What an adventure getting ready for photographer Alan Wycheck’s visit to take the technique photos for my next book. (Current title:
The Book That Must Not Be Named. This is because the publisher does not want me to tip our hand too soon. As soon as I have permission, I will reveal the contents.)
Anyway, my usual raggedy nails are not good for technique photos, so I purchased some acrylic glue-on nails. Got two boxes of different brands just in case. First I tried using the temporary goo to attach them. It works fine if you are just sitting still admiring your nails all day, less well if you try to do something like, say, put your hand in your pocket, use utensils, or move.
My plan was to attach them with better glue in the morning, but I was up at 4 a.m. Why waste time? The first glue I tried was no better than the temporary glop, so I opened the name brand package and tried to use their glue. Next thing I knew, a nail was attached. Unfortunately, it was attached to the underside of my right thumb. Ack! That stuff is like superglue! (Note to self: Next time, ignore the instruction to put the glue on the fake nail, and just paint it on your real nail. Less opportunity for wayward drops.) I thought about going to the ER or, failing that, a salon when one opened at 10 a.m., but a 15-minute soak in acetone did the trick. I don’t think it removed the glue one bit, but it dissolved the nail. Of course, it kind of did a number on my skin, too, which I had been babying with moisturizer for days in anticipation of the photos. I couldn’t tell whether the layer of white residue was from the nail-polish remover, the glue, or my skin, which made it challenging to decide whether to pull it off. If there is any dried-out skin visible in the finished pictures, Stackpole Books will just have to photoshop it out!
Once the fumes had cleared I returned to my desk and successfully applied the nails. Alan Wycheck and I put in a ten-hour day and I am delighted to report that the photos are done and they look absolutely amazing. He took 1,100 shots, in addition to the 600 he shot recently of the finished projects on location. Now my task is to go through the pictures and choose the ones for publication. I will have to concentrate; hope I’m not distracted looking at those hard-earned fingernails!
.jpg)
“Spanish Dancer” laceweight yarn from Blue Heron Yarns is worked in broomstick lace to create this colorful and comfortable shawl. Stitches are decreased so the top is narrower than the bottom. Fling this shawl over your shoulder, and the resulting gathers resemble a rose. The pattern is available through my website, SharonSilverman.com..jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
This luscious Mondial bamboo yarn worked perfectly with the lacy design of the Coronet Scarf. It changes color slowly so you get a lot of nice contrasts among the black, cream, and grey. The yarn is really soft, too..jpg)
.JPG)
I’ve been invited to return to Woolbearers in Mt. Holly, NJ on Saturday, March 13 from 1-3 pm to teach “More Techniques in Tunisian Crochet.” We’ll start with a brief review, then explore some exciting stitch patterns and colorwork, learn different ways to shape Tunisian garments, and conclude with an introduction to Tunisian in the round.
Today I handed in the manuscript for my next crochet book. It is a ritual for me to deliver the package in person to Stackpole Books. I met with the editor and designer/project manager to go over our timeline and path forward. The next steps are layout and copy editing, which will take a couple of months. The book is scheduled for inclusion in the spring 2011 catalog, which means it should probably be printed by January 2011 (in time for the winter TNNA conference in California – already thinking about a book-signing at that event).
What an adventure getting ready for photographer Alan Wycheck’s visit to take the technique photos for my next book. (Current title: The Book That Must Not Be Named. This is because the publisher does not want me to tip our hand too soon. As soon as I have permission, I will reveal the contents.) 
