Latest edition of Knotting Matters.

General Discussion
1

What an excellent edition of KM.
I was pleased to be able to see some of the ‘knotty’ folk that I have read about for years, in the photographs. I am even more determined to get to some meetings!
One thing that I noticed was the IGKT merchandise that I have never even heard of, baseball caps, polo shirts and embroidered shirts! Where are these for sale and how can I get hold of them! All I’ve got is the tie!

Owen Nuttalls article about builders guidelines took me back to two years ago when I had some building work done and was watching the bricklayers doing their setting out and measuring using these lines, I was dying to show them some better bends, but mostly they were keen to finish the work and didn’t have time. It made me think of a topic for an article could be ‘Knots in Construction’.

The news note about the ‘Telly’ awards was interesting, firstly I thought only us Brits used the word ‘Telly’ and secondly I want to get those DVDs. So I’ll be getting on Amazon and Ebay looking for Robert Black and his DVDs.

Also a reminder to me to bust a gut and get to the October meeting at Quarry Bank Mill. Dave Walker can break my Fid and throw me out of the Guild if I don’t make it. Just like Chuck Connors in ‘Branded’ (old western tv series).

Finally, I was very interested to see a Maru dai being used by Barbara Sessions, on the back cover. I have a book on Kumihimo and if I ever get the time I would love to make some of the ornate braids in the book.

There are lots of other interesting items in this issue and I haven’t even looked at the letters!

Many thanks to all of you for a super edition!

2

The baseball caps, polo shirts and embrodered shirts are all done by branches. As are many of the printed T-shirts and sweaters.
The shirts are all done by the American Branches, the Polo-shirts by the people organising the Birthday meeting, and both might be still available. I think they ran out of caps, but I am not sure about that.
I hope to see you in October, (I have already aranged for a week of at work and will be in England after the meeting too.)

Willeke

3

drjbrennan, I have to totally agree with you. Colin has done an excellent job on this the 95th Issue – 50 pages of news and discussions that I am sure will have many of us reading over and again. Colin, you have my appreciation and respect.

It almost seems wrong, but – just like Olive Twist – I want more. Not more from Colin, that is, but more of the KM.

I am a newbie to the IGKT, and seeing that this is the 95th issue of KM reminds me of just how much similar quality of information is held in those 95 issues, only a few of which are available to me since I joined. Yes, I am aware that some back issues are available, but that is not what I am after.

Those of us who have thumbed through the Ashley Book of Knots will know what a treasure that book is and that it is a joy to read. But at over 600 pages, it is stuffed with information and my mind is simply not capable of holding it all, even if I were to take the time to re-read it until it began to stick. Those of you that have used the recently available ABOK on searchable DVD will also know what a massive enhancement to the value of that work it is to be able to computer search the whole book for any term or phrase that may interest you, and to have the results of those searches made instantly available – it makes the ABOK even more valuable and interesting.

Imagine then if that same searchability were available for all 95 issues of KM. Now perhaps you can see what it is that I want – all 95 back issues and all issues forthwith to be available in pdf searchable format and downloadable from the IGKT website.

Naturally, I would not expect this goal to impose in any way on Collins time. Today, Adobe Acrobat Pro is able to create a searchable pdf file from virtually any printable source file. Ideally, the Guild would provide Colin with AA Pro or alternatively I or other members would be willing to do the conversion FOC for the Guild. All it would require of the Guild is to decide that this is a valuable service and to initiate it, together with the decision to provide the access through the IGKT website.

The bigger task would be the back issues which were not available as printable computer files – i.e. only available in archive hard copy. To incorporate the valuable information contained in these back issues, they would have to treated much as the ABOK has – that is scanned, then processed with OCR to create a searchable pdf file. Again, we must find a route which does not impose cost or effort on the members of the Council. Again, I have offered to engage on this process by undertaking to scan and convert archive issues of KM for the IGKT.

Now that we have the newly appointed Council, I can only hope that they consider the value of having back issues available in this manner and take up any volunteers in this work.

Derek

4

This is actually being worked on now, but there are Data Protection Issues as some contributors may not want their names appearing on the Internet.

Lesley
WebAdmin

5

Hi Lesley,

Am I right in thinking that there would be no data protection issues if the pdf files were only made available to IGKT members? After all, those members would receive the hard copy KM and (were enough available) could order hard copy back issues which would also contain those peoples names thus making that information open to the members anyway and nullifying data protection issues.

Taking your comment further. I have been thinking of donating my copies of KM to my local library so as to spread the word about the IGKT. As doing so would make those peoples name open to the public, does this become a DP issue and would I have to get permission to do this first?

Derek

6

PS Lesley,

I am really glad to hear that this project is in action.

Could you give us an update as to just what is planned and what status has been achieved, also does the project need any assistance from members?

PPS Lindsey,

Were you aware of this significant initiative?

Derek

7

Just wondering if the new Admins are continuing this effort or if it has been shelved? This would be a seriously valuable reference for us and I’d snap up a copy in a heartbeat as I did with “The Braider”

8

Hi,

No, so far as I know the project is still being worked on. But I’m not sure who is handling it. I understand that for some time now the printer who produces KM for us has required the submission in .pdf, so that it is now automatically done. But there is a gap in the early issues. They’re catching up, but it will take time. As for making it only available to IGKT members, that was a suggestion which was made to the Council, through the offer of a password-protected membership-only section of the website. I’m still waiting to hear back about any decisions.

Regards
Glenys