Thursday, December 11, 2008

um, holy crap.

Well, Wednesday was a fun day, eh? We went live after spending months getting the brand new, super-powerful server ready for you all and BOOM, she sploded.

[If you had any idea of the difference between what we had been running on for 6 years and the exponential improvement in hardware, capacity and pipeline with the new server, you'd be as frustrated as we were when it still wasn't enough to handle you all!]

Hub spent yesterday/yesterevening further tweaking the server settings, trying to make sure everyone could get in and by 11pm eastern time last night, we'd solved most of it. The server seems to be running smoothly now, and I find the download super-fast compared to an average day on the old server.

Thanks to 99% of you who understood we were doing our best to get it right! We'll be doing more prep behind the scenes before we go live with the surprise in 2009 and hopefully this won't happen again. But hey -- there are worse things than being so popular no one can get at your site, right?

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Guess what I'm going to do today? I'm going to a small PJ sewing party with my friend Jen. I'm going to pull out my Featherweight and dig into my stash of quilting fabric and make as many pairs of ridiculous PJ bottoms as I can.

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I've also got something to show you:


What's the yarn? Dudes. It's silk. From Briar Rose.

But Briar Rose doesn't do silk? They do now! Thanks to gentle persuasion from my friend, Jennie and yours truly, Chris at Briar Rose has finally added silk to her previously all-wool lineup! She gave me a gift of some of this gorgeousness at Rhinebeck and I wouldn't stop browbeating her until she agreed to put it in the shop, because I knew you'd want it too.

What's the pattern? It's a little something I've worked up for y'all. The whole thing will be available shortly, but I thought you might want a peek at the stitch pattern now. It explains why I'm calling the pattern Broccowli.

You may groan, and I wouldn't blame you.

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Me? I'm going to dig through a bag of fabric. Wheeeeee!

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posted by Amy R Singer @ 11:00 AM 22 comments

Comments:
OMG, you sew too. And there are parties??? Will the craftiness never end? I have never, ever wanted to sew before, but the thought of making patchwork PJ bottoms is now totally stuck in my head...
# posted by Blogger Dawn : 11:48 AM, December 11, 2008
 
Hee- it TOTALLY looks like broccoli!

And I hope you'll post pics from the pj party - that sounds like fun!
# posted by Blogger Trillian42 : 11:50 AM, December 11, 2008
 
Well, Broccowli will definitely go on the needles as soon as it's available...... :) Off to have lunch and start the edging on the Hemlock Ring Blanket that needs to be shipped ASAP. Then there will be time to knit for myself......
# posted by Blogger ME215 : 11:55 AM, December 11, 2008
 
Must see pajama bottoms!! Please? and wait until I tell my family I'm knitting broccoli. . . may earn me a long vacation in a cool white room. At last!

Elizabeth D
# posted by Blogger duraknit : 11:56 AM, December 11, 2008
 
Ummm, Amy, you and the Hub are doing all this marvelous work for us the knitters and you're apologizing? Is that whack or what? Then again I think it adds to your knitter karma points. Love the new issue. It was more than worth the wait.
# posted by Anonymous Kate G. : 12:54 PM, December 11, 2008
 
When I couldn't get on yesterday, I decided it's good there are so many happy knitters out there and decided to wait and savor the new issue this morning. Thanks for all of your hard work and for the wonderful issue. Marjorie
# posted by Blogger Marjorie : 1:12 PM, December 11, 2008
 
The site was slow yesterday, but I was never kicked off or got an error. Guess I was one of the lucky ones.

Lovely issue! I'm already swatching for Amelia. Thank goodness I'm only knitting presents for daycare teachers and no one else this year so I have time to knit for me NOW! :-)
# posted by Blogger Amy : 1:38 PM, December 11, 2008
 
I was wondering what was going on yesterday, but figured that it would all just work itself out. New issues are always worth the wait!
# posted by Anonymous leftofemma : 2:54 PM, December 11, 2008
 
The "net" has been touch and go all over the place this week. It happens every few weeks/months/years usually due to a cable break, or something techie or other. Although I had no troubles viewing Knitty yesterday or today, a few of the other blogs/websites I read were slow or down. If I wasn't so lazy/drunk today since I re-broke my wrist yesterday I might investigate this. I just know sombody else will for me!
# posted by Blogger Kathy : 3:31 PM, December 11, 2008
 
*Hugs* I love Knitty and I will waiit for it
# posted by Blogger debolsillo : 4:29 PM, December 11, 2008
 
The new issue was definitely worth the wait. Just wonderful. Great cover too.

Sorry about the server woes. Hope we don't kill it again any time soon. Give my thanks to KnittyHub for the hard work.
# posted by Blogger Tabitha : 5:16 PM, December 11, 2008
 
Oh yerk. I am so sorry to hear about the server! I glanced at the site only briefly yesterday (I'm in the midst of a nightmarish post-doc application), so I didn't run into any issues. I hope she's soon running with as little pain as possible.
# posted by Blogger Kristen : 5:54 PM, December 11, 2008
 
Yes, there are many worse business problems than being too popular, you know that you might have to close down because of that, right? (He-he). I would be glad to offer a blessing of the server if you think it would help.

Broccowli had me howling!!! And silk, oh, my!
# posted by Blogger Renee : 7:42 PM, December 11, 2008
 
You should name the server "Lucy" as in, "Luuuuuuccccccy, you gotta lot of 'spaining to do!"

!ay caramba!
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 9:32 PM, December 11, 2008
 
It was crazy, the way the server imploded yesterday! That's what happens, I guess, when the entire Galaxy of Knitters tries to go the exact same website at the exact same time!
# posted by Anonymous --Deb : 11:47 PM, December 11, 2008
 
Was it Plurk? Or me gazing at Amused?
# posted by OpenID pjbknit : 5:01 PM, December 12, 2008
 
I'm very concerned about the Tushy Cushy pattern on the new zine. I can't find any reference as to what it is actually meant to be EXCEPT for the way it is photographed. I see there is a disclaimer that it is not meant to be used for infants which is a good thing, but what the heck is the point then?

I think the photographs are in very poor taste. This newborn baby looks cold and the child is actually photgraphed with its face/nose smashed into the pillow--this is a SIDS nightmare! So many mothers have lost their children to SIDS and every mother fears this happening to their own children--as a mother to a 6-month-old infant, I find these photos in poor taste and frightening. I'm frankly shocked to see them. Period.

Concerned Parent,
Jen
# posted by Blogger socknitster : 5:09 PM, December 12, 2008
 
Jen,
The mother of the very-happy child was present and inches away from her newborn at the photograph session, which took place in the mother's well-heated home.

The pattern is for a pillow. The pillow is in the shape of a person's bottom. We shot it the way we did because we found it visually appealing -- the synchronicity between the two naked bottoms (one real, one not). What's it meant to be? It's a pillow. You put your head on it or decorate your couch or bed with it.

I've spoken to nurses and mothers, and all say that it's up to the parent to supervise their child and that knitted blankets, stuffed toys and just about anything can be a hazard to an unsupervised child.

I'm sorry you're bothered by the pictures, but what you're seeing actually didn't happen. The child was and is perfectly safe, fine and happy. Perhaps that will put your mind at rest.
# posted by Blogger Amy R Singer : 5:26 PM, December 12, 2008
 
Amy,

I totally get that and can appreciate that you made an artistic choice. Maybe I came on too strong. My concern is not necessarily for that individual child, but for all the children out there whose parents (and especially grandparents, who aren't always up on the "back to sleep" campaign) who see an image of a baby sleeping on a pillow and don't realize its not ok.

I know a lot of grandparents out there are caring for and knitting for their grandchildren who think to themselves, "my baby slept on his stomach with a blanket and pillows and stuffed animals in the crib and they survived, what is the big deal?" The big deal is that thousansds of lives have been saved by the back to sleep campaign.

I KNOW this is an issue because parenting/baby magazines and blogs have anecdotes in them almost monthly. Parents make comments like, "I couldn't believe my baby was sleeping thru the night at the in-laws but not at home--and then I found out they were letting her sleep on her stomach there!" Even my college-educated best friend had stuffed animals in the crib with her infant who was rolling at the time--so dangerous.

So, as you see, I'm mostly concerned about the responsibility of putting such images out there and what they might in some small way (really, really small, I acknowledge, but there nonetheless) mean to parents and other infant caregivers.

By the way, at first I thought the pattern was just a cover for the popular nursing pillow called the Boppy which has warnings all over it saying never let a child fall asleep or be face down on it.

I apologize if I sound too harsh, but it's an issue I feel strongly about and I doubt if my comment will be the only one you will get regarding this issue.

I love the zine and the way you publish it--incredibly creative.
# posted by Blogger socknitster : 6:56 PM, December 12, 2008
 
Server crashes and baby bums aside... well worth the wait for the new Knitty! Kudos!
# posted by Blogger Julia : 11:14 PM, December 12, 2008
 
Amy, thank you! It was worth the wait. I love, love, love all the sweaters! I can't decide which one I want to make first ... you must have fun choosing!

As for the Tushy Cushy photos with the baby, I KNOW you would never endanger a baby! (and what a little cutie pie that baby is!)
# posted by Anonymous Anne : 1:15 PM, December 16, 2008
 
I just finally got around to checking out the new winter Knitty and wow! I had to say a quick word of thanks for all the gorgeous new patterns. You've got everything in there... goodies for mom, baby, doggy, hubby... even jewelry! You guys ROCK!!!
# posted by Blogger Heather Marie : 11:21 AM, December 17, 2008
 
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