Granted, I would have known to steer clear had I actually read the book’s description:

Enduring a hardscrabble existence as the children of alcoholic and absent parents, four siblings from a coastal Mississippi town prepare their meager stores for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina while struggling with such challenges as a teen pregnancy and a dying litter of prize pups.

Dying litter of prize pups. Yeah. Not so much.

So I put the book down, a mere 20 pages into it. And yeah it’s a national prize winner. And yes, after watching Treme’s first two seasons, I fervently believe that Katrina-related literature is so very important.

But I’m too sensitive for dying puppies.

The thing is, although I’ve got this soft streak, I also hate that my sensitivity often makes me feel left out. I know right now, I will absolutely not finish “Salvage the Bones”, no matter how many accolades it receives. And so, I’ll miss out on one of the most important books of the year.

Last night, I felt a little like I did when walking out of that movie theater 20-some years ago. Like giving in to my sensitive side is something to be ashamed of, to be made fun of for. And last night, like 20 years ago, I also realized that once you’ve felt that, it’s hard to un-feel it. Once you’ve read about… (edited, but it has to do with puppies)… it’s impossible to un-imagine it.

(Kind of like reading the synopsis of “The Human Centipede”. EWWWW.)

I suppose this is the catch of being an avid reader. Devouring books also sometimes means getting inside the book so deeply it’s tough to crawl out. Living in my imagination, even for a few dozen pages, means it’s impossible to un-remember those vivid words.

It’s not fall anymore, but will you forgive me for publishing an autumn-themed pattern?

Just released, after much delay, Koyo, a delicate shawl for delicate yarn.

The orange shawl is knit with Helen’s Lace from Lorna’s Laces, in the colourway “Satsuma”. A perfect color name for a Japanese-inspired shawl, don’t you think?

Technically, though, this isn’t a new design. I originally designed this for the Year of Lace in 2010, using Indigodragonfly’s gorgeous Merino-Silk Lace in a custom colourway.

Among the things I love about this design: the delicate top border, the gentle deconstruction of leaves into an organic ripple, and the inset details at the points and corners.

I also love the size. At 70″ x 34″ after blocking, it’s just big enough without overwhelming the wearer.

In this way, Koyo is an ideal accent piece for any season, not just fall.

More photos and detailed information available here.

Happy holidays, everyone!

$5.00 US

I’m sorry I decided to (mostly) avoid you last year. It wasn’t the best of times for me. I’d just lost my Dad, and the last thing I wanted to do was celebrate getting a year older.

It’s not that people weren’t awesome. My excellent work buds pooled together and found me an amazing Indigo Girls concert print. I took some time out at work to photograph Moira and Zeena wearing new Indigirl designs. I seem to remember sushi lunch from my favorite place. I alternately yelled at Sandra for celebrating too much… or not enough.

But all I wanted to do was cry.

So this year, I’ll be 34. (In a few short hours, actually.) And it may sound odd, but I feel like I haven’t had a birthday in years.

Here it is, nearly the end of 2011. My Dad’s been gone a year. I spent a few months falling apart and a few months putting myself together again.

I traveled to Maryland, Florida, New York. California and Illinois. I turned an amazing corner in my career. I enjoyed my dogs, my home, my wife, my family. I fell, undeniably and completely, in love with baseball. I gained (some of) the weight I’d lost in 2009. I gained a few good friends, and connected with ones I hadn’t seen in years. I learned how to bake a cake. I learned ruby on rails. I learned that I’m not as grown up as I’d like to be. I learned that I don’t actually like being sad.

I learned what it’s like to be scared about losing my mom. That was a big first for me. My whole life, my Dad’s been the one to worry about losing. With my mom’s diagnosis of Stage 4 Lymphoma, I realized that nothing’s a given, nothing’s guaranteed.

And now too, I wait for my own diagnosis; of immune problems, of cancer, of infertility or (God willing) absolutely nothing at all. I’m learning that waiting for your own results is actually easier than waiting for someone else’s.

But despite all of this, despite the head full of thoughts that fight to be acknowledged, I can’t sum up the last year of my life in 500 words on a blog.

It’s more than what I think of, when I think of my 33rd year.

It’s the songs on my playlists. It’s the smile on my face when I get a postcard from a dear friend. It’s my current recipe obsessions, and the movie I saw last weekend. My 33rd year is the new tires on the Jeep, the hole in the attic, the flood in the basement. It’s the smell of coffee at my desk. It’s the neighborhood cat. It’s my pathetic harvest of 4 hot peppers and six cherry tomatoes. It’s the shelves of mason jars, steadily shifting to empty.

“33″ wasn’t what I’d expected. And so too, “34″ is an age I can’t begin to imagine. Going into it, I pray that next year at this time, I’m counting the blessings of a healthy family, and a happy, healthy life.

So birthday, thanks for reminding me, at least once a year, that life is more than the highlights (or lowlights) I write in posts like these.

Birthday, thank you for reminding me that a year in my life is more than a sum of its parts.

love,
Amy

Last time I was in St. Charles, just last weekend, I spent an afternoon teaching my Photography for Knitters class to a willing group of students at Wool and Company.

This is the only class I teach that doesn’t directly involve the actual knitting or crocheting of yarn, but even so, it’s one of the most satisfying in my portfolio. I like to say that this is a class about learning to see, more than about learning the technical steps behind a photograph.

And truly, it’s a class of using eyes and ideas to document the beautiful work we all do.

The lovely gal in the photo at the left is Kate. She works at Wool and Company and was ‘voluntold’ to help us out by modeling for a half hour or so, and what a lovely model she made. Being able to work with Kate gave a lot of excitement to the class, but I’ve taught this one so many other ways as well; inside, outside, with models, without models, and with every kind of project and subject matter on hand to use as inspiration.

Part of what I love about teaching photography for knitters is being able to work with the students’ finished objects, works in progress, and stash, and to be delighted by what they’ve created. Many budding (and established) designers end up in my classes as well, to learn how to better market the work they do.

I’ve had a busy fall. I honestly don’t know where it went. The LA trip, Santa Barbara, visiting mom at the end of September, Stephanie and Mel’s visit to Toronto in October, going back to St. Charles at the beginning of this month, and getting ready to go back there for Thanksgiving this coming weekend.

In a way, it’s a really great thing that time has been passing like this.

Mom’s having her fourth chemo treatment next Monday the 28th. After that, they’re going to assess how she’s doing and make the decision to either continue chemo or go for an autologous bone marrow transplant.

At the same time, and this seems so grossly unfair, it’s coming up quickly on the anniversary of Dad’s stroke and death and funeral. Am I wrong for just wanting to fast-forward past all of that? To just focus on the next steps for mom?

I’m torn about my decision to go to St. Charles for Thanksgiving. That’s where I was last year, if you remember. And it was a brutal Thanksgiving – spent at our neighbor’s after a rough day with dad, followed up by his major stroke the next morning. Part of me would just want to stay at work, try to forget.

But on the other hand, I don’t want mom to be going through that time on her own, either. So this, like last year’s, is the right decision. And I’ll be able to go to her doctor’s appointment on Monday and discuss the next steps, her prognosis, and her treatment, in person, and without a filter.

I’ve grown up so much in the last year. I’m learning to look at life a little differently, that it’s not all good, or all bad, or even a simple mix of the two. It’s about timing, and blessings that need to be sought out. Like the fact that I was able to be with Dad for his last few days. Like the fact that we weren’t dealing with mom’s cancer while Dad was needing so much support.

So, that’s where I am right now. I’m kind of quiet, but I’m ok. Just dealing with life, day by day by day.

I’m so pleased to announce that I’m the featured instructor for Knits by the Sea’s annual retreat in gorgeous Tofino, BC!

I’ll be teaching three (!) of my favorite classes over the course of the weekend, all designed to help you get more from your knitting, no matter what ‘level’ you think you are. When I’m not teaching, I’ll be hanging out – hopefully with this gorgeous view – and getting to know you better.

Why don’t you join me? Registration makes the perfect ‘wish list’ item for the holidays.

The retreat includes:
2 nights accommodations at Middle Beach Lodge
Continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday
Lunch on Saturday afternoon
Wine and cheese reception on Saturday evening
Early Bird Cost (reserve by December 31):
Single Occupancy: $500 plus HST
Double Occupancy: $400 per person plus HST*

Call Knits by the Sea at 250-725-3700 to register. A $100 deposit is required to hold your spot. The remainder isn’t due until March 20, 2012.

All the details are here.

And here’s the low-down on the weekend’s classes:

Beyond Purls; the Precious GEMS of Knitting
Get more success out of every garment project by understanding the four GEMS of knitting; Gauge, Ease, Measurements, and Sizing. We’ll start with getting close and personal with our Gauge swatches. Is there a ‘wrong’ way to swatch? How do you assess a swatch for both stitch count AND fabric quality? Next, we’ll look at different ways to preview a pattern, and better understand how Ease relates to fit. Taking current and accurate Measurements – and understanding how they relate to pattern sizing – is the key to selecting the right size. Finally, we’ll put it all together and learn how to improve the Sizing choices we make every time we begin a new project.

Shapes for Shawls
Description: Small shawls, often using simple lace patterns, are all the rage. During this two-part workshop, we’ll investigate three different construction methods; a triangle, a crescent, and a wedge. We’ll then learn how to apply your own design touches to each style of shawl ‘architecture’. Along the way, we’ll talk about design considerations like gauge, fabric, and yarn choice. You’ll come out of the workshop with three small samples, and a worksheet for helping plan out your next project. Some of the techniques we’ll learn; knit-on borders, short rows, and charting for lace.

Optional workshop – Photography for Knitters
As fiber artists spend more time sharing images of their work online, through Ravelry, blogs, or etsy, clear and compelling photography has become more of a priority. In this 3 (or 6) hour hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the basics of fiber arts photography. How do you work with your camera? How do you use light most effectively? How can you improve your composition? How does understanding your subject matter result in better photographs? We’ll start with an overview of what works – and what doesn’t – when it comes to yarn and projects. Next, we’ll do a series of hands on activities, including working on still shots and shots with models. Finally, we’ll review and showcase our best work.

Given that quite a few of you have emailed since I fixed it yesterday afternoon, I think we’re back in business.

If you see any links or content directing you to download Microsoft Windows for free, you can be guaranteed I didn’t post that. Ugh.

At this same time, I’ve been in a place of radio silence. Some times the words just fly out of my fingers. At other times, I self-censor, knowing that what I’m bound to write is just going to be self-pitying drivel.

Now is probably one of those times.

I spent the last week traveling. Vogue Knitting LA, Santa Barbara for a great Cloud Chaser class, and then on to St. Charles to help mom out around the house.

VK LA was awesome. I know a lot of you have heard mixed reviews, but I thoroughly enjoyed teaching my classes, and the support I felt from the staff. I taught three sessions of photography and one Noro design class, and had a blast, even though I worked almost every free moment.

I also (finally) had a chance to meet some of the shops I love on the west coast! I did a book / pattern signing in the “Knitting with Sandra” booth one afternoon, and also really enjoyed my time with the gals at “Cardigans” in Santa Barbara.

There’s a different type of energy I get from teaching that I rarely feel anywhere else. I love those light-bulb moments, and I love interacting with new people in that kind of setting.

It’s funny, because I think I’m naturally pretty shy. But I rarely feel more comfortable than I do when teaching.

So. Mom update.

She had her first round of chemo last Monday and initially felt ok. The prednisone helped her energy levels while I was there. So, I stripped wallpaper, cleaned baseboards, and ran errands. We went over to her friends’ house, bought her a snazzy wig, and caught up with the X factor.

It was a quieter visit than most; even feeling fine, she wasn’t up to much shopping or running around. After I came back to Toronto on Saturday, she started to feel more of the fatigue that often accompanies chemo. She’s ok at times, at others, needs to sit down immediately. But I think, overall, she’s doing better than she expected to at this point.

Interesting development on her lymphoma. It turns out, she actually has a different type of lymphoma – a slow-moving nodal marginal zone lymphoma – that has progressed into the aggressive diffuse large B-cell type. This is pretty rare – less than 1% of patients with non-hodgkins lymphoma have this type. Unfortunately, the marginal zone lymphoma does not tend to respond well to treatment and also tends to recur more quickly and more aggressively.

I spoke with the oncologist yesterday, and he said that we’re still hoping for a complete remission after chemo, but that may only last for a year or two before it recurs. Second treatments are limited at her age.

The really great thing is how mom is doing with all of this. She’s a tough cookie, and she has a really strong faith. She’s put it in God’s hands, and isn’t asking the same questions I am.

It’s interesting, how different we are. I like to have as many facts as possible – give me the data, even if it’s grim. Mom? She just likes to think one step at a time.

The step, for now, is the five more rounds of chemo. She will lose her hair, probably after the next treatment on the 17th. After the treatments wrap up, we’ll have two months to wait to see what kind of remission was attained.

I’m disappointed that it’s so less treatable than what I initially understood. The odds aren’t good here, but on the other hand, because it’s so rare, there’s just not a lot of data.

Understandably, I have a lot of anger about all of this. I’m mad. And I’m probably in shock that our family has to go through this right now, so soon after all the trauma with my Dad.

At the same time, it’s probably not surprising that I’ve given myself an acid reflux disorder. The last two nights, it’s been so bad when I went to bed that I’ve gotten up almost instantly to throw up repeatedly.

Sandra’s now got me on a bland diet (or so she thinks), and has forbidden (or so she thinks) diet coke, coffee, wine, chocolate, cheese (except goat), marbled meat, butter, tomatoes, salsa, hot peppers… you know… basically everything I love to eat and drink.

Great.

Fantastic.

You probably know that I love to cook, and I love to create in the kitchen. And I’m just not inspired by a diet of white foods.

I joked to Sandra last night that I’m just going to have to live off of sushi. And she said “NO WASABI”.

Gah.

I’m (understandably) feeling really overwhelmed with the business of life right now. We’ve suddenly got a squirrel living in our roof, and damned if I know what to do about any of that.

So, I’m just putting one foot in front of the other. And focusing on what I have control over, and trying to let go of my worries.

This morning, I woke up at 5am to let the dogs out. Instead of going back to bed, and maybe getting another restless hour of sleep, I sat in the dining room with my computer and finished the last touches on this pattern.

I’ve been overloaded these past few weeks. My job is thrilling me – but it’s also consuming a lot of my thoughts in the hours I normally spend knitting or designing. Time to blog? Non-existent. And yet, I wanted to knit my mom something for her birthday on August 27th. Several years ago, I’d gifted her a Charlotte’s Web, and she’s always exclaimed over the colors and how it looks over a plain black coat.

So when this birthday rolled around – her first without dad in 40 years – I wanted to craft something really special. My lack of time has made it just a wee bit late… but more on that in a bit.

Contorno is a shawl/wrap/scarf that uses 3 colorways of Koigu, and short rows to shape the ripple edging into a curving kind of crescent. It can be scrunched around your neck, or wrapped over your shoulders.

The thing I loved about this design was how the handpaints play so well together. The yarns do coordinate, but so often with Koigu, it’s fun to add in quite a bit of contrast. The result? A spicy, ziggy-zaggy, cacophony of colors.

Full Pattern information >

Next week, I’m going to be teaching at Vogue Knitting Live in LA! I’m flying down for just a few days; teaching on Saturday and Sunday, and then heading to Santa Barbara to teach a sold-out Cloud Chaser class on Monday. After that? I’m swinging through Chicago so I can deliver Contorno in person.

Originally, I was just going overnight. Now, I’m staying with mom through the following Saturday. While it’s going to be lovely to spend time with her, the reason isn’t so lovely. A few weeks ago, Mom was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B-Cell Type Non-Hodgskins Lymphoma. It has spread to her bone marrow, so she’s classified as Stage 4. She’ll begin her first round of chemotheraphy on September 26, and I’ll be there for the days after to help out and keep her company as she goes through the first of 6 treatments.

Many people have asked what they can do. My answer? I don’t know.

My sisters over at AerysSports have started up several Light The Night groups to walk for Lymphoma and Leukemia research. Consider joining the Aerys team on a walk. I’m incredibly honoured that they’d organize this to support Mom and our family.

Right now I’m trying to process this news, and attempt to understand how life can be so cruel to hit us with this new challenge, so soon after losing Dad.

Lymphoma – even stage 4 – is treatable, and often responds very well to chemo. Still, there are no guarantees, and it’s going to be a tough 5 months, if not more.

Will giving my mom this design help make things easier? Probably not. But it can’t hurt for her to have a new reminder of my constant love.

This morning, as with most weekend mornings, I got up early to attempt to get caught up with emails and responsibilities, with responses and projects. I’m working on three ‘secret’ designs right now; one for a book, one for a yarn company, and one for myself. I can’t photograph them, or talk about them, despite how much I’m happy with the results and the process.

This morning, while writing up some pattern instructions and charts, I had a New Idea for something to knit. My mom’s birthday is coming up (no, she doesn’t read this), and I wanted to make her something new for fall. Years ago, when the Kogiu Charlotte’s Web project was quite the thing, I’d gifted her one. She loved the colours, the texture, and the warmth. I loved knitting it; switching from colourway to colourway, enjoying the unexpected combinations.

But, I’ve been there, and done that. Twice. And yet, my stash has so many single skeins of the Painter’s Palette Merino.

So I got to thinking. I’ve had this idea in my head for awhile of another short row shaped shawl, but with a simple ripple pattern that can showcase Koigu’s impressionistic colors.

Why don’t I blog the design process? Start to finish?

Process
Here’s the start of almost any project. I write out a pseudo-pattern.

In the programming world, it’s common to use what’s called “pseudo-code” to work through a bit of logic or a part of the program before the programmer gets sucked into the nitty-gritty of syntax and formatting. I use the same practice for my pattern design.

In this case, I’ve written out my two row garter stitch ripple pattern, just to give me a place to start.

The sketch is part of the pseudo-pattern. I document the intended shape, and add in directional arrows and lines to give me an idea of how the stitches will work.

And yes, for an accessory, I nearly always do this before worrying about gauge or exact needle size. It lets me start knitting while the idea is fresh; a key part of the second point I want to make.

Play

Although I do occasionally write out a large portion of the pattern ahead of time, I prefer to just give myself enough to start with. Keeping things open and loose invites me to play with the pattern, the yarn, and the concept. And it also keeps it fun.

This design job isn’t really a ‘job’ in the conventional sense of the word. It’s how I pour my love for the craft into something that I can share with others. And yet, it’s sometimes easy for these kinds of ‘hobby industries’ to become obligations.

For me, combining the Play with the Process ensures this can’t happen. My patterns have to be fun to knit, or I’m not going to finish them. (And you probably won’t either.) This is one reason I incorporate directional twists and turns into many of my designs, or just change up the stitch pattern before it gets to be tedious.

Keeping things loose in the beginning sometimes means I have to start over a few times. In this case, the ripple pattern I’ve written may be too wide, or too narrow. It may not be ripply enough. It may be too ripply. I’ll find out within a few inches whether or not it’s as I imagined. If not? Back to the notebook.

So, for this wrap, I’m getting ready to cast on this afternoon.

Tomorrow? I’ll show you how it’s going as I begin to work the edging.

Summer in Toronto is one of those beasts you don’t want to get too close to. Humid. Sticky. Smoggy. Sweaty. Rainy. We’ve been through it all. And yet this morning… this morning is as close to perfect as it comes. Blue sky. Crisp. Sunny. Fresh.

To be perfectly honest, though, I don’t mind the heat in Toronto. I lived for ten years in places without the kind of summers I grew up with in Chicago. San Francisco summers are legendary; “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” And Calgary? One summer we had a snowstorm every single month.

Toronto summers are a lot like those I remember as a kid. The humidity. The heavy air. The heat. The “need” for air conditioning. As miserable as it can sometimes be, and as much as I hate walking from the streetcar to work with sweat dripping down my back, I have to admit, I love them.

So things are good. Busy. But good. And that’s a nice change. Now, if only I could get those 17 extra hours….

Tonight, hundreds of knitters will flock (hardyharhar) to the Rogers Centre in Toronto for the annual Stitch ‘n Pitch promotion.

For me, it’s a strange night where my two worlds collide, where yarn balls meet long balls.

My Blue Jays column today profiles the event, and also gives the baseball fans some “Do’s and Don’ts” when encountering Knitters outside of their natural habitat. Go read it, then come back.

Are you back?

Did I get everything right? Good.

Now, I know that some Baseball Fans are also Knitters. And I know that some Knitters are also Baseball Fans. But those of you who only know half the words to “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” might have some questions as you watch the game.

This little primer is for you, all the Knitters who (sometimes) find yourself in a baseball park, and want to have a better idea of what’s going on.

The Basic Stitches Rules
The objective of the game is to score runs. Whichever team has the most runs by the end of 9 (or more) innings, wins.

Each inning has 2 halves. Each half ends when the batting team gets out 3 times. In the first half inning, the home team plays in the field (defense) and the visiting team bats (offense). The second half? They flip.

A run is scored when a batting player is able to hit the ball, and move safely around all of the four bases.

The goal of the batting team is to score runs. The goal of the fielding team is to prevent the opponent from scoring by getting “outs”. Once the batting team has 3 outs against them, the half inning is over, and the teams flip.

An out can be made in many different ways. These are the three most common:

• A fielding player catches the ball before it hits the ground; the batting player is called out.
• A fielding player picks up the ball after it hits the ground and throws it to the defensive player on base. The running player is called out.
• A batter fails to make contact with the ball. This is called “striking out”.

Likewise, there are a few ways to score runs.

• Home runs are the most glamourous. They’re like the cashmere of baseball. Everyone wants them, few get them on a daily basis. Typically, a home run is scored when the batter hits the ball in fair (not foul) territory, out of the park or into the stands. When a home run is hit, any players on base also get to run home. A Grand Slam is a home run when 3 players are on base (the bases are loaded); 4 runs score.
• More typically, a run is scored when a player on base (usually second or third), is able to run home when the next batter hits.
• Occasionally, a run can be “walked” in. If the pitcher isn’t able to throw good pitches, the batter gets a free pass to first base. If the bases are loaded, this means that all base runners get to advance to the next base. In this way, a walk with bases loaded actually equals a run for the batting team.
• It’s also possible to STEAL a run. Stolen bases can be a fun part of the game. A player on base is allowed to try to run for the next base when the ball is being pitched to the next player, as long as the batter doesn’t hit the ball. If he gets there without being thrown out? He’s safe. Very rarely, a player can even steal home base, thus stealing a run.

To sum up, a game is made of 9 innings. In each inning, each team has 3 outs before they lose their turn. The goal is to score as many runs as possible, in order to win.

Know Your Stash Roster

Think of a team’s players (the roster) like different types of yarns. Just because a player could technically be used in any position, doesn’t mean he’d be any good there. Making the catcher play the outfield would be like trying to knit a sock out of lace weight mohair.

The 9 players bat in a pre-set order (the lineup), determined by their individual abilities. A faster runner may bat early in the lineup; his speed may help with stolen bases, or getting a run on a hit. A batter who hits a lot of home runs will probably bat third or fourth; it assumes the bases may be full by the time he comes to the plate.

As you move further down the lineup, you’ll find slower players (typically the Catcher), and players that don’t tend to hit the ball as well. Why? The batters that hit early in the lineup may have more opportunities to hit in a normal game. If every single player gets out every single time, each of the 9 players will come up to bat 3 times. Realistically, at least 4 or 5 players will make it on base during any given game. This means that the top half of the lineup will almost always come up to bat 4 times.

You have two types of pitchers in the game. The “Starting Pitcher” is the one who starts the game (duh) and can usually be counted on for six or seven innings of work. When the starting pitcher starts to get tired (as evidenced by giving up runs or walks later in the game), or reaches 100 or more pitches, a relief pitcher is called in from the ‘bullpen’.

Typically, the better Starters can be counted on for 100 or 110 pitches in a game, getting them through the 7th inning. A sign of a great pitcher? When he pitches a complete game (full 9 innings), a complete game shut-out (full 9 innings, allowing no runs), a no-hitter (full 9 innings, allowing no hits), or a perfect game (full 9 innings, allowing no hits, giving up no walks).

Relief pitchers are specialists, generally used for a single inning (or even less). During the course of a long or close game, you may see 3 or 4 different relief pitchers as the manager will choose a reliever based on who’s coming up to plate for the opposing team.

Learn How to Measure Your Gauge Players and Teams

Knitting is actually all about math. Patterns are made up of numbers of stitches of particular sizes and shapes. They come together to create a garment or object that, hopefully, fits flawlessly.

Likewise, baseball and numbers go together like knitters and sock yarn.

There are statistics to measure everything from how a player did five weeks ago, to what kinds of elevation a typical left handed batter gets on home runs at night when visiting Yankee Stadium during June as opposed to September.

You can get into it as much or as little as you want, but it helps to understand a few basic concepts.

• Batting Average (AVG): This is one of the simplest stats in baseball – and most popular. The AVG is simply the percentage of time that the batter hits the ball without getting out. The higher number, the better. A pretty good batter has a .250 AVG; he gets a hit every four times he comes up to the plate, or maybe once a game. A great batter? .300 or higher.
• On Base Percentage (OBP): Because a ‘good’ batter should actually get on base through walks as well as hits, a far better stat to use is OBP. This is just the percentage of time a batter reaches first base; through walks or through hits.
• Earned Run Average (ERA): Pitchers are rated differently; in terms of how many runs they ‘allow’ during the course of a game. ERAs tend to range from 2.00 to 5.00, and indicate how many runs the pitcher would give up over 9 innings. This is calculated by multiplying the number of actual runs by 9 innings, and dividing by the number of innings he pitched.

The Cheat Sheet: How to Act Like You Know The Game

When a team is getting a lot of hits in a row, say, “Wow, that pitcher is really getting high in the zone.” (Waist-high pitches tend to be easier for batters to hit; a skilled pitcher tries to locate pitches at the corners.)

Don’t boo your own team, even if other “fans” are doing it. Boo bad calls. Boo when the opposing pitcher almost nails a player in the head. But don’t boo your team. Would you want to be booed when you have to frog? No?

Disappointed that your team struck out? Is the home umpire Joe West or Bob Davidson? If so, say, “Man, Joe West / Bob Davidson really needs to retire. Terrible call.”

A good pitcher should be able to get out of every inning with fewer than 20 pitches. The pitch count is displayed in the ballpark and often on television broadcasts. If a pitcher has a 25 or 35 pitch inning, say, “Look at his pitch count! The bullpen is going to have to really cover for him.”

Feel like getting The Wave started? Do it during a commercial break or not at all. Baseball isn’t as welcoming of the trend as with many sports. Although it may seem ‘slow’ or ‘dull’, baseball fans watch the movement of the batter, the advancing of the base runner, and the shift of the fielders with every pitch. It’s a details game, and it’s a quiet details game. Want to jump up and cheer for that run sliding in to score? Go for it! There’s nothing better than a stadium full of fans, all on their feet.

If you’re in Toronto and John McDonald gets substituted in, cheer “JOHNNY MAC!!!!!” as loud as you can. He’s not the best batter, but he’s an unsung fan favorite.

Finally, remember to have fun. It’s not the end of the world if your team loses. Even great, World-Series winning teams lose a third of their games – or more – during the course of the season.

Are you going to a Stitch ‘n Pitch this year? Please share your stories and pictures!

Play ball!