to stay in touch with them. It isn’t as time consuming as you think it might be. I supose it could be, but it’s not out of hand.
You made snickerdoodles and didn’t call me? hmmmm. I was home making cupcakes and would have shared. Speaking of yummy treats. Thursday. Russell’s. Knitting and treats with Dr. Jackie and I.
Boxing up and shipping tradeshow stock is a pain. Are you shipping via frieght? Do you need a pallet? We probably have one or two on hand. We inventory boxes and number them in the order they are to be unpacked. We keep a print out of what is in each box too. We put all of our trade show items on pallets, wrap them and send them on their way. When we get to the show our pallet(s) are at our booth waiting for us. When the show is over we pack the boxes up, put them back on the pallets and the frieght company wraps and ships them back for us. Painless. The first box opened and the last box sealed is our show supply box that has things like box cutters, tape gun, pens, biz cards, etc.
Hi Sheri. I’m on Twitter and absolutely love it. The best way I’ve found to describe why I think it’s cool is to compare it to Facebook. Facebook is for people you know – Twitter is for people you’d like to know. I follow some very interesting people from all walks of life that I can learn new things from and I also follow some people who just entertain me with their fun tweets. I have even made new friends – I recently met some of my “Tweeps” in real life for a TwKnit up. I never would have met these awesome ladies if we hadn’t connected on Twitter. Basically, Twitter is what you make of it and it doesn’t have to take over your life to be fun. If you jump in on the conversation you’ll understand why so many people enjoy it. I’m LynnZimm if you’d like to follow me. 🙂
1) I have a twitter and I pretty much use it because I like that I can put it on the side of my blog and have “mini updates” rather than blog a few times a day about trivial things.
I “follow” a few people, but don’t really check it unless I’m logging in to type my own thing. It’s like a status update on facebook (and my twitter actually updates my facebook status.)
5) Lift the Loopy Headquarters up off the foundation and then put on one of those trucks that they use to move mobile homes. That should be enough to get you through the first day of Sock Summit.
I agree that some people who use Twitter use it for really inane things and it really makes them look like depraved exhibitionists catering to voyeurs.
However, Twitter isn’t used the same way by everyone. For instance, rather than updating people on every mundane thing I do during my day, I usually employ my Twitter account as kind of a miniblog, for little thoughts and musings that wouldn’t really be worth a proper blog post. A miniature stream of consciousness, but with a filter.
Like, say, for instance… I’m working on a really nice knitting pattern, but part of it just does not want to work out the way it’s supposed to. I’d make a Twitter post regarding my frustrations with this issue (not really twittering about the act of knitting, though), to which others might reply with a solution or at least some kind of sympathy for my problem.
Or, when my dog had a bad asthmatic attack, I tweeted about being relieved that we found a treatment for it and that it wasn’t worse. I follow some people on Twitter who don’t mention their daily activities at all, opting instead for non sequiturs and jokes as the bulk of their tweets, or promoting links to resources, interesting videos or news blurbs.
It all depends on how you use it.
As a yarn shop owner, you could use your twitter for updates on your experiences in the business. Promotions, thoughts on new products, etc.
Tried facebook, hated it…A blog, no, too many words. But twitter, fun. Great stress reliever in 140 characters or less. And you only need follow the people you care to. Snickerdoodles great, but don’t think they fall into the Weight watchers category. But neither does the BK meal I just ate for dinner. I guess that could be a twitter…
Doris, I would love to see the BIG stash, please share here the link.
I agree with you Sheri about twitter, I do not like all this web sharing of the small details of my life. I look at children that instead of playing with friends interact through myspace or other cyber ways. What happened to a good baseball game on the street or a chat over a cup of coffee with a friend? Is like we are loosing the actual human contact and live in a fairy world populated by people we have never seen or will never meet. I hope that things will go back to being more personal an more cyber.
You should ship it all and start fresh. I do not envy you, is a lot of work to put together a booth and keep it going for a few days, I used to do craft shows. Maybe you will sell everything on the first day and can hang around after that. You should read Tina’s blog about this, is very funny. Let us know what do you do and take pictures of the booth to show us,the “no goers”, how it looked.
Doris, I would love to see the BIG stash, please share here the link.
I agree with you Sheri about twitter, I do not like all this web sharing of the small details of my life. I look at children that instead of playing with friends interact through myspace or other cyber ways. What happened to a good baseball game on the street or a chat over a cup of coffee with a friend? Is like we are loosing the actual human contact and live in a fairy world populated by people we have never seen or will never meet. I hope that things will go back to being more personal and less cyber.
You should ship it all and start fresh. I do not envy you, is a lot of work to put together a booth and keep it going for a few days, I used to do craft shows. Maybe you will sell everything on the first day and can hang around after that. You should read Tina’s blog about this, is very funny. Let us know what do you do and take pictures of the booth to show us,the “no goers”, how it looked.
Twitter is just too narcissistic. I can’t imagine that anyone gives a fling flang chang that I am walking to the corner store for a diet coke.
I guess I am old fashioned – don’t care for Twitter, Facebook or texting. I prefer to speak to people I know by phone or face to face. I guess the “worst” I do that is not so personal is to email. But I still handwrite or type out a letter or note to friends who don’t live close by. I still enjoy buying “thinking of you” cards. I have family members who Twitter and I just don’t need to know they walked the dog, just came back from an appointment or whatever – UNLESS we are on the phone. I just don’t get publishing those things for the world to read.
Re- THE BUNNY! We have had a “house rabbit” for the past 6 years. He’s litterbox trained, loves TV, has favorite shows he watches, loves Doritos and Fortune Cookies – he’s a shameless mooch but we love him. One of his favorite spots to hang out and nap is the cushion on the chair where I sit to sew my wall hanging quilts I make. One thing where Bun Bun and I have our “momemts” over is that he attacks my yarn when I am knitting. And he has a thing for socks (on or off humans)As far as why you have the same rabbit in your yard – rabbits are territorial. When they find a place they like – it’s home to them and that place becomes their place. They like to be where they are content, have their needs met and feel good in being there. One of the perks is that if you should get dandilions growing in your yard – the greens are a favorite of rabbits to eat, also love the tiny wild strawberries and mint. So your yard must be a very bun friendly safe haven for him (her).
As far as transporting your “things” to shows, it’s a shame you can’t use a storage shed to serve as your means of transportation and booth. Where I work – we see the ones that the Amish make and the newer ones are nice (rough sawn oak wood with stone fronts, recessed windows. We put one in the Phila Flower Show each year and put all of our things inside – then just move it into the convention center and we’re set up except for hooking up the electric. Most places that sell sheds will move them too for a fee. Probably the same as reg. freight except you don’t have to unpack and set up your booth – it’s transported that way. Like a mobile store.
I know there are quilt museums but I have never heard of a knitting or heirloom needlework museum – would be fun and interesting to see heirloom items that were made and somehow preserved for us to see. I have seen heirloom very old knitting pattern books but would love to see what was made from them. I remember my grandmother crocheting entire bedspreads out of crochet cotton – God bless her!
And the doilies too!
Twitter, Facebook, Plurk – NOT for me.
I think you just need to think of the trip to SS as an adventure. I would guess that managing online inventory is going to be the biggest challenge unless you have ordered all new things that are only going to SS and won’t be in the online inventory until you return with stuff. I bet you would have more volunteers than you need available for the set-up/tear down (in exchange for, say, some Wollmeise) if you decide to ask 🙂 I personally like roadtrips – take some good tunes, pack an ice chest and make it a point to plant at least one “interesting stop” each day so you can get out of the vehicle, take a good stretch, and enjoy some historical whatever. BTW, be sure you get contents insurance if you are renting a U-haul or whatever. There are just enough instances of something taking the whole trailer while you are sleeping or getting into it that you don’t want to have THAT worry!!
One suggestion because this really bugged me at Madrona and I walked away from a couple vendors where I would otherwise have made a purchase: if you have to do hard copies for credit card transactions, PLEASE be sure that your booth is set up so that all those papers are secure ALL the time. I watched one person taking down that kind of info (including the number on the BACK of the card) and then leave it sitting out on the table while she walked across the booth to help someone else. Huge security risk for the customer who trusted that vendor with that level of detailed credit card info (I learned my lesson and will only conduct cash transactions at those kinds of events).
I don’t get the Twitter thing either. I’m sure no one would care what I do all day…or maybe they would!? As for the Snickerdoodles, you can slip one in with my next order. Chocolate – cold months and Snickerdoodles in the warm months. Yum!!
I am so impressed with Lori’s knowledge of how to manage shipping stock to a show. Boy, did you ask the right folks for advice!
I’m on twitter. It is interesting sometimes, really funny a lot of times, and sometimes just dumb.
Hooray that you are coming to Sock Summit!!!!!! I am so excited to meet everyone.
Twitter can be a very useful tool. You can use it to be in instant touch with people who have the same interests as you. Take my husband–he’s a computer programmer/IT guy. If he is having a computer problem he can post a tweet, “Hey anyone know about xyz?” and in moments people will respond with concise suggestions, links, etc. Yes, there are plenty of people who use Twitter to let the world know they just blew their nose, but we don’t follow them. 😉 There are plenty more people who only post things that they think other people might find interesting or helpful.
I like twitter. I think of it more like an conversation (or many) that I can watch or join (or start, sometimes) any time. About whatever I’m interested in.
RE: #2
Because things would come to a SCREECHING halt if all of us knitters could forgo all our duties for a whole month. I mean…my husband wouldn’t know where to find food or clean laundry….and my children? please. ;D
But oh, I can dream of even a weekend where my only task (some say obsession) would be to knit to my heart’s desire.
Ah, fantasies. 😀
Mary
I don’t twitter and really have no plans to do so. I think there should also be the National Knitting Month. I would so do it. Wish I could go to Sock Summit with you.
I have a Twitter account…just in case…but I’ve never twittered. As it is… Ravelry takes enough of my knitting time away! I also agree there should be a National Knitting Month..or at least a day! Then I could be assured that DH would give me yarn!
Lovin’ the goat – where did you find him/her? Ditto on the Twitter thing, however I do have a very active Facebook account. However, I don’t think it is quite the same thing. I’m not sure why people feel compelled to “Tweet”.
Agree completely with the National Knitters Month. Sorry to hear that you’re stressing about The Sock Summit. I’m sad I won’t be going this year. Mom and I went to Stitches West and can’t justify going to two events in the same year. It’s a cost thing. Stitches was much more convenient for us to go to being in CA already and all. We’re definitely planning on going next year. If you repeat your appearance next year (assuming all goes well this time) let me know if you need a volunteer to help you set up/tear down/supervise the booth. I’m good at stuff like that. 🙂
Have a great weekend!
Twitter gives me the shivers, just thinking about adding another daily, let alone all-daily, computer task! Plus it strikes me as the height of arrogance, to think that other people might want to “follow” your daily activities on Twitter. Not long ago, I accepted a well-known knitting personage’s suggestion that I look at her Twitter page, and what I found was a bunch of entries about making grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch! After wasting half an hour or so, making sure that the link I’d followed was correct, I vowed never to return to Twitter. 😀
After we elect you President of the United States, you can issue an Executive Order implementing your fabulous plans for National Knitting Month. I especially like your plan to triple everyone’s yarn budget during that month!
I am also baffled by twitter, but then I still refuse to carry a cellphone. I don’t know anyone whose every thought, action, purchase, whim or query I need to track throughout the day. I do, of course, have great sympathy for those poor souls who are deprived of my every thought, action, purchase, whim and query. They must be so forlorn.
Hi Sheri, I am also baffled by Twitter. I also wanted you to know that the picture of the biggest stash is mine!! The room looks so much better now that everything is organized. As you know, I am still tempted by the beautiful things you sell at your store! If you’re ever in NH please let me know!!
I’m another Twitter lover. I like that I get these little snapshots of what people that I adore who live far away from me are doing during their day. My favorites are people who post snapshots and the like of things they encounter as they go along their merry way.
As far as shipping to sock summit, once all the registration insanity has died down, talk to the organizers. It’s very likely that the convention center has the ability to accept and hold advance shipments, so you won’t have to worry about it once you see how it’ll all work. And if not, that would be one HECK of a beautiful drive for a road trip!
How are you going to get a booth’s worth of fixtures and yarn from St. Louis to Portland for the Sock Summit in August?
Why – how about having College Girl drive it up there for you in a rented van – it could be the trip of a lifetime for her 🙂
I don’t really get Twitter, either. But if you do get started, you should tweet without any spaces, like your signoffs at the end of your blog entries!
Forget twitter. Plurk is 10,000 times better and Miss Violet, Wendy Knits, Tempted, and other famous knitters are there! It’s worth looking into, anyway. http://www.plurk.com. My name on there is boutrosbabe. If you join, I’d be thrilled to introduce you around!!
You’re going to hire me as a Portable Show Elf, of course, and I will assist you with the driving, set up, tear down, and coffee runs =)
I completely agree with you on all of that. It’s funny that you were making Snickerdoodles, though. I called my poodle Snickerdoodle the other night, and suddenly really wanted some. Imagine that. haha
If you want an interesting point of view on Twitter, from someone who loves it, you can check out this post on Havi Brooks’ blog. The first time I heard of Twitter, I didn’t get it either (at all!), but that post (and a few others from her as well) made me look at it differently. She finally got me there, and I’m really enjoying it.
I am not sure about how to get into the knotters hall of fame, but I am a righty and I taught myself how to knit. Them my mom (a lefty) wanted to learn, so I taught myself how to knit lefty so that I could teach her. It’s been fun knitting together!
erm. I meant knitters not knotters. 🙂
I just do not have enough time to Twitter or Plurk. It seems to me to be something you really have to all the time. I don’t really want to know if strangers are picking their kids up or making dinner. I tried the plurking and it was just crazy thinking up blurbs about what I was doing. I desided I would rather spend my time knitting…………..and reading and quilting…………well you get my thoughts on this!!
By the way how are your kitties doing?
Hello Sheri,
what a cute goat! Is it part of the Loopy Ewe family? (I’m just curious because I have five goats myself…) (and yes, I did contemplate knitting them socks but they’d gobble them up!) I plurked a lot last summer during the school holidays but once I started teaching again I fell behind with it all since I was no longer online all day. As for Twitter- it’s not that useful since I am not in the same time zone than most of the people I’d like to follow so… no point in using it.
Greetings from Germany, Nadine
I twitter, facebook and plurk–mostly plurk and facebook. I have a blog but am not very good about blogging regularly. My plurk buds are mostly knitters so it’s a way to share with them. I post pics of my FOs and discuss project progress. Facebook I mostly share with local folks who don’t plurk. Of course, I share fiber stuff which they don’t understand. Twitter I liked the blackberry app but really don’t use much as most of my friends there are on FB or plurk. The big advantage all have for me is the fact that I control who I follow and can block folks that repeatedly say things I don’t like. (I’ve only blocked one so far.) So basically I blog on plurk and facebook and every great once in a while on my real blog.
I love snickerdoodles. Next time I’m in St L will you make me some?
Relative to the Sock Summit, plan on bringing (sending) twice as much as you think you’ll need. For lots of us attending, it will be our first actual visit to the Loopy Ewe and we will undoubtedly buy, buy, buy. Especially after the fiasco getting into classes means more Market time! Can’t wait to meet you in person!
1. Twitter can be really fun as an observer, especially if the people you’re following tend to be funny. Kevin Pollak, for example, did a hysterical Tweet commentary of the Oscars, which was so much fun. And, even if someone already blogs (ie YarnHarlot), if they’re a witty person, the funny little Tweets they post can be quite amusing, and tide over folks like me who have long stressful work days and like popping into Twitter to be humored for a couple minutes.
2. Agreed.
3. Trying to explain the behavior of a rabbit is like trying to convince a teenager that they aren’t invincible. Nearly impossible.
4. Definitely not me, but it would be fun to know who has.
5. Freighting stuff can be SO much easier. We use Americana WorldWide all the time at my office to send things to trade shows for the salesmen. Headache free.
Hope you have a stress free weekend! 🙂