Episode 19 - Fancy Tigers and Friends

Thank You's:

• iTunes reviews: Thank you to Crazy Knitting Fool, Mfleshman, (Michelle from ACTually KNITting), TurboKnitter, Down Cellar Studio Jen (Jen from Down Cellar Studio podcast), and marywithani for the great iTunes reviews!
• Sarah Stevens of Oh Loops! for her pattern, Two Lane Highway Ridge socks. Check out her podcast with Lydia called Fiber By Design
• Boston Jen of the Down Cellar Studio podcast for gifting me her new Tan House Brook Shawl
• Danie from Prairie Girls Knit and Spin for the gorgeous bag from One Twisted Tree

Clicking Away:

• I finished my Mermaid Song shawl by Susanna IC in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Marine Silk Lace.

• I began Camp Loopy Project 2 - Daybreak by Stephen West out of Desert Vista Dyeworks in "Aquamarine" and Cascade Heritage Sock in "Spruce."

• I finished my Vacation socks, they just need the toe grafted and ends woven in.

Shenanigans:

• We had a virtual knit night with Boston Jen, ACTually KNITting's Michelle, Prairie Girls Susie and Danie, and Sarah and Kristi from In a Sknit.
• I got to hang out with Kristi from In A Sknit at Fancy Tiger Crafts in Denver. We caught a glimpse of Stephen West and had fun running around the store exploring and pretending like we can sew. I mention the Prairie Girls label contest.

Events:

• I am headed to Stitches Midwest to hang out with the Prairie Girls, In a Sknit girls, and Sarah from Yarn Geek Fibers. I am working on some swag to give out, I need to get on that!
• Don't forget about the giveaway from Daybreak Dyeworks! To enter, visit Dawn's shop and pick your favorite colorway. Then visit the thread on Knitting Butterflies and let me know what that favorite colorway is!

Photography Stories:

• I have had a few bumps in my business lately that have caused me to sit down and reevaluate how I do my job well. I have decided to make some pretty big changes and I am very excited about them, not only for my business, but for my family life.
• I covered a baby shower and did a maternity session that I am really proud of, it was just what I needed to pick myself up and get going again. I also did a session for a family I have known for 18 years and it was an incredible experience.

• I also photographed my Mermaid Song Shawl in my new basement.

Photography Tip:

• Golden Hour - the lighting one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset creates a beautiful, soft, golden halo on subjects. I have had to learn to photograph in the middle of the day, but my favorites always come from shooting in Golden Hour.

Episode 18 - Knitting in "Public" Week

• Knitting Butterflies Ravelry Group
• Instagram: butterflyem4
• Ravelry Page: EmilyStraw

Clicking Away:

• Vacation knitting socks were started during the many hours of plane rides. Yarn is Patons Kroy self striping in Bramble Stripes colorway, 3x1 rib.

• Mermaid Song Shawl by Susanna IC from Unofficial Harry Potter Knits, knit in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Marine Silk Lace, doing this project for Camp Loopy. I added a few more repeats to make the shawl rest nicely. I also had fun wearing the shawl I had made for myself on vacation.

• For Camp Loopy's Project 2 I have decided to knit a Daybreak shawl by Stephen West out of Desert Vista Dyeworks Voir in the colorway Aquamarine, paired with some Cascade Heritage sock yarn in the Spruce colorway. 

Events:

• I will be attending Stitches Midwest in Shamburg, IL August 8-10. I'll be with Susie and Danie of the Prairie Girls podcast, Sarah and Kristi of In A Sknit, and Sarah from Yarn Geek Fibers, so if you see us please say hi!

Life Reflections:

• I have been a little reflective on how relationships and knitting have some similar concepts for success. It might seem a bit cheesy, you can skip to 26:30 if you want :)

Photography:

• I discuss some of the play photography I got to do on our trip, especially with night photography. 

Here are some settings I used on my camera to get really fun night shots:

• Put camera in manual mode
• ISO set low (100-200)
• Aperture set in the middle, about f9-f11
• Shutter speed set to 2 seconds - 16 seconds, depending on how much light was needed
• Timer set to 2 seconds after I pushed the shutter
• Camera set on a flat surface
• If we were in the photo we added a flash as well

• Photography of the tip - learn to use the camera that you have! Explore those settings you have never used before and see what you can come up with!

Episode 17 - Camp and Chimps

• Knitting Butterflies Ravelry Group
• Instagram: butterflyem4
• Ravelry Page: EmilyStraw

Clicking Away:

• I am working on my Camp Loopy project one, the Mermaid Song Shawl by Susanna IC in the Unofficial Harry Potter Knits. Yarn is Blue Moon Fiber Arts Marine Silk Lace in the HRH Crown Princess of Purple Violetta. I mention the Knit.FM podcast.

• I finished my Hermione's Everyday Socks in a competition against Sarah (mrsshoo) from In A Sknit. She beat me fair and square :)

• I'm also working on my Mother's Day Cast On socks a la Prairie Girls in Deborah Noraville Serenity Sock, and learned an important lesson about dye lots.

Events:

• My family and I attended the Estes Park Wool Market. Vendors I wanted to make sure and mention:
• Stitchin' Den from Estes Park, Joanna Johnson was there signing and selling copies of her beautiful books
• Dawn from Daybreak Dyeworks was there, be sure to enter the giveaway for this one!

• I also met Allie and Jonathon of MJ Yarns and LOVED Jonathon's color sense! 

Photography:

• I finished the photography at the dance studio, including some really fun images of the instructor. To see some examples, head to my Facebook photography page.

• I also did a really fun engagement session with a fantastic couple, I will be photographing their wedding in August!

• For tips this week, I wanted to add a few tips about having someone else photograph you:
• Have a knitting buddy
• Don't be afraid to "chimp"
• Motion = Emotion
• Change something every time you hear the shutter click

Episode 16 - Socks and Dancers

• Knitting Butterflies Ravelry Group
• Instagram: butterflyem4
• Ravelry Page: EmilyStraw

Clicking Away:

• I'm working on my Hermione's Every Day Socks by Erica Leuder in a competition with Sarah from In A Sknit. Yarn is Camp Loopy (dyed by Lorna's Laces) in the Blue Skies Over Colorado colorway.

• I'm also working on a pair of tube socks as my Mother's Day Cast On a la Prairie Girls. Yarn is Deborah Norahville Serenity sock yarn in Teal Tease. Thinking about trying the Fish Lips Kiss heel for the afterthought heel.

• 20% Cooler Socks have had an inch added.
• Anne's Sweater by Joanna Johnson in Green Gables Knits now has both sleeves finished. I did 1/2 sleeves on either side and am starting on the ribbing.
• Stash Enchancement - I decided to do Camp Loopy this year, the first project I'm going to do is the Mermaid Song Shawl by Susanna IC in the Unofficial Harry Potter Knits. Yarn is Blue Moon Fiber Arts Marine Silk Lace in the HRH Crown Princess of Purple Violetta colorway.

• Dream In Color Smooshy yarn also came home with me in the Take A Hike colorway.

Events:

• Estes Park Wool Market is June 5-8 in Estes Park. I will be wearing my hot pink Knitting Butterflies tshirt, so come and say hi!
• I will also be at Stitches Midwest August 8-10, hanging with the Prairie Girls and In A Sknit girls!
• Knit In Public week is coming up, I can't do an event this year but maybe next year!

Life:

• This week I talk about Geocaching. To find out more about this fun hobby, visit Geocaching.com

Photography:

• I felt very blessed to do dance portraits for a dance studio in my area. 
• For this photo shoot, I used an external flash shot backwards into a reflective umbrella.

• In this week's tip(s) I talk about how to help a friend take better pictures of you
• Always have the photographer shoot from slightly above
• Make sure to have your chin "Out and Down"